My 1973 Cadillac, Huggy Bear

[eddyramrod]

Being two of the resident American-auto lickers on here, danthecapriman and I have been having some PM chatter about possibly going abroad and bringing one back.  Here's one that we fancied quite strongly until Dan realised his passport had expired...

So you see the sort of thing we like!

Well... then this one appeared in the ebay thread...

Dan and I discussed it at length (when was the last time you had a PM conversation run to 8 pages?) and decided I should bid on it.  We set a ceiling, because neither of us wanted to be involved in a bidding war even though we would be watching when it ended.

And we were outbid.  Fair enough.

Then I got a Second Chance Offer.  Winning bidder turned up, declared it wasn't for him, and scarpered.  The seller liked the car so much he almost didn't send me the Offer, and when it took me a while to reply (consulting with Dan) he almost wanted me to turn it down so he could keep it.  But I didn't.  Consultation showed that we both still thought it was a good buy, so I accepted.  Arrangements had to be made, money drawn, directions printed, etc etc.

So yesterday my friend Roger arrived, a mere three hours later than we had arranged.  Immediately he declared his 2006 Fabia wasn't well and he didn't fancy it all the way to Derby and, crucially, back.  So ok, we went in my Saab.  He liked that, a lot.  Derby is almost 200 miles from Barrow, in case you wanted to know.  You know what my Saab looks like so you don't need pics of that stage of the trip.

So, here we are at the seller's farm.

Let's take a minute to explore some of his other toys...

...and believe me, these are only highlights!

So, now let's look at the Cadillac in a bit more detail...

Don't worry, I do have the bonnet mascot!  Seller removed it at my suggestion, because the car will live outside on the street.  I don't want to lose the ornament!

So, we set off to drive home, after one of the compulsory-element pics...

Seller directed us to a gas station and a chippy...

(I might cross-post that one to Cars AndGirls...)  The girl in the white shirt is one of the chippy staff, she just couldn't get enough of the car!  I took a load of pics on her phone of her sitting in it, admiring it from outside... then finally we could have our tea and get back on the road.  We stopped at a couple of services, not least because driving at night with no instrument lighting is pretty stressful!  Especially when you have motorway roadworks for mile after mile, with a 50 limit and cameras.

So we finally arrived in Barrow at 1.00am, having listened to Ken Bruce covering the Eurovision most of the way up.  Yes, the Cadillac has its original factory AM/FM radio, and it works!

This morning I thought I'd better do something about the lack of door-locking, that the seller pointed out to me.  The car has 4 keys, all slightly different!  One for trunk, one for ignition... er...

A little consultation with Dan brought forth the suggestion that the power-lock actuators might be at fault, and upon dismantling the driver's door, this was indeed the case.

I disconnected the actuator from the lock and all was well.  One of the "other" keys was found to fit the doors, so now I can lock and unlock them manually.  Good enough.  When I took my dog out, I couldn't resist grabbing this shot...

And then I decided it needed a clean, so I swept it out, found a carpet offcut for the trunk, and washed the thing.  It does look better.

Several of my neighbours have come to have a look, and gone away impressed.

 

What happens now?  Well the immediate plan is just that I should (and will!) drive it, as much as possible given that I don't have anywhere off-road to keep it.  This is at least partly why we went for a mechanically-sound car (which it certainly seems to be) with cosmetic issues.  One worries less about a fresh ding, you know.... To this end I'll be going to work in it tomorrow, and stopping at the Post Office on the way home to get the tax in my name.  This car is the right side of 40 years old, so I get free tax.  Lovely!

What happens in the further-distance remains to be seen.

 

[Cavcraft]

That's complete and utter class, well bought.

[Urko]

I liked that from the eBay thread and considered a bid too - good job we didn't end up in a bidding war.  I have eaten chips from that chipoil, having grown up in Derby.

 

The car looks magnificent.

[Tamworthbay]

That's my old local chippy!!! And where we met up when we did the as Midlands scrappy day at Albert Looms, then got food poisoning off a burger there a couple of months later

 

Was the guy you got it from in Spondon? I don't recognise the house.

[omegod]

No wonder you didn't need a rover clogging the drive with this in the pipeline !! That's a beauty 

[nigel bickle]

Splendid. Well done the pair of you.

 

A long distance romance starts here then,the Autoshite way.

[eddyramrod]

That's my old local chippy!!! And where we met up when we did the as Midlands scrappy day at Albert Looms, then got food poisoning off a burger there a couple of months later

 

Was the guy you got it from in Spondon? I don't recognise the house.

Spondon, yes indeed.  The farm is part of the Locko Park estate, if that means anything to you.

[Split_Pin]

1) Just wow

2) Please tell me it has that awesome sounding indicator chime.

3) Beware of bald lollipop consuming men in Buick Century Regals, they will almost certainly want to nick you.

[danthecapriman]

Nice one Eddy!

I've got to admit, now your home with it, that I was secretly shitting myself about this! It's a long way to go (in fact probably closer to me than you by a little bit).

