1970 SdV project (was: going to look at '69 SdV)

[blyndgesser]

Hi, everyone.  I'm new to the Cadillac world.  I am going to look at a '69 Sedan de Ville this weekend.  The car has been sitting for a long time--30 years or more--so I am assuming the rubber parts will be dry-rotted, the fuel system will be varnished, the oil will be sludge, and so on.

What else should I look for--things that are specific to this model?  Are there particular parts that are rust-prone?  Well-known failure points to watch for?  

I'm hoping the car will be worth turning into a fun weekend cruiser.  Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Stephen (blyndgesser)

[pdxmose]

Bad rust areas are lower portion of front fender, around skirts, and back window glass channel.  Once the back window rusts and leaks, the floor pans start rotting.  If it has a vinyl top, there can be lots of hidden rust.

Depends on what climate it was in and if it was out in the elements.

                     ...mose

[Chris Conklin]

Mose pretty well covered the usual suspect areas, pretty much the same things on any 40+ year old car. But be extra diligent if it has a vinyl top. As mose said, depends on where the car has lived it's life. I would say that a car that has sat for 30 years or so will not be real cheap or easy to make into a fun weekend cruiser. Aside from the usual items to get it running, plan on replacing a lot of the suspension items, not just shocks.

[blyndgesser]

Thanks, guys!  These are excellent tips, just what I was asking for.  The car has been in a carport, so I'm hoping it doesn't have a lot of sun or moisture damage.  If there's serious rust, I'll pass, but so far everything else you've described is the kind of thing I can handle if I don't get in too much of a hurry.  Might need help with suspension bushings, ball joints and similar stuff, but that's what friends with lots of shop tools are for!   

[Gary]

If you get it, check back here before trying to start it up.

Gary

[STDog]

The car has been in a carport, so I'm hoping it doesn't have a lot of sun or moisture damage.

Where are you and the car located? Has the car always been in that area?

Carport or not, some areas are more problematic than others.

[blyndgesser]

As I understand it the car has been in south Georgia, and mostly parked, since the original owner died in 1973.

[STDog]

the car has been in south Georgia,

High humidity most of the years and lots of rain.

I fully expect a lot of rot under the vinyl.

[blue68deville]

Definitely push on the vinyl roof to see if the metal underneath is solid. Front winshield top, a-pillars, all around the back glass area.
Could be a nice find if the top isn't rotted.
My 68 is an original dry Colorado car that lived in a garage 99% of the time, I had some rot under the rear window trim. That's typical for the cars with out the vinyl too.
Post up some pics!

[STDog]

Front winshield top, a-pillars, all around the back glass area.

Thankfully the top doesn't go down the A-pillar on the '69, and it doesn't go to the windshield edge.

But, it still rots at the edge of the vinyl along the front and sides.

[blue68deville]

Oh yeah, that's right. The 69 top is different. Doh!

[Speach]

Personally I would pass on the car, unless it was virtually free. The reason being if you take the time to look you can get the same car, drivable for under 1,500 if you are patient and look. You really do need to factor the rust is no matter how cheap the car is because time and money could have just been in a better car to start with. If it has a vinyl top, no thanks. Just my opinions and thoughts. Cadillacs take investment but you can find them cheap especially 65-73 years like I said. If you look and wait.

[STDog]

If it has a vinyl top, no thanks.

That would pretty much rule out anything higher than a Calais.
Sure, it was an "option" but I'll bet 90% of the deVilles got it.

[Speach]

A car thats been sitting 30+ years and has a vinyl top. It really depends on where it has been sitting for the past 30 years. The odds are not good. If it looked questionable I wouldn't buy it unless the owner let me rip off the top. If you got cash and the top is bad he shouldn't mind. It really comes down to price. If its around 1500 I am sure you can find a better car. If it's below 500 then maybe it would be worth it. You dont always need to factor resale into it but, four doors take more work, more parts and don't sell well.

[blyndgesser]

Hey, guys.  I finally got a chance to look at the car today--some family stuff got in the way of making the trip sooner.  It turns out that the car hasn't been sitting quite as long as I thought--it had a 1990 tag on it.  So I'm pretty confident it was used at least occasionally until that point.

The bad: as expected, there's some rust under the vinyl top, and a little bit at the bottom edge of the driver's front fender.  As expected, the brakes are locked down.  As expected, there are cobwebs everywhere.  The weatherstripping is hard and cracked.  I wasn't able to get into the trunk to check for rust or moisture there, as there was no round-head key found.  The seats have been reupholstered in a ribbed blue vinyl that doesn't look or feel appropriate for a Cadillac. 

The good: there's a paper trail substantiating the odometer reading of 77487 miles.  It's the hardtop body style, which I find more attractive than the more formal version.  The tires are somewhat rotten but will hold air long enough to get it on a trailer, which will simplify getting it here.  There's no visible rust on the frame, the floor pans, or anywhere else under the car.  The dash and door panels look good, with no cracking or fading.  The carpet is somewhat faded but in good condition with no holes or stains.  The paint is intact.  The glass is intact.  Door latches and locks all work smoothly, and there is no sagging evident on any of the doors.  They open and close smoothly, further supporting the idea that the car is fundamentally structurally sound. The chrome trim is all present, and in good condition with only very minor pitting.  There is no evidence of rodent life, and on first glance the hoses and wiring appear basically intact. 

The best news: my friend who inherited the car has offered it to me free of charge.  He has also offered to share in the labor and the restoration cost.  He just wants the car to go to someone who will recommission it and enjoy it.  So I'm going to accept his generous offer and make arrangements to collect the car next week.  I will post some pictures soon, and I will start a build thread here to share my experiences and raise questions as I go.

Thanks again for all of your help.