Barn Find 1947 Cadillac Restoration

[@geoffnoyes520]

I love original 'survivor' cars like this was, all those minor scratches stains and blemishes are to my eye,the patina of time, each one of interest and bearing witness to it's history and passage through time. As the cheif restorer said, "hopefully we will have a new Cadillac". Yes it looks factory fresh now, but any feelings of authentic originally is gone forever. Having said that, they did a great job overall, and it wasn't destroyed,i.e. (customized/hot rodded)!. Ps. saw a 1930 Crysler 70 recently,original paint etc, lovely.

[@waltertaljaard1488]

Essentially all this caddy needed was a good wash and wax, oil and coolant change. But you guys did a real professional job with a lot of TLC on her. Respect.

[@ronaldmay8572]

I agree with the comments above. We are all here to enjoy the craftsmanship and attention to detail. Somehow I can’t envision the owner of such an elegant car digging a samba whilst driving down the boulevard!! Other than the auditory irritation, this restoration is exceptionally well done. Congratulations

[@JimBales]

Definitely one of my favorite restorations. I remember when this car was new back in 1947. It was one of my all time favorite cars and has been ever since. You did a wonderful job.

[@gertzadik]

A complete restoration in one video. Very nice!

[@HonestHisself]

thanks! it ended up being a little longer than youtubers typical want to see, but "why not" just cram it into one episode?

[@mikec1096]

+Honest Charley it was a great video. NOT too long for me, it was just perfect. thank you.

[@cargons]

Who has passion for recovery of automotive history not shy away from big cars to recover and maintain the history and present into the future. Congratulations. Estoril, Portugal

[@busterpritchett4162]

I tell you we have the most amazing technical people in this country there are people that can fix rebuild restore anything and here is just a few hats off guys

[@kevin7151]

Nice video. Thanks for taking the time to put it together to show off this fine automobile and the care and attention you put into it to get it back into like new shape

[@hakanbayrak925]

You should shut the piano music up while engine is running. We are car guys and want to hear engine sound.

[@davidlj53]

Can’t figure out why these chuckleheads think we want to hear their music

[@AA-xk7gy]

Everybody does it idk why

[@jrnymn14]

Yep, knock it off

[@markmartin5248]

I'm sure its sweet.

[@mikemullay5622]

Delete the music so we can hear the engine run.

[@markmartin5248]

I grew up with my father's 1950 Cadillac sedan 62. Sold in 1982 with 48 thousand original miles. Miss that car.

[@UncaDave]

Great job! Love the music at the end with the finished car. Seems like it needs to be in Cuba flying down the boulevard.

[@einarbenedettirosenqvist3415]

What a great car. Wonderful design , much better than newer models. The iron engine barely sounds. |Great job! Regards from Chile.

[@activeeq]

Nice project! Enjoyed the video as well as the music. I like the medium length videos as opposed to the thirty second walk around or ninety minute doc.

[@sherrif1959]

Supreme. I have to say when I saw you all having fun washing the car my heart sank and I thought you were not going to treat this car as it should be, well I was so wrong a magnificent job on a great car. Well done to all involved. So wish I could have a drive or better still own it!

[@richardfeibel3154]

BACK IN 1949 THE GAS STATION I HUNG AROUND HAD AN OWNER WHO WAS A CAR NUT. A WW2 VET .AND IN 1949 BOUGHT HIS FIRST CADILLAC SELLING HIS 1948 NASH AMBASSADOR , IT WAS 1947 SERIES 62 SEDAN JUST LIKE THIS CAR.AS I STATED HE WAS A CAR NUT AND WE LIVED IN OREGON IL 100 MI;FROM CHICAGO WHERE THE GRANATELLI BROS.HAD A SHOP THAT THEY BUILT CARS [[RACE CARS] AND DID MODIFICATIONS .HE TOOK THIS BEAUTY TO THEM AND HAD OFFENHOUSER HEADS HEADERS AND MUFFLERS BY FENTON .DUAL IGNITION AND A DUAL CARB SETUP AS THE FOUR BARREL WAS NOT YET ON THE MARKET. HE BROUGHT IT BACK TO OREGON AND SAID HE HIT 120 ON THE CLOCK AS THAT WAS THE PEG. HE LATER TRADED IN 1951 THAT CADILLAC FOR A 1949 OHV 2 DOOR FAST BACK WHICH CADILLAC CALLED CLUB COUPE. IT HAD 331CU IN 160 HP AND HE HAD THE GRANATELLI'S PUT HEADERS AND PIPES ON IT AND A STOCK CADILLAC FOUR BARREL AND MANIFOLD WHICH WAS THE FIRST YR FOR A 4B CARB.I RODE IN THIS ONE AND TO SAY IT WAS FAST FOR ITS TIME WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

