Cleaning up the 67 Eldo

This weekend is our local Cadillac club's annual judged show, so I took took the boxes off the 67 eldo, topped off the fluids, fired it up and drove it around a bit today to make sure it is working OK. It passed the test stops starts, and is driving fine.

Things that need to be done:

- Drivers side window needs to be fixed - won't roll up
- Dash lights and rear parking lights are not working
- Vacuum hoses need to be replaced for headlamp covers (and probably other places too)
- Fuel Filter (in tank)
- New dash installed
- Radio installed
- Antennae fixed (won't go down)

Things that I'll need to get to eventually
- New Carpet
- Paint
-Weatherstripping
-Trunk Carpet

New tires

The 1967 Eldo is getting four new tires today. White walls that match even! And we're switching back to the size tire that should be on there: 235 75 r15. What was on it before was a 255 70 r15, which is apparently a truck tire according to Scott at my local Americas tire co.



If you look closely, you can see the orangish-red of the Cadillac sticking out at the end...

I like the thinner whitewalls.

Fetching the 67

I rode my bike to Target this morning and got a can of fix-a-flat, put that in the tire, which pumped it up about half way, then loaded the bike into the car (it barely fit, I had to roll down the passenger window to close the door.), and drove to Chevron down the street and pumped the tire up the rest of the way.  I then drove to America's Tire Store to get new tires, but they were closed so I drove home.

Flat tire

I took BART to a class I was taking in SF today, and when I came back,  I found my rear drivers side tire completely flat. I opened the trunk and there was a spare that seemed like it was inflated, but there was no jack or tire iron. I tried calling a couple of friends who live in the area to see if they could bring me a jack and tire iron, but they were all out of town. So I locked up the car, and walked home and thought about my options. 

Starter in 944 and Possible Source of the Thunking in 95 Cad

Today the starter is coming out of the 944. Of course this took some doing, first we had to push the car onto the street and then push it down the hill to push start it. But the lip of the drive way to the street was too steep so we had to pull it out with another car. Then we push started it and put it up on ramps in the garage.

The bolts holding the starter on were on super tight it took a while to get them loose. But it's off now. The original plan was to put new brushes in it, but I ordered the brushes over a year ago, and can't find them now. Also, apparently we need the biggest screwdriver ever made to get to them.

After looking online, it seems the cost of a starter for the 944 has come down, so I'll be ordering a rebuilt one for $99 from Kragen.




We also looked at the Cadillac to see what fell off,  The engine compartment revealed a huge chunk of deteriorating plastic that had fallen off the firewall. After searching for a while we discovered the bushing on the sway bar near the rear drivers side wheel had lost it's fastening strap and bolts. I'll have to find one of those.

Cadillac Club tour to Filoli Gardens

Took the 67 eldo to this tour I was leading for the Nor Cal CLC club, We went to Bucks for brunch, and then to Filoli to view the spring gardens.

On the way down 280, the steering wheel cap shifted, and the horn started sounding. I found that holding the cap half way on with the palm of my hand kept the horn from sounding, but once I got off the freeway, found it difficult to turn the wheel and keep the cap depressed half way so I kept sounding the horn off. There were a lot of "sorrys" to fellow motorists. If you've ever heard the horn in a 67 eldo you'll know why. it's like a freight train is behind you...

I tried taking the cap off to stop the horn from blowing, but couldn't get it to pop off, and it was creating way too much noise...

When we got the Bucks, Jim ran into the hardware store next to the restaurant, and got some black electrical tape. We wrapped that around the cap to keep it help in place.

The tour itself was fun there were about 6-7 cars that showed up one other eldo (a '69), an XLR, a LaSalle, and a couple of 60's devilles.

Test run of the eldo

I went on a hike with a friend, and had left my regular set of keys (to the 95 eldo) in someone else's car, so I took the opportunity to take the 1967 eldo out -  8 miles out and back. On the way out, the car was being sluggish, and then rear wheel started smoking and I realized that the emergency brake pedal didn't pop up all the way...It's supposed to pop up on it's own when you put it in gear. and I swear  I saw it come  up, but it must have just moved. I wonder why it's sticking?

