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1951 Cadillac series62 sedan - Auckland, New Zealand.

Started by benx13, May 24, 2022, 07:25:50 PM

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benx13

I had another thread but deleted it so I could compile it all better.
I started in Mid 2017 and still going.

I'm located in Auckland, New Zealand.


Car purchased ex so cal via Craigslist in around 2013.
Had Chucks restoration supplies go and inspect the car, and ship it home.
I paid $10,000USD for the car. Landed to me in New Zealand for $19,750.

I drove the car around for a couple years but a severe oil leak (rear main) stopped me from getting the car legal, along with bad brakes and front floor pan rust.

1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

In 2017 I pulled the car apart to restore.

I want everything factory correct with the exception of a modern air ride system.

I made a rotisserie and got the car on it 
Car got media blasted. Found a few things as per.
Blaster ruined the roof.
Every other part was dipped.

This is where I started the body work.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Body work.

Found some pin holes in the trunk floor.
Rocker panels were average.
Front floors need replacing.

I opened up a lot of other seems and treated them.
I spent a year working on the cab.

I got someone to door the bottoms of the rear doors.
Some touch ups here and there on the fenders and some work under the windscreen. Car had minor rot but small pin holes in a lot of places.
This took another year.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Engine off for rebuild.
I spent $8000 with a local guy.
The engine was unbelievably grubby. Built up from years of leaks.
This car is somewhat low mileage. 60,000miles however unkept.
He ended up doing absolutely everything incorrectly and ran with the money.

First rebuild pictured.

I painted the motor after many cycles through the hot tank using a product by POR-15 which is a correctly colour matched engine enamel.


Last photo - engine complete
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Next up is the chassis.

I got a friend to give it a small C notch and install a 4 link.
C notch required to run factory (ish) sized tall tires. I'm running g78's.
Also out back I cut out the stock shock mount beam and replaced it with a tubular one.

In New Zealand everything must be signed off by engineers.
The chassis needed an inner capping installed to retain strength removed from the C notch.

Up front i trimmed out the spring pocket outer edge and put in a 3mm rolled and capped air spring cup to mount the air spring into. The shocks are mounted off the front.


I ended up making a mistake with the rear 4 link. The front needed to be remounted.
I initially tried to avoid having the four link go into the floor. But that was absolutely unavoidable
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Some more photos of stripped chassis.
Also front air spring pocket.
Chopped out tunnel and ever so slightly raised it.

Four link now through the floor.

All covered in by the seat.

Rear panel over diff made and installed.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Car gapped and off to be panelled.

This took two weeks
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

2020. Christmas.

I had two weeks to prime, paint, and flow coat the car.

I spend just over 200 hours. Over 65 litres of paint.
Over $6000 in paint product.
Everything here is a bit more expensive than state side.

I went with a 1952 colour named Sarasota green. I got an original paint chip/card/sample ex USA and colour matched it and had it formulated.
Base clear. Let it dry for two days and re clear.
The roof I matched also, it was closest to a Volkswagen Golf colour from the 90's, so went with that.


The roof white was matched.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

I ran out of time before paint to do the underneath and chassis.

I sprayed inside the cabin and trunk with black raptor liner and the underside I sprayed raptor liner which is tintable. Tinted with the Sarasota green.

Chassis , arms, diff etc all sandblasted and then a direct to metal valspar product applied.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Im jumping around a bit, but I'm 2019, maybe 2020 I suspected the motor wasn't done right.
I was browsing photos and saw the heads didn't get machined or anything.

I had the motor looked at by a local builder and it needed to be all re done.

Motor was stripped, machined, 40 over pistons, new cam, new everything

I don't have any photos of it stripped, but after the built the block and heads I started painting.

Direct to metal valspar again. Matched to the correct Cadillac blue.
I hated the engine enamel I used originally so I'm glad I changed it.
The valspar has been build and appears fuller.


Also are some photos of the carb. I wanted the same matte gold plating. It's not available here. After some samples my electroplater did a gold zinc without the top coat. He said it will last forever / as long as zinc plating lasts.
It looks great still it's been done for about 1.5 years.

Fuel pump and bowl were blue zinc plated. I did all the bolts either blue zinc or blue zinc replacements. Gold lines.

Painted the trans the matching blue. I didn't rebuild the trans. Only serviced.
I fear what I will find, it will cost, and it was perfect before.

Engines finally finished. I picked it up may '22 and installed the same day.
I spent over $25,000 on this second rebuild.

They ran the cam/motor in and hasn't leaked a drip of oil. It's fantastic. I'm very happy with it.

Note the exhaust manifolds not coated.
Am looking into that.
Nothing is going back on the car unless plated/refurbished/new




1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

benx13

Forgot to post up the wheels!
My favourite bit.

I went to the states in 2019 to visit caddy daddy and Allcads.
I got some really cool bits.
I bought a pickup and shipped it home full of bits and pieces.

I also got a set of G 78 tires.

I'm very particular with tires. They make or break a car to me.
My car has L78's from factory. They were a bit too big to tuck away with lowering the car.

