53 Cadillac...opinions wanted

Ok guys, so im up in the air about the direction for my car. I dont know if i want to go shine or no shine. What kind of wheels? To shave or not to shave? In the past ive never had any problems finishing my cads, but this car is special to me and i dont want to make any mistakes.

At a recent show Larry Watson told my buddy he loved the car and not to chop it...(i unfortunately didnt make it to the show so i missed out on talking to Larry), I always knew i didnt want to chop it but then again who knows.

So lets hear some ideas...





YOU CAN ALSO SEE MORE PICS OF IT HERE....
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175004

 

Nice caddy dude, and you've had a nice fleet of them if i remember correctly. as far as what to do, as a fellow caddy owner, these cars were well thought out as far as body lines go. i think less is more on these, a simple shave and a simple yet subtle color shiney of course, or even a crazy off the wall color and you can pretty much call it done, and in the end you have a car that stands out from the crowd. just my 2 cents.

 

Love this caddy..I remember reading about your road trip with your buddies....If it were mine, I would shave a few things and definitley go shine..I would do a candy color on the whole thing, top and bottom..with just the roof, getting flake...but then again ,I like them painted "grandma colors" also.....I would say no to the chop....just my three cents......whatever you decide..you cant go wrong..Its still a Caddy!!...Good luck....

 

Can't see any reason for changing much on a '50-'53 CDV ... maybe repaint factory colors with some Cad wires on the front, shave just the hood & deck lid crests & the door handles. Factory fog light lenses are cleaner.
One thing for sure, you got it sitting right ...

 

If it was mine, I'd shave the hood, deck, and doors and paint it black. Wide whites and Sombreros. Tits.

 

Don't touch a thing, It looks wonderful just as it is.

 

Shiny paint,does'nt need anything else

 

exactly pics are superb

 

I love the way it looks, saw it at Vegas this past Easter & thought it looked kick ass.

I'm with Outlaw52...Paint it...but something different to the normal colors people use...

 

All new chrome (it will break the bank!), real wires (or Sabre wheels), wide whites, and a deep dark Candy Cobalt blue paint job, maybe with a Pewter or Platinum Pearl roof!

 

It's really hard to improve on any GM car that came out of the Harley Earl Design Studio era. I'm not even sure I would shave it. You should check out the latest Overhaulin episode in which they did a restoration of a 56 Caddy convertible. A complete rechrome and paint turned it into a gem of a car. Personally I second the dark blue paint scheme. As I recall one of the Cadillac colors in the 50s was called "Executive Blue"

 

A 53 is one of the best looking Cads in my mind, also it is a Cad and requires shiny and a classy look. I would not chop it as it does not need it just make it shine like it should. You can't beat abig long and low smoothed out kustom, they rule, Rags

 

i saw the car a viva, amazing car u can never go wrong wit a lac, i would probably only shave the handles and a nice factory paint job keep it looking like it would if some one would haven built it in the late 50's early 60's thats my 2¢'s

 

That ride is so cool the way it is. You put some shinny paint on it and do some mild shaving and subtle wheels and you will be happy. I'm so tired of the rat rod raw steel un finished look when alot of these car have really straight bodies and just need a deep paint job and some detailing to make a cool custom. i'm not saying that about your ride I was at a cruise in last night and so many cars are just that close to being done and people just want to call them rats. Sorry for the rant I love that caddy and it needs to be finished. Keep us updated.

 

big American luxury cars, I get it.

 

Shiny paint, WIDE whites, and I wouldn't shave a thing. Awesome ride! Question: How did you lower it? Air bags? Looks sweet.

 

Here is ´50 Convert. concept:
- Chopped and slightly leaned back windshield.
- About 2 inch longer doors than original convertible.
- Whole rear side is straightened (the virtical hump is removed).
- Rear fenders restyled and custom made tail lights integrated into bumper.


http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/custom_car_graphic_art/janne_kutja_custom/cadillac_convertibl.html

Hosted on Fotki

 

Well I would shave a few things and then get the body dialed in for a nice paint job. I would not chop it, the proportions as just right. As far as color goes, Im thinking a lime green/beige combo.

 

LEAVE IT AS IS!

(caps intentional)

 

Paint that magnificent groundhog a bright gloss baby blue with a white top, finish with some subtle steel blue striping. Leave all the factory ornamentation and trim, polished and chromed. Old style wheelcovers, WWW tires.
AND enjoy it!

 

You know, she's so pretty, but she reminds me of a beautiful young lady dressed in a burlap sack. She's a Caddy ... only shiny paint will do.
If I were you, I'd not chop the roof, shave the handles, and paint her Black Cherry. Mmmmm.... so that in most ways it is seen, the car appears black, but when the light hits it just right, POW! There's a slick metallic red lurking under that clear. Yeah. That, and sombreros. She's one smooth baby that would look killer in Black Cherry.

 

Shiney!

It's a Cadillac and deserves to be purty!

I also agree about improving upon Harley Earl designs.

Paint it and drive it. (I did remove the emblems etc, but not the door handles on our '57)

 

The way I see it is she has that genuine girl-next-door beauty.

I'd take that any day over some face lifted, nose-jobbed siliconed phony with too much make up.

The flashy bimbo might catch your eye, but the real thing can't be faked. It can only have natural beauty once while any skank can put on too much make-up.

 

So by that rationale, would you say Oz's Caddy (one of the most exquisite specimens I can think of) is skanky?

 

I'd shave a little here and there but for sure shiny paint, wide whites, and tuck n roll.
I too read your VIVA trip and feel in love with your car then.

 

I think if you have a chopped up or rebuilt rust-bucket/fright pig, hide it under paint.

If you have something remarkably straight, honest, or (sorry) a virgin, why hide it under paint?

Any POS can be dipped in filler and rolled in paint, but a car can only be "honest" once.

 

Thanks for the input guys, i do plan on driving it the way it looks for at least another year. I have already started collecting parts for the rebuild. I already have most of the screwed up chrome.

I like the idea of a "VERY" sublte shave. To give it a mild custom feel. You guys mentioned blue and black, i even like the black cherry idea. I had tossed around the idea of a root beer brown. But the besides Section 8, everybody pretty much agrees that shine is the way to go.

Section 8 i do agree that the way she sits now is grand because you see the car for what it really is, a survivor. That i beleive is the appeal of the car. It has actually taken a few trophies at shows which really makes me laugh. I mean, its no custom, and its basically untouched accept for the Air Bag suspension.

I really like the rendering of that 50 Cad convertible, i dont think i have the balls to cut the rear fins even though the idea has been tossed around the shop alot. I had a 59 Cadillac once that all my buddies were really trying to push me to do it. I thought it was insane on a 59 because to me, nothing defines a 59 Cadillac like those bullet tails; on a 50s cad however, who knows? But probably not for me.

Thanks for the input guys and keep the ideas coming. Ill be sure to reference to this during the build. Ill update a pic of the car soon, I had the front seat wrapped for now in a light sea foam green with dark green piping. Matches the existing colors, (those that are left on the car) and the colors that were in the interior when i got it. The back seat however still looks like a rats nest.

Ernie

 

My 2c. Leave it as is. Possibly replace the dented chrome & maybe some nice stripes.
Al

 

I have a replacement piece of chrome already for that front piece, the reason i cant change it yet is because the fender is actually slightly buckled. So unfortunately until i do some body work it wont be coming off.

 

Ah ha....here's the picture I was looking for...