1940
Bohman & Schwartz (USA) Special V8 convertible coupe on Series 62 chassis,
with elongated cowl panel. Two similar models were built, on speculation, by Bohman
and Schwartz. The single known survivor was first purchased by William Doheny,
President of Sinclair Oil. It was found in rather poor condition and entirely
restored. It is believed to reside currently [2001] in the Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg
Museum. Photos Sch40, pp.36-37; color photos in my collection from Gilmore
Museum meet [the Cadillac Experience], in June, 1993. Also TQ9-10/85,
pp.10-11. See also Maurice Schwartz, below)
Brunn (USA) V8 Town car on Series 75
chassis, commissioned by steel executive E.J. Kulaks of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. It was used
by the Kulaks family through 1958. It was owned subsequently, for 39 years, by Charles
Coleman. The car has that unmistakable yellow stripe running from the front of the hood
all the way to the extremity of the rear fender and curving also around the front of it.
The elegant formal, padded top has a typical, small Derham backlight. Like my own
cars, Mr. Coleman's car carries the badges of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, the Classic
Car Club of America and the Michigan Region CCCA. Photos in TQ,
5-6/83, p.19. According to recent information, the car was sold at a Kruse auction
in Fort Lauderdale, FL, in 2000 for $52,000 [lot 801]. It had a reported 45,000 miles and
was thoroughly documented by Hermann Brunn, the coach builder. Update [1/2004]: the car has changed hands and is
being cared for now by enthusiast, Dr. Rick Zeiger.
This is an original (bent) factory photo
It was offered for sale on e-Bay in Feb., 2003
 
 
 
The car was advertised for sale on eBay in 2003,
with these photos being a part of the description
 
CCCA outing, 2008
Derham (USA) Special V8 town car landaulet
built for Ms. Jesse Donahue, daughter and heiress of billionaire F.W. Woolworth (she had a
similar custom Cadillac town car built by Derham in 1939). The late father of the
current owner, Scott Manning of Rochester Hills, MI, said in the early nineties that the
car could have been given to Barbara Hutton, Jesse's niece, in 1942. Ms. Hutton was
a prominent socialite; she married screen great, Cary Grant, also in 1942.
Subsequently the car was acquired by the wife of a movie producer and later still it found
its way into a museum in Illinois. In 1976, Roger Morello of Mason, OH, bought it
from the museum; he sold it in 1993 to Scott's father, Gerald, who kindly provided the
photos. I have also many photos of this car taken at the Cadillac Experience meet
at the Gilmore Museum, in June 1993 [other photo: McC, p.243, top]. Scott
recalled that of the three chassis released to independent coach builders in 1940, the
second car was bodied by Brunn; it is featured
in The Classic Car by Beverly Rae Kimes of the CCCA. Scott has never
seen a picture of the third, nor a record of which body builder it was sent to.
 
 
These photos: courtesy Gerald and Scott Manning
Derham (USA) ?: I have photos of a similar
town landaulet to the one described above, but with a split, "V" windshield in
lieu of the flat windshield featured on the Manning car. I believe this car too has
survived. Scott Manning [see previous entry] said in
May 2005 that the car below had indeed survived. The last he heard, it was owned by Jim
VanDiver of Rockford IL. This was a Derham conversion of a Fleetwood body, hence the
V windshield and the conventional Fleetwood trunk profile. Scott added: A wonderful
conversion and a truly handsome car (now restored).
 
[ Could this be the restored car ...and would the
person who sent me the photos please identify himself? ]
Derham (USA) special formal sedan on the Series
72 chassis was offered for sale at a Kruse auction in Ft.Lauderdale, FL, in January
2001 [lot #329]. Blue in color, it was bid up to $37,500 but apparently did not
sell. I believe the same car (blue with red wheels) was offered at a second Kruse auction,
this time at Auburn, IN, in November 2006. It appears the vendor let it go for $32,500. Late Extra [11/2007]: the (same?) car
turned up again on Ebay in November, 2007 with a "Buy-It-Now" price of just
under $50K; it is located in St. Louis, MO. The recent photos (below) show a
beautifully restored car. Later
[July, 2008]: CLC member and
enthusiast, Terry Wenger wrote: The 1940 series 72 car with the Derham tag, I believe
is not a Derham car. I saw the car on eBay and looked at all the pictures closely
as I was writing the soon-to-be-published 'CLC 39-'40 Cadillac 60S, 62 & 72
Authenticity Manual. I could not find anything on that car that was different from the
standard Series 72 car, except the Derham tags [script nameplate]. Before 1942,
Derham used a shield shaped body tag. In 1942 they switched to the script. This is
verified in the 1941 and 1942 Chapters of Roy Schneider's "Cadillacs of the
Forties". So the script tag doesn't appear to be authentic for this 1940 model. Once
again, caveat emptor !
 
