1976 Eldorado Convertible - the dream begins

[amarzano]

Hello folks -

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself and tap into the vast knowledge the forum has to offer.  I few years back I started my. quest for a 1976 Eldo.  After many near misses, I decided to settle on a car an bite the bullet.  As with most things in life, the car has it's plus and minus.  I really just got tired of searching and figured I would spend the energy on fixing or repairing and hopefully enjoying. 

I will say up front that I am mechanically challenged and really would appreciate both technical assistance as well as any recommendations for someone to do some of the work this car will need.  Some one in the San Francisco Bay Area would be ideal, as I am located here in San Jose.

About the car.  It is a white / white top / red interior with 11000 miles.  I purchased the car in Fresno, CA with the help of a broker.  I did have the car inspected prior and was able to find out the carburetor had been rebuilt and it passed our smog test just fine.

I do have a list of issues that I have noticed and need help with.  In no particular order:

- 8 track / radio doesn't work.  I will get audio on one side for a bit and then the audio will shut off completely.  If any one has an 8 track in good shape, I would be interested in purchasing one.

- Sunvisors - This is a bit of a mystery.  The passenger side is pretty chewed up.  Looks like someone tried to make a lighted vanity and perhaps did not do a good job.  Driver side is ok - but It would be great to have a matching set.

- Wheels / Tires - they seem to be a tiny bit too wide and will rub the rear fender ever so slightly when I have the family loaded up in the car and hit a bump.  These are aftermarket wire wheels on the car now.  I'm torn between rolling the fenders and getting the stock wheels back on the car.

- Rear Shocks / (ALC) - The rear shocks are new silver KYB's.  I think they ride a bit stiffer than they should for a Cadillac.  The Automatic Level Control is also not connected.  I see the pump under the hood and the sensor in the rear - but no hoses and the KYBs have no provision for hooking them up.  I would really like to find someone that would be able to replace the shocks with the correct ones and get the ALC working again.

- Rubber strip - there are many places that have cracked or are cracking.  Again - finding a shop that might replace the rubber strip would be ideal.  Any suggestions on a brand that works best?

Thoughts, recommendations  or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I am hoping to post my progress as it moves forward and/or new items come to light..

Thank you,

Alex

PS - I have joined the club and searching for a local chapter next.

[STS05lg]

Alex, Welcome to the club. The Forum is populated by a number of very knowledgeable and helpful members.
I will try to address some of your questions.

The Stereo AM/FM 8-Track was the most expensive optional radio in 1976. The problem you describe is common with these 42 year old radios. They produce a lot of heat and there is a resistor in the radio that causes the radio to shut down if it gets to hot. Over the years these resistors become more sensitive to heat. I have had this same problem with the radio in my SDV, ELC, and TAL. Any competent radio repair shop can correct the issue. I would recommend Southern Electronics in Richmond VA. They have several very knowledgeable employees with a lot of experience with GM radios. Their web site focus on Speedometer rebuilding but give them a call they work on lots of GM Radios. If you use them, they return your radio well packaged and postage paid. The cost is usually $350-$450.

Also, read the service manual for removal of the radio, it will only come out after you have removed the ash tray assembly and then you have to tilt it at an angle and very carefully bring it out. Do NOT remover the dash or upper dash it will not assist you in  anyway getting the radio out. Also, there is a small set screw in each radio knob that has to be loosened before you can remove the knob. They do NOT pull off like other GM radio knobs.

Used sun visors should not be a problem obtaining. Any upholstery shop should be able to recover the replacement if it is not the correct color. The most important thing is that you do not over tighten the screw on the plastic tension ring that keeps the sun visor from falling down all the time.

Wheels were specific to Eldorados because of the offset of the front wheel drive. I am unfamiliar of any wire wheels made for the 76 Eldorado. A good set of stock wheels and hubcaps works best. They are getting harder to find because they were Eldorado specific but places like USA PARTS should have a good used set.

