News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

Hydromatic Transmission Fluid?

Started by Rick Piazza, January 23, 2006, 01:21:12 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Rick Piazza

Hi,

I am a new member to the CLC.  In fact, I just joined tonight.  
I am the proud owner of my first Cadillac.  I own a 1961 DeVille
4-door hard top.  I bought the car from the original owner.  

I am about a pint low on Transmission fluid.  I am not sure what kind of fluid to put in my car as the shop manual specifications do not match todays products?  I do not want to make a mistake because my car runs great.  

Can you please help the new guy on the block.

Thank you so much!

Rick
New CLC Member- No member number as of yet

Jim eccleston CLC 16079

Hi Rick,
   Welcome to the club, and to the 61 owners circle. I run Dexron/Mercon fluid in my 61, and have always had fine results.
   You will find this forum, and the club in general, a great asset and source of entertainment. Have you got pic to share? And tell us the story of the discovery and purchase.

Mike #19861


 Yes, the correct fluid is DexronIII/Mercon. It supercedes all previous fluids. GM circulated a TSB to this effect several years ago.

 Mike

Rick Piazza

Hi Jim,

Thank you very much for your quick response.  Pep Boys was not a lot of help.  I have had a heck of time finding the answer to this question about my transmission fluid.

I live in California (Bay Area) and my brother in-law found the car in Sacramento.  He called me and suggested to get up to his house and look at this beautiful 61 DeVille 4-door hard top that he found at a weekend car sale at the local college.  The 61 is my favorite Cadillac because in my opinion there is no other car like it.  I love the fact that it is long and lean with lower skeg fins on the quarter panel.  I believe it is the last year of the horizontal tail light.  My fathers late brother had the same car in Fontana Rose.  I have never owned an old car before so this is really exciting.  I drove two hours from the bay area and bought the car on the spot.  The lady was really sad to sell the car because her mother was the original owner.  She passed away in 1988 but the daughter kept the car in really good shape for forty four years old.  The seats have the original Cadillac factory bubble wrap plastic on them.  I took the plastic off of the front seat and although it was in really good condition the fabric started to tear because of the age of the car.

The car has given me so much joy because my four kids love driving with me around town.  Also, my 82 and 80 year old parents love to take drives with me because the car brings back so many good memories.  My family is Italian and most of my uncles had Cadillacs.  The old Cadillacs bring back a lot of fond memories of my childhood.

Thanks again Jim!

Regards,

Rick

Rick Piazza

Thank you very much Mike!  I really appreciate your help.

Rick

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079

Hi Rick,
  What a great story. I am sure that you will have years of enjoyment. It sounds like you got that car for all of the right reasons!!!
   New old stock fabric is available, should it come time to replace any worn areas. I completely reupholstered my interior with the original stuff, and it is holding up fine. Both SMS and Auntiquie Auto Interiors had yardage.
   Tell us more about the model, color, interior, etc... If you send the info on the data plate, I can tell you about factory options, etc... Dont forget those tiny letters above the word "trim" on the plate. And best of all, consider getting the build sheet and information from Cadillac Historical Services. What a treasure of information that is!!!
   Best wishes,
Your friend in quad fins,

Jim Eccleston
1961 Coupe de Ville
BATILAC

Rick Piazza

Hey Jim,

Sorry it took so long to get back to you.  My car was re-painted and a little spot of paint got on my data plate so I had to scrape it off to read.  The car is a nice metallic light blue but not original.  The original color was Dresden Blue Metallic #24.  What is your opinion of changing the color in the future to a lighter original blue?  For example, a Cadillac Bristol #22 or Nautilus #94 Blue metallic.  The Dresden #24 is a little dark for me.  How important is it in your opinion to re-paint the original color?  

Here is the information on the Data plate.  I hope it is accurate because it is a little hard to read.

Cadillac Div. General Motors Corp
01A Detroit Michigan
Style 61-6329  Body FW  7877
Trim 43            Paint 24
Top   ACC  EHYM
This Car Finished with
Magic Mirror Acrylic Lacquer
Body by Fisher

How did I do?  Are you going to the show in June?  

Thank you for your help.

Regards,

Rick
1961 DeVille

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079

Hi Rick,
   Below is the information from your codes:

01A Detroit Michigan            
built the first week (A) in January (01), 1962   mid-production date

Style 61-6329 Body FW 7877      
4 window sedan de Ville, consecutive body #7877 of that particular style

Trim 43 Paint 24  
Blue leather and Cromwell cloth interior, with Dresden Blue exterior
         
Top  (blank)
same color roof, rather than painted a contrasting color

ACC EHYM
E   E-Z-Eye tinted glass
H   Heater
Y   six way power front seat
M   power door locks

Is your car a 4-window sedan? The code 6329 indicates a 4 window SDV, but the body number is higher than the actual production number. A mystery here... Might the first digit be a 1?

As for the paint, the adage of "Its YOUR car..." applies here. I think Bristol Blue is one of the more attractive colors, and it certainly would coordinate with the blue interior. Changing from Dresden to Bristol would still keep a correct Cadillac color, and be an approved factory combination. Go with your own preference and gut feeling. I agonized over this issue for years, as I planned the repaint of my CDV. My problem was that it has a green Covington interior, and a special order exterior - Eldorado #98, Topaz. A green exterior would have coordinated better - I was leaning toward Concord Green. But it being a special order, and therefore somewhat of an unusual and rare combination, I decided to stick with the original. It ended up looking very nice, although it does take some explanation to skeptical spectators...

