Ughh... not sure what to do with my Caddy

I know someone will probably end up kicking me in the sack but I want opinions none the less.

I've been driving the car for two summers now and it's time I start getting it to where I really want it to be. That's the problem. It's a fairly clean '55 caddy, lowered but otherwise stock. I'm a big custom fan and love a chopped car as much as the next guy but it probably won't happen to this car.

I guess what I want to know is what do guys think? My approach is for the car to be pure class, maybe even a bit snobbish.
Should I shave the handles? Nose and deck? or keep all the chrome?
I like the yellow/ white two tone but I'm not opposed to something else.
The car will be repainted. It will have a white interior but I'm not sure if I will keep the stock inserts with it (goldish tan color) or go with an earlier custom style.I have some very nice sombrero's for it but would like to here some other ideas.

Here's the part some of you will hate but the car most likely will be bagged unless someone can convince me otherwise.

Thanks for your opinion,
Jerry

 

Do whatever you want to it. Seriously.

The Caddy looks pretty sweet in that picture. My dad's first car was a '57 El Dorado that he hated back then. I would sketch up mild custom Caddies all the time in my high school years so I can definitely picture yours done differently. If you want to bag it, there's nothing wrong with that. I respect a man who builds his car the way he wants to for himself more as opposed to the man who builds his car based on what other people think. Pushover builds are no fun.

If I owned that car, I'd paint it a different color, a stock GM color from back then but a cool color instead. I'm not partial to warm colors so a light metallic neutral green of some kind would do it for me with a white top. Nothing fancy, just a nice stock Caddy lowered. A mild chop would be nice too. Shaving the trim isn't a bad idea at all, but I do believe there is a such thing as shaving off too much. I think making a mild custom that almost appears stock body-wise is one build style that is overlooked and not considered too often. But it's not my car I'm building. It's yours.

And your Caddy is beautiful. It doesn't need any modifications at all, but then again, there are more stock Caddies out there anyways. Make this your car. Make this unique to you. Good luck!

 

IMHO, Cadillacs should oooooze class...

I was going to paint my '55 Caddy yellow...but the color I ended up with was way tooo-oooo yellow, so, as you know, I went a different direction. I wanted an ice-yellow, a pearl white with a touch of yellow, but couldn't find anyone around here to get the shade I wanted. I still think a Caddy, like yours, would look good in the correct yellow...and if you are inclined to two-tone it, all the better. White is good, but perhaps a Champagne top would look good with the correct yellow.

As for the interior, the reason I used cloth inserts is vinyl (and leather) gets hot in the summers, cloth does not...

The hubcaps are a personal choice...with wide whites, you can almost use any style to give you a kustom look...and I have no opinion on airbags one way or the other...

Good to hear you're going to change up your Caddy...

IF you want to see a '55 Caddy build, start to finish, go here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

R-

 

That's a beautiful Cadillac ....!!!!

Yeah, you're right .... you lost me at the "bagged" part.
But that's just me.
I'm sure the "slam it!", "in the weeds", "there's no such thing as too low!", sittin' on the ground w/ broken suspension, ex-minitruckers will be along directly to correct me.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

I think the car looks great now, but if it were mine I would shave the door handles, paint it a dark stock color, and do a stock interior look with white and the gold inserts and leave it alone other than that. It is a geat looking car and doesn't really need much to look good. Maybe if I had the dough it would get some wire wheels like john d'agostino(sp?) Has on his cars, but I like the wheels.

 

Paint the top white and drive it. I like it jus tlike it sits-nice stance, and bags are a hassle.

 

that's a nice looking car, and i think the stance is perfect. and your right about keeping the car classy like a caddy should be. maybe nose and deck it, tu-tone the roof and paint the car the color of your liking with either a fade or mild scallop job. just don't over do it. the sombreros should look bitchin' on there. good luck and keep us posted. (by the way, i'm going thru the same scenario right now with my 61 coupe, drove it 6 years bone stock, and dismantled it last fall, nose and deck, rechrome bumpers, tube grill, shave all chrome, and fresh fade paint job, all in the works as we speak so i know where your coming from.)

 

A little out of the middle
A little off the top
Gets my vote

 

Just take it to Fat Lucky's, Cadillacs, even at car shows full of custom cars, look like they just dropped in from Mars... they don't need anything to stand out.

 

My approach is for the car to be pure class, maybe even a bit snobbish.


pure class?? restore it 100% concourse original.

 

Lower the back like 1" and you are done.

Killer car

 

Didn't Eldorado's have a stainless top? You could probably paint the roof to tribute that.

