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Eldorado Brougham 1958

Started by David Frias, April 08, 2005, 09:20:28 AM

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David Frias

I live in Venezuela and I recently bought a 1958 Brougham serial number 58P-005631.I beleve it is the only one in our country. I imagine it´s number 631 taking last three numbers of vehicle serial number correct?

George

58 is the year P is the series, 005631 is the production number sequence.

David Frias


Roger A. Zimmermann @21015

To find the number of your Brougham, you have to lift the hood to see an aluminum plate near the brake booster, on the driver side. Under Body Nr. you will see the correct number of your car. Have a look then in the Cadillac Database from Yann Saunders to see if your Brougham is there. Yann will certainly appreciate if you drop a line to him and tell about your car!
My own EB is number 230 (1957 MY)
Roger

David Frias

Thanks for the tip I will gladly check and inform Yann. I will also take a few pictures to send to him. Being up to my knowledge the only Brougham in Venezuela I´m gonna need all the help I can get. David

RORRY


David Frias

The serial number is 58P-005631 and the info found in the plate near the brake booster is:
Style 7059X
Body PD434
Trim 9581
Paint 112
TOP ACC
Body By Fleetwood
Cadillac Motor Car Division
General Motor Corporation
Detroit, Mih

I was able to star the car today with my mechanic and I´m fixing the brakes. Fortunately I found the kit for the three carburators since they are the same a chevy 350 truck uses. I´ll try to send some pictures.

Thanks, David

Yann Saunders, CLC No. 12588

No. 434 is listed already in the Database as a survivor although its whereabouts, until now, were not known.  

Glad to know it has survived and that we shall soon be adding some new facts and photos about it.

David Frias

I´ll send the photos to your e-mail. Regards, David

David

I sent the bumpers to be chromed to find out the material is different from other Cadillacs, It’s more like aluminum or another type of metal that can’t be chromed. I had to polish them instead. Any suggestions for the wheels??

Thanks, David

Roger A. Zimmermann #21015

The bumpers, front and rear are not steel, but aluminum. Aluminum can be chromed, if the plater has the correct baths.
The wheels are more difficult: the hub is pot metal; the spider is aluminum, chromed. The rim is steel and all must be taken apart to be chromed.
Michael Rizzuto in USA has a method to restore them; its a very expensive proposition. His e-mail is Mprizzuto@aol.com He deals mostly with Eldorado Broughams.
Roger

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Dave,
Congratulations on your car. I restored a ’57 Eldorado and found the cast aluminum rear bumpers to be the biggest headache of the restoration.  You may find it helpful to speak to John at Frankford Plating in Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA. (Country code plus 1-888-288-4525 or 215-288-4518) They are now set up for, and been doing quite a few 56 & 7 Eldorado and 57& 8 Brougham bumpers. Feel free to e-mail me off line for more information.

Ralph

Legal Disclaimer: I have no affiliation or interest in Frankford.

David Frías

Hi Roger.

I just recently read your feedback. Before reading it I went to the wrong place first but the person there rapidly saw precisely what you are telling me know and there is a place here in Caracas that can do the job. The only part the plater and I were not aware of is that concernig taking the steel rim apart, I will tell him to do so. In any case they are charging me to plate almost all the external parts plus the 4 rims aproximately $500.00 US. Fortunately all are in an acceptable condition thereforethe plater has it rather easy except the front bumpers that will need an extra effort. In case a fail with my Venezuelan plater I will try with Michael eventhough sending the parts will most likely cost more than the $500 US. If such thing happens it will be well spent money anyway.By the way I´ve painted all the internal parts of the car and I´m fixing the motor at this moment, I found new pistons etc. I´ll send some pictures to Yann´there´s been alot of progres.Thanks for your help.

David

Roger A. Zimmermann #21015

Hi David!
Glad I may have help you. $ 500.00 to chrome so much parts is really cheap. I hope for you that you will get it right.

Good luck,
Roger

David Frias

Hi Roger,

It´s true that $500 US is cheap in US terms but in an underdeveloped  country like Venezuela where minimun wage is $200 US a month labor is very cheap therefore you can get the most complicated jobs done down here with relatively good quality for a fraction of the price you can get in a developed country. Since those are the price ranges you can get here I´m not going to insist to pay more.  For example I have a very good mechanic that works exclusively for me and takes care of my 58,59,61 Fleetwoods, 77 Eldorado, Oldsmobile 98 74, Chrysler New Yorker 73 & Borgward Isabela 58 for aprox $150 US a week and he is very well paid in venezuelan terms.He´s already taken the motor out and disarmed it,painted chasis & all the accesories that go on the firewall, taken out the seats to be redone in leather, taken done the gas tank (had to open it to be cleaned and sealed again $60 US for the job)a total restoration that in the US or Europe either I do it myself (which I doubt very much I could) or it would cost me a fortune. As you can see from this point of view there are certain advantages in this beautiful, petroleum rich (30 cents a liter o gasoline, YES 30 cents!!), latinamerican country. There are obviuosly certain disadvantages but I don´t want to bore you with them. Again thanks and I´ll contact you in case of doubt with any of my caddies. David

David Frias

Hi Ralph.
Thanks for the tip. I´ll call John on monday and he´ll surely help me in the process and I can have him as an option in case I fail with my local plater. My local plater told me he has worked this type of material before so I´m giving him the benefit of the doubt.He already polished the rims and he did a good job.Remeber I live in Venezuela, to take the bumpers to the US is complicated and expensive. In the restoration it will be of great help to count on someone who has been in the same mess as I´m in at the moment. By the way is your Brougham  on Yann´s page so i can take a look at it? David

David Frias

PS.By the way do you know were I can find the exact colors for this vehicle, I beleive it was originally white but in the registration papers it appears Blue after a color change. I´ll probably paint it dark blue but I would like it to be an original color. Thanks David

David Frias

PS.By the way do you know were I can find the exact colors for this vehicle, I beleive it was originally white but in the registration papers it appears Blue after a color change. I´ll probably paint it dark blue but I would like it to be an original color. Thanks David

JIM CLC # 15000

05-21-05
David, there is a data plate on the fire-wall, engine compartment, that has the paint code number on it.
Post that number and you will get an answer.  (maybe not correct, but an answer none-the-less).
Good Luck, Jim

Roger A. Zimmermann

Hi David!
According to the numbers you gave earlier, you have the same combinaison of outside color and trim that my own Brougham:
Paint 112 = Chamonix white
Trim 9581 = Black leather with white leather; the number 1 at the end means Karakul (wool) carpet.

When I bought my Brougham years ago, it was dark green, but it was obvious that the original paint was white. It was a difficult decision for the paint as white with the stainless steel roof is for me not an ideal combinaison. At least, the decision was to paint it black, as most of the Brougham were. Much later, I had the opportunity to see a white Brougham, I do not regret to have mine black!
You are fortunate enough to have a mechanic for 150 $ a week! Its the price I ask to my former employer (GM Switzerland) for a translation from German in French taking maybe 2 hours! With such a car park like you have, I understand that you have somebody to take care of them because I have myself only 3 Cadillacs, but the maintenance work is enough to be busy; I could not have one car more! A Borgward...its an exotic car even in Switzerland!

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know!

Roger