After our hike, on the way back, I made sure to pull the release under the dash so that the pedal came up all the way. It ran OK, there were a couple times where it didn't quite shift at the right time, and there was a little dieseling when I stopped to put some gas in it on the way back. But no problems starting up or running.

Another New Battery

I had to get a new battery for the 67 eldo, there was no charging or jumping it. another $100 - when did batteries get so expensive? But as soon as the battery went in, it started right up no problems.

Also Jim and I had to push the 944 to the edge of our long(ish) driveway which is uphill by the way. We utilized the help of a firelog as a stopper under the wheel for every foot we pushed it, we threw the ebrake on and shoved the piece of wood under the wheel to make sure we didn't lose what little ground we had made. needless to say it took a while to push the car up hill the car length it needed to go.

Forced to move the cars

the '67 Eldo has been sitting in the garage for over a year, maybe two now... but our garage door broke and needs to be replaced, so I have to move it by tomorrow at 8 am. but of course the battery is dead from sitting for so long.

I'm using the trickle charger on the 944, and it's going to take a while, so I'm going to try to use the battery from the '95 Eldo to start the '67 up...

67 battery

I went out to charge up the '67 eldo, and the battery is coated in corrosion. I know that white corrosion is sulfite but this is yellow and blue?

Modulator arrived today

I was shocked out of sleep by a door bell ring, and what was there when I answered it? Two packages from Rock Auto! The Modulator, and an oil filter for the 944.

Ordered Modulator!

Maybe it will be here before the end of the week. Every time I look up this part or talk about it, I think of Marvin the Martian, and the way he says "Mod-u-la-tor"

67 Eldo vacuum modulator

I think I'll just order a new vaccuum modulator for the transmission, that seems to be the most likely thing that has gone wrong with the shifting on the '67.

the only thing is that there are two different ones available...one is big and brass and expensive $50, and the other is small and some kind of silver colored metal, and cheap $20, I can't imaging that both of these parts work properly, so I'll have to do some research...

67 eldo shift problem

Ok, so I finally read up about the problem I'm having with the '67 cadillac not shifting from 1st to second unless it's at full throttle... the possible causes include:

-bad vaccuum hose from tranny
-bad vaccuum modulator on tranny
-bad Transmission downshift switch
-bad solenoids
-bad control valve assembly
-bad case assmebly

well now, doesn't that narrow it down...

Registration Time

The registration is due for the '67 convertible, and the 944 (which I have to get smogged...) both are only 50-60 bucks, but the smog will cost...

Got a part for the '67

While in Phoenix, AZ I made a stop at Arizona Vintage Parts, which is a cadillac-only junkyard. I was able to pick up a new dash bezel for the '67 eldo!

Washed cars

Today I washed three cars at once, and bought a cheap cover to put over the '67 eldo (I already have one for the 944, came with the car...) The covers should keep them pretty clean unless it rains...

A while back our landlord cut down the Pine tree (well the half a pine tree) that was covering our driveway. Now that the source of the sap has been eliminated, I can get to work on scraping the sap off of the 944 and the 67 eldo. It takes forever!

Blah, Spiders...

Ugh, I was looking for the vacuum hose to the transmission in the 1967 eldo, and found a Giant Black Widow instead. Jim killed it. Well, he tried to kill it and then actually killed it. The thing outran the first spray of Raid. Then I turned the engine on to flush it out, and a second third and fourth spray of raid finally took it down.

Blech! Black Widows are gross!

Plan for this week

I need to tackle the '67 eldo and get it into a running status again.

Things to do:
-locate the vacuum hose that is causing the tranny to not shift
-replace the bolt that is causing the exhaust leak
-replace the front brake pads
-change the oil

More Parts!

Today I got the brake Drums, and hardware kit for the '67 deville, and the brake pads for the '67 Eldo. Hopefully, I'll get the Brake shoes for the '67 deville by Thursday.