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Do you work on your Cadillac yourself?

Started by benji808, November 16, 2022, 11:07:13 AM

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How much do you DIY?

Not at all- I outsource everything from engines to lightbulbs
2 (2.7%)
Basic maintenance only (bulbs, oil changes, etc)
3 (4.1%)
Mid-duty: can tackle most projects, but lack equipment and/or know-how for big items like an engine teardown
38 (51.4%)
Master mechanic: never let someone else touch my Caddy
28 (37.8%)
Used to: mid-duty to master, but choose to outsource for whatever reason
3 (4.1%)

Total Members Voted: 72

benji808

I'm curious how many Cadillac owners do their own work, versus outsourcing. Pick the option that most closely aligns with your style.

I'm "mid-duty" myself- takes me a while to learn sometimes, but I can generally get things done, although I'll outsource if it's something big (largely due to time/space constraints), or occasionally if I just don't want to spend a weekend on the garage floor (no lift!)

64\/54Cadillacking

Same here, I am "mid-duty" myself. Basic maintenance items I can do, brakes, some steering replacements, minor body work, and so on.

But there have been many times where I just feel like I don't have the enthusiasm anymore to work on jobs that can get real messy or take too much time to fix. Maybe because I'm getting older, I don't know.

I also don't have a garage so that's probably another reason why, and I also don't have the tools or true know how to disassemble an engine or a transmission.

Replacing shocks, repacking wheel bearings, minor electrical work, carburetor work, for the most part I do myself. There's also the notion that no one is ever going to work on your car as well as you do. Or pay attention to detail.

At least when I do make repairs or do basic maintenance on my cars, I know I used the best quality parts and fluids.

The work ethic and quality of work in the automotive repair industry has plummeted recently, so I have always been naturally skeptic of shops just because of poor experiences in the past and lazy work that was performed, besides for a very few that I completely trust locally.


Plus, reading the shop manuals and truly understanding the ins and outs of my Cadillacs, has made me more knowledgeable about how to make repairs properly on them, unlike a shop, where attention to detail and doing things by the book specifically by the shop manual is completely ignored and glanced over even if you mention certain things to mechanics about how this or that works and where it is located. Just because our cars are so old, and a lot of newer mechanics have never worked on Cadillacs of a certain age and sometimes need to be told where things are at.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

cadillacmike68

Basic to mid duty. No suspension work, I don't heed a 1000 pound pressure spring flying off and hitting me or something, and I don't have a lift.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Lexi

Quote from: 64\/54Cadillacking on November 17, 2022, 12:16:01 PMSame here, I am "mid-duty" myself.

Plus, reading the shop manuals and truly understanding the ins and outs of my Cadillacs, has made me more knowledgeable about how to make repairs properly on them, unlike a shop, where attention to detail and doing things by the book specifically by the shop manual is completely ignored.


I am in agreement with the above 3 posts. I especially liked 64\/54Cadillacking's comment about shop's not wanting to take direction from the source material, i.e. the Shop Manual. As the old adage goes, "No one will look after your car as well as you do", proves true so many times. I just wish I had a lift and a proper space to work on my car, which then would compel me to work on progressively more projects. Clay/Lexi

Cadillac Jack 82

I can do the basics and mid level stuff but sometimes I get lazy and take it to Legends Luxury Auto. 
Tim

CLC Member #30850

1959 Cadillac CDV "Shelley"
1964 Cadillac SDV "Rosalie"
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado "Sienna"

Past Cars

1937 LaSalle Cpe
1940 Chevrolet Cpe
1941 Ford 11Y
1954 Buick 48D
1955 Cadillac CDV
1955 Packard Clipper
1957 Cadillac Series 62
1962 VW Bug
1962 Dodge 880
1966 Mercury Montclair
1967 Buick Wildcat Convertible
1968 Chevy Chevelle SS
1968 Plymouth Barracuda
1977 Lincoln MKV

Burt6666

I do it all myself...farmed out the engine and trans build tho cause warranty...

Jay Friedman

#6
I agree with above posts regarding the shop manual, etc.