This one is owned by a member of the CCCA (could
these two be the same car);
both have the fog lamps, like this one
  
The "Derham" script emblem (center and
right) certainly looks authentic ...but not on a 1940 Cadillac model according to CLC
expert, Terry Wenger
  
Derham (USA) Custom fast-back
coupe on V-16 chassis [see V-16 section. below]
Fleetwood (USA): I have these
two photos of a town car with a regular backlight, suggesting it might be one of the
fourteen Fleetwood style #7553 built that year
 
The big road lights up front suggest the cars in
these two photos might be one and the same
 
The Fleetwood town car
on the left belonged, in 2002, to Harris Laskey of the CCCA
Further photos (above two rows) of 1940 Fleetwood town cars taken at
various meets of the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA)
Fleetwood (USA) Mock-up of proposed 1942
sedan
 
Fleetwood (???) (USA) Special Cadillac Series
61, SIA4, p.33.
Fleetwood (???) (USA) Standard Series
75 limousine with special interior for Pope Pius XII. A New Jersey press cutting of
July 14 (1940?) recorded that "a black Cadillac limousine was trucked through this
city [in New Jersey] a few days ago, bound for the Vatican for Pope Pius XII;
according to General Motors it was a conventional Series 75 priced at $14000"
[the base price of the regular Series 75 cars was a tad under $4000, so
this car appears to have had $10,000 of work done on it before it was shipped to
H.H.?!?!?] The car was described as having chrome, gold and walnut trim, a single back
seat with a radio on one side and a writing shelf on the other. This car must not be
confused with a similar-looking 1938 Cadillac V16 that ended up in the Vatican garage in
1948, although it had been ordered initially by a wealthy Italian Countess [that car may
be seen in the section on surviving sixteen-cylinder cars of
1938-1940]
Fleetwood (???) (USA)
proposal for B-bodied series 61, Sch40, p.17
Fleetwood (???) (USA) 62-sedan mock-up, Sch40,
p.19
Fleetwood (???) (USA) 3-window sedan
proposal, Sch40, p.20
Fleetwood (USA) special 6019AF Series
60 Special sedan with sun roof (only 3 built at an extra cost of $412 each)
Fleetwood (USA) Special V8 Series 60
Special for W. Knudsen [GM President starting 1937]. Car has front and rear fender
horizontal louvers typical of the V16 models of the same period, rear fender stone guards,
special wheel covers, padded leather roof and landau bars. Combination leather and fabric
seats, electric windows [Sch40, pp.24-25]
Fleetwood (USA) Special V8 Series 60
Special for Lawrence P. Fisher. Front, ¾ view, LH side in SS -
9/96, p.15. This car also has front and rear fender horizontal louvers of the V16, rear
fender stone guards, special wheel covers, padded leather roof but no decorative landau
bars. The car has survived and was reported owned in 2001 by Robert L. Joynt of Illinois [FWD,
p.408]. The car was on show at the CCCA's Gilmore Museum, Hickory Corner, MI, in July
2007.
 
[ These photos: Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) -
different lighting gives different hue ]
Pebble Beach, 2002
Fleetwood (USA) second special Cadillac V8
Series 60 Special. Car has light colored leather top [Sch40, p.31]
Fleetwood (USA) Eight more custom Series
60 Special models were built for GM top brass (ten in total). Like the two preceding
cars they were lengthened 5 inches [another source says only 2"] in the center, and
lowered 2 inches; they had wider doors. A padded, leather roof covering with landau irons
on the rear ¼-panels was standard as were special wheel discs [some with the Hollywood spinner
blades as used on the 1933 V16 models], metal stone guards, decorative fender spears à
la V16, Fleetwood script on the trunk lid and plush interiors, although each
of the ten special cars was completely individualized as regards color, upholstery and
interior fittings. In an article by Donald G. Schmidt [SS - 9/96] the 1940
Fleetwood custom cars all had Fleetwood script on the trunk lid, padded top and
landau bars. More are said to have been made in 1941; these had the new 15" wheels
compared to 16" in 1940.
I believe this is one of the eight remaining 60
Special town cars
This original (bent) factory photo was on sale on e-Bay in Feb., 2003
Fleetwood (USA) special town car with
formal, leather top, style 6053LB ["LB" = "leather back"];
six such cars were built, photo Sch40, pp.34-35. Another nine had a plain
metal roof over the passenger compartment.
 
