I've Gotta Rip the Engine Out of My '63 Coupe De Ville! OMG!!!

Phase three in my 1963 Coupe De Ville series. The engine is out. What do I find and how bad are the leaks?
👻🧟‍♂️ CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT Channel: / @canyoubelievethatyt 🧌👹
🔮🔧 AMAZON AFFILIATE STORE #ad : www.amazon.com... 🔧🔮
🇬🇧🇬🇧 UK AMAZON STORE #ad : www.amazon.co.... 🇬🇧🇬🇧
👕 CAR WIZARD MERCH: teespring.com/... 👕
📷 INSTAGRAM @realcarwizard / realcarwizard 📷
🧰 BENDPAK LIFTS: www.bendpak.com 🧰
🎞️🚙 CAR WIZARD SHORTS ON FB: / carwizardfb 🚙🎞️
🎸 LIFT AND OUTRO MUSIC BY CLAYTON CAGLE: / claytoncalifornia 🎸
🎶 INTRO MUSIC: Green Daze by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon... 🎶
#carrepair #carwizard #carmechanic #autorepairshop #automobile #cars #car #coupedeville #cadillac #classiccars #classiccar #oilleakrepair

[@peeet6631]

At 75 years old and actively searching for a car with no damn computers in it, I found a 30,000 mile, one family owned from new (verified from maintenance records) 1973 Continental Mark IV. In recognition of its age, I took it to a restoration shop, my only request was to go through it, front to back and make it as reliable as the day it left the showroom. At just shy of 14 thousand dollars, the engine was pulled and every gasket and seal replaced, new water pump, starter, alternator, distributer with electronic ignition, fuel pump, even frost plugs. New carb, exhaust, brakes, tires, you name it. It drives soooo serenely, yes Wizard, I have been listening to you!

[@jameslandi4688]

Money well spent! Enjoy your lovely car and definitely don't concern yourself with those who can't figure out your motivation--- those folks never lived your dream and now, your wonderful reality.

[@rawr51919]

You did it right, old-timer! Hopefully someone will take equally good care of it later down the line too

[@mironkorzalko7761]

That's amazing. I wish I had that by me. .my 1980 mk6 can't find that love

[@LordEvan5]

Lots of vacuum powered bits a bobs? I had a 77 Continental Town Coupe and you where always chasing a vacuum leak

[@PatandDoopypoopy]

Epic. I just got my childhood dream on the road. I'm 56. It's a 71 Vega Panel Express. Chevy 350, sidepipes, on and on. It's what I saw and loved at 13 years old. Now I have it. It's parked right here. Key in my pocket. Built to my memory, my flavor and taste.

[@Idunnoboutthat]

I appreciate these videos on older American cars. Thanks

[@raven4k998]

no engine I guess it's a flintstones car🤣🤣

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

It's so nice seeing an old car being maintained and used. Thanks for all the Cadillac information.

[@kerrylewis2581]

Worth every cut, scrape, and busted knuckle. Love that caddy

[@Notfiveo0]

I discovered the hard way that those old cars used non-detergent oil. Even if the car has low miles most likely the engine will have tons of sludge just from sitting.

[@overthehilldill3626]

Even if a cut got infected and you had to amputate a finger or whole hand?

[@kerrylewis2581]

@@overthehilldill3626 Why not go full negative and have the care fall off the lift?

[@lgude]

I’m 82 and still know how to pull this engine and tranny. Not that I’d be up to doing it at my age! My grandad drove a 40 Olds with the first Hydramatic. That transmission certainly sounded differently - more engine RPM - perhaps because the fluid coupling slipped more as it transitioned to direct drive. Cars of this era certainly required more regular maintenance, but you are so correct to point out that all the seals of older cars need to be redone if you want to use the car regularly. Great episode.

[@cornbread8246]

I restore old cars from the 60’s and everything Wizard said os spot on. Restoring old cars can turn into a money pit. He didn’t mention all the issues with rusted out body panels and frames which is any money pit beyond mechanical issues.

[@calvinc.2333]

Very few things more satisfying than replacing a hard plasticky gasket with a fresh soft one and making a leak stop

[@mwtaylor1980]

When i was 17 (1998) i bought a 73 ford LTD with a 429 in it. It was a one owner car, owned by an elderly lady, with 78,000 original miles on it, and it had been sitting for 3 years. I was a kid who just bought his first big block car. I drove it like i stole it, and within a month that thing was leaking oil out of every seal and gasket it had.