I'm between mid-duty and master. I have the ability, experience and knowledge to most mechanical work on my '49 (which has stick shift so is relatively simple), as I have a good workshop in the garage and lots of tools and equipment. I can do engine work, change the clutch, take apart the stick transmission, do front suspension work, etc.  However, old age and the lack of a lift in my garage means I have to rely on a friend who is younger, has a lift and has more ability than me for some tasks. Also, there are procedures I'm not good at, like rebuilding carbs and fuel pumps, which I outsource, as well as rebuilding water pumps which I don't know how to do.

I can do the front coil springs, but similar to what Cadillacmike68 said, I'm afraid of working on the rear leaf springs.  Also, I'm not good at changing the driveshaft universal joints, but fortunately there is a good driveline and spring shop in this area to which I've outsourced these.

I can't do body work unless it's very simple.   Also, while I can remove and replace a Hydramatic trans, except for adjusting the TV rod I don't know how to work on them.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

CadillacFanBob

I would be mid-duty type of guy, I do most of my own repairs as I don't feel anyone else will give it the attention to detail that I will,I will do all my own electrical as shops charge by the hour and you never know the skill level of the tech doing the diagnostic and then he say's you need this "component" and he replaces it and still has same issue and says we need further diagnostics, engine repairs and overhaul, manual transmission repairs and rebuild's, differential repairs and (rebuild's except Cadillacs), mainly anything mechanical, I do not have some of the equipment needed and I have to outsource (tire machines alignment machines) and stuff like that, I am just starting to wrap my head around automatic transmissions they intrigue me very much, so we will see on that what the future brings for me. I can do minor body and paint work but I dislike it very much so I outsource that also. Anything I will tackle except body and paint.

Bob
Frankfort, Illinois

z3skybolt

I do only the simple stuff: Oil changes, spark plugs, lube jobs, removing/installing accessories after rebuilds. I did much more as a youngster but lost interest as an adult. So...I am at the mercy of available "mechanics". 

I found a shop in Ohio that could overhaul these old flatheads. Indeed they overhauled a 346 for me 4 years ago. For a few years there was an "old time mechanic", two years younger than I, near me.... who could and would maintain anything my LaSalle needed. He is retired now and has a hobby shop at his home. He still does tune up for me, rebuilt my carb, adjusted he clutch, etc.... but he does it as a favor and really doesn't want to.

I had a great frontend man who really understood these old cars. He moved away to Montana and now there is no one. I drive my LaSalle around 3,000 miles each year. Obviously I am living on borrowed time.  Don't know who will work on my car in the future...should I and the LaSalle survive another decade or so.

A curse upon those of us untalented persons who own pre-war.

Bob R.
1940 LaSalle 5227 Coupe(purchased May 2016)
1985 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series. Bought New.

dn010

I do it all myself and without lift. I've done many frame-off restorations, EFI conversions, transmission & engine rebuilds, even do my own tire removal from rim/replacement etc. and so far, the only three things I can recall that I needed to outsource were cutting brake drums, recore radiators (I can solder leaks though!) or bore engine cylinders .XX over. Not only have I historically enjoyed doing all the repairs and work myself, I've found that I never trusted any local shops (which were all shady to me) to handle any of my cars, and that was back when there actually were shops that still knew how to work on these classics. Now, I've heard my friends with classics say they can't even find a shop to change points - hell, I couldn't even get a guy behind the parts counter to understand what a heater hose is not too long ago.
-----Dan Benedek
'57 Cadillac Sedan Deville 6239DX
'81 DMC DeLorean

Highwayman68

I have the receipts from the local Urgent Care to show my level of participation  ;D

1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

bcroe

Experience taught that I could save a ton of time and
money by learning to do car repairs myself.  AND the
quality is consistently far better.  Having a lift makes
the work so much easier and cleaner, no crawling in
trans fluid.  The price of my 2 post lift was under $4K
for a DIY install, paid for (like the other tools) on
the first major job (trans swap). 

Maintenance is minimal on my late 70s cars, no points
or generator brushes to fail, plugs last forever.  Those
early emissions V8s just keep running, plenty of parts
available for the brakes, etc.  And if a TH400 trans ever
does need attention, there are plenty of parts sources. 
I have done a lot to reduce maintenance, pipes under my
cars become a rustproof stainless, nickel-copper, or
copper.  C clip axles eliminated. 

