Things to do by next week:

- stop squeek
- get tires that match
- replace muffler
- put new carb on
- get stereo installed
- see if I can find a new dash bezel
- polish chrome

Car Back From A&A

Well, I was able to pick up the Eldo at A&A this weekend! It actually worked out perfectly! Some of the online Cadillac group was meeting to go to A&A and I got a ride from them to the yard. I hadn't called to let them know I was coming that day, luckily Nick, the mechanic working on my car, was there and was able to finish up a few last-minute things before we had to leave. The final cost on all the repairs was $2300. I usually would be pretty angry about spending over half the cost of the car on repairs (actually I did a quick calculation - to date I've spent $5240 which IS more than I paid for the car) But it's totally worth it. I love driving around in this car!

Here's a list of what was done:
-The engine was completely resealed
-new freeze plugs installed
-they fixed the power windows so I don't have to switch to "emergency" to use them
-they took the toggle switch out for the tail lights and made them work from the headlight switch again
-the power seat works now
-new heater core
-the defrost works (with a switch below the dash)
-new thermostat
-new hoses
-resurfaced the exhaust manifolds
-replaced the broken bolt on the exhaust manifold
-the headlights now make an attempt to work, so some of the vacuum system must have been fixed.
-New rear shocks with air hoses accessible from the rear near the gas tank instead of in the trunk
-

After I got it back I took it to the car wash(which I should probably not do again until I get it painted, as every time I wash it, more paint seems to come off). And took some photos, I will post a couple here.

Carb Here!

I got my carb in the mail today! It's so pretty and shiney...and smells like metal and acid :-)

I opened it as soon as I got it at work, and was promptly laughed at by my co-worker when I sqeeled "Oh! My carb is here!"

Caddy meet

Well it looks as though the Cadillac group is going to have a small meet and they will be going to A&A on Saturday morning! I'm trying to see if I can hitch a ride up there with another caddy club member, so I can drive my car home. Hopefully the car will be finished by then.

Cadillac close to being finished!

Today I called A&A, and they said they were waiting for a turn signal switch (which was not something on the list of things to fix, so I assume it is part of the electrical problem). They said it would definitely be done by early next week, but could possibly be done by the end of this week.

It would be great to get it back this week, because there is a small Cadillac meet on the East Bay this weekend, and it would be great to be able to show my car off this weekend! That also gives me more time to get the remaining things fixed.

I emailed the guy who I ordered the dash parts from last night, and I have not heard back. I may be screwed here because he just recently got two major negatives on Ebay for stuff similar to my problems (really late with ship and milking you for more money later). I'm going to hold off a few more days and see if I get anything from him. It sucks though, because it's been two months since my initial order and another month and a week since the second order. RRRRRR...

Only three weeks until the show!

Carb Done!

I called today to the place that I sent my carb to be rebuilt just to make sure they got it and my email, and they said they received it Friday and it was finished already! They are shipping it tonight so I should get it by the end of the week.

The lady I talked to also said that it was a good thing I put the number of the carb in my email because they got two carbs in the mail that day, both with no information on them, and they had to use the carb number to figure out which was mine.

I can't believe that it's already finished...I can't wait to try it out. I will call A&A tomorrow and see when they think they will be finished with my car.

other cars...

Here’s a quick update on my other cars while we are waiting for the 67 Eldo to come back.

'93 Eldo - I was going to try to drive this car to my parents house so I could leave it there for a while and not have to worry about it on the street (the tags are expired [I just got the new one in the mail this weekend so they are going on the car tonight] and I have to move it once a month for street cleaning) I got the car to the gas station about 2 miles down the road, and it was already smoking so badly from the coolant leak, that I turned around and left it at home. There was a lady who was interested in the car last week I told her I'd sell it to her for $2100, and listed the work it needed with my phone number. She never called back. I think I will see how much I can get either a used engine for, or see if a shop nearby can re-seal the engine for less than $2000.

'84 944 - I think it needs a new clutch. Which will cost me another $2000. It’s still running fine, but recently it's had a little bit of a hard time starting in the morning(this could be the starter, but it seems to start only when I push the clutch all the way into the floor), and the "clunk" sound that came with it when I bought it seems to be getting worse.

'67 Convertible - I am still trying to get this car officially insured so I can tow and or drive it around to mechanics in the upcoming year. The last notice from the insurance company told me they needed proof it had headlights. I put the headlights back on and took more photos, but wasn't able to turn the lights on (I will need to charge the battery to do that) so hopefully having the lights on the car will be enough. I would like to have this car finished for the 2007 Grand National in Savanna, Georgia. It needs engine work, a new top, and paint, but the cars listed above will also need to be fixed this year, so I'll have to budget wisely.

'79 DeVille - Still sitting under a car cover (which is almost disintegrated) and I'm sure there must be a major rust hole under the vinyl top, since there is now mold on the headliner inside the car. I would really love to work on this car this year too, but it's just not going to be possible. I really wish I had been able to garage this car years ago.

Carb

I just sent an email to the CarbsOnly guys letting them know that I sent them a carb that I'd like to have rebuilt.