 

Looks pretty damn good as is imo.

I'm not always a huge fan of taking very nice stock cars and cutting them up just for the sake of doing it when there is plenty of other stuff out there in need of resurrection. I'm a believer in cars being too nice to chop and cut up.

But thats just me, its your car and in the end what you want to do to it is what matters.

 

Playing the "practical card" here. . .

How much do you want to spend and how soon do you want it done?

 

I have to agree with Builtforsin. It looks damn dice the way it sits.

 

Bags are for groceries. A dark glossy color on the body with that white roof would look real classy. White tuck n roll interior with dark accents and then just drive the hell out of it.

 

Add some Cad wires and paint it a pearlescent or metallic color that accentuates the curves. Done.

I guess you could bag it, but I don't see it as an improvement over the already-great stance it has.

I understand this car is a completely different year, model, bodystyle, etc. but you get the point. It "pops".

 

Roger, your car looks killer and I've followed the thread for a long time. I fully plan to take advantage and reread it as I build mine. If the fit and finish comes out on my cad half as well as your car I'll be happy!

 

Shaved door handles, nosed, decked, 1" lower in the back, mild fade, different caps, and drive the shit out of it!

 

Autobodied, I'd love to do a fade but I'm not quite confident enough in my painting skills to try and pull it off. I'm a big fan of your Caddy and wanted to buy it years ago on Ebay but the wife put a kabosh on it. Can't wait to see the updates!

46, I'd love to take it to Fat Lucky's but it's 2,000 miles from home! that's an extra grand just getting there and back.

Not really my bag and i couldn't afford it even if it was...

Hi Frankie, while I'm far from rich I do have some room to play, some new chrome, paint and interior. I'll be doing as much as possible at home. As for a time line I'd like to be back on the road next spring.

 

Candy , flake and lace panel the top , maybe a couple of real subtle scallops ... It will make the world of difference !

 

QUOTE=MitchellDeMoor;6344998]Shaved door handles, nosed, decked, 1" lower in the back, mild fade, different caps, and drive the shit out of it![/QUOTE]

In all honesty if I could lower it another inch I'd PROBABLY be happy with the stance but it's got three inch blocks now and I think four inches might be pushing it a bit. I figure if I'm going to go through the work of putting a C in it I might as well put a four link in it and make the suspension adjustable. Plus I'm one those damn guys that likes stuff "layed out"

 

In all honesty if I could lower it another inch I'd PROBABLY be happy with the stance but it's got three inch blocks now and I think four inches might be pushing it a bit. I figure if I'm going to go through the work of putting a C in it I might as well put a four link in it and make the suspension adjustable. Plus I'm one those damn guys that likes stuff "layed out"[/QUOTE]

I hear ya, I just think your car screams for a motorboat stance though...

 

Here is a good example of even a dark flake on top .... I know it ain't a Caddy , but you get the idea ....

 

1. Nose and deck.
2. Paint gloss black with white flake top.
3. Wire wheels.

That would be pretty close to perfect in my book, and I think it nails your classy, almost snobbish want. Question: Why do you want to bag it? You've already driven it two summers in its current state, is the ride bad or something? It sits really nicely the way I see it, a lot of work to get a similar stance.

The Black paint I suggested would also look pretty fresh with that white interior you mentioned.

 

Oh, come on, lets take a lil outta that thing, look what it does.......bring it down leave it awhile drive home a changed , and much kooler man.

 

You picture whore!

Damn that thing reminds me of the batmobile, sweet car. It takes some serious stuff to deep chop a Caddy like that. Props.

 

Use this car as a guide. Pure class, and custom. Mark Mortons Merc. Would look great on your Caddy.

 

IMO, here is what I'd do to it.

Get rid of the scripts, but maybe keep the hood and deck emblems, keep the stainless where its at, get skinnier whites on it (2-1/4 or so) and, paint it pretty much like Mark Mortans Merc. Maybe caddy wires, but I'm not too big on those compared to sombreros.

A full tuck and roll interior would look neat too, but I think anything severe as chopping the car is sort of stupid, because those cars have a great roofline. If you were to chop it, I wouldn't go MUCH farther than an inch.


It also depends on the era of custom that you want to create out of it.

But thats just what I'd do.

Edit: forgot this, but its kind of an obvious, get rid of the door handles.

 

I'm not really a fan of modified 54-56 Cads. Personally, I think they're long enough the way it is...but when you lower it, and chop the top, and section it...it's as long as a limo!

Worst case scenario...paint it pink...Elvis did! haha