The original GM Left and Right Rear Air Shocks have not been available sense around 1990. The left has two connections the right has one. That is why they have been replaced with aftermarket. The rear suspension will not support the weight of the car with just regular shocks because the springs are really soft because the system was designed for the air shocks to take a good part of the load. Most likely your self leveling system is no longer functional and some just replaced the shocks. You may need to go to a manual fill L/R air shock to get the rear ride height correct.

Again there are a lot of more knowledgeable members on the forum but I hope this has given you a start.

Best of luck with your new car.

Lynn

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

First of all, congratulations on the car. Secondly, post pictures. Don't forget that wheels are an accessory. Don't do anything to damage the car just for wheels.
This forum has wonderful talent and knowledge here (not me). Take advantage of it
Enjoy it.
Jeff

[bcroe]

I suppose you have no wheel covers?  Toronado wheels will fit the car
properly, if not Cad covers.  I would immediately get a new all steel
roller timing chain set, to replace the time bomb it came with. 

Your trans has probably never been worked on either.  Mine would
get immediately hauled out and the rubber piston seals, etc replaced. 
Most likely all the hard parts are in fine shape.  Any issue, do so
before real damage occurs. 

My car, I would leave the KYB shocks which will almost certainly
give better handling than air adjustable load shocks.  Put air bags
in the springs and add air for heavy loads. 

Original grease will be dried up in the wheel bearings, alternator,
and air cond clutch.  If they aren't refreshed, you can expect
failures soon. 
good luck, Bruce Roe   CLC # 14630

[amarzano]

Wow - Great suggestions.

I may have to break these topics up - so let me start with the wheels.

I did get a set of the stock wheels and hubcaps with the car.  Going back to them is an option.  They are a bit rough so I had a few questions:

- Should I get them Powder Coated?  They aren't terrible, but obviously a bit scratched and some light rust here and there.

- The wheel weights are different than what the local shops carry.  Is it ok to have the stick on weights on the inside?  I heard the hubcaps would not stay on if I used regular weights vs the "dropped" weights.  I also heard the Eldo is a bit fussy about wheel balance.

- The valve stems are also different and no one has them.  Should I order some from eBay?

I am looking at Coker for tires.  I believe the American Classic comes with the correct sided white wall.

Project 1.

Alex

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Alex,

"- Should I get them Powder Coated?  They aren't terrible, but obviously a bit scratched and some light rust here and there."
I wouldn't powder coat any wheels that are two-piece construction, that is centre and rim either welded or riveted together, as there is no way of getting the protection in to the "together" areas, where they can still rust.   Plus, the taper of the securing surfaces for the nuts will not be totally clean of colouring.   Look at wheels, and this area is metal to metal where the nut sits.   Yes, I am a bit pedantic in this area.   The nuts should not have a medium between the attacking face and the hub.

"- The wheel weights are different than what the local shops carry.  Is it ok to have the stick on weights on the inside?  I heard the hubcaps would not stay on if I used regular weights vs the "dropped" weights.  I also heard the Eldo is a bit fussy about wheel balance."
The CAX Weights are available, and there is nothing wrong with using stick-on weights if you can't find the right ones.   One source of CAX Weights is any wrecking yard that has similar vehicles being stripped.   If they still have wheels under them, they might have the correct weights, which can be reused. 

"- The valve stems are also different and no one has them.  Should I order some from eBay?"
What is wrong with your stems?   If they are leaking, replace the sealing washers, and clean the Valve threads with a Valve Thread tool.   I am not sure, but could truck stems be useable?

Bruce.

[savemy67]

Hello Alex,

Welcome to the forum.  Your post indicates that you are "mechanically challenged".  This should not be a deterrent for you as you progress through your project.  I encourage you to get the shop manual for your car (search eBay) even if you have no intention of doing your own work.  Reading the manual can provide valuable insight into how the car was designed to operate. This will help you when you encounter problems, and this will help you when you discuss repairs with a mechanic.  Good luck.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter

[bcroe]

The wheels here are getting to be high miles and a bit of rust
which I consider cosmetic.  They are not mechanically damaged. 

