Ron of Chicago

Your master cylinder will be located under the drivers side floor and mounted to he frame. You should be able to access it from a removable plate located on the floor. It may be under the rubber floor material. Good luck with the car. Ron P.S. Getting used to old cars are fun, aren't they?

I agree with Dave@Moon. You say that the system worked well for 2 years until the fitting blew. I would think that it should work well again once you get the fitting repaired properly. Seeing you are already set up for the 134 why don't you keep it that way and sell the R12 you have to pay for any repairs? Do you remember the name of the place on Rand Rd.? Just curious is all. 134 is not expensive and you can get it at any auto supply. Suck it down real good and put a couple of cans in. See what happens (after the repair). See what you get for gauge readings. Ron

I don't mean this be a stupid question, but did you check the oil level? I never go to any one to do work on my cars but I did have my oil changed once because I was running late and needed to get it done. As I watched the kid from outside the bay door, I saw he had to call the manager over. What happened was that he added power steering fluid to the master cylinder......GEEEEESH! It is possible he didn't have the amount dial set when he added oil to your car is all. Not trying to be a smart-alic. I have used different brands of oil in my cars before with no ill effects. I also only use a quality 20W50 oil in everything I drive. Hope you find the answer and it's a simple fix. Ron

Having the system in a vacuum for 30 minutes should remove all the moisture. As long as the system holds the vacuum (after you shut the pump down and close the system) then you should have no problem re-introducing R12 back into it. One thing to check. When the system was changed to R134A did they change the pressure switch? (I think that needed to be changed on my Lincoln to reset the pressure). If they did you may have to get the correct one back on. I changed my Old Lincoln to 134 and just added the PAG oil and replaced the switch and remember it did not cool as well as the R12 at idle either. My 01 Chrysler does not cool well at idle either. Good bits of information on the Volcano Don. If you would like to send me a ticket to Hawaii I will be glad to meet you there to help , ha,ha. Ron

Is it just the wheel or the entire shaft that moves? Ron

Thank you all for your input

I got this from a guy a number of years back and can not remember what it is that it does. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Ron

According to what I have it says: Woodgrained dash, electric clock, deluxe wheel covers, deluxe steering wheel, decor mouldings, notchback front seat with center arm rests, 4 bbl V-8. Hope this helps.

Best of luck with your new toy. Do not lose your enthusiasm for the car and enjoy the heck out of it every chance you get.

That's very possible if the engine is that bad.

I looks to me like it may be an aftermarket convertible build. The original ones from the factory were not done like that. I will assume that the body tag was removed due to the re-structuring of the car. I would also be very sure that the car is inspected very carefully to see that it was re-inforced properly. The convertible will flex a lot and if it is not re-enforced you could end up with a mess. Maybe that is why the car is sitting???? Also ask the owner all the questions about it and were it came from. Is he the original owner? There should be papers if it was done professionally. Keep us posted as this is a curious one. Ron

Have you tried adjusting the mixture and idle? I am also assuming that you are talking about the car after iut is fully warmed up. Ron

I would say that the grease that you are useing is just fine for the joints. The grease today is made with many more additives to help lubricate then what was in joints. As to the oil, I would use a good 20W50 Detergent oil. You have a filter to help trap any particles that may come loose. I would use Shell Rotella. Ron

According to the Motors Manual: After the engine temperature has been normalized, run the engine at idle speed and adjust the valves to .006 intake, .013 exhaust. During the warm up period, it is recommended that the vlve stems be well lubricated with light engine oil to prevent valves sticking or to free them if such a tendency is apparent. All cylinder head and manifold bolts should be checked for tightness before adjusting the valve clearances. Hope this helps Ron

It's amazing how many of these old photos have been placed away somewhere and just sitting in a drawer. There is a lot of history and I am sure many more stories hidden someplace. Thanks for the posting.

Great site you have there Dave. A lot of super information.

I'm sumtimes a little leary about some of the info one finds in these books. I wonder if they are proof read properly or if they are printed properly (transpose numbers) or do they have the correct numbers. I have found a few times that things are not totally accurate from people that do have the positive proof. I guess at this time we just need to have the faith. Glad this has helped anyway.

Bite the bullet and get yourself a new battery. Re-clean ALL battery and starter connections. Try it again

Have you tried talking to a radiator shop to see if they could make a good one from yours? If you ordered the new one from a supplier for Chevrolet's I would call and ask them. Maybe it was boxed wrong.

Sorry for the late responce but I am busy packing to move. I can not say with certainty as to this information because I have seen many that also have contradictions. Here is a list of convenience options: Radio and Antenna ($132) Heating and ventilating system ($129) Power brakes ($48) Four way power seat ($70) Vertically adjustable power seat ($54) Power windows ($108) Air conditioning ($620) White wall tires E-Z-Eye safety glass Autronic eye headlight dimmer The 270 horsepower Eldorado engine was a "Power Package" option for ($161) I have been trying to get ahold of a friend that is the President of the local Cadillac club to see what he may have. Maybe he's out of town.

You could also try the guys at chevytalk.com

Are you still looking for the information? Feel free to contact me at: oldcarmechanic@yahoo.com.

I would suggest looking for a local Cadillac club in your area and they will be able to help guide you.

I agree with Dave. I have done inspections for this company and they require a very thorough inspection from sheets that they provide. However, I have also worked for a classic car organization as a mechanic and have seen some real characters trying to evaluate a car. When I did an inspection I would spend whatever time needed to scrutinize the vehicle as if I was buying it. I would take as many detailed photos as possible and write about each photo. Something else you may try. Find a person that lives in that area and is a member of a car club or group like the A.A.C.A. You may be surprised at the help that you will receive. I was looking to buy a 59 Chevy in California and posted on the chevytalk site. A guy there was nice enough to go and check the car out without wanting anything to do so. He sent me his feelings about the car and a CD with multiple pictures. Good luck in your quest.

Try any place that deals with limousines. When I was a shop manager for a local Limousine organization, we had access to stuff like that and stocked it. It was used for the ducting for the rear heat/ac unit.