Fleetwood (USA): Special Series 60 Special,
formal town car with divider, open chauffeur compartment and padded roof was offered for
sale on e-Bay in December, 2001. It was described as car #1 of the six that were built.
Its premier showing was at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, where it spent most of
its life. Since the early eighties it was in Michigan, including 13 years in the Gilmore
Car Museum. The open chauffeur's compartment is trimmed in black leather while the
passenger compartment is done in taupe broadcloth. The divider window is operated by a
crank; it has Fleetwood sill plates and dual side mounts [these must have been added later
because the NY show car had none]. It is said to have an original, gold Cadillac emblem in
the center of then dash. There are clocks in both the front and rear compartments. The
hood ornament is gilded.
 
 
 
[ Photos: Internet, December 2001 and courtesy
of the current owner ]
Fleetwood (USA) special town car, style 6053MB
["MB" = "metal back"]; nine such cars were built. One of them - body
#7 - was offered for sale by the Kruse auctioneers in 8/1996]
Fleetwood (???) (USA) custom town car on
Series 72 chassis, McC p.240
Fleetwood (???) (USA) Series 75
styling model, Sch40, p.21
Fleetwood (???) (USA) Series 75
formal sedan, style #7559
Only 48 of these formal sedans were built in 1940;
in my opinion this justifies its being included in this section
Inskip (USA): Special Cadillac town car SIA23,
p.38. Difficult to recognize as a Cadillac. Features include custom hood grille with
Packard-style hood emblem, double "S" curved molding on hood sides extending
into front doors, triangular front door glass, small, oval rear window; only the
headlights, tail-lights side-lights and fenders appear to be stock Cadillac. Photos taken
by the late Gene Babow in the seventies show the car to be burgundy and black. That
is the car used as the background image for this page.
 
Photos: courtesy the late Gene Babow
Meteor (USA) Woodie station wagon
on 1940 LaSalle chassis, currently owned by Tom Boehm of Albany, IN. Tom
needs help to restore the car and trace its history. For more details, check out the Web site address he gave me in
December 2001.
 
Mitchell, William E. [Cadillac Motor Car
Division of GM] (USA) This is one of Bill Mitchell's early proposals for the
1940 model year.
Schwarz, Maurice (USA) Custom convertible
coupe
 
Above two rows: this one appears to have a custom
grille
and a large rear window [compared to the one below]
 
 
Above two rows: as found in the undergrowth and
initially restored
 
   
These two rows: the same car following a ground-up
restoration in the eighties
[ lower two photos: © The Huff Report ]
Here is an interesting view of the car with the top
up
[ Photo: The Classic Car - CCCA ]
[Unknown] (USA) Custom 2-door coupe
Van der Stricht, Patrick (Belgium)
Patrick is a devoted Cadillac enthusiast. This is his artist's proposal for a
1938-39-40-41-48-49-51-53-54-55-56-57-58 custom Eldorado coupe (...and I may even have
missed a couple of years in my speedy examination of this delightful drawing!
Drawing courtesy of Patrick Van der Stricht
1940
(V16) for images, click here
Brunn V16 Town car featuring chrome spears
on spare tire covers as well as on front fenders, Sch40, p.151, rear view in TQ,
5-6/83, p.19
Derham (USA) special hardtop coupe on V16
chassis for H.G. Haskell, then VP of Du Pont de Nemours, the chemical giants of
Wilmington, DE. The car survives and is currently [1986] in the Merle Norman
collection (J.B. Nethercutt) in San Sylmar, CA. Car has a special, padded leather top and
is built on the 141" wheel base V16 chassis [MH, p. 277 and Sch16,
p.151 [factory original], Sch16, p.151 (restored)].
 