[@georgewarthen3925]

I remember back in the 80's rebuilding one of those driveshafts when I worked at a machine shop in San Francisco. I was mad that it took me 5 hours to do it until my boss told me that the job called for 8 hours. Man, what a job!

[@jimdrich1967]

Love your channel! I graduated High School in 1963. I remember the 'good old days' of 50's & 60's automobile glory :) The new cars are so 'nice', and my 2011 Camry has been trouble free, but all the newer stuff scares me though... all the computers/wiring/ etc. The day of the 'shade tree mechanic is GONE'. I had a old 1960 Volvo 122s that was totally wore out when I bought it in 1966(!). I pulled the engine, with a backyard swing set, and 'overhauled' (with a SEARS overhaul kit!!) the simple 4 cylinder engine. Overhead valve, no air, no power anything, just an engine and 4 speed manual transmission. I worked on it so often I became a 'field certified' Volvo mechanic :) I would be scared to lift the hood on a 2025 Volvo! I loved those BIG old Cadillacs. I almost bought a '66 Coupe Deville in the late '70s for $600 from a friend. It was BEAUTIFUL and it ran good, but backed out. Probably the best thing I ever did as I probably couldn't have afforded the gas for it!

[@timmcooper294]

Lead sludge in engines 1 Man, I remember those days, glad this was pointed out and explained. One horrible thing leaded gas did was excessive cylinder bore wear. Lead oxide is abrasive !! The ridge we used to get at the top of the cylinders at 50-100K miles was NOT due to softer engine blocks, like so many old "experts" say... It was simply a combination of lead oxide abrasive and carbureted induction washing down the walls with gasoline... a 1960's engine I rebuilt in the 1990's lasted far longer than it originally did... no ridge 200K later when I did a valve job... Thank you unleaded gas !!!

[@freman007]

Modern gaskets, seals, oils, and fuels would have made those older cars a lot more reliable. Along with modern rust-proofing for the bodies, and tires and suspension for the handling.

[@aussie2uGA]

Metal tooling and die creation time is considerate. Nowadays you can mass produce some complex shaped plastic components very quickly.

[@chumpmu1]

Most of the plastic push was to comply with safety and crumple zones. Using plastic where that doesn't matter seems to be the larger issue. When it comes time for regular service intervals, the plastic stuff is likely to break the more it's messed with.

[@Makaveli6103]

Yes modem cadd are way safer but way more unreliable. I would trade that any day.

[@richardjohnson4365]

I "Hot Rodded" a 72 Buick Estate Wagon and it got 15 mpg in town, 20+ on highway. My 2003 Ford F 150 doesn't get 17 off a cliff. What a waste!!!

[@SirOsisofLiver]

Crash and rollover standards added a whole bunch of weight. Cars from the 1950s and 1960s folded like a house of cards in any sort of impact. The 1970s brought the 5mph bumpers, but no side impact or roll over until the 1980s and they've been strengthened since. . A then new 1975 Lemans spun out in the snow near our house and hit a wooden utility pole. Might have been going 30mph tops due to conditions. Almost folded the car in half. We went to see what happened. The driver was on the passenger side and scrambled like a bowl of eggs. Kind of hard to forget something like that when you're a kid. Regardless, the Caddy looks sweet, and I'm glad it's being looked after. Fewer and fewer around at this point.

[@garganega]

Emissions are extra poisonous.

[@johnnnoise]

@@garganega sEeD oIlS

[@kimchipig]

@@garganega you are obviously not old enough to remember smog.

[@360dodge]

They started putting some thought into side impact protection in the early 70’s. My 72 Chrysler has what look like pieces of guard rail inside the doors behind the door skin.

[@SirOsisofLiver]

@@360dodge You're right. The very first NHTSA side impact standard was for '73 model year. Manufacturers went with a corrugated piece of sheet steel behind the door skin. I thought it was later than that. Getting old, I guess.

[@antoniovillanueva308]

OIl leak? No, that is rust inhibitor. It is a coating that consists of engine oil, a bit of transmission fluid, a touch of antifreeze, and it is all congealed in a mass that protects the frame from rust. It took decades to fully form, underneath the frame is rock solid. I am keeping it.

[@raygunsforronnie847]

"Patina". Like a copper roof! I'm sure I saw it at Hoovie's!