Every conceivable scenario (and some less so) was going through my head all day yesterday. Would the car be any good and the trip wasted? Would you end up breaking down? Would you end up getting mugged with the dosh in your pocket?!

But, actually this absolute beast of a thing seems better in your pics than the ebay advert. It does appear to be pretty decent and just a bit rough round the edges and dirty.

 

I'm glad we got it. I'm really pleased with it actually and I don't think the price was half bad either in the end. I really like the colour too. It just wants a scrub up and a good dose of use now. Did the seller go through what work it's had done? The engine pic looks good. Very tidy and up together.

I still think we should at least ask about getting the rear seat base re trimmed though.

 

Your a legend getting that back at 1AM, especially with no dash lights. I didn't even know that time of day existed!

So what does it drive like? I bet it's very similar to my Mercury isn't it? Absolutely huge!

 

Oh and I've still got major want for the green Mercury Monarch in Germany...

[Sealtainn]

That looks utterly superb, well done Sirs, cap well and truly doffed for that one

[Tamworthbay]

Spondon, yes indeed.  The farm is part of the Locko Park estate, if that means anything to you.

it does indeed, I spent many many hours there as a kid. There is only one farm that I know of there and it didn't look like that when I was last there but that was twenty years ago. Did you go past the lake then take a right up a rougher track?

[danthecapriman]

That's my old local chippy!!! And where we met up when we did the as Midlands scrappy day at Albert Looms, then got food poisoning off a burger there a couple of months later

Was the guy you got it from in Spondon? I don't recognise the house.

Haha. Does this mean Eddy's going to be toilet bound all day tomorrow!

[Tamworthbay]

I am being an idiot, it is the one at the back behind the Ilkeston road! There has been weird and wonderful stuff there for years but didn't notice any yank stuff before. Nice buy!

[djimbob]

Yank Tanks rule, that's a motor for Winners

[Tamworthbay]

Haha. Does this mean Eddy's going to be toilet bound all day tomorrow!

it took me out for a week and I lost half a stone! The doc said to send a sample off to the environmental health but I didn't fancy holding a small plastic tub under my arse as it exploded.

[eddyramrod]

it does indeed, I spent many many hours there as a kid. There is only one farm that I know of there and it didn't look like that when I was last there but that was twenty years ago. Did you go past the lake then take a right up a rougher track?

Yes, exactly!

 

Oh and... yes, I had a cheeseburger.  My bowels are fine, so far.

[320touring]

*doffs cap in mr Ramrod's direction*

 

well bought!

[Tamworthbay]

Yes, exactly!

 

Oh and... yes, I had a cheeseburger.  My bowels are fine, so far.

so were mine until about 3am.

 

Good luck.............

[mouseflakes]

So, here we are at the seller's farm.

 

Can I have a farm like that too please?

[danthecapriman]

it took me out for a week and I lost half a stone! The doc said to send a sample off to the environmental health but I didn't fancy holding a small plastic tub under my arse as it exploded.

Lol!

I've recently had a dodgy curry myself so know how it feels!

[Partridge]

1) I'm in love with it.

2) You're a legend. And I don't mean the Japansey-Rover 800y type of legend. You have a mustache AND a Fleetwood. Winning at life.

3) We have AN calendar shot.

4) This thread has genuinely made my evening.

[dollywobbler]

Shonkbargetastic.

[Jim Bell]

That looks lovely. What do these vessels actually ride like?

[danthecapriman]

That looks lovely. What do these vessels actually ride like?

Very very well. It's like effortlessly wafting down the road in the most comfortable armchair you've ever sat in. The yanks really knew how to build stuff like this. Everyone should try one at least once.

[eddyramrod]

Vessel is the right word!  They do feel rather boatlike, which doesn't suit everyone.  I happen to like it a lot.  You can feel that you're in two and a half tons of car though, it's a very safe feeling.  Totally negated by the vague steering!  Never mind, can't have everything...

[HMC]

To quote another American legend " I Love it when a plan comes together"

Car looks absolutely spot on! Well done you two!

[eddyramrod]

1) I'm in love with it.

2) You're a legend. And I don't mean the Japansey-Rover 800y type of legend. You have a mustache AND a Fleetwood. Winning at life.

3) We have AN calendar shot.

4) This thread has genuinely made my evening.

Thank you kind sir but... I've had a Fleetwood and this isn't it, this one is a Coupe de Ville. [/pedant]

[danthecapriman]

Vessel is the right word!  They do feel rather boatlike, which doesn't suit everyone.  I happen to like it a lot.  You can feel that you're in two and a half tons of car though, it's a very safe feeling.  Totally negated by the vague steering!  Never mind, can't have everything...

One of the features I really like about mine, and this Caddy can have it too, is driving along with that huge hood out front and a hood ornament at the end. Like the crosshairs of a gun!

[mercrocker]

Blimey, first that Bentley and now this.   Awesome, one of my favourite years of Caddy extravagance....

[Junkman]

BOAH AY!