Fleetwood (USA) style 9019, 5-passenger
Sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [4 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9023, 7-passenger
Sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [9 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9029, 5-passenger
Convertible sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [2 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9033F, 7-passenger
Formal sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [2 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9053, 7-passenger
Town car on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [2 units]; Sch16, p.146
Fleetwood (USA) style 9033F, 7-passenger
Formal sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [5 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9039, 5-passenger
Town sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [1 only]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9057B, 5-passenger
Coupe on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [1 only]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9059, 5-passenger
Formal sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [2 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9059, 5-passenger
Formal sedan on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [4 units]
Fleetwood (USA) style 9067, 2-passenger
Convertible coupe on 141" wheel base V16 chassis [2 units]
Meteor (USA) Woodie wagon,
below. Late Extra [Nov., 2007]:
this note from Jeff Boyd of Bodys by Boyd:
...thought you would like an update on the wagon
on p.247. I just completed a total restoration of it for it's new owner in Ca. This
is the Meadowbrook Hall car and was unveiled there at this year's Concours.
Meteor stretched the frame to a wheelbase of 189.5". They did not switch rear frame
halves with the other Lasalle woodie owned by Tom Boehm. Tom was very helpful with
the history of this car. It will be in Hemmings classic car soon(next year).
 
 
1941
Brunn (USA) Custom Series 61 coupe with
padded top and landau bars, Sch40, p.69, McC p.250
Cantrell, J.T. (USA)
custom station wagon, McC p.252. This car was in the collection of Richard Kughn of
Detroit [1996] and was sold at auction in 2002 for a reported $140,000. It was built
originally for French screen star Adolphe Menjou when he worked in Hollywood.
The car sold at auction in 2002 for a reported
$140,000!
 
 
 
The Cantrell woody was on show at the CLC Grand
National, Detroit, 2002
[ Photos (above two rows): © 2002, J. Scott Harris ]
Coachcraft (USA) Custom, dechromed
convertible coupe; Sch40, p.68. This car was later "updated" to a 1947
model by the Hollywood firm [see "1947 Coachcraft"]
Coachcraft (USA) Custom station
wagon built on a new 1941 Series 61 Cadillac chassis (complete from the cowl forward -
photo SSA93, p.9) for cowboy actor Charles "Will" Starrett who was known
as the Durango Kid and wore a white Stetson like all the "good guys" in
the pre- and early post-war Western movies (photo SSA93, p.8, McC p.250). He
used to camp in the wagon while on shooting location. The car was involved in a collision
and the hood replaced at that time with a 1942 model. Starrett sold the car back to Burton
Chalmers, co-founder of Coachcraft Ltd., Hollywood, in 1956, when it was
re-vamped to its current state with the addition of the 1941 hood side grilles, whitewall
tires, additional bumper guards, road lights and a new maroon paint job (original color
was Fairoaks green and the 1941 hood side grilles and crest were noticeably absent); the
car was later purchased again from Coachcraft by Emil Thamert (photo SSA93,
p.8) and subsequently, in 1966, by CLC member Hollis Weihe (photo Sch40,
p.68); Hollis sold to to the current owner, William Lockwood, in 1966. It has been
re-painted brick red. Burton Chalmers had this to
say in the July 1959 Self Starter: the car [chassis?] was especially prepared
and ordered from the factory through Hillcrest Motors in Beverly Hills. The original owner
was Charles Starrett, noted Western star, and we bought it [back] from him
in 1956. It has, needless to say, had ever-loving care since that time and is truly in
excellent condition. The engine has just recently been completely overhauled and has been
[driven] less than a thousand miles [since then]; there is no dry rot or
signs of same in any of the woodwork; the paint (a 1941 Buick bluish gray), is in very
good shape; the rear seat is still covered with the original top grain leather and the
front seat has custom seat covers. The seats fold down to make a complete, full-sized bed
and, since the front seat is in two parts, the passenger can snooze en route. It now
also has headrests as well as a Coachcraft luggage rack. The price of $1000 for this gem
we feel is very reasonable, but if we feel that it is going to get ever-loving care from a
prospective owner, we will consider any price they think is fair. Probably it is
worth a "few" thousand more than that today!
Darrin, Howard "Dutch"
(USA) This custom convertible coupe was built by Howard, "Dutch"
Darrin, presumably on the 1941 Series 62 chassis. It has an interesting
dipped belt line like the later, factory-built 1953 Eldorado. I owe this
information to fellow Cadillac enthusiast and Database user, Eric George; he writes: I
found this the other day while surfing the web looking up Dutch Darrin designed cars. The
page contains a photo of a Darrin customized 1941 Cadillac convertible, with his trademark
cutaway doors and extended front fender line. A nice contrast to the Darrin-Packards of
the day. The page also gives the name of it's current owner. - Eric George. The
photo [below] is from CCCA, June 1999. The owner is listed as Joseph Morgan. It was sold
originally by Coachcraft of Hollywood.
Derham (USA) Special Series 60 Special
town car (six are believed to have been built - there are at least two survivors, one in
excellent condition and one needing restoration); the town car conversion cost $1500 on
top of the basic car price. One of these was offered for sale for $14,500, by a Mr.
Chris Unger, in the classifieds of Cadillac Connoisseur, magazine of the Cadillac
Club International, Palm Springs, CA. in 1983-84 (Vol. 24:2, p. 16).
Photo Sch40, p.69, also SS 4/94, p.20 (William Stever, Bishop, CA)
[one of these may have been for sale by Kruse, 8/1996]. This one (or another survivor) was
advertised for sale at auction (with no reserve) by RM Auctions, in February 2007.
Estimated to fetch between #150,000 and $250,000, the winning bidder paid $198,000 for the
car.
 
