To restore or not?

[Roger Zimmermann]

With the help of my friend, the trunk floor was welded in place at the end of July 1993. The next step was the rear floor. To have a good access to it, the "B" pillars were removed. Consequently, the RH rear fender had to be removed too.
End of August: the rear floor is gone. The rear of the body is totally independant from the front one. Well, not exactly: it was arrached to the frame with the usual body screws; I welded also some supports between the trunk floor and the frame. The remaining side panels are better looking, but far from ready.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The used rear floor was welded in early September. As it came from a 4 door model, the sides had to be cut and specific parts made from scratch.

The "B" pillars are made with thick steel, they could be sandblasted and primed. The are drying here with some other parts. It's good to have some space for such a job!

[Roger Zimmermann]

As there is no heater in the old barn, the activities during wintertime are very limited. The "B" pillars were back and welded at the end of March 1994. The rear of the body is ready, with the exception of the rear fenders.

It's time to go towards the front. The damages are less important, repairs are nevertheless needed. Rotten sheetmetal was cut away, new parts fromed and adjusted. The front floor's support is coming from the same Sedan de Ville, the one from the Biarritz was too rusted.

[veesixteen]

Congratulations, Roger, on a very well documented restoration. I'm sure CLC members will be happy to have access to such detailed images when attempting a similar restoration of a model of that era.  BTW, readers, I've been inside Roger's "barn" in Switzerland; that's exactly what it is: just a barn (an old Swiss hay loft). Although he has a great selection of tools, you can easily imagine the kind of problems he has to deal with owing to the lack of a car hoist or work pit. Unlike Bruce, the "Tassie Devil", Roger is noty a BIG guy (I'm guessing 5'6" and probably about 130 lbs !) - I don't know how he does it !  Bravo, Roger !
_____________________________________ 

As there is no heater in the old barn, the activities during wintertime are very limited...

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Yann,

I too am truly amazed and stunned by what Roger has had to put up with.

Goes to show that when one is so far away, one has to simply "get on and do it".

Especially when one is stuck with something, and really can't simply stop and start again.   The freight content is hard to just forget about.

Bruce.

I am just waiting for the rest of the pictures to be placed so I can sit here in amazement.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Thank you to Yann and Bruce for the nice comments. As Yann said, I'm not a big guy: 1.71 m and 58 kg. It's up to you to calculate in inches and pounds! Anyway, it's not necessary to be very strong to perform such a job. Most important is the will and to stick at the project. Of course, a little bit money is mandatory as well as help sometimes from friends...
If I could write the text in French, my comments would be more abundant. However, I believe the pictures are speaking for themselves...

Next to the sheet metal work, I was also searching for parts as many were either missing or behond repair. I could buy many parts of good quality by Gene Schacter in Canada. Unfortunately, he left this activity; I am missing him as a good and not expensive supplier.

There is a reinforcement at the front "A" pillar between the outer and inner rocker panel. As the original one was no more good, I did another one. I choose to add some lenght as this place is critical for shaking. Maybe it was not necessary...

During summertime, I could finish the front floor. Of course, the other side had the same treatment.

[Roger Zimmermann]

After the floor was ready, I could weld in place the outside rocker panel. The rear fender is not yet welded on the body; during the work at the front, I put the fenders on the body to spare some space.

During August 1994, the rear compartment was ready and primed. Suddenly, there are less parts lying on the floor. To see them in place is making a good feeling. It's necessary with such a project!

[Roger Zimmermann]

The panel between the trunk lid and the floor had some rust spots. I had to remove it for repair. The same original Biarritz panel was too rusty to be rescued. The LH rear fender is again on the floor; some work was done on it: I could rescue the lower part from the de Ville floor and, with some modifications, weld it the the main fender. It's the reason why the bottom of the fender is white.

About at the same time, I had to cut the lower corner of the windshield. I could get another part from the de ville to do a proper repair. The windshield in the background was broken but still needed for the alignement of the "new" lower corner.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

As Yann said, I'm not a big guy: 1.71 m and 58 kg. It's up to you to calculate in inches and pounds! Anyway, it's not necessary to be very strong to perform such a job.

G'day Roger,

Being "small" is really handy a lot of times, just as being tall and heavy, like me.

There is nothing worse for me than trying to curl myself up to get into places where I want to get to, but can't.

The Chiropractor gets a lot of work from me, just because of that.

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Roger,

Great pictures!

The green primer looks like an epoxy base? What brand of paint did you use Glassurit, Sikkens or Spies Hecker?


Lou   

Tjhank you for your comments, Lou!
You are right, the primer is an epoxy base. That ugly green is for industrial applications, I believe it's a swiss product; its name is "Etokat Zinkchromat Primer" and the producer or seller is Mäder Lacke.
This primer was used on the frame, floors, in fact on all metal surfaces with the exception of the outside panels of the body. I used here an automotive primer; I believe it was Sikkens, but I'm not sure. I just went to the body shop which would paint the body and ask for the proper material. It was also a pleasure to work with them; it's a body shop in the small town of Bienne.

[Roger Zimmermann]

G'day Roger,

Being "small" is really handy a lot of times, just as being tall and heavy, like me.

There is nothing worse for me than trying to curl myself up to get into places where I want to get to, but can't.

The Chiropractor gets a lot of work from me, just because of that.

Bruce.

Oh Bruce, the chiropractor knows me well too! However, during the years I restored my 3 cars, I had few problems with the back. They came later!