I would love to attend the GN in June. Unfortunately, it is just too far for me to go - I am in eastern Virginia, and Anaheim is about as far away as the continent allows. I went to South Bend in 04 and had a great time. Would have gone to Des Moines last year (even had my reservation), but my Dad and I decided to go on the "Trip of a Lifetime" and visit the beaches in Normandy. Tough choices... I am looking forward to Savannah and Philadelphia in the future.

You can order the bulid sheet from GM historical services. It will have great details, and will give you hours of reading pleasure - well worth the cost. Also, we just published the first edition of the 1961/1962 Authenticity Manual. Consider one of those, too.

Anything else I can help with, let me know.

Your friend in fins.

Rick Piazza

Hi Jim,

Wow, you are really knowledgeable about Cadillacs.  That was a great lesson.  Thank you very much.

I definitely have a six window and it is possible that I gave you the wrong number because of the paint that splattered on my data plate.  I am sure it is a 1 and not 6.  I need to get the car out in the sun this weekend and clean the plate better and get a good look at it.

Thanks for the advise on the paint.  I prefer a little lighter metallic blue.

Thank you so much for all of your time and energy.  Maybe some day we can meet in person and cruise our Cadillacs.

Regards,

Rick

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079

Hi Rick,
   Perhaps that style number is 6339, which would be 6-window Sedan de Ville.
   I enjoy doing all these codes and deciphering. If you get a build sheet, please send a copy to me so I can do a statistical anaylisis and add it to my database. Ill try to send you what I have via e-mail.
   Only a few years ago, I had no experience or knowledge about cadillacs. But after purchasing mine, and embarking on the restoration, I found it all to be so interesting that I cant get enough info. I was pleased to serve on the committee that wrote the Authenticity Manual for 1961/1962.
   I would very much like to have a mutual cruise-in some time!!!
  Best wishes,

Jim

Roger A. Zimmermann

Hi Jim!
Topaz (98) with green interior...Are you sure that it was a special order and not a factory error? I saw that during my time at GM in Switzerland: I dont remember what kind of vehicle it was, could be a Chevrolet; anyway, the outside color was not at all coordinated with the trim. It was not ordered that way; it was either repainted or sold at a discount to a dealer.
Some years eaelier, we had also in the show room an Oldsmobile with a strange paint/trim combinaison. I dont remember if it was ordered that way or if it was an error. Anyway, somebody came one day in the GMs showroom and bought it on the spot!

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079

   Did Cadillac make errors??? Unthinkable.
   Build sheet and body tag both indicate Topaz & Green Covington, as well as a notation for special requirements.
   When I bought the car, there were two layers or repaint green on it, but underneath it all, and still clearly visible on the cowl, is the Topaz. Parts of the original green interior are also evident. The car was in New Mexico, so maybe it was the first manifestation of "Southwest Chic" earthtone pastels. At least there was no howling wolf painted on the hood!
   The combination is unique, but nobody mistakes it for a Chevy!!!

Roger A. Zimmermann #21015

As I was a District Service Manager for 14 years for GM North American vehicles, I can testify that Cadillac is also doing errors!
On the other side, if there is a note for a special requirement, then somebody wanted the car that way!

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079

The Special Requirement column is clearly marked on the build sheet, as are the paint and trim codes, which match the body tag and the visible evidence.

Fred Garfield 22310

Welcome to CLC, Rick! And congratulations on your new/old 61. In my not so humble opinion, the 61 is the most tasteful Cadillac of that era, the 59 the least tasteful -- especially the Fleetwood -- thats probably why I own a 59.

Like you, I live in the SF Bay Area (Kensington). If you need a transmission shop experienced in these Cadillacs, Keiths Transmission in Castro Valley is quite good and has a warehouse full of the parts. Also, Earl Farnsworth of Macy Transmission is good. He recently re-located from Oakland to the Concord area. Not all transmission shops are competent to handle these hydros and turbo-hydros.

Fred Garfield 22310

Is it ok to use the DexronIII/Mercon in the PS reservoir (1959), instead of shelling out for power steering fluid?

Jim Eccleston CLC 16079


Fred Garfield


Rick Piazza

Hi Fred,

Thank you very much for the information.  I happen to love the 59.  I just cannot afford it...ha.  My favorite Cadillacs are the 59, 60, 61 and the 64.  If you have a picture handy please send me a copy.  The 59 is one unbelievable car!  The earlier models are really cool but I am partial to the years above.  When I win the Lotto I hope to buy a 1959 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible in Fontana Rose color.  How cool would that be?  It does not cost much to dream.

Thanks again Fred!

Rick
Your friend with fins!

Fred Garfield 22310

Im a dreamer too, Rick. My favorite Cadillac would be a 68 or 69 with that outrageous 59 body over it. Throughout the 60s, Cadillacs just got better and better mechanically -- the turbohydromatic, the 472, the front discs, the cushy leather seating, the far better designed dashboard/accessories, etc.

Keep me posted on how your 61 is coming along.

Best, Fred