This one(left)
was advertised for sale in the CLC Self Starter, in July, 1995, for $55K !
Is it possible that the car on the right (from circa 2007) is the same one?
  
 
[ These photos: Internet, 2007 ]
Derham (USA) Several Series 75
town car conversions, one with landau (collapsible) rear quarters (mentioned in McC,
p.243). This car was built for Mrs. Kendall Marsh whose husband owned the Baker Castor
Oil Company. It has survived a number of owners and was [in 2001] in the possession
of Cadillac dealer, Dave Towell, of Akron, OH. The full story, including the
photos below were published in CCCA (Autumn 2001).
[ Photo: CCCA ]
 
Dave Towell showed the car at the CLC
Grand National Meet in August 2002
[ Photos: © 2002, J. Scott Harris ]
 
Custom windshield; otherwise, stock Cadillac from the
cowl forward
Full custom from the cowl back; note Derham signature
back light and custom tail-lights
[ Photos: courtesy Dave Towell and the CCCA ]
Derham (USA) Here is another
conversion by Derham; the base car in this case is Fleetwood Style 7533, imperial
sedan (with division) for seven passengers. Only six cars of this style were built in
1941. The car has survived. The owner wrote this, in December 2001: What is
particularly interesting about this car is the fact that it was ordered without the usual
chrome louvers on all four fenders. Furthermore, all exterior body and hood moldings were
ordered to be finished in black. The car has the serial, body and model numbers and the
words Do Not Drain Radiator Anti-Freeze stenciled with yellow paint on the panel
which supports the hood lock between the radiator and the grill. Perhaps this suggests
that the car was ordered by a governmental agency, municipality, or for diplomatic use?
The style number is 41-7533. Body number 462. It was originally delivered to Scott Smith
Cadillac Co. in Philadelphia, PA from the New York branch of the Cadillac Motor Car
Division on February 21, 1941.
[ Owner: Gene Kappel, IL; photo: © 2001, Craig
Kappel ]
Fleetwood (USA) "Y-Job".
This was built on a Buick platform but I feel it deserves a place in the Cadillac Database
as the mother of all subsequent Cadillac dream and show cars. Begun in 1938, the car was
not shown to the public until 1941. That is why I am showing it here, as well as in the
1938 section
  
 
 
