My New 1953 Fleetwood, AKA, "Long tall Sally"

The title says it all, with our Z71 and a tow strap this barge now resides in my driveway. 1953 cadillac fleetwood 60 special. it has the stock 331 and hydromatic. stock everything actually and its all there, weather it be on or in it, its all there. right down to 6 almost perfect condition flat fleetwood caps, why there are 6...beats me. It was owned by a local limo service and i guess back in the late 90's it was going to be stretched and put into service but it never was, after a freind of the last owner did the body work, he complained when moving it it didnt shift right and so it was towed and then sat in a garage for 8 years, fast foward to now, after a simple change of battery it cranked right over and runds like a top, i wasnt able to get under it but it looks like the linkage came off the trans, (that would sure make it shift funny).
The only things wrong with it are the hydro windows, the radio and horn not working and the fact that someone, idiotically ran screws through some of the chrome to keep it on. so with a little work and some hope, it will be my cruiser for a long time. So say hello to "Long Tall Sally", Ill keep you all posted.








New and old school, Fleetwood and brougham





So yeah, i believe im blocking craigslist off my computer now.

 

also, if anyone knows how in the sam hill to fix the always problematic hydro windows, it would be a big help, id like not to have rolling them up be a two person job.

 

WOW...now that's a great lookin' cruiser! Yeah, and that screw through the chrome trick SUCKS!

 

yeap, 3 of the drivers back door luvers and the passenger front door spear, not to mention the one in the passenger skirt because the one skirt mount was cut off durring rocket replacement.

 

Once you get it running right, it's likely to impress you when it'll boil the right rear tire from a dead stop just by flooring the gas ... and it'll get 20-21 MPG if you keep your foot out of it.

 

Man, that car is saaaaaweet! I'm jealous.....

 

302, now you just had to tell me that. damn it one of the cruises i go to has a burnout contest, DAMNIT! haha.
Oshkosh, no need to be jealous, your buick is killer itself.

 

Congrats on the Cadillac. Did you know that the Fleetwood actually cost more than a Coupe de Ville in 1953?

Here's my old 51 Fleetwood. This car was found in a garage here in Amarillo a few years ago with about 32,000 original miles.

 

killer kadillac. welcome to the kadillac addiction. what happened to your dagmars? jeez i just love those air cleaners. the "bat wing" i'm painting mine custom right now. i'm finishing up my interior currently.

 

Nice...!!! Those hydraulic windows are a PITA...good luck...

R-

 

Caddy-O: i guess they went by the ammount of car for the price, haha.
Cracker: they are sitting on the back seat, they are pretty well rusted out from the back, one has a dime size hole and the other a quarter size dent but im going to patch them up and probally run them gloss black with a red pinstripe near the base.
40: yes, its nice the first time you hit the switch the electric motor for them was throwing smoke untill all the buit up crud burned out.

Just got out from under it actually, both trans linkages were unhooked and there are two rather decent sized vacume lines i have to trace origin.
but the underside is rather clean, ill get pics of it when i get it to shop. but i mean other then the new full exhaust and a few new bits and peices, the underside is untouched.

 

meh , who needs electric windows. i just use my arm

 

yeah, the hydro system is most likely getting ripped if i cant get it to work, then some electric motors and cables from the junk yard will be on the bill next.

 

Somewhere, some time, I saw a tech on installing electric motors in place of the hydraulic stuff...but where I don't remember (I'm getting old and suffer from the advanced stages of CRS)...maybe one of the Cadillac companies...

R-

 

My buddie wendel is a great fabricator, his merc convert had hyrdualic windows and he switched them over.
i know i'll figure out something, if i have to drill and weld, so be it, windows to me are a must, with as much driving as i'll be doing, and the trips, you just have to have them.

 

cool bro

 

another thing i had a question about, does anyone know where to get repo tail light lenses for this thing?, the ones on it are almost pink and a bit stress cracked.
or for that matter a good place for repo parts?

 

McVey's, Merriman, KS...

USA Parts out of Virginia has everything you'll ever need...

My '55 Caddy build:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&page=3

R-

 

ohgood to know mcveys is still open, the car had 5 of their books shoved in the glove box but they were really old, i just never got around to calling them.
and i gotta tell you man, yours looks mighty damn fine itself.
im just hoping i can keep everything together on this barge, i'm giving everything the once over and then doing it again because im not going to let something simple cripple me on the road.

 

http://www.allcads.com/product/New-233086574

 

Nice Score! In the future I can see "Long Tall Sally" morphing to "Long Low Sally". Can't wait to see your progress pics.

 

Oh you caught me!, when i get it all straightened out, it will come down hard im telling you, it already has a thick frame, so sparks will be flying.

 

mini update, all of the front hood and trunk chrome is on it, ill get the pictures of it today in all its glory, i still cant find the hood 'V' but there is still a lot of stuff packed in the car.
trans is still in limbo, Murry's only had 8 quarts left of the good trans fluid so im going back today to get the rest, hopefully it will move after i get enough in there. if not its got a rebuild coming.
all the lights work except for the drivers side parking/turn, i think i have a bad ground because i replaced the bulbs and still nothing. after thats fixed every light on the car right down to the trunk light will be working. and after letting it warm up and high reving it a few times, its not longer hesitant with the gas pedal, befor you had to lay in it slow or else it sputtered.
i just hope to hell that damn trans works.

 

heres just a few pictures of what it looks like with the chrome and brass back on, it really makes a difference i was surprized.

cleaned the skirt up nicely.





im kinda at a loss with the lady, shes a bit aged, and the pits are very deep.

 

Good luck with her. Like all high class ladies it only gets more expensive.
You will really love her once you get all the bugs worked out.
Todd B.

 

For the pitted lady, find some JB-weld like stuff with metal in it (allmetal?) and fill-er-up and sand smooth. Then a good chrome powdercoating and you're good to go. Cheap, efficient, good enough for most cars.

 

Double, In al honestly i have to say, shes setteling, haha. but i get what your saying.
Built, i like that idea a lot, i think its going to be happening soon being i got a buddy that works at a shop that coats.
now if i can just find a freakin hood 'V'.

 

Sweet car! I need to block Craigslist on my computer also!!

 

Yeah, after getting the white 58, that 92' brougham in the backround, then an 88' lowrider monte, which was traded for the black 58, then this boat, all on craigslist, you kinda wonder if theres some kind of sublimital messaging.
not to mention the 50' chevy deluxe we had last year.
Evil, EVIL site.

 

Nice score! Beautiful car.

If its the stainless trim with extra screw holes in it, I have heard of a place that specializes in repairing stainless trim. I have never used them though. I can find them if you are interested. Color matching the S.S. weld is the really hard part, not to mention how thin it is.


If it is steel or die cast parts with extra holes, any plater worth his salt can fix them for an extra $10-50 over replating cost, (depending on severity of course.)

That hood ornament is not beyond reasonable repair, though I might have a nicer one at the shop in our collection of hood ornament cores.