1955 Cadillac

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I did not know that!!

As Johnny Carson would say... :) Never saw them on the older models.
Thanks for the tip Jaune. I will lube the hinges on those window seals tomorrow.
 
"As Johnny Carson would say... :) Never saw them on the older models."

To clarify, you may be right in that the flipper system may not have debuted until 1955, but the hardtop body style goes back to '49.

My Grandparent's 1957 Buick Super 2 door hardtop had the flipper, as well as roommate's 1957 Century 2 door and a friend's 1955 Packard "400" 2 door hardtop
 
Speaking of big...

I have a small collection of cars. My largest is the opposite of Rick's in condition, and its a funny story.

We found a 1957 Chrysler Crown Imperial about 9 years ago. It did not run. I bought it from a guy with the deal that he got it to my house AND got it into my garage. He did.

I have had this car all these years, and just moved it to our new home. Believe it or not, I have NEVER sat in this car. I have bought several others that were in much better shape (drivers), but this thing is SO in need of everything, it is kind of scary. The interior, although you can tell it was beautiful at one point, is so ratty that it gives me the creeps. So I have reached into it to move it, but never got all the way in. The doors would probably jam on me! All these years it just sat in the garage and I never moved it.

This is a long term project, and too busy with other toys for it. Maybe I will get to it in 3 years, for now, it is in my garage, as it has been. The upside is it has every single piece of trim, hardware, interior part, engine piece, etc. It just seemed to have froze in time and slowing faded, cracked, and had it's interior disintegrate. But now it is inside and out of the elements since I have owned it.

Other upsides to it is it has the 392 Hemi engine, totally original, down to the decayed spark plug cables. It has push button start and push button transmission, air conditioning, power bench seat, power windows, and an electric antenna! It also has some sort of bizarre ducting in the back for what appears to be a rear window defogger!

What will it sound like when I get it started? What does the thing drive like (about $5,000 from now!)? How good does the air work? Is it powerful or sluggish?

Some day I will know.
 
Strange duting

"It also has some sort of bizarre ducting in the back for what appears to be a rear window defogger!"

Sounds like you have the optional Rear A/C.

They're wonderful driving cars, only weak point is the brakes, a problem shared with all Chrysler products from the 30's to the mid 60's.
 
Kevin-

It should have that wonderful high pitched noise all old Chrysler starters make and BOTH of my old Chryslers would start with just the touch of a turn of the key. It will drive nicely as long as you go in a straight line. The old Chrysler Power Steering not only had no feel to it, it would only allow the steering wheel to turn about 1 and 1/2 turns stop to stop so parking or a u-turn was like docking a cruise ship! Those old Chrysler "Airtemp" A/C units will freeze you out! The Chrysler automatic transmission was so fluid you could hardly feel it shift. Stomping on the accelerator pedal to pass someone, you could hardly feel the thing down-shift, but you could sure hear that carb. open up!

I've had a few old Chryslers (Imperials) and they are a lot of fun, but cannot be compared to the GM or Ford offerings of the day. They all had such unique personalities.

When you go to work on the Chrysler you will see what I mean. Almost everything is "backwards" from GM or Ford---you use the door key up-side down, the lug bolts turn in the opposite direction from everyone else, etc. It can be irritating untill you get used to it.

I know you will enjoy cruising in that car once restored!
 
Car Clocks

I bet that clock would run if it was cleaned/lubed and the contact points cleaned. It's a spring-wound clock that winds itself about every minute (when the points close) at which time it makes a nice "clunk" sound.
Those clocks actually worked better than most people think because the adjusting mechanism wasn't usually understood. Moving the hands foward sets the speed faster, moving them back sets it slower.

The radio can be rebuilt too. FM conversions are usually not so hot.

Ken D.
 
Guys thanks for the replies...

The interior will be gorgeous someday. It has chrome pull handles to open the doors. Just Dashes now refabricates door panels, expensive and time consuming, but now that is available--not just for this car but perhaps what you have in your driveway.

The dash is amazing. There are two HUGE instrument clusters, largest I have ever seen. This was before they went to the horizontal instruments. The interior is kind of a bluish grey, the outside is two tone canary yellow and white.

I know what you mean about that Chrysler "starter sound", I have that in my Charger and Super Bee, but did not know that was the same on the older ones.

I will have to do some research on that ducting.

Sometimes I think it is so wierd that I have had something so Large for so many years, and really know very little about it. Kind of like my mystery Seeburg juke box.
 
Rick, that is a beautiful automobile! When I was at Robert & Neal's a couple of weeks ago, we were reading some of the mid-late 50's car brochures he's collected. Absolutely stunning styles - makes you want to own one! Congrats on a spectacular car again, will you be driving it here in June? ;-)
 
Kevin, you should really consider posting some pictures to share if you are able. Even if the car is in really poor condition,the classic "oldies" are still great to see.

Ken, I have an FM converter I plan to use with this radio. Just need to find the time to install it. I will remove the clock and check it out sometime. I have a 1961 Oldsmobile,and had that clock converted to quartz a few years ago.Appx $100.00 then.

Thanks Greg,but I think I will take a newer car on the trip to your house.:) I drove the car all week,and even attended a party out of town with it this afternoon and it did great! However I just started to drive it on a regular basis,and am still a bit "road trip shy" with it. Perhaps next time though. I am going to wax it tomorrow,so if you would like to help polish acres of heavy gauge sheet metal come on over! I'll take the front forty,and you can take the back forty.... LOL!!
 
backwards Chrysler

"When you go to work on the Chrysler you will see what I mean. Almost everything is "backwards" from GM or Ford---you use the door key up-side down, the lug bolts turn in the opposite direction from everyone else, etc. It can be irritating untill you get used to it.

To be fair, Ford keys were used "upside down" until they invented the double-sided key for 1965.

As for the lug nuts (or bolts, depending on the year) initially when a Chrysler Corp. car was new, the right side of the car had right hand threads and the left side of the car had left hand threads. Over the years, many cars ended up with a mixture as drums were replaced. So long as you're aware of this, not much of a problem. GM used LH threads on some cars in the Forties and earlier.
 
clocks

"I bet that clock would run if it was cleaned/lubed and the contact points cleaned."

Yes, they can, but then you end up with the same problem they had when new, they don't LAST and you have to keep constantly correcting them.
 
FM Convertor

"Ken, I have an FM converter I plan to use with this radio."

That's a good idea, too, if you don't mind one of those under your dash. Those things are all over E-Bay for cheap. What's nice about those is that once they are installed, there are devices that will take the signal from tape decks, CD players, Ipods, etc, convert it to FM and broadcast it to the FM convertor. This lets you play whatever you want through the original AM radio with only minor modifications
 
After the wax job with Maguiers...

It sure shines nice! It took all afternoon,and I didn't polish the bumpers get. Acres of metal! LOL!
 

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