The Buick "Y-Job" has survived and
is frequently seen at collector car events (photo, right)
Fleetwood (USA) Series 60S
proposal, Sch40, pp.42-43
Fleetwood (USA) Series 75
proposal, Sch40, p.48
Fleetwood (USA) Custom imperial sedan,
based on style 6019F formal sedan ($2345), one of a production run of 220 cars in
1941, this one had many special features and a price tag of $4265 [compared to Chevrolet
Master De Luxe 4-door sedan at $795]. It was a matching car to Fleetwood's custom Town car
for the 1941 New York show [below], the color was Damascus Maroon with rose-beige lacquer
on roof to match the Laidlaw broadcloth in the rear compartment, done in a biscuit &
button design. The original owners were Roscoe and Margaret Oakes of Los Angeles. The car
features fully electric windows, hand-fitted into each door, electric divider glass, satin
finished gold-plated hardware in the rear compartment, Di-Noc wood design over Macasson
ebony, non-adjustable front seat pleated in Imperial Antique maroon leather, same on
doors, cut-pile carpet, 24-ct gold plated ornaments including the hood ornament. In 1991
the car was owned by Bud Juneau who, at that time, was editor of the annual Self
Starter, SSA 1991, pp.19-25.
Fleetwood (USA) New York Show car, style 6053LB
town car, green and beige, tan padded roof, small, Derham-styled rear window, special wood
door trim and special upholstery, with vacuum operated window (owned by Ralph
Liebendorfer, Piru, California, 1991), Sch40, p.65, McC p.249. Below, left,
is a photo of car at its NY premiere. I am informed by enthusiast-collector Rick Zeiger
that he bought the NY show car around 2005-06. Congratulations!
 
Fleetwood (USA) rumored 2nd town car [no
details]. Could this be it? There is another photo [in SS, 7/66]
of a similar car found by Bill Fleming of Jacksonville FL
This car is owned [2002] by a member of the
CCCA
Fleetwood (USA) style 6019SA,
special order car (special order #) with sunroof, electric window [only five known Series
60 Special models out of 4100 for 1941 were built with this feature], maroon Laidlaw
broadcloth upholstery (on seats, doors and headliner), gunmetal gray with Valcour maroon
roof.
Fleetwood (USA) stretched Series 60
Special (lengthened 4"), black with black leather roof, division window special
courtesy lights, electric windows, many custom features for GM executive (?), Albert
Bradley. Could be the car shown in the lower picture in Sch40, p. 64.
Fleetwood (USA) (as above, but lowered
also), Titian maroon with black leather roof, division window red leather front seat, pale
beige upholstery in rear, chromed grille apron, special courtesy lights, electric windows,
chromed wheels, other custom features included hidden trunk lid hinges and Fleetwood
script on the lower front fenders. Charles. E. Wilson became President of General Motors
in 1941; he was chauffeured aboard this car for many years. [Ralph Liebendorfer
collection, Piru, California]. Photos: Sch40, p.64. I am informed by
enthusiast-collector Rick Zeiger that he acquired the Wilson car in 2005-06.
Congratulations, Rick!
Fleetwood (USA) (as above, but lowered
also), color unknown, black leather roof, division window collapsible rear quarters
(landau top), special courtesy lights, electric windows, chrome wheels, many custom
features including brushed gold hardware in rear compartment, for GM executive Fred J.
Fisher.
Fleetwood (USA) (as above but stretched
and lowered), Brewster green with black leather roof, division window special courtesy
lights, chrome wheels, small back light, many custom features, built for GM executive
Charles F. Kettering. This car was part of the Ralph Liebendorfer collection in the
mid-seventies [photos in SS9/96, p.14, lower LH and RH sides].
Fleetwood (USA) The Duchess,
commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and used by them until 1952 when it had
done about 18000 miles; it was basically a C-body sedan stretched to fit the 136"
wheel base chassis. The car had wider doors and a 1942, 60S-type "B" pillar. A
special rear division console held a jewel case, vanity case, pipe rack, air cooling unit,
heater and radio. The rear seat footrests were adjustable from the driving seat. The
reported cost was $14000 [i.e. the same price as the 1940 Series 75
limousine modified for the Pope, above]. Photos SS 11-12/64 [interior view], Sch40,
pp.56-57, SSA91, p.26
 
