THIS 19761 CADILLAC COUPE DEVILLE WAS A TOAD. IT HAD THE WORST INTERIOR I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. THE CLOTH BENCH SEATS WERE BADLY STAINED. CARPETS IMPACTED WITH STUFF I CAN’T MENTION HERE. IT SMELLED AWFUL FROM CIGARETTES, THE DOG, FRENCH FRIES, SPILLED DRINKS, HUNTING AND FISHING TRIPS. THE PAINT WAS AN AWFUL DARK GREEN WITH DARK GREEN TOP AND DARK GREEN CLOTH INTERIOR. IT WAS SOUND MECHANICALLY AND THE AIR BLEW COLD.
I REMOVED ALL SEATS, DOOR PANELS, CARPETS, JUTE FLOOR PACKING AND STARTED STEAM CLEANING WITH A PORTABLE UNIT. EVERYTHING GOT STEAM CLEANED: UNDER CARRIAGE, ENGINE BLOCK, TRANSMISSION CASE, SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, FUEL TANK, LINES AND HOSES, INTERIOR, METAL FLOOR PLUGS. THEN I CLEANED IT ALL WITH LACQUER THINNER INCLUDING HEADLINER AND UPHOLSTERY. HUNG EVERYTHING ON CLOTHES LINES IN THE BACK YARD IN THE SUN TO DRY. I GROUND OFF ALL THE DEAD OXIDATION AND POOR SURFACE PAINT WITH A 3600 RPM BODY GRINDER BUFFER.
I REMOVED ALL BODY SCRIPT, EMBLEMS, MOLDINGS, HEAD LAMP AND TAIL LIGHT CHROME BEZELS AND LENSES THAT WERE CAKED WITH MUD. I THREW AWAY THE HOOD PAD AND GOT A NEW ONE. I MUST HAVE USED A GALLON OF TAR AND BUG REMOVER ON THE OUTSIDE BODY. I LEARNED AT CADILLAC SCHOOL IN DETROIT THAT YOU WASH THE CAR THOROUGHLY AND LET IT DRY. THEN YOU WASH THE WHOLE CAR AGAIN WITH TAR REMOVER. WHEN YOU SPRAY TAR REMOVER FROM A HAND HELD DEVICE, WATCH THE ALMOST UNDETECTABLE SPECKS OF TAR START TO RUN. THAT IS AN OIL BASED PRODUCT THAT NEUTRALIZES THE BUFFING/ WAXING PROCESS LEAVING SWIRL MARKS THAT ARE TERRIBLY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. DO IT RIGHT. THEN THE THREE STAGE BUFFING AND WAXING BY HAND FOR THE GLASS EXTERIOR LOOK.
ALL BRIGHT WORK HAS BEEN CLEANED THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY REINSTALLED ON THE CAR. EXAMPLE: THE IMPRESSIVE CADILLAC CHROME SCRIPT ON THE DECK LID (TRUNK) WILL APPEAR SHOWROOM WITH NO WAX AND DIRT BUILD UP FROM A FAST BUFFING JOB. FLAT BLACK SPRAY PAINT ALL WHEEL WELLS BY CRANKING STEERING WHEEL HARD LEFT AND SHUTTING THE CAR OFF, YOU BLACKEN THE WHEEL WELL AREA FOR WHAT YOU SEE. THEN YOU CRANK THE WHEEL HARD RIGHT, SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BLACKEN THE OTHER PART OF THE WHEEL WELL – IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS ARE STRAIGHT. NOTHING IS WORSE THAN HAVING A GORGEOUS CAR WITH WHEEL WELLS THAT LOOK LIKE IT JUST WON THE BAJA RACE. CONTINUE FLAT BLACK SPRAY PAINTING VALANCE PANELS AND EXPOSED BODY PARTS FRONT AND REAR. GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF CHROME CLEANER ON THOSE GORGEOUS CADILLAC BUMPERS THAT HAVE NO EXPOSED BUMPER BOLTS AND ARE GROUND PERFECTLY SMOOTH AND THEN COPPER, NICHOL AND CHROME PLATED. PLUS THE BUMPERS ARE TUCKED TIGHT AGAINST THE BODY WITH NO VISIBLE GAPS THAT YOU SEE ON LESSER MAKES. CHIP FOOS ON THE NATIONAL TV SHOW IS CONSTANTLY CUTTING THE BUMPERS IN HALF AND REWELDING THEM AND CHROME PLATING THEM SO THEY ARE TIGHT AGAINST THE BODY.
I INSTALLED FOUR NEW CORRECT WHITE WALL TIRES AND A NEW SET OF CADILLAC MATCHING RUBBER FLOOR MATS INCLUDING NEW CHROME AND RUBBER ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS. ALSO REPLACED ALL NEW CIGARETTE LIGHTERS, CHROME ASH TRAY CUPS AND COURTESY LIGHT BULBS. THE FACTORY CARPETS WHICH WERE WASHED IN A HEAVY-DUTY LAUNDER MAT MACHINE ON COLD WATER SETTING REDUCES SHRINKAGE. FLUFF DRIED AND RE-DYED BY HAND WITH RITE DYE LOOKS BRAND NEW. I ORDERED NEW FLOOR COVERINGS FOR THE TRUNK INCLUDING NEW SPARE TIRE COVER. I RECONDITION ALL DECK LID (TRUNK) LOUVERS ONE YEAR ONLY 1971. ALL FLUIDS, FILTERS, HOSES AND BELTS WERE REPLACED, AND A MAJOR TUNE-UP PERFORMED INCLUDING SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION AND A/C.
IT WAS A SHOW PIECE. A GEM, SEVERAL RIVER ROAD TRAVELERS WATCHED IT BEING TRANSFORMED RESULTING IN SEVERAL BUYERS ANXIOUS FOR THE TOAD TO TURN INTO A STUNNING COUPE DEVILLE. FINISH AND COMPLETED, NO ONE BELIEVED IT WAS THE SAME CAR. IT LOOKED GORGEOUS. I SOLD IT AND MADE A FORTUNE.