[@Ambrose4k]

Engines are cheaper than frames😂😂

[@StringsUp58]

Unfortunately I have to do the same to my 472, but don’t have a place to do it and I’m not a millionaire to be able to give it to a speed shop, nor will I let a place put me in shop prison while they do all the everyday money making new car maintenance, so I drive it the way it is. Still has a ton of torque thankfully.

[@marko7843]

No, The word of the day is SPACE! You know what, Wizard? Those parking lights with fluted metal trim around them remind me of the 1949 Cadillacs... Stock models had little round parking lights on a big fluted piece of metal, while the more luxurious cars had a giant fluted lens there that became fog lights when you twisted the optional knob... Also, I'm sorry that the 1963 model was the last year before the Turbo 400... with the possibly worst version of the HydraMatic.

[@69Dartman]

We had a 63 Cadillac as the family car for a while. Was a comfy car and step dad kept upgrading every few years. He got two 66s and eventually a 69 with the 472 in it. They probably were one of the best built gm cars at the time. Mom also drove a 55 that he bought in 68 for like 200 bucks.

[@rawr51919]

if they put good money into the 55 throughout the decades and kept it well, they could sell it back to the right place for 20 thousand now and they'd end up better off in the end

[@69Dartman]

@rawr51919 We actually sold it to a 50s Cadillac collector in the 80s and he got it running again.

[@rawr51919]

@@69Dartman wonder if that collector still has it today

[@69Dartman]

@@rawr51919 I hope so, we kept that car in family and actually drove it to the last house we bought in 78. It was complete and a 2 door coupe. I think we gave him a deal because we realized we could never afford to restore it and he loved them.

[@JohnsonLong-l6w]

Wow! The intro looks like scotty kilmer jumps out of the trunk 😂😂😂

[@Dakiraun]

Yep - having had an old car as a daily, you are always in a state of "work/upkeep" on it - it's just how they are. On the other hand, that work and upkeep is SO easy. Like you say, so little required to get things out, and those giant engine bays are so handy for getting at things. Thanks, too, for spending a little time on the Hydramatic transmission; was neat to see one apart and explained. My old car was new enough to have the TH350, so never saw the predecessor.

[@1964Mooney]

Wizard- Even with finding a 1986 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit with full service records from a Rolls dealer and ONLY 24,000 miles on the clock it is still an old car that has "needs" just such as you denote here. Finding a jewel "frozen in time" just won't happen. They all will need work sooner than later. If you think old cars are a problem, most small airplanes are from the 1960s thru the 1980s in age and now try to keep them SAFELY flying with owners who don't want to spend any money on them is a real chore. Too many owners of airplanes today relate to today's cars where "insert key, start engine" is all that needs to be done because most cars today are way more reliable than they were in the 60s and 70s.

[@leescales5216]

Hey Wizard, love your videos, especially on the older cars. I'm currently trying to convince myself to NOT buy a 62 Caddy convertible until I finish my 65 Thunderbird. 🙂

[@tacomafan5186]

I had a 64 Coupe DeVille. Beautiful cars. Best looking Cadillacs ever made.

[@donhathaway3234]

I bought a 70 Monte Carlo in 1986. I was extremely lucky with it. It wasn’t perfect but, not bad. The springs were a little soft. Squeaks in 5he front end and the A/C didn’t work. Nothing to prevent me from driving it daily in nice weather. I budgeted $1,000/year to fix it up. First wad the springs. The following year, new suspension bushings and new tires (it was always the only car with street Hoosier tires ❤️). The last thing was to fix the A/C which was the most expensive fix. Even though it was a windows down kind of car and I live in New Hampshire it just bothered me. Then it was exhaust work. Hedman headers with 2 1/2” pipes through Flowmasters and NOS exhaust tips. Sounded just awesome. About 10 years later, rust started to show around the edges of the vinyl top which was the only thing I hated and the rear window. By that time my wife and I were empty nesters and were both riding Harleys. Sold it to a buddy who drove us for another 5 years then lost interest and sold it. It was a great 16 years owning it though!

[@DrFrankLondon]

You should get some ice blasters in to clean up the engine bay, the engine and underneath the car. It's extremely effective and doesn't damage any parts, no electrics, wires, pipes or hoses. Its dry ice and it's to me the best cleaning method for an elderly car or a car which has been standing for a very long time

[@greggarson9085]

The deposit in the pan is probably zinc. I have taken several pans off engine's I built and found the same material because I use high zinc oil in my older engine's

[@allanfoster6965]

I learn so much on this channel. Thanks Wizard and Mrs Wizard for all your hard work this year.