Fleetwood (USA)
Special Series 62 custom, for Alfred P. Sloan, CEO and Chairman of the Board, General Motors Corp.
The car was shipped to A. P. Sloan, Jr. in New York City
on 5/28/1941. It is a full one off custom creation, SBO 3076.
Some important features of the car include the following: Standard
126” wheelbase; Hydra-Matic; “X” type division with full custom finish
panel, custom decorative copper castings, and electrically operated window; division
finish panel includes compartment with lighted vanity mirror and ash receivers; custom
cast gold plated dome light with three lenses; gold plated hood ornament and
fitments in rear compartment with clear plastic inserts; courtesy lights fitted to the
corners of the front and rear seat frames on each side; car lowered ¾” in rear; 60S features in roof line, window frames and
fenders; top has been chopped, rear back light reduced in size, and leather padded roof
installed; chauffeur's compartment equipped with tinted day night mirror, radio with Buick style antenna mounted
in center of roof above windshield; umbrella receiver and cover fitted to
the passenger side of the front seat; chrome
plated dash board with clear coat tinted to match the gray leather interior, and chrome
plated town car style garnish moldings; tops of the doors cut off and 60 Special style
custom chrome window frames installed; hydraulically operated windows; “A”
pillar and front door hinges custom made of cast bronze; rear radio with special
“tethered” controls mounted in copper casting in center of division; rear fenders are modified 62 Series
fenders fitted with shortened 60 Special flanged wheel opening and fender skirts, and
fitted with stainless steel stone guards; special stainless steel rocker trim; chrome
plated wheels; shortened 60 Special front fenders with custom built door pods fitted; hood
has no chrome cast side vents as common to production 41’s; no raised areas stamped
into the hood sheet metal to accommodate side vents; trunk fully lined with carpet
including the underside of the deck lid. Special thanks to Whitney Otis in Colorado who acquired the
car in January 2007 from Ralph Liebendorf, and who has kindly provided the detailed facts
about this very special car, as well as a photo [below] before restoration. Hopefully
there will be more when the restoration is completed.
A forlorn-looking custom '41-62 arrives in Pueblo;
try to imagine
what this ultra-rare car will look like when it has been fully restored !
[ Photo: © and courtesy Whitney Otis, owner ]
Fleetwood (USA) Style 6733 formal
sedan, body tag 41-6733, body #129, paint #57, trim # 77; no indication on body tag of
special order (special order #); possibly a dealer conversion; SSA 1991, p.44
Fleetwood (USA) Style 7533L 9-passenger
livery sedan, with division (only 6 built at a cost of $3050 each)
GM [Cadillac] (USA) Prototype
for 1941 La Salle that was not to be; La Salle production ended in 1940;
Cadillac added a new line of cars (the Series 61) to replace the latter.
Loewy, Raymond (USA): Custom 2-passenger
convertible coupe with front fenders flowing into the doors and rear quarter panels [like
the Duchess, by Fleetwood]; special "circled" hood and door medallions,
custom grille, five custom louvers on front fenders behind front wheel openings.
Rollston (USA) Conversion of 3-window
sedan to formal sedan; photo Sch40, p.69. A number of these conversions may have
been done.
[Unknown, USA] hybrid 1941-42-46 model
seen at a California car show has elements of 1941 de luxe 4-dr. convertible, '41 hood
vents, '46 grille, bumpers, hood and crest, '46-47 fender spears, '47 Cadillac
fender script and sombrero wheel covers, SSA 1993
[Unknown, USA] hybrid 1941Cadillac
convertible coupe street rod powered by a Chevrolet engine!
[Unknown, USA] Woody wagon for Gillig
Corporation [photo OCW, 22.8.91]
[Unknown, USA?/Europe?] This
customized "candy-bronze" Series 63 sedan was photographed at the Antwerp
Classic Salon , in Belgium, in March 2004, by CLC member and friend Rik Gruwez of
Bruges. Now WHO would want to do that to such a rare and beautiful classic? But I
guess you have to admire the quality of the workmanship!
Unknown (USA?) Convertible coupe with Plexiglas
roof over the driver's compartment and snap-on tonneau cover over the rear seating area.
 
Photos: Internet, May 2004
Unknown (USA?) Pick-up truck on Cadillac chassis
[ Photo: © and courtesy the late Gene Babow ]
[Unknown, USA] 1941Cadillac
town car on Series 60 Special chassis. Fully enclosed rear half-top.
Elegant but not practical as regards access to the rear passenger compartment
 
 
  
[ Photos: Internet, 4/2006 ]
Van der Stricht, Patrick (Switzerland)
Patrick is a well-known Swiss automotive writer and cartoonist, as well as a devoted
Cadillac enthusiast. This is his artist's proposal for a
1938-39-40-41-48-49-51-53-54-55-56-57-58 custom Eldorado coupe (...and I may even have
missed a couple of years in my speedy examination of this delightful drawing!
Drawing courtesy of Patrick Van der Stricht
1942
Derham (USA) 4-door convertible sedan [may
have been built after WWII on the 1942 Series 63 chassis - it has the post-war Derham
script on the side of the hood lid]. Photo: Sch40, p.118 [image dr42drh]
Derham (USA) 4-door town car on Series
60S chassis, McC p.258. This car is still running [1999] and is still in
Maine.
 
