A `castle` - Frank Nicodemus Castle Cadillac

Times Herald-Record | Monday, March 28, 2016
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MY RIDE
A ‘castle’ is the fitting place for Cadillac
By Donna Kessler
Times Herald-Record
The emblem is one of the most
identifiable with its wreath,
crown, and oh yes, the ducks. It’s
the Cadillac and it’s also one of
the most respected model of car
around. A car this special needs a
talented and knowledgable person
to bring it back to its original form,
and yet, make it so perfect that it
goes on to win the highest awards
at the prestigious Concours
d'Elegance shows at Hershey and
Greenwich, for instance. Frank
“Mr. Cadillac” Nicodemus and
Chris Semke are the Cadillac kings
at Castle Cadillac on Route 376 in
Wappingers Falls.
Nicodemus grew up fixing cars
at his parents’ Sinclair Gas Station
doing business as Bronx County
Collision, in the Bronx. He fell
in love with the Caddy when his
neighbor bought a 1960 Cadillac
Eldorado Biarritz convertible in
heather metallic.
He ended up collecting, repairing and selling Cadillacs as well as
supplying parts to other collectors.
Later he began making the parts
he couldn’t find. “What I can’t
get, I can make,” he said. Today,
Nicodemus is the “go to” guy
for hard-to-find Cadillac parts.
He became a licensee of GM and
began reproducing the original
style rubber floor mats for Cadillacs from 1950 through 1964.
Semke’s and Nicodemus’ partnership began when Semke bought
a 1956 Coupe D’ville and was told
to see Nicodemus for parts he
needed. They hit it off right away.
It’s not too often you meet someone who shares the same passion
as you. Semke was tired of working
on Hondas so Frank offered him
a job. Semke joined Nicodemus
and they combined their talents.
“When it comes to problems
with a restoration, we are in each
other’s brain,” Nicodemus said.
In their 22,000-square-foot
“castle,” the crew has brought
many Caddys back from a nearjunkyard fate. For instance, a
1950 Cadillac, which they call
the Louisiana Swamp Car, was
fully restored by the team. It later
sold at an auction for $131,000.
They are original equipment
17
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MY RIDE EVENTS
Mail information for Cruises
& Bike Nights at least two
weeks in advance to Donna
Kessler, c/o My Ride, P.O.
Box 2046, Middletown 10940;
or email dkessler@th-record.
com. Please indicate the beginning and end date of the cruises
and bike nights.
BIKE NIGHTS
Thursday
Bike Night at Brian’s Backyard
BBQ: Every Thurs., 6 p.m., starting April 21, Brian’s Backyard
BBQ, 1665 Route 211, Town
of Wallkill. All are welcome,
wing’s and a pitcher of Coors
Light $12. Vendors Welcome.
Outside patio open. Call 6923227 or visit Brian’s Backyard
BBQ on Facebook or at briansbackyardbbq.com.
CRUISE NIGHTS
Sunday
Caddys are stacked three-high in the back warehouse waiting for their turn to be refurbished, each with its own story to tell.
PHOTOS BY DONNA KESSLER/TIMES HERALD-RECORD
Frank “Mr. Cadillac” Nicodemus and
Chris Semke are the Cadillac kings at
Castle Cadillac on Route 376 in Wappingers Falls.
manufacturers. Every screw, every
bolt, every button on the seats is
acquired or made to make the car
an original Cadillac.
Caddys are stacked three high in
the back warehouse all waiting for
their turn to be refurbished, each
with its own story to tell. You can
see the men's excitement as they
pull the plastic coverings off the
cars. It’s really a genuine passion
and Nicodemus even has a Cadillac
“V” scar on his upper arm to prove
it. (He accidentally fell on a Caddy
fin while running for the phone.)
For the past 50 years,
Tony Lembesis, detailer and assembler
at Castle Cadillac, refurbishes a Cadillac hubcap by hand, hammering out the
dents and polishing it to a mirror shine.
Nicodemus has been in the
restoration business and is still
going strong. The expert staff at
Castle Cadillac have a proven track
record. The names Nicodemus
and Semke are synonymous with
Cadillac. Combined they bring a
reputation as being the best and
many of the cars that have gone
through their doors have gone
on to win top honors. “We love
it when a customer comes to see
their car after it is done and says,
‘Is that my car?' Best feeling ever,”
Nicodemus said.
Twenty two thousand square
feet is a lot of space and Nicodemus, his wife, Sandra, and Semke
have plans to set up an antique/
automotive memorabilia business
in the upstairs portion.
Castle Cadillac restores other
GM cars, but the Cadillac is its specialty. They do everything except
chroming and engine and transmission rebuilding. Nicodemus
is also a New York state licensed
and bonded antique automobile
appraiser and has been an advisory
board member to NADAguides
(National Automobile Dealers
Association) since 1995.
For more info on Castle Cadillac go to frank-nicodemus.com
or find Frank Nicodemus Castle
Cadillac on Facebook.
—[email protected]
Cars and Coffee: Billy Joe’s Ribworks, 26 Front St., Newburgh,
8-10 a.m., Sundays, April 3,17;
May 1,15, 29; June 5,19; July
3,17, 31; Aug. 14, 28; Sept. 4,18;
Oct. 2,16, 30. Facebook.com/
cncintheoc.
MONDAY
Hudson Valley Hot Rods Monday
Night Cruise: Every Mon., starting April 18, Autozone parking
lot, 24 West Main St., Washingtonville, 6-9 p.m., registration
$5 for the season, vendors
welcome. Hudson Valley Hot
Rods on Facebook.
Lakeside Licks Ice Cream & Mini
Golf Cruise Night: Every Mon.,
starting April 4, 6-9 p.m.,
Lakeside Licks Ice Cream &
Mini Golf (Formerly Yummies),
288 Route 299, Highland, all
are welcome, first, second and
third place People’s Choice
ribbons awarded weekly, food
and ice cream specials, 50/50,
music, door prizes. Find Lakeside Licks Ice Cream & Mini
Golf on Facebook. 691-7080.
TUESDAY
CruzinPort: First Tues., (rain
date the following Tues.), starting May 3, registration fee $10,
20 trophies will be awarded,
SEE EVENTS, 18