[@raymondcollyear4773]

I love your Caddy. I have a 61 6 window non post. I wanted an old Caddy to work on and bring back as a tribute to my grandpa Raymond and my dad who would had loved to had a Caddy but trying to raise three kids on what him and mom made didn't leave money for one. It has the 390 in it. I'm rebuilding the engine which i haven't done since my junior year in high school. I'm 65 . I was wondering what that silver stuff in the pan was. I'm looking for a number 3 piston because i droped mine and broke the oil ring lip. Hit the engine stand when i dropped it. To much oil on my gloves. I'll keep watching waiting to see it back on the road .

[@stephengreen3566]

I noticed the engine sat for a while on the stand upside down. Sometimes, not always, oil will run from the oil pump, down/up the shaft to the distributor and into the cap. Try not to leave it upside down for too long. I had a 1964 Plymouth Fury that ran on leaded gas for a couple of years and we redid the oil pan gasket at 100k miles. Yep, lead in the pan. Thanks for the memories.

[@plektosgaming]

This is literally why if you talk to any Ferrari mechanic, they cry a little as the vehicles were made to be driven daily but are not. The issue is all of the collectors and people with only a couple of million dollars that the car is their big flex. Then they put it on display and leave it sit because they are worried about its value.

[@silajim]

I think the weight of the modern cars comes from the survival cell, in order to not make it crush on the interior on an accident and so that the roof of the car has some integrity and does not buckle under the weight of the car if it happens to tumble over in an accident

[@stevegird7706]

Those journal caps haven't seen the light of day since I was a baby. I'm picturing a UAW man in Detroit bolting them in place. He likely retired about the time I graduated high school. You make me think, Wiz.

[@mikevale3620]

Thanks Wizard...so much fun for me in seeing you dissect the parts to replace those old gaskets and seals. At least it's winter so it's the perfect time to sort out issues and procure hard to obtain parts. The lead sludge was a fascinating insight into what we were breathing decades ago.

[@mikeske9777]

I liked to work on those cars back in the late 1970's and man it was the chosen field I wanted at the time as a vehicle mechanic. One thing I learned to prevent come backs when I pulled engine and transmissions was to go to the engine and replace ALL the freeze plugs and I mean all of them. Even the low mileage cars got that if I was doing a reseal job. Just remember that those freeze plugs have been going against the coolant for the past 60+ years and are probably thinned out from the years of having coolant and or water against them. Anyway carry on and get that old Caddy back in to a leak free state.

[@bblammo]

I love those Hydramatic trannies. I had a 1962, pretty much the same drivetrain. I really liked how that transmission didn't clunk when you put it into gear, it just sort of let you know it was in gear by pushing the drivetrain ever so slightly, but you hit the gas and away you'd go. Mine drove so nice and smooth, I loved that car. Thanks for the reminder.

[@JPh-i9l]

It is not a "Coupeuh ". It is a French word : " Coupé " -----éééééé. Which means " cut " . Someone has taken a Sedan ( another French word -from a city during WW1 ) 4 door and put the knife to it to cut it in half.

[@RobertYonng]

Rear main seal don’t install it flat like it was need to be off center just a little like when you pushed it out maybe 1/4 inch with a dab of silicone on the matting surfaces.

[@jeremyhanna3852]

buick torque converters from 1948 to about 1963 that goes in a Dana flow are bolted together they always leak

[@richardorosso7377]

A timely video Mr Car Care Wizard, I have a 1954 Daimler Conquest with the "Preselect" type gearbox also leaking like a sieve, I'm no expert but that kinda resembles mine.. however mine operates using engine oil, I think the gasket or O ring has had it's day. Love your car by the way!

[@jimcondray4632]

That's a sweet Caddy! I love those big 'ol cars.

