Michael Forte's Blog (4)

Seat belt restoration

During the process of a complete restoration (and color change) of my ‘63s interior during the winter of 2016, I replaced the aftermarket seatbelts that were in my car with restored original '64 buckles and retractors.  I had a terrific experience with Ssnake-Oyl Products out of Tyler Texas, so I thought I share the info. 

In my opinion, the '64 seat belt buckle with the Cadillac Crest is the coolest looking seat belt buckle ever put in a car.  Apparently, they're not easy to find in…

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Added by Michael Forte on March 6, 2018 at 12:00am — 2 Comments

Air Suspension - How to Choose and Install

What I enjoy most about old cars is that they can be restored to original condition, radically customized, or somewhere between those extremes, reflecting the owner's individual style.  For my '63 Convertible, I want to achieve a mostly original look, with minor custom touches to make it clean, smooth, and low.  This article is to share my experience in choosing and installing the suspension components to achieve a low stance and a comfortable ride.

I purchased my car in August of…

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Added by Michael Forte on February 19, 2018 at 10:00pm — 13 Comments

Updating the alternator without losing the "Gen" light

Our old Cadillacs have a pretty simple electrical system using an externally regulated alternator to keep the battery charged and run the accessories while driving.  First appearing in 1963, the GM 10DN externally regulated alternator was a step up from the bulky generator used on the '62 and earlier.  But newer, internally regulated alternators are now available that can output three times the current in the same size package.  This article explains how I upgraded my charging system to a…

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Added by Michael Forte on February 19, 2018 at 12:00am — 5 Comments

Converting to R134a on my '63

Hi All,

I wanted to share my experience converting my factory air system to 134a refrigerant, hoping it will save you time and money.  After I changed the parts, I got my system charged professionally and it works amazingly well, blowing ice cold at the vents.  Here's what I did:

I started with a call to Old Air Products (oldairproducts.com) from Texas.  I'm usually the guy who researches everything alone and then buys the parts online without ever interfacing with a human, but…

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Added by Michael Forte on June 11, 2016 at 10:30pm — 19 Comments

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Modern radio antenna …

Started by Mack in 1963/64 Cadillac Specific Discussion on Tuesday. 0 Replies

Just replaced radios for the modern radios with Bluetooth and all the dance things and wanted to share how I went around the antenna knob… I’ve installed a regular two way GM window switch in the…Continue

BOOT

Started by John Inglesby in 1963/64 Cadillac Specific Discussion. Last reply by Marty Smith on Tuesday. 1 Reply

I recently purchased a new boot for my 64 convertible and was wondering how difficult it s to install. I'm not very mechanical. It looks like the chrome piece behind and at top of seats needs to be…Continue

63 Exhaust Hanger Mystery

Started by Mike Travers in 1963/64 Cadillac Specific Discussion. Last reply by Cees de Bunje on Monday. 8 Replies

I'm in the process of installing a stainless steel single exhaust from Classic Exhaust on my '63 Coupe de Ville. I'm running into a mystery regarding my middle exhaust bracket. I have the bracket…Continue

TH400 Dipstick Tube Seal

Started by Logan Robb in 1963/64 Cadillac Specific Discussion. Last reply by Logan Robb on Monday. 9 Replies

In my “rebuild” of the transmission, I ordered a dipstick tube seal. However, I’m not sure if the right one came or how to best install the seal. I am wondering if anyone has replaced this seal OR…Continue

Blog Posts

Loud air moving sound within carb with cleaner removed

Posted by Dave Fehrle on March 23, 2024 at 3:23pm 8 Comments

While checking my Carter carb with engine running, I took the air cleaner off and there was a very loud hissing sound of air. I placed a piece of paper over the carb and it didn’t move up or down, is this normal?

Vintage Air AC

Posted by Chase on March 21, 2024 at 5:55am 0 Comments

Hey everyone, has anybody done a Vintage Air AC/Heat setup in their car? I want to bypass the old vacuum setup and go with a Vintage Air Gen 2 model. Before I get started, does anyone have any experience with this? (Which model to go with, do’s and dont’s, etc.) It looks pretty involved. Any and all info/pics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

accumulator dryer

Posted by CHRIS CARLSON on December 6, 2023 at 10:54am 0 Comments

Who rebuilds original AC  accumulator dryers for 1964 Cadillac? I have been on Classic auto air in Tampa FL wait list for over a year ,  There is one on Old air products web site that looks very similar to the original # 21-4214A but states it fits 1962 Gm cars, The one recommended for a 1964 Cadillac is half the length 21-4215A    What  is everyone using ? I would prefer to be as original as possible. Thanks

'63 Eldorado trumpet horn + 2 standard horns restoration

Posted by Les Eastling on November 15, 2023 at 10:34am 1 Comment

My son, unbeknownst to me, had all three of the horns on our 1963 Eldorado completely restored. We had recently added the Eldorado trumpet horn to the two standard horns and the sound was not very good... we had heard good ones so we knew something was not right... but there was not much we could do to get better sound from the 3 horns. 

There is a restoration service called The Horn Works who my son…

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