[@waynepeters5210]

Thank you Sir, Without the fine work of yourself and your crew these beautiful automobiles would be lost to the world.

[@johnnygride2118]

Sweet caddy dudes 72 years old and it still looks better then the junk they call automobiles these days 👍👍👍

[@Innochamp]

Amazing car. Very good condition before and all the work was worth it. You finished it into a masterpiece and running time capsule of the American way of drive!

[@stevephillips2685]

Very nice find and a great job on bringing it back.

[@mrmullett1067]

I guess it was a business process to do restoration/repaint/re-chrome etc, rather than a good clean and polish and leave the originality factor in tact. Sometimes the ageing process adds to the collectors view of it's value. What a lovely job you did, it will be a very useful vehicle and one to be driven sedately. Thanks for posting. My father nearly bought a hearse version in New Zealand, though I think it was a 1959 which had the bat-mobile wings at the rear and pointy tail lights. We were a big family.

[@MrGGPRI]

It WAS an ultra-rare survivor, now just another restoration....

[@josephconsoli4128]

It looks great and the work was done very well, but it's truly is a sin that all the original patina was stripped off it. I for one would find the car much more appealing with all it's original patina intact.

[@markdodd1152]

I agree there was no reason to do anything but clean it up and put it on the road

[@digitalermatador8548]

Why not just cleaning it up? THAT'S IT!

[@jimisback]

Great video. I really like this car. Some of the body panel lines seemed way off though at certain angles. Maybe just the camera view. Brilliant job. And the respray was needed. If it was touched up before, it was already changed. So do it all. You made the right choice. I hope you made a mint off it. !

[@freddiebates5539]

That's a beautiful car, the repaint of the engine really brings life to it, fine restoration guys.

[@Daveydomecheck]

I've got a 47 that's been sitting in the garage untouched since 1997. Condition similar to this when you started. My dad has given it to me and attempting to figure out where to begin. Motivating video, wish I could get you guys to do this for me!

[@adamfranco4149]

Have u converted it to a 12 volt?

[@AutoWorldTube]

American car videos are always the best!

[@g.k.dickenson9259]

I used to live in Chatt. Thanks for the tour!

[@rickdurrett644]

I used to have one of those. The Cadillac Whisper engine. Had under front seat heater fans, day/night mirror. ceramic exhaust. Many advanced features. Mine had 70k miles on it. Like driving your living room. Thanks for the memories.

[@bruceburns1672]

Fantastic to see another American made from the great engineering days of the past when American engineering was absolutely dominant and unsurpassed , their cars were like no other , America was 50 years ahead of the rest of the world in every way , we in Australia used to see what was going on over there on TV and were amazed by the wealth and standard of living .

[@brianjoyce9040]

Can’t get enough of vintage Caddy

[@jakespeed63]

As for the music 🎵...the organ music goes perfect with this luxurious car.

[@jhaychylla]

Excellent presentation of, in my humble opinion, perfect restoration....btw I love the music.

[@dadsvespa]

Bee-ea-you-tea-full !! wow....great job guys ! I was sweating ...just watching ! Man that's a lot of work. You saved another American Beauty !..Thanks Matt.