[@cmans79tr7]

Although you Mr. Wizard, are younger than I, you do seem to also have been bitten by the Caddy bug, same as I. In the 1970s, when I was a teen, and when "Caddys were King", I observed that once Caddys had some miles on them, they all broke down in one way or another. Virtually ALL of them had expensive transmission trouble, and their magnificent engines would develop blow-by, and develop lifter ticks that would make an old Chevy 283 proud😂, except the 283 tick MIGHT be fixed with just removing the valve cover and a quarter turn tightening of the rocker nut (which in reality never really worked on a worn engine), the caddys would need to be torn down to install new lifters or a cam if they even decided to fix the tick at all, which most didnt 😑. Therefore, even if i could have afforded a used caddy in those days (which i couldn't😢), I never would have bought a used caddy as a teen, because i knew it would bankrupt me with parts alone, even with me doing all the work. As for the lead sludge, alas, i know it well. I wonder if they took a sample of my hair if they could use it to write like a pencil😂. I used to watch my father wash the grease off of his hands using the leaded gasoline from the lawn mower gas can, and like father, like son😮😅. Yes, in my later years when I might be able to chance having to pay for a caddy transmission rebuild, i have gone through three caddys, two of which I still have, and all three needed transmission repairs, and NONE of the repair shops totally fixed the problem. I knew what i was getting into. And as an adult, the transmission "fixes" hurt me, but did not bankrupt me. And I see Mr. Wizard is feeling similar pain, as I😛

[@sokola311]

You were smart for pulling that drivetrain out. That's going to be a beautiful car when you get that back in. I can't wait to see that bad boy after. Good stuff David!

[@robertchandler2573]

I'm keen to hear what you do about the oil pump. The gears run directly in the aluminum front cover. Once it's worn, hope you can find a good front cover.

[@coztod]

Rescuing and rehabilitating this gem is worth it - letting it rot and deteriorate would be a waste of a time capsule. The Taurus machining and design is really a work of art given the manufacturing technology at the time. Wondering - can you purchase manufactured seal kits for the front and rear main, oil pan, tranny? I assume so, at least for the mains.. assume it’s all aftermarket and GM isn’t still stocking stuff like this

[@herbs4921]

Wizard... I love that car. By the way, it's not a Jetaway. Thats what Oldsmobile called it. Cadillac called it the "controlled coupling Hydramatic". GM's hydramatic division called it the "dual coupling Hydramatic", because there is not just the one you pulled apart, there is another one 2/3 of the way towards the rear of the transmission case. Why a fluid coupling instead of a torque converter at the front? O.k. Kelly, who was the chief engineer of the Hydramatic division in the early days of the automatic transmission, hated torque converters due to the amount of fuel they wasted due to slippage.

[@junkorbust9498]

Old 60’s and 70’s American sedans make sense today, especially in rural areas. They are cheap to buy and easy to maintain swith good parts support. I can buy a good car with a few needs for $5000 and spend $3-4000 and some time going through it. Then there are no more payments and they’re super reliable generally and I can fix whatever needs done. I generally also buy a parts car for each car I have for switch gear and wiper motors etc etc.

1960s and 1970s cars do not have good parts support. No body parts will be available and many electrical parts will be unobtainable. Try getting a fuel gauge for a 1960s or 1970s Cadillac. In the 1980s I found many parts for my 1966 Cadillac were no longer available.

[@loydisham6492]

No "Pb" blaster to clean up the lead?😂

[@johncornell3665]

Great car, and great video! Thanks Wizard and Junior Mint!

[@jime.9185]

I enjoy watching your videos, but I do have a correction to make. The transmission in your Cadillac is a four speed Hydramatic not a Jetaway Hydramatic. A Jetaway Hydramatic is a three speed transmission, sometimes known as a slim Jim ( not one of GM's better transmissions ). That little bit of lead in the oil pan can be scraped out with a putty knife and throwed in the trash. My step-father rebuilt a lot of the four speed Hydramatics in our shop and had no problems. We also cleaned oil pans regularly. He lived to be 97 and had very little health issues until he put off having a heart valve repaired.

[@jagvette1]

Interesting 'thing' about the lead in the pan. one of the MOST interesting video's, much better than the usual.

[@Johnnyk999]

My dad had a turquoise '63 convertible, that I used to drive occasionally. Those were sweet cars. My first car was a '4-door, 58 Sedan de Ville with same engine and trans - 10yrs old when I got it - that was in very good condition.

[@lotharfunke8749]

Had a 64 , a great car felt like I was riding around on my living room couch

[@scottruck5584]

GOOD CONTENT!!!!!!........Keep that 63 Caddy....HAPPY.......SHE IS WORTH IT........STYLE.......UNMATCHED!!!!!.....THANKS CAR WIZARD....AND MRS WIZARD!!!!!!!