I also just looked at the list on thecarburetorshop.com to verify that the number on the carb is right. it's not.

The carb AZ vintage sent was for a deVille with A.I.R.(California only emissions control) and A/C, which is slightly different than the Eldorado with A.I.R. and A/C. Luckily I have a '67 deVille (California car) as well, so this carb will probably end up on that car.

In the meantime, it will probably do a much better job that the Holley carb (aftermarket) that's on the Eldo now.

Carb is sent!

I finally sent off the carb to be rebuilt. AND I got verification from my Cadillac club, that the bezel I ordered will fit my Eldorado! So I will have a decent-looking interior when I get to the show(assuming I actually recieve the parts - so far it's been over a month since I ordered them).

I think all I have left to find is a radio, but I was thinking that I could take the one out of my deVille, just to fill up the hole, if I don't find one in time.

Crap...

I forgot to bring the carb to work.

So little time left

I really hope all this work I'm having done makes the car well enough to get to LA and back. I will have two very short weeks (if I get the car back on time) to finish off anything that is still not working properly (which includes the new rebuilt carb).

I will need to replace the muffler and possibly the exhaust pipes, and the carburetor. The cosmetic stuff will have to wait. I'll look for a dash bezel and a radio (if only for show)for the Eldorado.

I still have not sent the carb to the rebuilder yet. I do finally have it off the intake (which I brought to A&A this weekend) and in its own box, it just needs to be tightly packaged and shipped.

Adding some work

I called to ask the guys at A&A to replace the freeze plugs while they have the engine out of the car. also, to replace the intake manifold (which I will bring to them) and the thermostat.

Authorizing work

I authorized A&A to do the seals on the engine(all of them), the rear shocks, and the heater but not the air conditioning. I'll get the air conditioning system done when I return from the show in June.

Photos

It has come to my attention that there are no photos in my blog.

For the time being, you can view some photos of my car here: http://photos.yahoo.com/cadillacrazy

Oh- Yesterday I called A&A and got some info, but not all. They fixed the power seat. Apparently, it was just a ground wire that was not connected.

The window switch was a relay, so that is fixed and the gas leak was a hose, so that is fixed.

They are pricing out the climate control system, but guess it to be $1000+ to repair. They also let me know that my oil leak is actually many, many small oil leaks. Estimated to cost $800 if I want them all fixed, and $400 if I want some (that do not require the engine to be pulled) fixed.

I'm waiting for a more specific cost on the air/heat. etc, and a verdict on what is banging around in the back ( possibly a worn bushing?)

silence...

Well, here it is the end of the day on Monday and still no word from A&A. I will call tomorrow if I don't hear from them. I still have not sent the carb off to be rebuilt. I just keep walking right over the box in my living room doing nothing with it.

I hate waiting

I know I'm not going to hear from A&A until at least Monday, but I want to know what's wrong with my car now! I'm so impatient...

In the mean time, I still have not sent the carb off to be rebuilt. I will package it up tonight and bring it to work to ship tomorrow.

I also need to follow up with the guy I bought some dash parts from through Ebay. he was supposed to ship them last week but I haven't seen anything yet.

a long drive

Last night Jim drove me down to Fremont to pick up my car from the Fremont Air and Electric place, where the mechanic was kind enough to let me pay over the phone and leave the keys for me in an undisclosed location(i really need to have a spare set made).

Then we drove to Brentwood (we stopped at Red Robin in Pleasanton for dinner, and stopped again, because I remembered I wasn't in the Porsche and I needed gas) to drop my car off at A&A Auto, the Cadillac wrecking yard which apparently also does repairs.

The drive from Pleasanton to Brentwood was so nice, and I'm so glad the car did not break down while on this journey. I have not renewed my AAA roadside service yet.

Then we drove back to Berkeley. It took us about 4 hours (including eating time) and 135 miles.

A&A?

Well, the air guy called and said that my car was pretty rigged up by the previous owner. He pretty much doesn't want to touch it. He suggested that I bring it to A&A(the cadillac junkyard in Brentwood) to have the work done, since they know how it is supposed to be and supposedly know what they are doing.

I feel like there is no way this car is going to be road-worthy in time for the show in June. I thought it would be better to bring the car to specialists for the different problems, but now it's looking like it would have been better to bring it to a cadillac-only shop.

I'm really annoyed that I can't just work on the thing myself, I hate apartment life!

Coolant leak

Well, I decided not to bring the car up with me to Sacramento which was probably a good thing, because when I brought it down to the mechanic yesterday, it sprang a coolant leak as I was talking with Rich about what needed to be done. It was only a hose, but that would have been a pain to fix on the side of the freeway.

So, Rich either works at or owns Fremont Air and Electric. He has a ton of Polaroid’s on the walls of all the old cars he's worked on, I hope he takes one of my car! He seemed to really know what he was doing. I'm hoping I finally found a good shop.

I need to send the Carb to the Carbsonly place tomorrow; I'll send it from work where I get a discount on UPS ground rates.