[@kenworcester4387]

I find it absolutely amazing how people judge and condemn the work of this garage only on the evidence of a video that cannot by it's very nature provide the necessary information to render an INFORMED opinion. Thank you, Honest Charlie, for explaining that you found evidence of prior repainting work, which means the "keep it original" ship sailed long before you owned the car. Why can't people learn to listen, get the facts and think before casting judgment and thus make fools of themselves? Thanks for the video, Honest Charlie - enjoyed it a lot!

[@specialized29er86]

A beautiful car and loving what they've done to it : )

[@wilkesjournal]

It isn't the car they're disliking, it what was done to it.

[@matthewfoyle4421]

Great show, glad you didn't include any soap opera rubbish

[@godbluffvdgg]

Whoever edits the videos is brilliant! Nice job...

[@jakessmallengines]

Nice job !! Beautiful collector car ! One of a kind !!! Don't care if it's original ..... Good for another 70 years..

[@pauljohnston6790]

Awsome car, really enjoyed that video, thanks for sharing,

[@CurlyQLink]

IMHO, the 1947 Cadillac is one of the most beautiful years for Cadillac, second only to the 1949 Caddy.

[@mikemullay5622]

Back when owning a Cadillac meant something!

[@martentrudeau6948]

An amazing 47 Cadillac, a fantastic car.

[@TheKimmer1969]

Thank you for keeping it original and for not chopping the roof, lowering it, and converting it into some 2-two door rat rod bullshit….

[@waynevietnam]

Awesome. I really enjoyed the video and the positive attitude of all concerned shone through. I am 2 years older than the car and maybe you guys can refurbish me.......

[@Starfire777]

My Favorite of ALL time; LOVE it ,Nice to see you treat it special,Love the push button start, I worked on them from 39 on but the 47 AWESOME!! I owned 1953 and rebuilt everything, Miss them

[@daltx7431]

Love the Cadillac, enjoyed watching restoration but shut off that damn music when addressing viewing audience, project details and stuff. 👍😉

[@ARAR148]

what a beautiful original car, absolutely amazing, i wish it was left original, i have a 1980s vw cabriolet, extremely clean. and a 2000 Mercedes c230 no rust at all. i love getting cars from the south, they are so clean, I'm up by Chicago Illinois. so must cars have a fair amount of rust when they are a few years old.

[@rpggmg1]

Beautiful job!!! Enjoyed the video.

[@joew94th]

Not to second guess any decision, but this would have been an excellent car to preserve too.

[@oceantrolls7332]

Excellent job! You have a good set of hands at deck. God Bless.

[@ianide2480]

Jesus, the background music...

[@heyboss2659]

Ian Ide, Yes, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He is the only way we can get to Heaven, God gave us all free will to choose, Heaven or Hell. Make the right choice now, while you are still able to do so.

[@thexoftexas4267]

I was born in 1947. That would make a great funeral car for me when the time comes.

[@tacoma5543]

It's only original once. Oh well. 😕

[@jack002tuber]

I know right? How good does it have to be to leave alone? Now its a restored car. Is it worth what it was? I think less.

[@ScottDLR]

Nice vid but it would have been better without the music so we could hear the car.

[@eddylauterback1312]

Great video except for the funeral home music!

[@waltham1957]

Totally the most cool find ever!!

[@donniegray553]

3:36, and I'm saying, "I'd take it just like it is" . This baby has it all, for me. "A time capsule" just waiting to be driven. Body has style. And, unlike a lot of today's cars, you don't sit "down, low to the ground". With this thing. You're "riding HIGH". My, my, what a car!

[@DIYDanCars]

Car came out great! Nice work!

[@redradiodog]

They took a nice old car and turned it into a beautiful old car.

[@jakespeed63]

Incredible transformation. Would have been nice to leave it as a survivor but let’s be Honest Charlie, if talent and money are both available then this is the best way to go

[@angelhelp6819]

I like the movie what you're talking about that 1947 Cadillac that's a very nice situation you did I like it

[@fayzemourie7776]

LOVELY CAR I REMEMBER THIS CARS WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OF AGE

[@CalebEatsaBullet]

amazing results for not being a complete restoration...my only question was at 25:02 is that gap in the rear door normal?

