A little adventure... Road Trip... New Cadirat! :)

Man the paint and chrome/stainless on that thing looks amazing now!!

Good work. Wow!

jayoldschool wrote:

Needs wider whites. Runway Enduro 75s are dirty cheap.

I think the ride height is good. Caddys ride so nice, it will be a shame to kill that by slamming it. Maybe I'm getting old. I'm not the one with the kid seat in the Caddy, though...

Yeah, but widening the whites I already have is cheaper. Not sure if I want wides on this one yet though... And as far as ruining the ride, I kinda like it too. So that's why I'm sticking with the stock caddy springs in the front for now. I figure even with a coil (or two) cut off, they will still be pretty soft.

And yeah, I liked the stock wheels too. But I just can't leave anything alone. For better or worse...

It's ok Bill, we all know you'll sell this car as soon as you get it all fixed and drag another project home...

We recognize our own kind.......

81X11 wrote:

It's ok Bill, we all know you'll sell this car as soon as you get it all fixed and drag another project home...

We recognize our own kind.......

LOL!

Don't you have an old parisienne to go search for or something?

HAHAHAHAHA!

I'm just sayin.....

Dibs on the baby moons if they don't work out.

:hide:

(Or, where did you get them?)

Stingroo wrote:

Dibs on the baby moons if they don't work out.

:hide:

(Or, where did you get them?)

LOL!

Got 'em on eBay. They were like 40 bucks shipped. I got ABS chrome trim rings from the same place for another 25 bucks. Might try them on the car. We'll see...

I'd add those to my mod list but I have something else hopefully after the new year.

Argh, I don't know if I can stand to look at my plain steelies that long. It's gonna be tough.

Stingroo wrote:

I'd add those to my mod list but I have something else hopefully after the new year.

Argh, I don't know if I can stand to look at my plain steelies that long. It's gonna be tough.

Your steelies have the "nubs" on them for the caps? If not, they won't work.

I don't think so.

Some Florida wheel ideas....
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2051206112.html

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2041256342.html

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2041269062.html

SS wheels are played out (sorry guys *runs far, far away*)

I've got something else planned. Someone else here knows, but he'll never tell.

baby moons and trim rings have been way overdone ,..

Nick

I agree there as well, though I do still like them a bit more than the SS wheels (cheaper tires in 15" flavor, good for my student budgeted self)

81X11 wrote:

Some Florida wheel ideas....
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2051206112.html

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2041256342.html

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2041269062.html

guess it's a good thing I'm not making it up to Gainesville this weekend....I WAS supposed to go too.
both sets of those IMP rims are about 40 miles apart.

I saw the Gainesville set today actually. I always browse the auto parts section, in the event 5x5 wheels show up once in awhile.

If you do trim rings make them thin so you can see the red on the wheels still, but agree it's missing something but can't put a finger on it.....

So my buddy Al and I worked on the suspension last night...

We swapped out the stock rears for the Eibach's I got from Mikey. They went in pretty easy. One of the shock bolts fought us, but it didn't break. And the springs were rusted to the lower perches! LOL! I had to hang my full weight on each tire to get the old long springs out, too! LOL! Anyways, here's a comparo of the Eibach's and stock FW springs...


Those springs "dropped it on its nuts" as Al said. And it looked awesome! But since we ran into trouble with the fronts, I had to pull a Timmy and max out the rear air shocks to bring it back up to where it was sitting before. Let's just say a whole lot of those moons disappeared when it was on the ground!

The front fought us. Couldn't even get the cotter pins out of the balljoints. And the LCA bolts looked too rusty to attempt. So we gave up with just replacing the sway bar endlinks that broke when we tried to take them off. I went out today and bought lower ball joints, shocks, and an idler arm. Hopefully we can try it again soon. But at least we know what we're in for now.

So now... I think this looks MUCH better! Still needs lowering though! Soon!










I apologize for the crappy cell phone pics and the idiot's shadow, but you can only do so much without a camera with ya! They give you an idea though. So what do we think? Better?

I even got 2 compliments on the rims today while out and about. One punk looking kid in a hoodie and a flat bill cap told me the rims looked "tight." So I think that's cool, right? I told him to straighten his hat and pull up his pants. Am I getting old? And another old white dude told me "those baby moons and trim rims look good. Look good!" And I know that's approval!

Bigger white walls! get that grinder out.....

Looks much better with the trim rings.

Caddys demand chrome!

The hoodie kid scares me. Make sure you lock that sucker up at night......

you want old skool,. so why not a nice set of aluminum slots,.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ALUMINUM-E-T-5-SLOTS-WHEELS-RIMS-AND-4-G-70-TIRES-NICE-/270660900666?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f04a5973a

kinda like those,..

or pimped out like this one,..

nick

parts.....>>>>>http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-auto-parts-tires-auto-body-parts-1996-Cadillac-Fleetwood-Brougham-PARTS-ONLY-W0QQAdIdZ241696304

Another quick update... I tried to take advantage of the warmer weather today and get some paint work done. I decided to try the front bumper filler that had the major clearcoat issues. I was pressed for time, so it was a super rush job...

I started by taping off as little as I thought I could get away with and sanded it down with 320.


Then I wiped it down with a rag soaked with brake clean (It was all I had here!) and sprayed the Plasticoat Medium Garnet Red Metallic from a rattlecan. It seems to be a shade lighter and redder than the original. And I seemed to have a little "metalflake pooling" issue in a couple spots. Oh well. The Duplicolor appeared to be a better match. Live and learn. Took 3 color coats to cover it "enough for me" (because I had sanded through the paint in some spots to make it sooth and had dark areas show through) and then I laid down three coats of 10 year old rattlecan clear, too. Hey, at least it was Dupicolor too!!!!


I took a few minutes to take off the grill and try to JB weld it to make it look decent til I get a good one. It looks better, but you can see the repair if you look for it. Took a couple screws and a piece of plastic to make it strong enough. Then I threw it back on the hood and slammed it down (gently) and took a look at my work...


Not bad for an hour's work for a hack! Like I said before, the color isn't a perfect match, but it looks better than it did. I was also looking at it under fluorescent lights, so maybe it'll look better in daylight. But for a beater, it'll look fine either way.

And yes, I will be getting rid of the bumperettes ASAP!

Crovo, you need to open a car lot.

jayoldschool wrote:

Crovo, you need to open a car lot.

I'm not too sure that's a compliment...

But I do have a "Quality Used Cars" tin sign in my garage, if that helps.

****, looks good enough to me.

Good work. I envy your rattle can skills.

And yes, I will be getting rid of the bumperettes ASAP!


I want them.

I have a set as well, lol. Guy wanted them when I parted mine out but he flaked.

Lame.

OK, So I finally got the bumperettes off.





Happy now?

The rears came off nice and easy cuz all 4 bolts broke off. Woot! And the fronts were a bitch. The driver's side came off easy, but the carraige bolt on the passenger size was spun, so I ended up having to take the cutting wheel to it. But it's off!

Headers/exhaust or lowering next.

Exhaust of course!

Stingroo wrote:

Exhaust of course!

Well, I have both, and will probly be doing the exhaust first. But I'm not sure that was a question. More of a statement. I have to stuff to do both...

for sale sign next,.

nick

Why do you need the rear bumper? Chrome failing, or rust issues?

Krzdimond wrote:

Why do you need the rear bumper? Chrome failing, or rust issues?

Yes.

The chrome is all faded off the top of it, and the lower passenger side is rotted through about the size of a dime. The whole bottom of it under the lip is all rotted and flaking, too. It's the worst part on the car.

Looks almost good enough for you to sell now! ; )

Seriously, nice paint can skills. My paintwork never looks that good!

Really coming along!

Finally lowered!!!!!

One coil cut out of the stock fronts and rear Impala Eibachs with just a little air in the shocks...





Also did new lower balljoints, front Gabriel Ultra HD shocks, and sway bar endlinks. Holy crap! Car actually handles way better and the ride firmed up quite a bit. I really wasn't expecting that while keeping the stock mushy springs! I figured it'd get a "little less mushy" but it went way closer to the "firm" side of the meter. I like it.

NIIIICE!!! The official fuel of NASCAR!

I dunno those pics look like alot of craigslist ads I see.......going to keep it all winter, or Santa bringing you another project, lol.


Looks awesome.

Is that really the same car you drug home?? NICE WORK! Lowering it helped a lot.

Looks great Bill! Now I'm starting to miss my FW again.

Wow Bill it looks just almost ready to sell! ; )

I love seeing an older neglected car brought back and made shiny and useful again. I love a project. Great pics and amazing how much work you've done in such a short time. Please keep the pics coming!

BOY THE OLD GIRL CLEANED UP NICE................

Thanks guys. I'm totally digging this car!

I'm headers/exhaust and radio away from it being done, for now. Well, I do have a set of 1.6 rr's I was going to use also. Well, gears and posi, too. But then I'm done til I run it. And maybe a cheap vette or s10 converter... But that could wait til after I run it. Probably... See how much a converter would gain me.

But definately headers/exhaust and radio in the next week or so to get me through the winter anyways...

Got a couple dirty side shots this afternoon...





I think I need to let some more air out of the back shocks...

If all goes well tonight... I will be headered and half exhausted (dumped) on my way to work tomorrow! Headed over to the shop now!

You realize this means we DEMAND a sound clip, right?

Looking sharp!

Is that your white STS in the background? My in-laws had a ruby-red 96 Seville STS that would tear-ass with the Northstar in it. I totally loved it....until it fell apart at around 70K miles, but theirs could have just been a dud. Still think those are pretty cars.

Yeah, that's my wife's 03 STS. Nice car. Scared of the Northstar though... Head gaskets are looming in my nightmares...

Headers are on. Gave up about 1230 last night. Exhaust is "close" for being a 73-77 Chevelle kit. Driver's side is perfect. Passenger side screwed me because of our stupid assymetrical crossmember!

Hope to finish it up tonight. Will try to get pics and vid up if I get done at a reasonable time. Workin on about 3 and a half hours sleep. Exhausted... *yawn*

toomanytoyz wrote:

Yeah, that's my wife's 03 STS. Nice car. Scared of the Northstar though... Head gaskets are looming in my nightmares...

Not that likely on an '03, especially if you keep the Dexcool changed very regularly.96-99 were the very worst years for that kind of issue.

It's such a shame too..my brother has a 1996 STS with 70,000 on it, and it's immaculate. Purchase price 2 months ago? $4300. Just starting to show signs of coolant incursion past a headgasket.

Over on the Cadillac board someone occasionally points out that the most reliable '90s era Cadillac had a Chevy LT1 engine in it, followed by some truly high mileage, like 290K miles or similar.