Derham (USA) 4-door town car on Series
75 chassis, McC p.261
Fleetwood (???) (USA) 4-door sedan mock
up, Sch40, pp.73-74
Not really a "dream car" but exceptional
nonetheless, this
1942 Fleetwood style 6723 sedan for 7 passengers was pictured
at the CLC Grand National in Detroit, in August 2002
[ Photo: © 2002, J. Scott Harris ]
Fleetwood (???) (USA) 4-door sedan mock
up, Sch40, pp.73-74
Fleetwood (???) (USA) 4-door Series
60S sedan mock up, Sch40, pp.80-83
Fleetwood (???) (USA) From 1978 to 1985,
this unique phaeton (4-door convertible sedan) on the Series 60S, 133" wheel
base chassis was owned by John & Irene Linhardt of New York (now of Palm City, FL); it
was subsequently acquired by a Mr. B.W. Reese of 20309 Concord Avenue, Hayward, CA; he
described his car as having "three" windshields, all electrically operated
windows and having cost $100,000 to build; at that time the car still had the 1942
blackout grille and was fitted with 1953-54 Eldorado wire wheels. A later, color
photo (below) shows a fire-engine red car with stock 1942 wheels but re-chromed grille.
The car was on show again at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August 2002. At that
time, it was owned by Robert and Sandra Bahre, of Oxford, Maine. The Concours program
mentioned that car had been valued at $16,000 when it was built, in 1942; this information
is at odds with the $100,000 figure quoted by Mr. Reese. On the RH side of the dash is a
gold-colored plaque bearing the inscription: "This certifies that this automobile was
expressly designed and hand made by the Cadillac Motor Car Company"; the plate is
"signed" Harley Earl, Chief Designer. In my opinion this is a later add-on and
was not affixed to the car until after the first restoration (it looks to much like a
similar "authentication tag" that I had specially engraved for an old Mustang of
mine: "This car was specially designed by Ford Motor Company for Yann H.
Saunders"...] Also in my opinion, the 1942 Maine tags also are not original. Sch40,
p.79, McC p.258.
 
[ Photo (center): courtesy Norm Uhlir and CLC Self-Starter
]
 
 
The preceding five (cropped) photos were supplied
kindly by "Jim",
a Cadillac enthusiast in attendance at the 2002 Pebble Beach concours.
  
These three shots were supplied kindly by Philippe, a
Belgian Cadillac enthusiast
Fleetwood (USA) Town car, probably on Series
62 chassis, for GM executive; color photo, SSA 1992, cover
Fleetwood (USA) Town car on Series 60S
chassis
Fleetwood (USA) Style 7533L
9-passenger livery sedan, with division (only 6 built at a cost of $3306 each)
[Unknown, USA] conversion to pick-up
truck; I believe the photo at left, below, was taken at an international Cadillac meet in
Touraine, France. I have it from Daniel [aka "Zoot"] Dimov, a friend and
automotive writer for France's Nitro magazine, that the car was found in Florida,
in the auto classifieds; included with a lot of more recent Cadillac
limousines were two of these 1942 pickup trucks on Cadillac chassis. The buyer, a biker
friend of Zoot's went to view the cars on a used car lot bordering the Everglades. An Arab
gentleman bought the first one; Zoot's friend got the second. Both were converted from
sedans, during in the forties, at the request of a Las Vegas casino; they were used as
baggage trucks for the casino's VIP guests who, in turn got hauled around in the regular
limos. Trivia: the French biker-buyer
also is an automotive writer and has featured in one of his stories this car, plus his
super-fast '51 stick-shift Cadillac coupe.
 
 
[ Pictures immediately above, courtesy of Americaines
Classiques, magazine of the American Car Club de France (ACCF) ]
Cadillac (USA) Persons
confronted with this Cadillac-powered "custom" vehicle probably did not refer to
it as a "dream car", so much as a nightmare. Indeed, this is the power plant of
the M-24 tank that saw action throughout war-torn Europe and the Pacific in the early to
mid-forties. These are two Cadillac engines and transmissions, mounted side by
side, each one driving a track. It is said that there was no reverse gear.
[Unknown - USA ? ] Modern
"hot-rod" conversion from 1942 Cadillac Sedanette
 
 
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