And absolutely nothing here is under warranty.  Bruce Roe

The Tassie Devil(le)

No voting section for me.

I do all my own work, well, used to before I got crook, but as everything is done now, will have to wait and see.   But, like Bruce Roe says, Do it yourself, and no need for Warranty problems.

My Workshop is probably better equipped than most, and I am self-trained.   This is where Shop Manuals come into their own.   Every car I buy, I also buy the Shop Manual.

The only thing I don't touch is the complete Automatic Transmission rebuilds, as when the Shop Manual says, use a clean area, well, I don't really have one, per se, but clean enough to do total resprays.

But, I also ask for help when necessary.   Now days, especially when having to lift something, or tighten up anything over 50 ft.lbs.

Bruce. >:D

'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Abe Lugo

I guess I would be ip tier with mid to master.  Wow love Dan's post. 
Just because I can't really trust a lot people with older cars.  Also good mechanics are hard to find.

I would say to a lot members here you always need to have the manual to your car.  And know some basics.  Points ignition did come up, we should know how to revert back from electronics if needed. 

Yes a lot new shops don't know how to work on anything mod-80's and older recently.

If do know maybe find a friend or a cars and coffee person that can help teach you.
 


 
Abe Lugo  CLC#31763  Sunny Los Angeles,CA @abelugo IG

J. Russo

I've done most of the work on my 1941 myself. Too long a list to mention.

I would have to farm out any internal engine and Hydra-Matic transmission work if needed. I had to farm out the replacement of my front end king pin set and the outer pivot pins. I need a complete set of shocks at some point and will have to have the front shocks installed by a shop.

I'm currently rust proofing the underside of my Cadillac without a lift. After this is complete, I'm ready for body, paint and interior. :)

Thanks,
John Russo
CLC Member #32828

Cape Cod Fleetwood

I'm not allowed to. "Don't touch the car" - Michael Amster (Hyannis Vintage Auto)
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

wheikkila

I'm a master mechanic. Worked on and designed all kinds of different equipment. For over 40 years. The thing with this older cars is most shops don't know anything about them. I had to pay to go to collage to learn my engineering. I'm not going to pay to have someone learn on my car. I fix club members cars all the time. After they have taken them to a shop. To do poor work or they could not find the problem. They don't know what to do when they can't plug in the scanner. Just my thoughts.
 Thanks Wayne     

Andrew Trout

Mid-duty. Like others, I don't have a lift or a large garage/workshop. At my previous house the garage wasn't large enough to fit my car, so I kept it in a storage space a mile away. I'd drive the car home, work on it, and drive it back. That also meant I couldn't do anything that would render the car motionless. So no brakes, no radiator/deep engine work. Most of the repairs with the car are electrical or paint, so that is an acceptable tradeoff.

I now have a small child and my free time has pretty much evaporated. My new house has a garage that the car should fit in, so I'll check that in the spring. Maybe with the car at my house I'll be able to find a few more minutes during the weekends to work on the car.
Rochester, NY
1961 Convertible

scotth3886

Quote from: 55 CDV Fan 82 on November 17, 2022, 01:08:51 PMI can do the basics and mid level stuff but sometimes I get lazy and take it to Legends Luxury Auto. 

Funny, that's who worked om mine for the previous owner.  The selling dealer didn't want me to find out any previous info regarding ownership or who worked on it but forgot the oil change sticker up in the tint band of the windshield.  Sure enough that was the one.

Since my stroke I just don't have the gumption to tackle big jobs anymore.  I'll do minor stuff but that's about it anymore.  Plus, the car just dominates what little space I have in the garage, and I have too many trees once I pull it out so then chit all over the car.

jaxops

"...you've got to know your limitations!" [Clint Eastwood]
I don't do brakes, transmissions, and engine rebuilding.  I'm not good at painting either.
1970 Buick Electra Convertible
1956 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine
1949 Cadillac Series 75 Imperial Limousine
1979 Lincoln Continental
AACA, Cadillac-LaSalle Club #24591, ASWOA