'76 Cadillac Limo Cornering Photos

[Fleet 500]

I took the '76 Limo to the back of a big parking lot and took some photos of it cornering in a (big) circle.
I set the timer on the camera and for it to take 3 to 9 shots.

I did go fast enough for the tires to leave marks on the pavement and as can be seen, it is very flat when turning.
Of course, its huge size is very apparent when driving around in circles... a lot of weight transfer and the size in general. I was almost laughing when I did this experiment because it probably take 4 times more room to drive in a circle than a little sports car does. (The turning circle of a '71 limo is 48.2 feet; a '76 has the same wheelbase as a '71.)

Fortunately, there were no complications although there were a few strange looks from a few people on the far side of the parking lot.

[henk4]

I did go fast enough for the tires to leave marks on the pavement and as can be seen, it is very flat when turning.

thanks for that....at which speed are the tyres leaving marks on the pavement?

[cmcpokey]

L.o.l.

[Fleet 500]

thanks for that....at which speed are the tyres leaving marks on the pavement?
Because I was driving in a tight circle, speed was about 13-15 mph.
Really interesting to see what your car looks like from the outside. Thanks, henk, for requesting cornering pics.
And stay tuned... the higher speed (60 mph) will be coming up shortly. Just as soon as one of my Cadillac friends is available to take the photos. I've decided to use Big Tujunga Canyon Road- it should be just right for the type of pics I want.

[Fleet 500]

L.o.l.
I did feel kind of ridiculous driving it like that... round and round in a big circle.
But I guess it had to be done for "historical" purposes. :D

[cmcpokey]

Because I was driving in a tight circle, speed was about 13-15 mph.
Really interesting to see what your car looks like from the outside. Thanks, henk, for requesting cornering pics.
And stay tuned... the higher speed (60 mph) will be coming up shortly. Just as soon as one of my Cadillac friends is available to take the photos. I've decided to use Big Tujunga Canyon Road- it should be just right for the type of pics I want.

wow, just looked at that road on google maps... looks like a blast. next time im in CA, i may have to make a trip.

[cmcpokey]

I did feel kind of ridiculous driving it like that... round and round in a big circle.
But I guess it had to be done for "historical" purposes. :D

dont get me wrong, i think your passion for caddies is commendable, if not a bit weird, but seeing 3 tons of barge spinning in circles is really entertaining to me.

[henk4]

Because I was driving in a tight circle, speed was about 13-15 mph.

and at that speed you are already getting these tyre prints????

[Fleet 500]

wow, just looked at that road on google maps... looks like a blast. next time im in CA, i may have to make a trip.
Parts of it are very twisty. The Motorcycle riders, especially, have a ball on that road!

[Fleet 500]

and at that speed you are already getting these tyre prints????
Yeah, not where they are deep in the pavement, just real light markings. I think it was the type of pavement which is why.

Incidentally, this would make a good subject of another thread... "Post a pic of your own car cornering!" :)
Do you have any of your own, henk?

[Fleet 500]

dont get me wrong, i think your passion for caddies is commendable, if not a bit weird, but seeing 3 tons of barge spinning in circles is really entertaining to me.
I kept the speed below where it would break traction because I wanted to check the lean. I could have easily done "donuts" with it, but that would have brought everyone in the businesses there out into the parking lot and probably chasing after me! Not to mention any cops in the area.

[henk4]

Yeah, not where they are deep in the pavement, just real light markings. I think it was the type of pavement which is why.

Incidentally, this would make a good subject of another thread... "Post a pic of your own car cornering!" :)
Do you have any of your own, henk?

I'll ask the UCP photographers to make a couple in due time...

[cmcpokey]

Parts of it are very twisty. The Motorcycle riders, especially, have a ball on that road!

Try looking up Tunitas Creek Rd. outside of Half Moon Bay, CA. I got to drive that a few months back and had a riot. Unfortunately I was in my Mother-in-law's Audi A3, and she was sitting right next to me, so there wasnlt a whole lot of real craziness.

it looks better if you are looking at it in Google Earth so you can see the terrain.

