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1947 conv questions

Started by nasser, March 23, 2005, 03:34:36 AM

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nasser

Hi:
  I am restoring a 1947 conv, does the front seat of the 4drs fit the conv? I know the rear wont fit. Can any one email me pictures of the floor of a 1947 conv? I am doing one that has most of its floor gone especially arround the rockers, I cut a 1947 cad 4dr sedan floor to use it in the conv with some modifications near the rear seat and Ill keep the the spare tire well in the trunk which came with the 4dr floor (it saves space). What you 1947 "guros" think, any insights, thoughts, previous experiences/dreams in such surgical floor transplanting, will be greatly apreciated. Also need a steering wheel and some window crancks and a vent window regulator and over the grill plate. Happy motoring.
Dr. Nasser

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Doctor,

The Sedan seat will fit, but it will make for really hard access to the rear seating area.

The Convertible seat has two separate backs that fold forward, and I cant see it being easy to convert a Sedan seat, unless you know a really good upholsterer who has plenty of time, and you have plenty of that folding stuff.

You would be better off with either a Coupe or a Convertible seat.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

Bill Ingler CLC 7799

Bruce is correct, the 4 dr seat will not work, you have to find a front seat from a coupe or a convert to be able to have the folding seat inorder to get to the back seat. I just finished a 47 convert restoration. The original floor was so bad I used another floor from a coupe. As far as pictures are concerned you should buy a copy of the Body Service Manual 1946-1948 which has a good picture of the floor for the 47. I doubt that the spare tire will work upright as the slope of the convert trunk as well as the top well will not let you mount the spare up right as in the sedan. The window regulator for the convert has a 1/8th inch longer stem than the sedan or coupe so your replacement regulator must come from a 46 -48 Buick convert or 42-47Cad convert.

Daniel

Done the same thing with a 49 convertible, except that the replacement floor came from a club coupe.  It had to be channeled/fit to get it in.  In my mind, the most important part of the job is making sure your seat mount holes (for the gliders) are in the correct position.  Everything else will be covered with flooring/rug, so no big deal, but the seat must be properly located.

Bill Ingler CLC 7799

Daniel- you are so right on the seat location. Since we used the floor from a 62 coupe which had the seat location in the same place as the convert, this did not present a problem. The big problem was in drilling out spot welds and transfering the convert windshield, cowl and fire wall from the convert to the coupe and also the rest of the useable sheet metal from the convert, still getting everything to fit. The doors of the convert are about 7/8 inch shorter than the coupe doors so pillar posts and body braces are not in the same location on the convert as the coupe. By first making 4 cross jigs across the interior of the old convert body, the new convert body was put together and when it was lowered on the frame, every body brace hole to frame fit as it was never apart.This is one of those projects that I kept asking myself why did I ever start. As you know once started you have to finish or you have a very high priced parts car for sale

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Bill,

Quote:- "This is one of those projects that I kept asking myself why did I ever start" - end Quote.

I have said those words to myself a lot of times over the years, but never seem to remember to say them before actually commencing a task.

And, will probably keep on saying them.

And, then are the words "I wished I had left well enough alone", and "why did I do it".

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV


Terry Sopira

Hi,
I saw your post and thought you might be interested inpurchasing an uncompleted restoration project of 1947 Cadillac Convertible.  All the parts should be there. The car is listed on ebay and will be there until the end of the week.  There is very detailed description of the car there.  Email me if there are any questions.

nasser

Thanks for the offer. but I am full head of steam in my restoration of the 47 conv. I am way ahead of the cuting/welding/fitting/cancer-removing process. I am now in painting the body off the frame and off the fenders hood trunk lid etc.
  The project on ebay right now is very ambisious one and will take alot of work and parts. Mine wasnt as bad as this one. Two weeks ago a 1947 conv was sold on ebay for arround seven grands, the rockers on the car needed great rust work and a frame off restoration is diffenetly needed. The current one on ebay will not bring the kind of Dollar that the previous one brought.
  The parts for the 47s are getting very scarce and expensive especially for the convs parts like windows and spears. A rear fender spear for the conv could sell in the $600s like what happened last week on ebay. Parts that are shared with the 4drs are plintyfull and could be found easily.
  Restoring one 1947 Cadillac conv is a pleasure to do, so guys dont fear any condition of these cars or the technical advise of good people and hobiests like the people in this club. I would like to give cridit to one of these good restorers/collectors who is giving me great advises and directions and support, it is Mr Bill Ingler. Bill was assisting me right from the bat, emails, pictures, and references were sent to me and questions were answered with such details and care, Bill I dont know how to thank you. Others from this forum have answered many Qs and their insights were very helpfull, thanks to everyone. Ill post some pictures and refer you to it when I finish my project, hopefully mid next year.

Bill Ingler CLC 7799

Hi Dr Nasser- Thanks for the kind remarks. Someone had emailed me the ebay listing on this 47 convert. There are some parts on the car that can be used but overall it is just a parts car and in very poor shape. The body would take a lot of money to restore and there are parts such as the trunk lid that is junk. That trunk lid is unique to only the 47 convert as well as the dash to say nothing of the door trim.As you well know, body and trim parts are very hard to find. Please keep me posted on your car. There were very few parts offered for our 47s at Hershey last week but still had a good time.

tsopira

Bill,
A little harsh perhaps?

