I need a little help.

[SandyBoy]

I own since new, a 1993 Cadillac Sixty Special. In "Cadillac-Speak" this is a "Collector-Car" as it is (and was) the end of the Sixty Special heritage, that began in 1938, and ended in 1993. 55 continous years.
Now, my car has every available option, AND is in a S.P.O. (Special Paint Option,) and is a 1-off. Flawless, impeccable condition, as good or better than brand new, with 9,842 miles (in 14 & 1/2 years)! Original tires and everything else, car has earned 3 trophes at Caddy events.

Now....the problem. Last Summer (2007) my Air conditioning began blowing neutral, and eventually luke warm. I took her to an independant garage and he securred for me the ORIGINAL freon and put it in. She blew icey cold, after that. But, by those last warm days of September, she was not so cold any longer. We had a warm day, last week (80 degrees) and I started her and ran her for 20 minutes and tried the A/C.
She blows cool and then steadily loses her "cool" and turns to neutral.

I do not really want to convert her & lose the originality. Yet, it's getting hard (AND expensive) to get the original freon, and it doesn't seem to hold it. I had the system checked for leaks, and none were found, and I had a "sealer" put in, also. Yet, she's not what she was, 3 years ago, that being ice cold.

What do you guys do with T-Birds WITH factory A/C ? Any good advice for me?
Some have suggested the the freon for the original type is now very old, and has broken down and that is why is doesn't last. Any truth in this theory?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts...

Sandy

[bcomo]

Sandy:

I haven't had any hands on experience with the A/C on my 60 HT.

But when my engine was being rebuilt, the freon was lost because the compressor had to be disconnected. At that point, I had a choice of having the system flushed, the fittings changed, and going with the new R134 freon (this was included in the price of the engine remove and replace). The shop said that the R134, would not run as cool as the original R12 freon --so I chose to stay with the R12.

One of the things that go bad with the A/C systems is either a small leak (which can be detected with a freon sniffer). The other item is the A/C Dryer, which removes the excess moisture from the freon (I'm pretty sure of that).

Is there another shop that you can get a second opinion on this stuff?

[SandyBoy]

2nd shop

I have always returned to the Caddy dealer, and have been pretty much satisfied there - but it's very pricey - HOWEVER, they (by law) are NOT allowed to handle the old type of freon. All they wanrt to do is to convert it to the new stuff. This really is not an option to me, as the car is 100% original, and is used pretty much as a show car, 85% of the time. After The private shop I go to (very excelent old world Tech/Owner) ran a sealer thru the system and it carried me thru the last 1/3rd of 2007s Summer - but now I am back to square #1 again. Obviously, it's running out....somewhere, and my guess is that it doesn't pay him to spend umteen hours looking for it.

I take it that your A/C works well ? !

[bcomo]

Yes. It blows nice and cold.

The 60 T-Bird only has two small dash vents for A/C, so in my case, I feel that the colder R12 is better.

I would ike to see some photos of your Caddy if you get a chance.

[SandyBoy]

Soon

As I think I might have mentioned, my computer crashed & burned ! I am on a brandy new terrific DELL Computer. I took my old computer's hard drive to a computer-God and he extracted all of my stuff and put it on an external haerd drive, which I am picking up tomorrow, and will connect to my new computer and then I'll have ALL of my photos FINALLY back, and I'll send the Caddy pics to you.

She is in a color called "Dark Amethyst Plum Metallic" ~ Best described as the color of the outer skin of Eggplant, a deep dark (almost black) shade of purple. With this color, the interior selections were light grey or light beige, or black (Yeech) or Saddle (ditto on the Yeech).

But, I knew that the decession had been made to make 1993 THE FINAL YEAR that G.M. (and Cadillac) would offer WHITE interior ~~ So, I wanted the Snow White Leather Interior ~~
But, there was a BIG problem. The White interior was ONLY available with either "Medium Blue" OR "Garnet Red" ACCENTS !
The Accents were:
* Steering Wheel, Center Pad & Steering Column
* Floor Carpeting
* Lower Door Carpeting
* Rear Package Shelf
* Upper & Lower & Fascia of the Dash Panel

Therefore...... The White Interior was restricted to exterior colors of
White, Light, Medium or Dark Blue, or Burgundy or Red.

My car was build under 4 seperate codes.
She was sent to the F.T.S. (Fleetwood Trim Shop) on site at the "C" Body Assembly in Lake Orion, Michigan. That where they prep cars fro He****s, Flower Cars, Armoring, Government, and VERY special requests.

When my car arrived, the interior was unfinished. At F.T.S. they installed the white components and using the BLAck COMPONENTS that they would have used in a Sixty Special ordered with Black Interior, used the black Dash, Black Rear Package Shelf, Black Floor & Lower Door Carpeting and Black Steering Wheel, Pad & Column, making her the only such 1993 Caddy made, and THE LAST unit made with White Leather Interior, to date!
They held mine over until the "C" bodies (deVille & Sixty Special) were done. In a day or 2 I'll send 'ya photos.

It's bone stock, except that I placed a white deep pile rug, cut to fit, over the black trunk carpeting.

She has 3 trophies.

MoonRoof, Leather, Security Group, Bose Stereo/Cassette/ Chrome Wheels/ Heated Windshield/ Engine Block Heater/ Remote Keyless Entry/ Security System/ Dual POWER Recliners/ "Memory Driver's Seat" / Exterior bodyside & trunk Lid Pin Stripe DELETE / Vogue W.W. Tires and the Special Request Handling.

[SandyBoy]

Pics

http://www.cadillacforums.com/photopost/watermark.php?file=524&size=1

http://www.cadillacforums.com/photopost/watermark.php?file=526&size=1

http://www.cadillacforums.com/photopost/watermark.php?file=525

http://www.cadillacforums.com/photopost/watermark.php?file=527