Project Omaha 1956 Eldorado Biarritz

[Roger Zimmermann]

Hi Nick

As you can see from my signature, I have also a '56 Biarritz. Mine was more or less in the same sorry shape as the one from Lou. The sunvisors were missing and I could buy repro ones.

'56 Seville and Biarritz models had indeed transparent sunvisors, polarized like the ones of the Brougham. I have a '58 parts book to prove it.

[Guest South_paw]

Hi Nick,

Welcome to the forum. Roger covered it for the most part. I will add that the original visors were made by sandwiching layers of the plexiglass together creating a venetian blind effect. Ultimately this design caused the factory visors to self destruct, especially on the open cars. I was told the orginals fell apart within the first few years these cars were on the road :eek: There was a CLC member reproducing visors that simulate the look of the originals. He may still have some available. Here's some pics of the new visors on my car,

Notice the simulated venetian look

Nick, I would love to see some pictures of your car! Please PM me.

[Guest 06whtsti]

Thank you guys for all your help!!! I will try to track down the guy thats building these things. I'm not familiar with clc through? Is It another forum? If so, I don't suppose you might still have his contact info. Thanks again for everything , any info will be much appeciated.

Nick

[Roger Zimmermann]

CLC is Cadillac LaSalle Club forum: Cadillac & LaSalle Club - Home

Ibelieve I got my sun visors by Cliff Graubard. He post from time to time in CLC forum. Not sure if he still has some, I bought mines in 1991 or 92!

[Guest South_paw]

Hi Nick,

Check your Private Message box for the contact info

Lou

[Guest 06whtsti]

Thanks for all the help!!! I'll try to contact these guys to see whats still available. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Nick

[Guest South_paw]

Trunk kit is done:)

Before and after pic

[Guest 06whtsti]

Hey guys Like I said in some earlier posts, I am new to this and I feel like I have broken the cardinal rule of restoring cars. I LOST PARTS!!! I've seemed to have miss placed my fuel filler neck for my 56 Eldorado biarritz. I've torn apart the entire shop but its MIA. I have found some other 56 caddies in junkyards around the country but still no Eldorado's. Does any of the other models share a fuel filler with the Eldo or is it specific to that model. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Nick

[Guest 1hooligan]

Nick, stupid question, but did you take the tank to get cleaned out? did it still have the filler tube attached, if so go back there, they would have removed it to clean it out, and shoud still have it. I have lost several parts over the years, and not just small ones, goes with the hobby. My best Pat

[Guest 06whtsti]

Pat,

I took the tank to a local company to have it refurbished. But I disassembled everything before I took it down there. I can just picture It in my mind But I can't place it. SO FRUSTRATING?

Thanks

Nick

[Guest South_paw]

Nick,

To answer your question, you will need to find one from an Eldorado body style car. 1955 and 56 carry the same part number for the filler tube. BTW, you will find the old one as soon as you buy the new one :D

Good luck!

[oldcar]

Sounds as though you have acquired one of the famous restorer's garage poltergeists. Mine takes spanners as soon as I put them down then two or three days later comes and puts them back exactly where I left them. After I have taken the place apart looking for them. Problem is that once one adopts you, you are never free of them.

People who know nothing about Antique Autos say that it is simply "old age" catching up!

Bernie J.

Edited October 23, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[Guest 06whtsti]

Hey guys. Thanks again for all the help. I have already started hunting one down. It sounds like a wrecking yard in Montana may have an eldo. I'll let you know what I come up with. BTW Bernie, hopefully old age isn't catching up yet. I'm only 27

[pacerman]

Hey guys. Thanks again for all the help. I have already started hunting one down. It sounds like a wrecking yard in Montana may have an eldo. I'll let you know what I come up with. BTW Bernie, hopefully old age isn't catching up yet. I'm only 27

If that wrecking yard in Montana is Freman's Auto, I have had good experiences with them. They seem to know what they have and are good about shipping parts reasonably. Good luck. Joe

[Guest Robo]

I also have a 56 biarritz,just recieved it from san fran somewhere.I havn't seen it yet as I am working away looks pretty sad though,should keep me busy for a few years or more.

excellent thread,good photos,they come in handy as there are only 2 others in Australia.will post some photos of mine soon,cheers

[Guest Robo]

as I bought her

[Roger Zimmermann]

as I bought her

Well, you will be busy for some time! It des not look that bad, but pictures are hiding the truth. Lot of chrome parts are missing; some are reproduced, some not. You will have to hunt for the correct wheels too!

[Guest Robo]

I believe the "only" thing missing is the tail fin chrome,boots full of chrome and new spares plus parade boot.Allready got some gold sabres,but still a lot of work,but you got to do something!

[Roger Zimmermann]

I believe the "only" thing missing is the tail fin chrome,boots full of chrome and new spares plus parade boot.

The tail fin chrome is hard to find. Years ago, when I did mine, one was broken and I did not find another one. Therefore, I did a small serie of parts. Over the years, I sold all, except one wich is not yet assembled (don't ask why I let braze all parts except one, I don't know). If you don't find an original part, this may be a solution.