[@ChevyJay283]

The transmission in your car is quite advanced for its time. Across at Chevy the only automatic in '63 was the aluminum two-speed Powerglide. Note, the earlier cast iron Powerglides used in the '50's used torque converters that were bolted and not welded just like your fluid coupling. Our '62 Chevy's original PG used a welded torque converter. It was the cast iron variety and we managed to get over 250K miles before the front band wore out. My father and I were able to rebuild the transmission ourselves.

[@frankfurther3828]

and air cooled, right?

[@ChevyJay283]

@ Our cast iron unit had a cooler in the radiator.

[@mauricesiermachesky4900]

This year i purchased a 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville which has the same drivetrain as your '63 Cadillac. Learning lots of tips from your Cadillac videos on what to do and what to look for! Much appreciated! Following & Subscribed!

[@haroldmclean3755]

Doing a Top job with your Cadillac 👍 Worth every cent

[@raymondward1009]

Can you say "Uni-body"? Uni-bodies are heavy! Hell, the current Dodge Challenger's are 4000lb's! My old 1975 Camaro LT was lighter that that just a little under 3500 lbs!

[@theyjustwantyourmoney4539]

As an old school mechanic I feel tempted to do an engine overhaul, it’s very satisfying ☺

[@oveidasinclair982]

Typical Cadillac, my dad's old 96 El Dorado leaked every fluid that was in it, the engine oil pan started leaking really bad and that was it. To change the oil pan gasket on an El Dorado is a engine out operation because 4 bolts are blocked by the sub frame.

[@ezacher4634]

Winter in the midwest cruising? Get it ready for spring! Hopefully brakes have been gone thru.

[@dr.detroit1514]

The '82 AMC full size Eagle I had, had a viscous coupling like that between the front wheel drive and the rear wheel drive. It wasn't a locked transfer case like on most 4WD pickups. Phenomenal traction, never got stuck in snow with that car.

[@paulodisano502]

Absolutely love watching these videos of older vehicles being repaired. Thank you Car Wizard. 🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@madmike2624]

Learned something new today Wizard, thanks!!!!~~

[@davidbauer1485]

80 K isn't a low mileage car. Back in the day they were usually totally worn out at 100K. 120K was amazing. A 10 year old car was considered way old. Not like today.

[@kwilliams1958]

Can't wait to see the Wiz and the Mrs. CadillacIng round the country! Maybe do a vlog of some destination and restaurant visits, all in the Caddy.

[@tedzehnder961]

It`ll probably be good for another 80K.I find it interesting that you are leaving everything stock, I think it`s the right thing to do, all things considered.Cleaning up the cross member and engine bay and doing a rattle can re-fresh wouldn`t be a bad idea though while the engine`s out.

[@christopherjohnson520]

Congratulations on your latest project. I really love a lot of the videos that you put out. I'm thinking about buying a 2014 Toyota Tacoma. Access cab 4-cylinder with 60,000 miles on it to get out of something I don't want. Private sale, 16,000$ would be my top dollar I think, what do I need to look at mechanical wise? I'd love to chat with you more about it Yes we know Toyota is really good 21:55

[@jaydee3046]

Wizard, your comment about going back to metal actually happened in another industry for awhile. In the 70's power tools went to plastic bodies vs the old pot metal. When the Arab embargoes hit, the petro plastic started costing more then pot metal and it was used again.With the growing outcry over micro plastic waste ( ex: hundreds of tons in weed eater plastic going into the ground each year alone ), there may come a tax for using plastic and metal will get cheaper to use.

[@danrowley7002]

Not at all questioning your experience, but I always thought that gray paste was bearing babbit material. I took apart a 1970 Chevy 350 when I was 17 that had been horribly maintained, with a flat cam, concave lifters, scored cylinders and loose bearings. There was a lot of that gray sludge underneath the intake manifold. Never thought that it could have been lead from the gasoline.

[@harryclyde5769]

Retired Army guy, Handyman, backyard mechanic, medic here. Love your channel. Love your advice. Question, do you pay your technicians to work on your cars or do they do it probono, or for learning experience?

[@johnwinter9722]

Really enjoy your expertise and candor. Your fun with the '63 may well precede the fun I will have with my '69. Mine is a 47k all original Coupe De Ville. Body and interior are absolutely pristine. It has had some front end work, brakes, carb rebuild, electronic ignition, tires, and audio system upgrades. Really great car, but your video has me doubling down on watching for seals and puddles. Thanks!

[@thomasmixson7064]

Pops had a '68 Fleetwood ....a monster big car, car was so long he blew $50k on a garage "up grade" for it. For it and a sweet little '73 Sedan De Ville to "tool" around in. Lol

[@foxstrangler]

As the lump is out and new seals going in, are you checking and replacing all the bearing shells, assuming you can get quality old stock items? I know the mileage is low, but I would still be looking at them.

[@bozodog428]

The first cars to get the Hydra Matic were the 1940 Oldsmobiles. Pretty amazing that they kept producing it for 23 years.

[@jamesgeorge4874]

It was _not_ the same model of transmission, in '63, and the "hydramatic" name was used well into the 21st century, on all GM automatics, once the "powerglide" , "dynaflow" and "Superturbine" , and "Jetaway" units were phased out by the 1969 / 1970 model years.

[@andysupple4838]

Oldsmobile first introduced the Hydramatic transmission in 1938

[@ronaldwarren5220]

Learned to drive on a Hydramatic 48 Olds with a straight 8 in 1961. When I get to see my Grandfather is heaven maybe we can drive it again!

[@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish]

I enjoyed this one CW! Thank you and Happy Holidays!

[@jimcear1766]

These are the videos I enjoy the most. Looking forward to when it’s cleaned up and in a clean engine bay

[@JC-hv2pl]

Learn a lot from your old vehicles videos. Like to see you explain how to set up a carburetor on a running car.

[@gailsmith9835]

Wizard, at which point did you realize if you had bought a 1964 stead of a 63 you would have a th 400 trans and the 425 engine. 63 with a slim Jim and old school 390 nott

[@cmans79tr7]

Gail - As you might be aware, sometimes ya gotta go with what ya got in front of ya, and regardless of which decision ya make 🤔, there are gonna be regrets either way. 🤷

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

I had a 1974 Pontiac Catalina with a 400 cid engine and I was able to weigh it at the truckstop I worked at and it weighed 5600 lbs, so I'm sure that your Cadillac weighs more than 4500 lbs

[@hogesau]

7:45 Yes, yes I have. The good old auto roll back style skids tend to crack torque converters haha. Done quite a few especially in those airport tow motors where the operators like doing wheelies 🤣

[@turdferguson4124]

The weight saving materials used in modern cars have been somewhat offset more effective crash protective structures (side impact beams, for example), air bags, more effective roof crush standards, antilock braking systems, larger wheel and tire packages, larger brakes, and much higher option content compared to old cars.

[@bradkline4023]

In my world, a '63 Cadillac' is a "new" car. My challenge is keeping a 1908 EMF ( Everett, Metzger, and Flanders ) roadworthy. You don't worry about finding any NOS parts since there aren't any. The joke in the Brass Era hobby is when you take these cars to a repair shop (machinist usually) there's two things you never ask. How long will it take to fix it, and how much will it cost. Doing so will see you escorted to the exit. Wizard, I enjoy your videos and repair techniques.

[@arthurcutaiar9994]

Old cars are truly worth fixing. No computer degrees needed. Oh, and all that SHITTY SAFETY CRAP on new cars makes them prohibitively expensive to fix. Thats why in 8 to 15 years they're usually melted down an turned in lawn ornaments your ole ladies buy with YOUR hard earned money. So KEEP YOUR OLD CARS PAMPERED IN YOUR GARAGE AND YOUR OLE LADY WHERE SHE BELONGS, IN THE KITCHEN.

[@turdferguson4124]

@ That ‘shitty safety crap’ is what protects dumbahh drivers from the consequences of their shitty driving. And the average age of the vehicles on the road in the U.S. is at an all time high, so new cars can’t be as bad as you say.

[@hotpuppy1]

That is what you do in the winter when not driving your classic car>>fixing all the stuff that broke during the summer. Kanter used to be the go-to for classic car parts. I hope they still are as good. Haven't bought from them for some time. That is what cars used to be like: they ALL leaked after a few years. The engines and transmission could be pulled in a couple hours with little effort and stripped to the bare block in no time. THAT is the stuff I used to work on. I hate new cars. They may be more (or less) reliable over time but the cost and time to do work is exponentially higher. Sure you had to replace spark plugs almost every year, but you didn't have to take the whole top of the engine off (or pull the engine) just to get at them and the plugs were 69 CENTS each. Carburetors needed work every 2-3 years, but a rebuild kit was $10 or a new carburetor was less than $100. Timing chains (mostly the plastic teeth on the sprockets) went bad at 50-75,000 miles but took little time and $ to change. A valve job was $40. Cars may have more power and better emissions and MPG's, but the cost is enormous.

[@Thinishwolf]

Cost is the simple answer for why everything on modern cars is plastic and not metal

[@DinahIsMyGal]

I have a 54 Ford with about 73,000mi on it. And I am going through a lot of the same stuff you are with the caddy. I can take it down the road and drive it some but it leaks everywhere and I keep having mild reliability issues with it but I can work on it because it has no electronics. Basic simple parts and easy to understand. You are not kidding when you say that the rubber turns into plastic.

[@That_AMC_Guy]

No Kidding. I learned this lesson the hard way. A few years back, I bought a 45,000-mile 1974 AMC Hornet hatchback. Groovy little car but had not been maintained. It needed EVERYTHING: Brakes, radiator, heater core, hoses, water pump, fuel pump, tires, exhaust.... I took it to work one day and it promptly flattened a camshaft lobe..... so then the engine had to be rebuilt. About the only thing I never touched was the Torqueflite transmission. It didn't leak, it shifted beautifully... that was the one saving grace.

[@maxbialystock254]

Fluid drive. Mentioned in the 1944 song GI Jive Johnny Mercer or better yet the Louis Jordan version During WW2 several light tank models etc had an early version of the Hydra Matic Good to see one again

[@stevec5657]

That's definitely a really, really cool car. I don't think I've ever wanted so badly to jump right in and start degreasing and painting an oil pan and engine long block before 😂 Looking forward to the next installment in this series.

[@fw1421]

When I was in high school,(1970) I drove a 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood. The perfect party mobile. Cruised like it was on a cloud. Caddies today are nothing like those cars from yesterday.

[@JonFJ1200]

Fleet owner going on 40 years. Used to love my personal classic 63 Caddy. I could find every part until the rear AC unit on my fleetwood gave up. Nada, on any part needed…zip, zero, none. Also a suggestion if viewers have long term relationship with their repair shop, suggest to the service manager that you will do all the research on getting replacement parts, SM can approve the vender. I did this years ago and it free’s up shop from the burden of hunting down parts

[@Slimjim260]

Excellent wizard show us when you’re done!!!

[@jackwood8307]

You’re a vanishing breed wizard. Less folks like you to keep the knowledge going.

[@paddypump1]

I had 64 Coupe Deville, first year for the 429 and upgraded transmission. Loved cruising in that badboy.

[@jamesweddle184]

Based on what I see in the thumbnail, yes the engine is out of the Caddy, but someone left a Bumble in its place!

[@markmed9091]

The biggest plus I see is the ability to do common maintenance and repairs without adding hours of labor to remove bumpers , fenders etc…

[@GregMosley-l7b]

What a Sweet Caddy!

[@JacquesPPage]

Mr Wizard, I beg to differ! A lot of the added weight on modern cars comes from the stronger thicker -and heavier- chassis parts. Modern cars are so safe today in part because their structure is so strong and well designed. That said, I agree with you that they make parts out of plastic that should never be made that way and they added so many gadgets. On the other hand, people tend to expect that and I doubt a poorly equipped modern car would sell well today.

[@Hamsteak]

I knew it was lead as soon as he said it was a silver type of metal. But I actually never seen what it looked like. That's amazing and scary.

[@ljisbister3211]

Sometimes you just need to succumb to the inevitable and deal with it... It's annoying but it can allow you to deal with *all* the issues you find (or anticipate) with (relative) ease rather than trying to address them one by one.

[@HypocriticYT]

Cheap gaskets and seals only lasted about 60 years 😂😂😂😂

[@mr.jorgenson879]

Keep giving the old girl love,we know she'll give it back for many years to come

I'd be worried about the atrocious gas mileage. My 1966 Coupe De Ville used to get 9 mpg.

[@miguelsmith9622]

Keep up material for enthusiasts for older accessible cars, only working people and not for rich only cars, also just to add the one part that also gets plasticized are valve seals! Can drive anyone crazy by even burning oil!