"New" to me '53 series 62

[Brett S]

Hi
I just picked up '53 that's been sitting in a garage for a long time. The cars is about 90% complete, and only has a fist size hole in the driver floor board. It has the typical surface Patina on the body.  The hydraulic is shot so the windows are stuck down and there's no brakes. The previous owner pulled 7 of the spark plugs ( not sure why) so I would imagine there is mouse crap in there. I'm not sure if the motor is seized , need to clean out cylinders first before I try to turn it over by hand.

I have a couple questions regarding the hydraulic's, other than the windows, what else is hydrolic?
Where is the hydraulic's in the engine compartment?

Thanks for the help
I'm sure I'll have more questions

[Rdtreur]

Cool! I just bought a ‘52 series 62 coupe. Also with a lot of work to be done .

[Jim Govoni CLC 20546]

Brett, in your car the pump, which is in the engine side of the right front fender, controls the four windows and the seat.  Unless you have a convertible, then the top would be controlled too.

[Brett S]

Brett, in your car the pump, which is in the engine side of the right front fender, controls the four windows and the seat.  Unless you have a convertible, then the top would be controlled too.

Ok perfect ! Should I replumb the windows and seat to keep the hydraulic's or replace everything with electric? I'd imagine I can use hard brake lines or even SS flex lines.
I'm not trying to make it a show car, just possibly a functioning driver. Not trying to get into a money pit, I already have 2 drag cars.

[Brett S]

Also.. is the pump something I can "hot wire" with a jump box since the cars not running now? Or is there more to the system? After I get all the plumbing done, if that's the best direction to go...

[Caddy Wizard]

Don't give up on the hydraulics just yet.  Try replacing the fluid and bleeding the system.  The motor is two parts -- a hydraulic pump and a motor that drives the pump.  Pump/motor is located on the firewall in the engine compartment usually.  The motor is a regular starter motor, with a different end.  So any auto electric company can redo the electric motor for you for not much money.  The cylinders in the doors usually fail and those can be replaced with new ones from a company in FL (Hydro-E-Lectric, I think).  Probably easier to fix the original system than to replace it with something else and make that replacement system work well.


The only other thing in your car that is hydraulic is the front seat adjustment.

[35-709]

You will be time and money ahead (and save a lot of head-scratching) with this ---

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-Cadillac-Shop-Manual-/401864047422?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

--- and you'll need the 1953 supplement here ---

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Cadillac-Service-Shop-Manual-Supplement-Original-/254213810162?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

The hydraulic system uses DOT 3 brake fluid --- you'll be much better off cleaning the whole system and using transmission fluid. 
Here is a vendor you will be looking for soon enough for rebuilt hydraulic pumps, window cylinders, switches, etc.
https://www.hydroe.com/  Hydro-E-Lectric as mentioned by Art Gardner.

A read you will find interesting, it is for a '49 but AFAIK they are all much the same.
http://www.1949cadillac.com/category/hydro-lectrics/

[Brett S]

Don't give up on the hydraulics just yet.  Try replacing the fluid and bleeding the system.  The motor is two parts -- a hydraulic pump and a motor that drives the pump.  Pump/motor is located on the firewall in the engine compartment usually.  The motor is a regular starter motor, with a different end.  So any auto electric company can redo the electric motor for you for not much money.  The cylinders in the doors usually fail and those can be replaced with new ones from a company in FL (Hydro-E-Lectric, I think).  Probably easier to fix the original system than to replace it with something else and make that replacement system work well.


The only other thing in your car that is hydraulic is the front seat adjustment.

Ok, I'll give it a shot. I'll use AFT fluid also.

Another stupid question, is the ignition a points system or a HEI distributor?.

[76eldo]

I would suggest you contact Hydro Electric in Florida.  Their website is www.hydroe.com.  The can rebuild your pump and offer info on reviving your car's hydro-electric systems.

The fluid in the lines and the pump is probably dried out and a real mess.  I don't know about Cadillac but I rebuilt a Packard system in a 1948 Custom Eight convertible.  The windows, seat and top were powered off of the firewall mounted pump and fluid reservoir.  The Packard used brake fluid.  They told me NOT to switch over to trans fluid because the lines were ruber and cotton and that the trans fluid would make them swell shut.  So do a little research on that.  Of course if you change everything and update the lines you may be able to use trans fluid or hydraulic pump oil.

The pump is a big motor with the reservoir attached.  Start by cleaning that out and testing the pump to see if it works.

Good luck with your car and welcome to the CLC message board.

Brian

[Brett S]

Ok, thanks Brian, I'll check them out. Your actually not to far from me, I'm in northern Montgomery county.

Do you know what kind of psi the hydraulic's are?

Getting the windows working and checking out the motor are the top two thinks on my list. The motor I'm not to worried about, if it's freed up I'll get it running. If it's locked up we might be taking this in another direction.

[76eldo]

Not sure but I think the pressures are fairly high.  The folks at Hydro Electric will be able to tell you.  I have bought a lot of stuff from them over the years for some of my convertibles and they are really knowledgeable.

[35-709]

"Another stupid question, is the ignition a points system or a HEI distributor?."

  Cadillac did not start using HEI until 1974. 

[Brett S]

"Another stupid question, is the ignition a points system or a HEI distributor?."

  Cadillac did not start using HEI until 1974.

Thank you !

[Brett S]

Thanks for everyone's help so far ! I'm sure these questions get old after a while.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

......Another stupid question, .......

There is no such thing as a stupid question.

The only thing that could be stupid is not asking a question, no matter how stupid it might seem.

Bruce.

[Brett S]

Thanks Bruce

I've been looking for a patch panel for the drivers side floor board. When I search for replacement panels, they keep coming up as Buick panels. Are they interchangeable or are they brand specific? I dont need the whole panel, probably only a 12" square.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Brett,

The good thing about General Motors is that even though they produced many brands of cars, the sub-structures in a lot of cases were in some instances the same pressings.

There is every possibility that the Buick part for that area is the same, and wanting such a small piece, if you are able to replace the part, why don't you make the part.

When you get a replacement part, are you going to fit it yourself?   If so, I will email you what I did to a '71, when I couldn't get replacement pieces.

Bruce.

[Cadillac Fleetwood]

Thanks Bruce

I've been looking for a patch panel for the drivers side floor board. When I search for replacement panels, they keep coming up as Buick panels. Are they interchangeable or are they brand specific? I dont need the whole panel, probably only a 12" square.

The '53 Cadillacs are GM "C" bodies.  Inner stampings, including the floor pans, were shared with the '53 Buick Super (Series 50) and Roadmaster (Series 70), which are the only other "C" bodies that year.  The floor panels from a Super or Roadmaster 2-door hardtop (Models 56 and 76) would be the same as for the 62 series Cadillac coupe models, and likewise, the Super or Roadmaster 4-door sedans (Models 52 and72) would be the same as for the 62 series Cadillac sedan and the 60S.

Charles Fares

[Brett S]

Ok great! Thank you.

[Brett S]

What is the first picture? It say "inlet" on the top hard line.

The 2nd and third picture looks like a HEI distributor and coil to me. Has this car already  been converted over from a points system to HEI? Or is this still a points dizzy?