1934 Cadillac

[Neverdone]

Wow that is beautiful!!! She is a diamond in the rust!!

 

[KnoxVegas]

This is a really nice thread. I wasn't sure about your plans when I read them but I have to say you really have the proportions nailed! This car is looking awesome!

 

[zzrodder]

This is a really nice thread. I wasn't sure about your plans when I read them but I have to say you really have the proportions nailed! This car is looking awesome!

Thanks !

I find it helps to beleive in my own B.S. - I get an idea and just go with it till it works - or I end up with a pile of little bits of metal .

I have a buddy who sells my cars for me and he always sez " don't put so much work into them, just find a decent car and do a quickie drivetrain and suspension swap - less hours, more profit ! "

And I always say " for sure, next time !! " - but that's just not me - I'd rather start with a pile of crap and make a nice rod out of it. That way I can be more creative and not feel guilty about having chopped up a nice old car.

 

[zzrodder]

Got started on the frame. Since this is a long beast with 124" wheelbase, I went with my favorite main rail design of 2x2 and 2x4 stacked to make a super strong 2x6". On the rear kickup I brought it down to 2x4, then to 2x3 for the rear portion. Temporary crossmembers right now to keep it straight, tomorrow I'll drop the body on so I can get the rearend placement sorted out with the wheels and tires on it - then I'll tack the rearend in place and build the 4 link around it. After that I will mount the front fenders to find the placement of the front clip.
It doesn't look like much of a rear kick in this frame but the fenders and running boards will hang about 5" below it so the end result will be a low ride....

Stay tuned [P

 

[SugarRay8]

That’s a very good idea stacking the tubes for the main rails, it’s certainly really strong. Don’t know if it’s part of the plan, but you could possibly use that upper tube to conceal wires and lines from front to rear.

Looking forward to seeing more. [P

 

[bob w]

I see chalk marks on the floor. A sure sign of a home builder. Nice frame rails. And a great idea stacking the tubes.

 

[zzrodder]

I see chalk marks on the floor. A sure sign of a home builder. Nice frame rails. And a great idea stacking the tubes.

Heh, Heh, sharp eye - every frame starts out as a chaulk scribble for me.

A happy day today putting pieces in their places
Rigged up the skyhook and placed the body on the frame, stuffed the rearend under and bolted on the wheels.
I'm really pumped about the look, those big Caddy fenders really swallow up the 20" wheels. The rear sides of the fenders are hanging out some since the fenders are somewhat bashed up and just loosely bolted on, but it's a nice preveiw of the look I was after. When the running boards go on (gotta fab new ones) they will hang down another couple inches below the front of the fenders.

 

[robertbandit]

frame

when you built the frame and stacked the 2by 2 on the 2by4 did you weld a solid seam or 4' inches weld 4' open i like the frame idea . i am toying with the ideaof 2 500' cads back to back 400 trans 9' ford 4 link. frame is really good and strong thank you robertbandit[cl

 

[roddguy1]

I keep looking forward to your very regular updates, and it sure looks like you have another winner well in hand. I'm lovin the look you have created making it a two door, and I think the chop is dead on. Your frame idea is very interesting as well, no doubt of it's strength there. Nice work and looking forward to seeing more. [cl

I know it's still early in the build, but do you have any thoughs on color for the car. If not may I suggest that, being a Caddi, maybe something like a Champagne and mint green two tone might be a good look for this car. Just a thought.

 

[White Trash Renegade]

Are you gonna run those wheels? I think if it was mine I'd probably run a fat white with either some 57 Caddy caps or some Sombreros. Either way I love this build!

 

[zzrodder]

when you built the frame and stacked the 2by 2 on the 2by4 did you weld a solid seam or 4' inches weld 4' open i like the frame idea . i am toying with the ideaof 2 500' cads back to back 400 trans 9' ford 4 link. frame is really good and strong thank you robertbandit[cl

It's a full weld along the length of both sides, done in 2" increments alternating side to side to minimize warpage.

I keep looking forward to your very regular updates, and it sure looks like you have another winner well in hand. I'm lovin the look you have created making it a two door, and I think the chop is dead on. Your frame idea is very interesting as well, no doubt of it's strength there. Nice work and looking forward to seeing more. [cl



I know it's still early in the build, but do you have any thoughs on color for the car. If not may I suggest that, being a Caddi, maybe something like a Champagne and mint green two tone might be a good look for this car. Just a thought.

As to colour, I'm favoring the tasty original patina with a few spray bomb squirts to cover the welds, though semi-gloss black is on the board. If I were to go shiny, it's gotta be black (bad experience with green)

Are you gonna run those wheels? I think if it was mine I'd probably run a fat white with either some 57 Caddy caps or some Sombreros. Either way I love this build!

Definitley those wheels ! It's the look I'm after... I need a change from wide whites, and I think hubcaps are better suited to 40's and 50's cars.

Placed the front suspension clip and mounted the wheels, placed a fender to size things up. Two things are immediately apparent 1. This thing is long !! 2. The steering box and sway bar of the G body clip are in the way I trimmed the pass side back 'till the fender hits the sway bar and it's still an inch to far forward. Time to study it a little more [S Attatching the clip to the frame is no prob, and the sway bar issue can be solved but the steering box is really in the way. Not really keen on bulging the fenders to fit, that looks hokey. I torched the shocks and spring out to get it down without dissasembly, air bags will get mounted later.

 

[SugarRay8]

Looks awesome! Love the wheels

 

[nunattax]

killer kadilac

great build,its gonna be a killer kadilac

 

[KnoxVegas]

Love the wheels. They look great in those big fenders.

 

[zzrodder]

Couple more pics, plopped one hood side on for inspiration. Nifty emblem on th hood side. The mangled piece of tin on the floor is what's left of the grille shell - some moron used a can opener to rip the top of it off to tear the radiator out for scrap value. The real kicker is that it only just happened a couple years ago when the car was in the previous owners back yard. Amazingly, the little emblem on the front wasn't destroyed. It should be some fun hammering it back into shape and welding it up.
Funny thing, the broken missing top emblem is the same type Deerchopper scored for the rad shell on his 33 Olds, there can't be many left out there, he's a lucky man [cl.

 

[deerchooper]

i just seen another one go on ebay zz. i think there is another one with a 150 buy it now right now.

its looking good zz

 

[jfg455]

Maybe it is time to ditch the steering box and lay in a mustang power rack? I think this was discussed early on in this thread. Looks good though! the top chop makes the hood look sooo much longer![dr

 

[Daman]

You could also go with a S-10 manual steering box. I did to make room and it's easy to maneuver even without power

 

[zzrodder]

Maybe it is time to ditch the steering box and lay in a mustang power rack? I think this was discussed early on in this thread. Looks good though! the top chop makes the hood look sooo much longer![dr

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that the box must go in favor of a rack. The body of the mustang one is too wide - the lower A arm mount points are real close together on the G body subframe - 18 1/2" - so it dictates a narrow rack to avoid bump steer. Need to do another boneyard crawl with the tape measure......

In the meantime I'm forging ahead with marrying the frame to the front clip, started with boxing it together.[

 

[jfg455]

I have one from a subaru outback (2001) that I could measure. It is a front steer, power, and had a short center section as the subarus use a very long lower control arm. And they usually run about $50 in the bone yard. they were also a fairly heavy car and made for rougher terrain (not really off road)

if memory serves me right (sometimes it does!) it was about 18" across the inner pivots.