So now the process is get 2 or 4 of them sandblasted, then my
painter gives them a proper multi coat job.  Then off for new
valves and tires.  I mount them on the car myself so that the
gorillas at the tire store can't ruin the lug holes with stun level
air wrenches, which is why they have lasted so long. 

Polish the paint out of the lug holes if you wish, or mask them. 
Bruce Roe

[Glen]

- The valve stems are also different and no one has them.  Should I order some from eBay?

The valve stems are available from NAPA.  The problem is the computer does not list them for the Eldorado.  Ask them for valve stems TR 417.    They are also available at Amazon dot com. 

[TJ Hopland]

"- The valve stems are also different and no one has them.  Should I order some from eBay?"
What is wrong with your stems?   If they are leaking, replace the sealing washers

Bruce, have you been able to find a replacement washer that fits these?   I have tried a few times and there only seems to be a couple styles of washers for metal valve stems and none of them I have found are the same size or shape as these. 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I found a couple in my drawer of rubber grommets, but not sure what they were from, but one I used was a stepped grommet, and the other was a plain one.

But, as I am using aluminium wheels now, I haven't been looking any further.

Bruce.

[TJ Hopland]

As far as the wheels/tires rubbing I would suspect its a combination of things.  Maybe wrong offset in the rims,  possibly a 235 75r 15 tire being slightly wider especially if its a LT tire, and the rear end not sitting as high as it should especially with a full tank of gas and the family on board.   Solving one of those issues maybe would solve the problem. 

The air ride was standard on the Eldo and air ride use a much softer spring than a non air ride car so that meant there was never an official non air ride spring for these cars.   Not sure if Toro had a non air option or not.   I would not doubt there was some other GM application that was close but it would likely take some trial and error to find the right combination of parts to give a decent ride.

Are you talking about the rubber strips on the bumpers?   Someone is making those again and most of the specialty vendors carry them.  I think its either Steele or Rubber The Right Way that makes em.  They are not especially cheap so be ready to have to put those somewhere down on the to do list after you see the price.  I look at them in the catalog often but then look at other things on the car that would be a little more bang for the buck at this stage so they keep going on the next time list.     

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Welcome Alex!

PICTURES OF THE CAR PLEASE!!!

Tires = Diamond Backs
https://dbtires.com/

All of my wheel weights have to be on the inside because of the hubcaps.
Not sure what the difference, if any, is between the 70 Fleetwood and 76 Eldorado, the forum would know.

PICTURES PLEASE!

\m/
Laurie

[cadillacmike68]

Welcome Alex!

PICTURES OF THE CAR PLEASE!!!

Tires = Diamond Backs
https://dbtires.com/

All of my wheel weights have to be on the inside because of the hubcaps.
Not sure what the difference, if any, is between the 70 Fleetwood and 76 Eldorado, the forum would know.

PICTURES PLEASE!

\m/
Laurie

The tires for the two were the same size, same "modern" size being 235-75R-15

They are both Cadillacs.

That's about the end of the similarities between a 1970 Fleetwood Brougham and a 1976 elDorado Convertible. 

[TJ Hopland]

The Eldorado being front wheel drive has significantly different rim and suspension geometry than other cars of the era.   Its apparently something in that geometry that makes them much more sensitive to balance issues than the other cars. 

I have tried weights on the inside with no success.   I don't recall reading about anyone that has has success doing that on an Eldo.   I have read about success with stick on weights.   Stick on is probably more common than clip on weights for newer cars so tire shops are used to them now.   

[76eldo]

Is there a typo in your original post?
It says the car has 11,000 miles on it.
Nothing should be rough on an 11,000 mile car.

If you need to paint the rims just rough them up with a wire brush and paint them with a can of cheap black paint. You only see about 1/4 of an inch of them with the caps on them.
CAX weights are available.

[amarzano]

As requested - here are a few photos.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

She's beautiful Alex!!

\m/
Laurie