[@richardronk4445]

CalebEatsaBullet Actually it isn't the door that has the gap, it's the wheel skirt which may require an adjustment and remount. Otherwise, it's as good as it gets without having an off the frame restoration. Excellent!

[@Scumbag_nopants]

Yup its normal both doors on mine do this. stuff (like school bags) falls out the car and lands in the "gap" , kids slam the door and the cosmetic spherical thingamabob bends out, its not very strong. it does nothing to the actual door, just looks bad. Once every couple of years you need to gently hammer it back into place.

[@Jimbo-in-Thailand]

What an incredible find and what an outstanding job you guys did restoring it while trying to preserve as much originality as possible. Yep, it must have been absolutely agonizing deciding whether to repaint the whole car or buff out the original paint and touch up the minor niggles, or to just live with them since originality is so important. Regarding the original chrome pieces I would have treated them instead of replating them because I've found a great method of restoring not only rusted chrome but also heavily faded (patina-wise) parts. First, I wash the chrome parts then dry them. Next I treat them by wiping on a good wet coat of 20% phosphoric acid with a soft sponge or rag. Note that at 20% strength it's still safe for contact with bare hands/skin for up to about 10-15 minutes before it begins to sting a bit. Of course, your mileage may vary. Washing the skin with soap and water immediately nips that in the bud. I leave the phosphoric acid on the chrome parts for around 10 minutes then wash them thoroughly with soap followed by rinsing them in clean water. After they dry I bring them back to a gleaming new finish by polishing with a good metal polish like Wenol (German brand). Now then, if the part is pitted with rust it can't 'heal' it but it turns the pits black and they are barely noticeable from any distance at all. I've used the 20% strength phosphoric acid on carbon steel, cheap stainless steel parts, and various plated pieces and it works beyond my wildest dreams. Here in the tropics where the humidity occasionally drops down to 1000% rust and corrosion is a HUGE problem. Living here for 10 years now I've finally developed a method that truly works. Another thing that phosphoric acid will do is permanently remove the rainbow discoloration from weld joints on stainless steel parts. Regarding the seats, how amazing that someone put seat covers on when the car was practically new so the originals are in excellent condition. Also, that engine looks very similar to the old Ford flat-head V8. Is it a flat-head?

[@hyzercreek]

Yes Cadillac didn't go with the OHV until 1949 same year as Olds, and 45 years after Buick did.

[@allen2905]

Does KZbin demand to have music in the background?

[@bruceburns1672]

In Australia the Original GM car which kicked off General Motors Holden was the fx and fj and looking at this model Cadillac I would certainly say that it would have to be a major influence on our original first locally produced Holden car .

[@jundialhaqiqa9907]

Beautiful car, it looks like a brand new 70 + year old car.

[@charlottemace1810]

WOW!!!! SOME INFORMATION ON HOW YOU GOT THIS JEWEL WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE. I AGREE GET RID OF THE MUSIC.

[@raymondcoggins297]

Absolutely gorgeous car great job

[@bobflanagan9572]

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L-L-L-L....... !!!!!!!! Job !!!! You can be proud of that Job.....

[@Jdflana1]

I wish you guys were in my hometown.i would have never bought any other brand.

[@stinkydogfilms]

I had a 47 Cadillac Sedan Seville. I had to move out of town following my wife off to college, while I was gone my brother and brother-in-law took it to The Kissimmee Auction and sold it. Never saw any money. My grandmother insisted I forget about it so there was peace in the family. Grandma was right but I still cry over it even though I have 15-20 old Mustangs, Torinos and old Subarus.

[@MrSandpit123]

wow so many idiots complaining, you done a fantastic job and have given that car back its glory!

[@DrSnuggles22]

Ooohhhhhh my god. This is so wonderful and superior i dont find any words!!! WWOOOOWWWWW

[@treebuzzard5796]

Love the caddie's & you did a great job on this old girl, she's now looking around going hey what are these funny little plastic cars out there called & from what countries do they come from.?..the grand old girl lives...well done.