Twenty or thirty years ago there were sheet metal craftsman that could take cars worse than this and make new metal pieces and / or patch holes.  These guys were great, and they were hundreds of them in the Northeast and in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.  Cars with holes were often the result of the salt used in the winter, so body shops gathered a lot of expertise in metal fabrication and patching.  I actually rebuilt a Cord that was much worse than this Cadillac and a Pittsburgh body shop fabricated quite a few parts with the end result that the car came out quite well.  
 
Maybe you are right, times have changed and perhaps these great craftsman have gone the way of 45 RPM records and real chrome bumpers and thats what makes this car a parts car.

Keep in mind that all of the parts that have been removed have been stored in doors and the real value of this car maybe in the parts that you indicate are becoming scarce.  If thats the case plese make your fellow members aware that this car is available.  I would like to see it go to good use, in any case.

Bill Ingler CLC 7799

Harsh, I don`t think so. I spent the last 5 years doing a body off on a 47 convert loaded with rust so I think I know a little about rust. Yes, anything can be restored but it comes to a point of just how much money you want to spend building a new body and that is sure what your car needs. The money in your car is in the parts. I just returned from selling 47 Cad parts at Hershey. The demand is out there for 47 convert parts or any 47 parts. I would think that if you part out the car on ebay you will do much better than trying to sell as a complete car for restoration. Good luck

Porter 21919

Restoration cost 2 x retail price is a bad investment.

Unless you have a well equipped shop, extensive metal working knowledge and mechanical rebuilding expertise, including auto body and upholstery work, not to mention expensive parts that are missing.

Not to mention 2 or 3 thousand hours of your labor, a long term ambitious project indeed.

I spent all my weekends this summer on a free 67 CDV rustbucket with low mileage, it runs and drives, maybe another 1,000 hours and it will be done.

Porter

TSOPIRA

Thanks for your advise.  I certainly dont mean to criticize you in any manner.
 
Perhaps I should explain my approach to these old cars and it may be different than yours.  My interest has always been in the experience of rebuilding them and driving them not the profit motive.  I can readily see the thousands of hours that it takes to rebuild these cars and have been through it in previous restorations.  I certainly did not make any money when I sold them off.  A very wise man once told me the way to make a fortune in classic cars is to start out with a bigger fortune. :)

Given your expertise in 47 Cadillacs I certainly will consider parting the car out but would just rather be rid of it as I am in California and the car is in Pennsylvania.  Could you give me an idea on what it is worth in parts?


tsopira

Thanks for your advice.  I agree that there is a major investment here.

nasser

  Can you give some acurate discriptions of the condition of the parts? we all seen the car and no comment on that. If you furnish me with good accurate discriptions, I am interested.
I think some parts are not so diffecult to locate, but some are almost impossible to find, let alone buying them, eg the quarter widows on the conv, rear spears, trunk lid, front seat, dashboard, vent window frames etc. I was very lucky to bid and win on a set of Q window frames for my 47 conv, you have to wait (God knows) may be 2-3 years before such an item would appear on ebay or any other media and stumble on it. So, commencing restoration on a car like yours would be possible but would cost time, money, and effort.
  I agree with bill on selling the parts, especially the rare ones pertaining to the conv, would bring more money if these parts were sound. From the pictures of the car, I dought that there are sound parts because:
1- the rust damage caused by road salt have reached the trunk lid (very high on the car) meaning that valueable parts on this level would be affected too, like the vent window frames, Q windows, chrome window frames, not to mention spears, belt mouldings, and handels and locks.
2- rust damage inflicted on the body (which is stored out side) is very evident that have happened on the roads during car usage not from storage caused by rain or humidity. Any restorer can distinguish from salt rust and weather rust by the pattern and location of this rust.
I could be wrong, thats why I am interested.
I hope no offence in my remarks, it is my 2 cents worth since you are in CA and the car in PA. Happy Cadillacism motoring.
Nasser,

tsopira

Nasser,
Please provide me with an address and I will send you a CD of the pictures of the 47 Cadillac and parts.

FYI:
The front and rear seat were redone in maroon leather and our in perfect condition.  (these were shown on ebay)

The engine was rebuilt, and as I remember has a new starter, fuel system, ditributor, pistons, valves, bearings etc.

As to the windows, They were placed in the bottom of the car.  They are in various states of condition and I believe there are pictures on the CD of them.  Most of the small parts were stored indoors with the engine and seats for the last 20 years.

I make no bones about it the car was rough when I bought it from a pimp and time has not been kind to it.  However, a lot of the parts are reusable on somebodys project out there.

If you prefer to talk by phone send me an email with your phone number or if you prefer to call me I will supply mine.

Thanks For your advice.

Terry

tsopira

Hi,
Does anyone know how I can reach nasser by email or phone?

Thanks
Terry