NOW IN GRAPEVINE TEXAS WITH MY CONNIE, I DISCOVERED A DREAM COME TRUE ABSOLUTELY SOLID RUST-FREE FACTORY AIR 1957 CADILLAC COUPE DEVILLE. AS YOU MAY REMEMBER IN THE NORTH THEY RUST IN HALF. A RETIRED PHYSICIAN IN VICTORIA TEXAS HAD ONE FOR SALE. GETS BETTER. HE HAD SPENT WITH RECEIPTS OVER $14,000 ON THIS CADILLAC.
IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT, BUT CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALS AN ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN PROFESSIONALLY AND CORRECTLY REBUILT BUMPER TO BUMPER. ALL OF THE BUMPERS, TAIL LIGHT AND HEAD LIGHT BEZELS, SCRIPT, DASH PIECES, SPEEDOMETER HOUSINGS WERE SHOW QUALITY RECHROMED. MANY OF THE PIECES INCLUDING THE TAIL FINS ONE YEAR ONLY FACING FORWARD), TAIL LIGHT AND HEAD LIGHT BEZELS ARE POT METAL MEANING THEY REQUIRED CAREFUL PREPARATION INCLUDING ANODIZING BEFORE TRIPLE PLATING. NUMEROUS CONVERSATION WITH THE GOOD DOCTOR SET THE STAGE FOR MY PURCHASE OF $7,500. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE FUNDS WITH CERTAIN SUBSIDIES FROM CONNIE’S COLLECTOR CAR FRIENDS, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE PURCHASE. TOO LATE.
THE DOCTOR WAS IN FAILING HEALTH AND SOLD THE CAR TO A LADY IN WISCONSIN. I CONTACTED HER. SHE WAS MOST ANXIOUS TO SELL IT TO ME FOR $7,500. WHEN SHE RECEIVED IT AND OPENED THE DOOR, IT WAS STACKED AND CRAMMED WITH ALL THE PARTS. THERE WAS NOT EVEN A PLACE TO SIT. EVIDENTLY HER FRIENDS THINKING THIS WOULD BE AN EASY RESTORATION SAID FORGET IT. WHEN THE TRANSPORT DRIVER GOT TO HER, HE FOUND MOUNDS OF SNOW EVERYWHERE AND THE CAR WAS ON AN INCLINE DRIVEWAY. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH FUN HE HAD.
HE PICKED UP THE COUPE AND MY TWO SEVILLES AND ARRIVED IN FRONT OF NORTH TEXAS LUBRICANTS DALLAS (ROYAL PURPLE DISTRIBUTOR). MY CONNIE WAS THE OFFICE MANAGER AND COORDINATED MUCH OF WHAT TOOK PLACE. WILEY ALEXANDER, SHANNON TIGUE AND JAY NORDSTROM ALLOWED ME TO STORE ALL THREE OF MY VEHICLES IN THEIR WAREHOUSE AT NO CHARGE. THEIR EXPERTISE ON CARS ALONG WITH OUR FRIEND DICK DEMETS (AA FUEL ALTERED “BOWTIE BANDIT” RACER) WAS INVALUABLE. CONNIE SAYS FRIENDS ARE A GIFT FROM GOD – AND THAT EXPLAINS THESE GUYS!
I HAD REMOVED EVERYTHING INSIDE AND OUT INCLUDING TRUNK. I HAD SANDED, PREPARED AND PAINTED ALL METAL SURFACES ILLUSTRATING AN AMAZING RUST-FREE PLATFORM. THE ONE THING MISSING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL – THE CHROME BUMPER GUARDS WERE COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED WITH RUST. I PURCHASED TWO EXCELLENT 1958 CADILLAC BUMPER EXHAUSTS (THEY ARE IDENTICAL TO 1957) FROM GAR THOMPSON AT A&A AUTO PARTS IN CALIFORNIA SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR SAFE KEEPING BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IS THE WEAKEST PART OF THE CAR. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I INCLUDED THOSE IN THE SALE OF THE CAR.
AS THINGS CHANGE IN LIFE, THE WAREHOUSES WERE BEING DOWNSIZED. BEING STUCK WITH A PRIZED COUPE WITH A MOUNTAIN OF PARTS, I WAS FORTUNATE TO MEET PETE KRELL FROM PETE’S CLASSIC CARS. HE IS MY BROKER OF SPECIAL INTEREST AND EXOTIC VEHICLES IN RICHARDSON TEXAS. HE IS HONEST, BELIEVABLE AND AN EXPERT IN THIS ARENA WITH A LONG HISTORY OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS. PETE HAS NUMEROUS SOURCES IN MANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR A VEHICLE SUCH AS I HAVE. PETE AND I CAME TO AN AGREEMENT AND THE 1957 CADILLAC WAS SOLD. THE COUPE DEVILLE WENT TO SWEDEN WHERE EVERY PART IS SPECIAL AND TREASURED.