[veesixteen]

So, I was not far off.  Roger is 5'6" for 125lbs (I guessed he was 5lbs heavier!).  One thing for sure his experience can't be measured in inches or feet, but in miles!  Also, his enthusiasm can't be weighed in pounds but in tons!
___________________________________________________________________

...  As Yann said, I'm not a big guy: 1.71 m and 58 kg. It's up to you to calculate in inches and pounds!

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

This is a great post Roger, keep it coming. I wish I had kept as detailed a photographic record of the restoration of my 54 CDV. It involved a lot of panel fabrication and welding, but not quite as much as your car, thank God !!!
Phil

[Roger Zimmermann]

This is a great post Roger, keep it coming. I wish I had kept as detailed a photographic record of the restoration of my 54 CDV. It involved a lot of panel fabrication and welding, but not quite as much as your car, thank God !!!
Phil

Thank you for your comments Phil! Usually, convertibles are the most eaten by the rust. The other models, if neglected, take the same way, unfortunately.
More pictures will be coming this week, be patient!

[Roger Zimmermann]

As this topic seems to be appreciated, I continue.
In July 1995, the rear fenders were ready. It was not an easy task to form the lower part (the one that was eaten by the rust) with a correct flange for the wheel opening. My friend did the RH rear fender, then he had some trouble with the police and his drinking habits. Therefore, he could not come anymore as he was without a driving license for some months.
Fortunately, I could learn a lot with him and I did the repair for the LH rear fender. As everybody knows, to weld a steel piece in the middle creates a lot of heat with the mandatory distortions. These distortions had to be corrected before the rear fenders were welded on the body, otherwise, some spots could not be reach any more from behind. Those who are familiar with sheet metal knows what I'm speaking about.
The second picture shows the LH fender which is ready to be welded on the body. A great moment!

To avoid too much dirt on the other cars, I put some clear plastic as a separation between the working space and the storage space. It was not perfect, but good enough.

[Roger Zimmermann]

When the body was repaired, it was time to remove the frame. I had plenty of opportunities to have a good look at it and, fortunately, he was intact. No rust holes, no major damages. At least something very positive.
With a closed car it would have been possible to remove the frame prior to the body work for a better accessibility. However, I'm not so sure as those bodies had a notorious lack of rigidity. Anyway, on a convertible as ill as mine was, to remove the frame would had permit to body to break! Due to space limitation, I had first to push the body & frame on the left of my room (why not to the right? don't ask, I have no anwser!)
To separate the frame from the body,  I lifted the hole unit as high as I could, removed the about 20 screws and then I began to lower the frame with a floor jack. It takes time, especially when working alone.
The pictures were done in August 1995.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Once the frame was put on side, I could began to clean the underbody. What an ungrateful job! Even with new pieces welded as well as the ones prepared outside, there was still a large surface not yet touched. As I have no water in that place, I was not the nicest one after a cleaning session. Fortunately, the home drive was no longer than half an hour!
As I wrote earlier, there is no heater in that room. There is a minimum temperature to paint parts with a 2 components product. By chance, I could prime the underbody in October, before it was too cold.
During springtime 1996, the firewall was sealed. The color coat in not far away!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

My friend did the RH rear fender, then he had some trouble with the police and his drinking habits. Therefore, he could not come anymore as he was without a driving license for some months.
Fortunately, I could learn a lot with him and I did the repair for the LH rear fender.   

Roger,

I do hope your friend didn't try to blame his drinking on the massive amount of work he was doing on your car up to the stage he was caught?

Seeing what has been done up to this stage could have caused people to have gone "off the rails" well before this.

But, at least, with all your assisting him, you did learn a thing or two about his trade.   Being self-taught by helping is a wonderful accomplishment.

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Roger,

I do hope your friend didn't try to blame his drinking on the massive amount of work he was doing on your car up to the stage he was caught?

Seeing what has been done up to this stage could have caused people to have gone "off the rails" well before this.

But, at least, with all your assisting him, you did learn a thing or two about his trade.   Being self-taught by helping is a wonderful accomplishment.

Bruce.

Don't worry Bruce! My friend was just there to weld and do difficult sheet metal forming; I did the "ugly" work with spot weld drilling, rust removal, adjustment of parts...Furtermore, I was not totally neophyte with metal work: it was part of my apprenticeship more than 40 years ago; shortly after, I worked for 2 years in a body shop. However, without practice, the skills are going away. Usually they come back rather quickly if it's necessary!
By the way, while I was working on the Biarritz, everybody ask me "and after this one, what car will you restore?" my answer was all the time "no more, I have no space anymore!" which is partly true. As I have yet to discover how it's possible to drive more than one car at thesame  time, I decided that 3 Cadillacs in the garage was enough. Furthermore, with the age, the floor is lower and lower!
Now, I came back to my first love: model car building. No, no: not the ones you can buy at the store and assemble: doing a car from scratch. Like a difficult restoration, it takes years to finish ONE model. What am I doing now? a reconstruction of a Studebaker Avanti at the scale 1:12. I began 4 years ago, I still have one or 2 years until completed. You want to see samples? OK, 2 pictures as they are not Cadillacs: Olds Toronado (1:12) and one recent picture from the Avanti at work. On the models, you can open the doors, trunk lid, hood, ash trays and so on. The side windows are electric on the Toro, they are manual on the Avanti. Most of the body is made with polyester; frame and chrome parts are made with brass.
I know, I'm mad. I had a bad accident when I was 15 years old: I fell on the head.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Roger,

Your Model-making is truly the work of a craftsman.   Thanks for showing them.

Maybe that fall did you some good after all.   

Wonder what we all would be doing if we were wrapped up in cotton wool as children?

Bruce.

PS.   Seems we all have some "life-threatening" injuries to tell about.