'63 Cadillac Fleetwood

[electra225]

I don't believe I've ever seen a '63 Fleetwood in my life that I remember. This is a gorgeous car. 8 power windows. I like this one..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTLqtoNYSg

[Firedome]

"63 and '64 are almost identical except for the new 429 vs 390 for '63 and minor details.

A '64 black Fleetwood 75 was our wedding car, complete with chauffeur... can you tell that I arranged for the car while she picked out everything else? lol What an elegant car, gray real wool broadcloth interior, rear a/c, lot of fun toys in the back seat.

'The 64 Fleetwood still used the old windshield and greenhouse:

https://www.google.com/search?q=1964n+c ... ZdGeFK07LM

[walyfd]

Same greenhouse '61 through '64. Reason I wanted a Fleetwood is that roof. It wasn't shared with any other car, too. I liken it to the Buick, Oldsmobile and Chevy coupes that look like a convertible with the top up. '63 was the first year vinyl tops were offered on the Fleetwood and coupes but there were only 3 colors. Power vents are my absolute favorite toy on my '62. Who would ever think of power vent windows in the rear doors... one thing to have working windows but power!!!

The Fleetwoods also got Marshall spring seats.

[electra225]

That was when the Cadillac Division of GM was actually building Cadillacs that looked like a Cadillac, instead of trying to outdo BMW like they are now. Now, to get my mind right, did the Fleetwood still use the old Dual Range Hydramatic instead of the Slim Jim? Or was the just the commercial series, like ambulances and hearses, limos, that kind of thing? Or none of the above?

A set of Kelsey-Hayes wires would look nice on those Fleetwoods. Were they an option?

I don't know how the 429 ran in a Fleetwood, but if you messed with a Sedan DeVille with a 429 and you had a Buick of any description, you'd best bring your lunch......

[walyfd]

The turbo hydramatic came in for 1964 and was standard on the Fleetwood sedan, the deville series and Eldorado. The 62 series, limousines and commercial chassis kept the old hydramatic. All 64s got the new 429 engine. I always thought they stuck with the old trans in part because it was the last year of the X frame and they were tooling up for the entire '65 restyle. Plus, if the THM proved troublesome, their entire reputation wouldn't have collapsed.

Cadillac hasn't built anything I'm interested in since 1996. Sad because I'm now of the age where I should be able to buy a new cadillac... I can buy 3 beautiful antiques that appreciate in value for the cost of a new one that depreciates. Even Hondas have names. Cadillac is alphabet soup. "X" and 2 other letters...

As for the wheels and caps--there were no options. Last Sabre spoke aluminum wheel option was 1958. Wire covers were available in 1975 and the Dayton wheels were standard for Seville elegante in 76 or 77 and optional for all 77... and they leaked...

[electra225]

A tasteful set of wires, not low-rider wires, but something like Cadillac used in the 1950's would look killer on those big Cadillacs. Did Cadillac ever offer two-tone paint on Fleetwoods from the factory? I know, I know, we are talking about Cadillac. I may be thinking like a Buick guy.....

All Buick builds today are Chinese SUV's. They haven't built anything that turned me on since maybe 1984. The late 1970's Buicks were pretty good cars, but the plastic woodgraining and chrome on the instrument panel had a hard life in AZ. And the styling was a bit more pudgy than I was used to, mainly due to the smaller bodies, I suppose. The 1984 Park Avenues were good cars, had great AC, but were a tad under-powered due to the 307 "Y" motor, courtesy of Oldsmobile. I nearly bought a new '84, but we had so much grief with our last new Buick, the miserable '74 we had, the wife ixnayed that idea. We later bought a new Pontiac.

I don't know who supplied GM with the stainless trim like used on your Cadillac. It was almost Rolls-Royce quality, very good stuff, buffs easily and is really hard to damage. The trim over the doors and on the C pillar on your Cadillac looks like it would almost fit my Buick.

[walyfd]

2-tone paint was a no-cost option available through 1964. Roof different from body. They strongly suggested monochrome starting in 1961 because of the lines of the car and some styles didn't have a good break line. After that, they pushed vinyl tops.

Not sure who supplied the stainless trim but it is QUALITY. I polished everything on this car and the '57 and the '57 trim is heavier. Even then they started "economizing" on stuff. I know the belt line and window trim is the same on the '57 cadillac and buick.

I know Alcoa did the anodized aluminum grilles. They were hand-assembled at the factory on a jig slat by slat.

[electra225]

IIRC, the trunk lid on '57 Cadillacs and the big Buicks, Super and Roadmaster would interchange, although the holes for the emblems were not right.

When I was restoring my Buick, I will admit to using some Cadillac accessories. I bought a set of power vent windows for my Buick that is out of a Cadillac, including the switch assembly that goes in the doors. Cadillacs are typically found loaded to the gills.

[walyfd]

I believe you're correct with the trunk lid. Glass, roofs, cowls and inner doors were the same, too. I think you could install almost an entire interior from a cad or buick in a buick or cad. I know you could with 70s through 90s RWD.

Supposedly there was a push in 1959 for a "shared body" program where even more stampings were used across all Fisher bodies. With more cars using the X frame, it made sense with the floor pans and body mounting.

As for accessories, if it didn't come on the car from Detroit, you could have it added by the dealer. Cruise, guidematic, even air... trunk pull down and 6-way seat had to come from the factory, though.

I added factory cruise. The nylon gear and rack on the adjustable wheel were destroyed. Thankfully, olds used the same wheel and gear system and I found a guy in Canada that makes the parts.