[Ferrer]

OT, but it seems that the front doors in your car are pillarless yet the ones in the back have window frames. Why is that?

[cmcpokey]

I'll ask the UCP photographers to make a couple in due time...

OIne of these day's I'll get my wife to take some pics of me autocrossing.

[Fleet 500]

OT, but it seems that the front doors in your car are pillarless yet the ones in the back have window frames. Why is that?
That was sharp of you to notice that... especially with the doors closed.
You're 100% right.
The back doors have frames and the front doors don't. That began in 1971. The 1970 and earlier had pillars for all four doors. The rear doors were cut into the roof to aid in entry and exit.
I did ask one of my Cadillac friends about that. He guessed that maybe Cadillac eventually figured that it wasn't necessary for the chauffeuer to have ease of entry/exit.
Here is a pic showing the doors open and both windows about 5" down.

[Fleet 500]

Try looking up Tunitas Creek Rd. outside of Half Moon Bay, CA. I got to drive that a few months back and had a riot. Unfortunately I was in my Mother-in-law's Audi A3, and she was sitting right next to me, so there wasnlt a whole lot of real craziness.

it looks better if you are looking at it in Google Earth so you can see the terrain.
I'll look it up. With all of the mountains ranges in California, it means there are many twisting and curvy roads.
Too bad you had a passenger or you could have had more fun driving through that road.

[Fleet 500]

I'll ask the UCP photographers to make a couple in due time...
Really? That would be fun to see.
I'll have to take some of my other Cad cornering ('69 Fleetwood Brougham) the next time I drive it. I haven't started it since May 29 (to save fuel).

[Fleet 500]

I took the '76 Limo to the back of a big parking lot and took some photos of it cornering in a (big) circle.

Here are two more shots I took at the end of a street. Again turning in a circle.

I guess that enough of the low-speed turns, I'll get to work on the high speed ones in the near future. Those should be more interesting.

[clutch-monkey]

that thing is huge! looks like it takes a real effort turning it?

[Fleet 500]

that thing is huge! looks like it takes a real effort turning it?
No, with the power steering, it's very light. But I am surprised at the brakes; the effort is not super-light (overly sensitive). It takes more effort to push down than on my '69 Fleetwood. I guess the heavier weight and maybe because it is a hydro-boost type of brakes.

[drakkie]

I'll ask the UCP photographers to make a couple in due time...

If I get the chance I will too. A certain parking lot in Spijkenisse allready has some markings (estimated at 30 km/h in a 3 metre radius circle), from last time I wanted to find out the limits of my car.

PS:

around 50 in the same circle my back wheel starts hopping and it is leaning dangerously. As you can imagine it was also the speed I stopped at.


Really? That would be fun to see.

Believe me it will be lying (almost?) flat, if the Hydractive system is installed on his (which I know should be) :D

[Fleet 500]

If I get the chance I will too. A certain parking lot in Spijkenisse allready has some markings (estimated at 30 km/h in a 3 metre radius circle), from last time I wanted to find out the limits of my car.

PS:

around 50 in the same circle my back wheel starts hopping and it is leaning dangerously. As you can imagine it was also the speed I stopped at.

Yeah, that would be very interesting to see.


Believe me it will be lying (almost?) flat, if the Hydractive system is installed on his (which I know should be) :D

I believe you. :)

[henk4]

Believe me it will be lying (almost?) flat, if the Hydractive system is installed on his (which I know should be) :D

it will also depend on using the comfort or the sport suspension mode...

[drakkie]

it will also depend on using the comfort or the sport suspension mode...

Offcourse. But if I drive it would almost always be on sport :)

[henk4]

Offcourse. But if I drive it would almost always be on sport :)

I only do that with strong lateral winds.

[drakkie]

I only do that with strong lateral winds.

Maybe you should also do that incase a small Suzuki gets airborne in the wind, so you can avoid it easily :D

[Quiggs]

Auto-x Caddy.