X-Frame Weight and Mounting Points.

[Chris]

Does anyone know how heavy these frames weigh, and are they extremely heavy to pick up by yourself? Because after reading an old Car Life/Motor Trend magazine reviews online of a 64 and 65 Cadillac  and how a near fully loaded 64 Sedan Deville weighed in at 5050lbs curb weight, another claiming over 5100lbs test weight, and another article claiming that Cadillac shed about 300lbs in curb weight starting in 65 because the new perimeter frame design was much lighter and weighed a lot less than the X-frame. The 65 Cadillac test car weighed around 4800lbs curb weight in comparison. 

My second question is why would Cadillac reduce the number of body to frame mounting points compared to earlier year Cadillacs like the 61-62’s that had multiple points? It just seems odd why Cadillac would do such a thing. I am always cautious and worry of damaging something every time I jack up my 64 from the side of the car. I have to remind myself that they are no frame rails, thus I need to jack up the car on the inner front frame section. Less mounting points just makes it more difficult to find places to jack the Caddy up from these areas.

[Tony and Ginny 429]

Chris 

You do need and should use a 2 ton hydraulic jack to be lifting our heavy  Cadillacs for safety — chocking the rear wheels and using jack stands to lower the car on too

You can lift the car on just about any part of the very large  solid frame under the car - the front cross member and the  lower A frames when needed — anyplace - no fear-  it solid 

There is serious boxed steel frame —under these cars that allows you to lift the car anyplace you desire under it 

You  can jack the car up under the differential but that will pull the rear wheels up into the cars body and the rear wheels cannot be removed that way 

If you desire is to be removing the rear wheels you want to jack the car up in front —of the rear end trailing arms so the rear wheels drop down - removing the skirts ( if you have them ) to get the tires off the car 

My 64 convert weighs 4,200 lbs on the reg and being a convertible should be heavier than the other models 

The reason our year Cadillacs have a better ride than other years is due to its  X frame and suspension which was changed in 65 and not for the better regarding the floating down the road feel our year Cadillacs afford the owner ( it is special ) 

The outstanding stock ride of our year Cadillacs IMO has a lot to do with the cars  large size in that the tires are spaced very far apart isolating there activity  from the driver compared to the cars on the road today 
Our Cadillacs can smooth  out some rough roads and always float down the road while steering with one finger 

The stock suspension IMO should be left stock because of the  very unique smooth  experience it offers— that some owners have no idea about —acquiring our year Cadillacs in all kinds of different conditions needing repairs 

The big rims and short sidewall tires —-do not do anything to be improving the smooth  quality of the ride ( they do look great ) 

The larger side walls of  the stock size  15 inch rims and tires do a lot to be absorbing and smoothing out the suspension action they were  originally designed for 

I do smile a lot when out in my  64 convert  —with the Harley boys and all other Antique rides from 32 Ford hot rods to god knows what —having to give you a thumps up - a wave or  people shouting from the sidewalks 

I owned a 65 Porsche convertible for 7 years when few new what a Porsche was  ( hand made limited production ) and my 64 Cadillac gets so very much more attention than any other car I have owned 

The Cadillac was amazing to own when new and is still a very amazing experience to be driving in 58 years later for the life experience this car has had on my joyful life 

 Cadillac is an American Icon  like Harley Davidson -  Classic American Iron —respected all over the world especially in our years 

Repairs ( and the frustration associated  with that  )  is a great deal about what our website is about but getting out on the road for the experience that  that offers the owner is the real joy in owning these great Iconic Cadillacs 

So Get it fixed —— and get driving it already !! 

Enjoy