[@mikegehre570]

WOW. Superb. What a dandy car. Looks one one out of the movie "The Godfather"

[@gaylespencer6188]

I miss vent windows. Power windows have their place, but on occasion I do like the control of the hand crank.

[@katydidiy]

My granddad had 2 barn finds in the 50's. A 32 and 34 Ford coupe. The 34 had 6000 original miles not having been driven for 25 yrs after the woman's husband had passed away. He only repainted and redid the mohair seat covers for restoration.

[@franksplace551]

Honest Charley's is pretty cool but guys that background music needs to go in future videos PLEEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! slow down on the repetition of same topics like the wiring. Nice old Cady :-)

[@danielgirard5976]

Fantastic restoration and car! However, I heard the word "hopefully" so many times, that I wanted to commit myself to a mental hospital. "Hopefully" that won't happen, hopefully.

[@marvin984]

Looks good for sure . But I saw a copper gas line . Copper was known to crack under vibration . And was not to be used as a fuel line .

[@scottguthrie8074]

Excellent work - wonder why you didn't touch up the chip on the steering column?

[@clarkgriswold5903]

Great job guys!

[@TheGarywilliams]

That's a true gem ! I have a 46 no where near the condition of that one it's just a shame they aren't worth all that much the 4 door 62 series anyway I mean

[@davidrasch3082]

I can imagine some returned veteran or maybe a doctor buying this 'dream car'!

[@robertsweet4112]

Wow you can barely hear it. It's sooooo smooth😎

[@coreyconley8267]

Amazing car awesome video good to see some originals out there hella awesome I have a 1940 Packard 110 I want to restore but new York weather and improper care its now really rusted and the original motor the block is cracked hole in one piston and the cylinder walls are splitting and a core plug popped out :( my grandpa got it for $40 and he have it to me

[@Reroy55]

what I like is your employees are clean cut, young and professional. They don't have many tattoos. Most shops the employees look like satanic freak shows.

[@chuckiedimes1466]

Amen Yes, satanic freak shows. Best description I've seen.

[@gaylespencer6188]

All the mobsters I know would be proud, extremely proud, to be driving around in that car, even if Billy Batts was in the trunk.

[@kevinmacnally5096]

Awesome! Ready for the next Godfather movie!

[@jamacamecrazy5393]

Would have been nice to hear the motor not the worthless music

[@jessehenderson8121]

NICE CADILLAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD JOB 👏

[@kevinmacnally5096]

Great video! Thank you!

[@Builder99]

Ok so it was built the year I was born...I love the smell of the original seats in old cars and this one was like new...I would love to hear the real story on who bought the car (was it one owner)starting back in 1947 and what happened over the years that saved this car to be in this shape today...If you want to add real value to the car that's one way to do it...Like you and your crew...You know what your doing...I don't think you were all about the money...

[@hebneh]

The first shot of him sitting at the wheel - I kind of had a revelation of imagining how the interior of the car smelled. For a split-second it was like I was sitting there too.

[@1956Caddy]

Wiper jar still containing water ? No dust under the hood ? Wall tires still snow white ? Starting, driving, shifting, braking before any checking ? Not a barn find, but a pure miracle. Any car lover would have kept it just as it was. Any money lover would have done exactly what you've done for resale profit. Bad deal : an expensive survivor has been killed.

[@dianeconti7602]

What a BEAUTY!

[@stevenquinn4641]

The car was excellent the way it was

[@robertsweet4112]

Beautiful car

[@jessiehensley2904]

Love the video! I've looked at the questions and I'm sorry if someone has already asked and answered, but to me this is a special find since it wasn't a frame off, and this is kinda my favorite finds, question is what's it worth compared to a full frame off with same miles? I would think this is more valuable though a full frame would have been much more expensive. Any experts out there?

[@MaximumJoy]

what a beautiful car.