Well, the SuaMobile is in my possession now. I mistated its make in the OP - it’s a Coupe DeVille, not a sedan. Just to get it out of the way, a list of the problems with the SuaMobile;
The speedometer appears to understate my speed by about 10 mph at highway speeds;
It needs to be realigned - there is a definite pull to the right;
A few chinks in the paint job (but not too many);
A piece of the rear bumper assembly has fallen off and my great aunt wasn’t able to find a replacement. Her mechanic painted over the missing piece with a god awful rust paint;
The power seat no longer works, so the seat is stuck in a somewhat uncomfortable forward position; and
The felt in the roof is sagging; I’m using thumbtacks to keep it from draping over my head.
But other than that, I’m in love. It drives smooth, smooth, smooth, and it’s just fun to be in.
Oops, Coldy. Yeah, it looks a lot like the car in your link, though I believe that the two-tone effect (the hood, for example, is white on the raised section, red on the triangular lower sections), is what really causes the Pimp Effect.
No biggie, Sua. That’s common to late '70s and early '80s fullsize GM products. You can get the speedo recalibrated inexpensively at a speedometer shop. Last time I had to have it done (about ten years ago) it cost something like $25.
That’s not too bad. Any competent mechanic can do the front end alignment. Depending on the condition the paint’s in, you may be able to polish out a lot of the imperfections.
Are you talking about the urethane plastic filler between the rear bumper/taillight and the rear fender? These are notorious for falling apart once they’re exposed to the elements. There are a lot of sources for relatively inexpensive fiberglass, ABS, and urethane replacement body fillers. Email me if you want some leads.
Hmmm. Could be the seat motor or transmission. Does the motor seem to run when you work the switch? If so, it could be that the grease in the tracks and transmission is fossilized and gunked up, freezing the works. If you’re feeling adventurous, try removing the seat to get at the power seat linkage and the seat tracks. Clean them out really well, make sure they’re dry, and then lubricate them with a generous application of white lithium grease. If the motor’s OK, this might free up the mechanism.
Ah yes, GM Headliner Disease. This happens because the chintzy fabric outer layer seperates from the disintegrating foam rubber it’s backed with. Any decent upholstery shop can replace the entire headliner for less than $100 with better looking and more durable materials.
Ain’t it, though? I’ve owned a '77 and an '80 and currently have a '66. There’s nothing like 'em.
BTW, I still have a bunch of '70s and early ‘80s Cadillac parts scattered around various portions of my garage and my parents’ basement. If you’re looking for anything in particular, I’d be glad to help.
Congrats! Big old cars are the best - I know; I drive my late grandmother’s Oldmobile Delta Grande Royale. It can’t corner for shit, but it’s a tank and the engine is deliciously powerful.
I’ve had the same problems. #5 is a can be a real pain in the ass to get fixed; some of my windows ceased working and the same thing happened with the seat. The seat was cheap and easy to fix - something with the wiring - but after taking apart the door, re-wiring somethings, and dicking around for three days they still could not get the windows to work. (Oddly enough, they started working again a year later.)
I had my stepdad help with the collapsing ceiling; aside from the cost of the fabric, it was pretty cheap. Sadly, the thumbtacks don’t hold forever - you really need glue.
Don’t forget to tell us if it’s a v-6 or an 8! (I love cars that roar!)
Next Dopefest, I’m so cruising in that car with you.
Please tell me this was in reference to Biggirl’s husband parking the car up his own ass. Because I’ll be so disappointed if that wasn’t what you meant.
A honking big car in New York City? If you lined up Austin Minis end to end, how many could you fit in the same parking spot as that Cadillac would take?
Once you find a spot next to your house, guard it with your life.
Did your aunt smoke in the car at any point? That’s the most notorious means of loosening GM headliner fabric - I know more people who smoked in their cars who now have felt hanging on their heads.
I love the old caddys. Big cars, with big seats, and huge thundering torque monster engines.
When i was in high school, someone donated a 79 Seville with the 500 cubic inch engine :). The interior was all F*** up, and the engine had a few minor problems. Soon it became Gator 1, the schools offical demolition derby car. It was the first, and only car to not only make it through three rounds, but take first place in every round, that I ever saw. That caddy was a tank! It would literaly crush other cars like soda cans, while it escaped with little more than a scratch. It will continue to be gator 1 for the high school for years to come
I got to ride in the car! It’s even more fabulous than I thought it’d be (and that’s saying a lot). And Sua can parallel park the monster, which is no mean feat.