[Guest South_paw]

Robo,

Congrats on the Eldo. When you get started on it. Start up a restoration thread. This way Roger and I can do our very best to help you spend ALL of your money :D:D

[Guest Robo]

Thanks,will do,but I have to finish the 57 first.I will be able to see the eldo in the "flesh"' for the first time on Friday,plenty of photos will be taken and I will start posting cheers from AUS

[Guest 06whtsti]

Hey guys, good news I found a fuel filler neck at a place named Honest john's Cadillac parts in Texas. They are a little pricey, but seem like good guy's. Does anyone have pics of the Eldo Biarritz rear bumper? Is there another chrome bezel that bolts in the exhaust opening or is it just open. I'm stumped again...... Thanks for the help.

Nick:confused:

[Guest South_paw]

Nick,

from the factory it was just left open. Here's a pic

most cars today have the exhaust run to the end of the opening this way the exhaust pipe condensation drips clear of the bumper end.

I should have my bumper ends back on the car soon..

Edited November 4, 2010 by South_paw (see edit history)

[Guest South_paw]

Hi All,

Got the finishing touches done on the interior. The floor mats in this car are aluminum with color matched insets. They are not reproduced and in red they were a one year only part. Translation.... you have to restore what you have. In this case that required sanding out the 54 years worth of scratches from the entire mat. All four of them. Very time consuming but worth the effort :cool:

Here's before and after interior shots ....

Almost finished

[keiser31]

Wow, what a ride!! REALLY nice job.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Lou, words fail me!! What a job.

Ben

[Guest 06whtsti]

Lou,

It looks amazing!!! You are a true craftsman.

Nick

[Guest South_paw]

Thanks Guys! In the home stretch now, only the back bumper and wheels to go :cool:

[Guest South_paw]

Hi All,

This is how little parts became such a project. When I started working on this car, the Sabre hubcaps were to be as simple as picking up the phone and ordering new reproduction caps, center rings and emblems from McVeys Cadillac parts. The caps and emblems were no problem but the center rings are now out of stock at McVeys and they don't know when they will make more, if ever! The best they could do is put my name on a list for now. Well, I do have my original center rings. Upon inspection of them I found them to be in very good shape with the exception being the gold anodization. Once again, I have the same dilemma. The originals are aluminum wrapped over a steel mounting ring..... no way to re-anodize the originals without damaging the steel in the anodizing process. DRATS!

I decided to paint the center rings and see how close of a match I could get to the gold anodized look. I made the color in a high quality basecoat clearcoat urethane paint. It didn't take me long to make up a color that resembled the look I was after. It turns out there was a gold pearlescent toner that was pretty darn close straight out of the can. Now that I had the paint figured out, it was time to prep the original center rings. This is what they looked like after 54 years.

I needed to find a way to get them stripped down to the base without creating deep scratches in the metal. A fine wire wheel on my bench grinder did this job perfectly. Then all it took was a little gold pearl paint with clearcoat and the center rings are ready for lettering. Here's a pic

The Cadillac emblem shown is from McVeys. The lettering was done with paint pens.

Another NO caffeine job. Here's the finished assemblies ready to go.

Color match of the center rings is very close to the anodized hubcap as you can see. Overall, it's not a 100% perfect match but certainly respectable considering there are no reproductions available at this time. On to the next challenge!

[Roger Zimmermann]

Lou, I was lucky: mines were chrome and were available! It is, however, a long time ago.

Yours are very nice, even if I don't especially like the gold grille/sabre wheels/hubcaps.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Incredible job; are you at a loss as to how to spend your spare time now?

Thanks for sharing.

[Guest oldbill]

Beautiful Car, looks like a find of a lifetime! I just wonder who was the "High - Roller" cruising Omaha in 1955 in this prize? Too flashy for Warren? Seeing the heater hoses on the driver side helps me in my quest for repair of the heater(s) in my 49 Olds... I guess there are two heater cores hidden under my dash board and I suspect at least two were in your caddy/.. My owners manual does not cover heaters..:confused:

[Roger Zimmermann]

Oldbill, there are effectively 2 heater cores on the side of the passenger compartment, at the kick panels (I have the same car).

However, I don't know about your Oldsmobile. You may buy a shop manual...

[Guest South_paw]

Thanks Guys!

Bill,

Yes there is two heater cores in the car and it takes over 30ft of hose to connect it all :eek: I'm not sure about a 49 Olds. Best I can tell you is to follow the heater hoses. They will lead you to the cores

[Guest gunjeep444]

Sure enjoyed reading this, you did an amazing job!

[Guest South_paw]

Thanks Jerry.

The wheels finally arrived. They came out great! I mounted the tires ASAP and installed the wheels. :cool::cool::cool:

As soon as the back bumper ends return from the plater, this car will be finished!

Stay tuned.

Happy Holidays!!!

[Guest South_paw]

Wow it's been a while I didn't get much done over the winter but I did get the trunk all finished up. Here's a pic

[Guest Dave Boyer]

Wow, truly amazing work. Thanks for sharing!

[Guest Eldo Harry]

Lou,

it’s so nice to see your Eldorado at this stage. I was following your project in Cadillac forum and was really curious how it turned out. Excellent job! I think following your project has been very interesting and enjoyable, not just because I’m going thru same process (a green ’56) but also the way how you have done it and presented it here.

By the way, thank you for the top frame photos you provided me about year ago. I got the top on my Eldo complete after some creative work. I also got it on the road last summer and enjoyed driving it very much. I’m sure you will do the same.

Keep up the good work.

with best regards,

Harry

[Guest South_paw]

Thanks Guys!

Harry,

Welcome to the AACA forum. Glad to read that you got the top all figured out. Another Eldo on the road! Nice going. :cool: