1970 Superior 54 Cadillac Ambulance RUST

1970 Superior 54 Cadillac Ambulance 1970 Superior 54 Cadillac Ambulance. This unit was purchased for restoration approximately a year and a half ago. Shortly after purchase a once in a lifetime project came my way and has consistently consumed a significant amount of my time and resources. Hence, the chance to purchase this piece of history has come about.

This was purchased in Ohio and transported by trailer to New Jersey. My understanding is that it sat not running for many years, thus requiring many updates to make it run and somewhat road worthy. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Cadil...ash=item3fa9b36d7e:g:lk8AAOSwfHFbhHPl&vxp=mtr
 
The car can be problematic at times, simply will not start. (noticed this after has been running for some time). will require extensive work to bring back to its glory days.


The good; 66,000original mile vehicle with clear title, Starts, runs, and shifts, for the most part,
Not quite sure which one it is... runs or doesn't run. If the transmission leaks, in all probability, you are looking at a complete rebuild. Just went through that with my 1969, since all the seals were hard, brittle, and leaking. When it came apart, everything inside was also suffering from old age. You can only nurse these things along so far, before you have to start spending money on them. Based on the description, this is more of a parts car than a project. A rusty frame is the deal breaker, since no amount of paint is ever going to make it solid again. I have seen better cars scrapped for less work required. Sure, they don't make them any longer, but you would be way ahead to buy one that is at least solid, or running well. This one has neither of these desirable qualities! The only redeeming factor of this car is the clean NJ title, and that isn't worth that much based on the physical condition of the car.
 
My opinion for what it's worth, I'd decline that one even if it was a gift. That frame looks beyond any hope of salvaging and that's only what we have seen.

From my past experience in removing a car body for a frame off restoration you use a solid rocker panel as a lift point. I've seen roofs with 4X4's used as lift points but I would be reluctant to try to support a pro car that way.

Even if a donor frame was available then comes all the metal work to build a new body halfway below the belt. Those front fenders look as if they had patch panels laid over the rusted areas, I've never seen a GM O.E. fender rust in that manner, they normally bubble and rust below the vertical support between the door and wheel opening due to the design, pretty much a standard way of rusting from 1965 through 1976 full and intermediate cars. Again, just my opinion. We've grafted floor pans into tri five Chevys that have rusted out but at least the rockers were salvageable

I may know of a 70 Superior funeral coach near here but I suspect the floors, underbody and frame have been compromised due to sitting on dirt, it was used for a haunted corn maze and has been sitting in the same place for at least the last ten years.
 
The 70 Cadillac Convertible I bought new was sold to a friend after less than a year with me. I traded it back two years later and sold it to another friend. The car was always garaged and well cared for. But in 1974 the owner brought it in with the rust in the rear bottom of both fenders. I told the gentleman that we could patch both fenders NO said he get two new ones from Cadillac. As per his wishes we got the new. WE took both fenders to Zbart and had them coated before installing them or painting them. The car was in regular use by the same owner till 1985 when he passed. It came back and no rust anywhere. Point of all this is rust is preventable but requires thought and work to stave it off. We just sent a friends 97 Town Car to the welder for holes in the frame behind both front wheels required plates to reinforce it. Yet no rot in the body. Best thing is a car wash to does the under side.
 
I bid $30, and if we all put in a bid in in $10 increments, the seller will think that it might sell this time. :D
 
You just need to buy this one Texas rig for the frame.
 

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