I was quoted around $3500 to purchase tires locally.
I don't recall what I paid USD for them, but it was a lot less.


Fourth photo is caddy daddy.
After that is allcads.


I got some really great bits from Ed @ Allcads. I got a beautiful set of sedan sill trims.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

dogbergs

Hi there Benx,

Really nice to see another mans pile of parts, visions, problems, solutions on the other side of the planet.
The feeling is "familliar" and I wish you the best!
You are a painter by profession?

Johan / Sweden
-51 62 convertible, project
-64 Dodge Polara
-70 Volvo 121
-63 Plymouth Max Wedge clone, project
-42 Harley WLA
-33 Ford Pick up, project

benx13

Hi Johan.
Yes. Painter by trade.
Thanks for your words.

Quote from: dogbergs on May 26, 2022, 02:44:47 AM
Hi there Benx,

Really nice to see another mans pile of parts, visions, problems, solutions on the other side of the planet.
The feeling is "familliar" and I wish you the best!
You are a painter by profession?

Johan / Sweden
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

dogbergs

Quote from: benx13 on May 24, 2022, 08:02:37 PMCar gapped and off to be panelled.

This took two weeks
Quote from: benx13 on May 24, 2022, 08:02:37 PMCar gapped and off to be panelled.

This took two weeks

Looking at this, cause that seems to be a good choice, you are a pro.
I have made it "a little harder" for me by not fitting the hood and front fenders before painting body.
Reason for that I would say bad luck when planning.
Obviously made some good thinking fitting doors and rear panels, pinned the hinges and so on.
The front was there for me but hood had bad fitting to cowl, maybe cause the springs were not on?..

Anyway, you're (or anyone else) welcome to help me tackle the problem.
My solution I guess, is to put on cowl to hood rubber, radiator support, buy a lot of protecting tape, call at least 4 friends and ask them to be very patient. I'm not sure of before or after hood/hinges and everything is painted though?

Would be very thankful for some input here. Thanks / Johan
-51 62 convertible, project
-64 Dodge Polara
-70 Volvo 121
-63 Plymouth Max Wedge clone, project
-42 Harley WLA
-33 Ford Pick up, project

benx13

Quote from: dogbergs on July 02, 2023, 03:30:42 AMLooking at this, cause that seems to be a good choice, you are a pro.
I have made it "a little harder" for me by not fitting the hood and front fenders before painting body.
Reason for that I would say bad luck when planning.
Obviously made some good thinking fitting doors and rear panels, pinned the hinges and so on.
The front was there for me but hood had bad fitting to cowl, maybe cause the springs were not on?..

Anyway, you're (or anyone else) welcome to help me tackle the problem.
My solution I guess, is to put on cowl to hood rubber, radiator support, buy a lot of protecting tape, call at least 4 friends and ask them to be very patient. I'm not sure of before or after hood/hinges and everything is painted though?

Would be very thankful for some input here. Thanks / Johan

Hi Johan

I spend 12 hours making sure the hood is aligned and more hours on the fenders.
I put everything on loose. LOTS of protection and I painted the hood bolts in place once finalised.
The workshop manual was my guiding star. It explains hood adjustment.
Then once rubbers went on it was more time to get the hood to sit right.
With the hood, it's got so much adjustment. You adjust the 'wrap' of the hood with the hinge to cowl bolts, left, and right with the hood to hinge bolts. Guards were quite straight forward.
You can DM me and we can email about this. I can send you photos of the workshop manual.
This platform isn't very user friendly.
Thanks
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

dogbergs

Found the actual chapter in work shop manual after posting in your thread, think I understand how to percede now.

Thanks / Johan
-51 62 convertible, project
-64 Dodge Polara
-70 Volvo 121
-63 Plymouth Max Wedge clone, project
-42 Harley WLA
-33 Ford Pick up, project

benx13

Some updated images.
Headliner in.
Bodywork together and mostly gapped.
Polished the body work.
Exhaust made.
More chrome plating done.
Cluster re furnished.
Dash painted and installed.
1951 Series 62 - Under restoration

Caddy Wizard

looks fantastic!  I might suggest some rust converter paint for the sheet metal between the trunk and the rear seat.  POR 15 or similar.
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

dogbergs

#18

Quote from: Caddy Wizard on August 24, 2023, 04:02:29 PMlooks fantastic!  I might suggest some rust converter paint for the sheet metal between the trunk and the rear seat.  POR 15 or similar.

Mr Gardner, I might suggest that you look some more on this fantastic rebuild thread.

Best / Johan
-51 62 convertible, project
-64 Dodge Polara
-70 Volvo 121
-63 Plymouth Max Wedge clone, project
-42 Harley WLA
-33 Ford Pick up, project

Caddy Wizard

Quote from: dogbergs on September 09, 2023, 04:20:05 AMMr Gardner, I might suggest that you look some more on this fantastic rebuild thread.

Best / Johan

I was not trying to be critical.  I think the restoration is fantastic!  Perhaps I missed some pictures of where he had restored the sheet metal behind the seat.  But regardless, the job being done is wonderful.
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)