[ last update: 04.30.2014 ]

The (new) Cadillac Database©

The Cadillac V-16

Series 452-452A
1930-1931

Part 1j(ii)
Production Records


Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or to the "V-16" index page

 

Continued from Part 1

Before proceeding, I'd like to share with you some thoughts I received from Carl Stoutenberg, another V-16 aficionado who is currently attempting to shed some light on the mysterious "LX" prefix/suffix used by both Fisher and Fleetwood for a number of their custom jobs, starting in the twenties I believe.  I know these letter codes were not restricted to the V-16 as I have seen them used at least once on a custom V-12 model built for screen comic, Joe E. Brown.  This is borne out also by the fact that in late 1933 the highest "LX" number already was higher than 5500, although total V-16 production never reached that number. Subtracting the lowest known number from the highest one, Carl has calculated that 1381 "LX" numbers may have been assigned in 1933 alone.

Carl and I both regret that not everyone has the passion for trivia pursuit that we both do.  We would love to spend a few weeks (months?) combing through the Cadillac archives that have been preserved in the Historical Section under the watchful eye of chief historian, Greg Wallace. Our friends Ron Van Gelderen and Matt Larson did just that in order to properly document their definitive history of Cadillac's companion car, the La Salle [© 2000, Turner Publishing Company, 412 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42002-3101 - ISBN #1-56311--519-0].  There is no doubt that to have the last word on the sixteens probably would take just as long.  Every new visit to the archives seems to turn up new, unsuspected material and photos.

Carl says he is attacking the elephant a little at a time, as the whole is overwhelming. He has limited his study to 1933 models for the time being, but the results of his research certainly will help to better understand the "LX" codes.   For the 1933 sixteens alone, Carl has found at least 4 variations of the body tag, which is strange for a model of which only 125 units were built.

So, how many tags in total?

In addition, at least one of the tags seen by Carl is an obvious reproduction.   This could be based on factual information about the car; then again, it could have been made up following the conversion of the body from one style to another (...is not a phaeton or roadster a better "investment" than a drab sedan?).

I recall reading somewhere that from 1933 through 1937, the-sixteens were built only to special order.  I assume, therefore, that all 1933 cars would carry an "LX" code.  Between us, Carl and I have found #LX4571 on a convertible Victoria built for the actor Robert Montgomery [2 such models were built], #LX5266 on the convertible coupe built for Theodore W. Case [4 of the latter style were built], #LX5270 on the unique1 formal  limousine purchased from Uppercu Cadillac by Frederick Vanderbilt [he paid a reported $12,500 for it -that is almost double the list price of the base model at the time], #LX5441 on another '33 model (no details currently available) and #LX5514 on the unique, custom, dual-cowl phaeton built for a Mr. G.E. Crandell. 

Carl says that the "LX" numbers stenciled on the firewall and shown on the body tag of the sixteens he has seen for 1933 do not appear on the factory build sheets; they are listed, nonetheless, in Cadillac's Master Parts List of body styles actually built. According to Carl, the "LX" numbers, like the chassis/engine numbers, are consecutive; however, they are not restricted to a single engine configuration (V-8, V-12 or V-16), which will explain why "LX" numbers exceed the total number of V-16 cars built.

To confuse the issue even more, the 1933 cars reportedly all carried a dash plaque by Fleetwood listing an "owner" number, other than the consecutive body number.  For example, the plaque in the Montgomery car reads "45" whereas only two of this style were built and numbered; they were numbered "9" [the Montgomery car] and "10"[built for one Hill Blackett]; this may be a further indication that same body styles probably were mounted on both the V-8 and V-12 chassis.

The lowest custom job number I have seen thus far is 2951LX,  identified by Carl Steig from factory records as a special V-16 sedan for five passengers, built along the lines of regular Fisher job #159.  For a time, I was convinced that initial digits "29" [there are a number of unique models with these initial digits in their job or style number] were an indication of the year the special order was made or recorded; however, taking into account the additional research done by both Carl Steig and Carl Stoutenberg, it seems I may be completely off track.  Their research suggests that Fisher and Fleetwood may have built already 2900 special jobs on the V-8 chassis (and possibly also on the La Salle chassis), even before the V-16 came into being in December of 1929, or the V-12 in September the following year.

We hope this section on the "X" and "LX" sixteens sparks some interest in this aspect of Fisher/Fleetwood job numbering and that some of you with access to factory archives can shed more light on this interesting topic.

 

A Note re Fisher-bodied Sixteens of 1930-31

I have only seen one surving Sixteen with Fisher coachwork. It is owned and was fully restored in the early part of the new millennium by my friend Dick Shappy of Rhode Island. Photos of the car (below) show it to have the regular, raised-panel hood used on all Fleetwood bodies mounted on the Sixteens since December 1929. That is why, in the small line drawings throughout this section, I have shown the Fisher styles with the rectangular hood vents rather than the long, vertical vent slitsts used by Fisher in 1930.  We may also assume that Fisher bodies would be mounted on the later (rather than earlier) V-16 chassis, which means that the rectangular vent ports would be standard.

 

v6shap2.jpg (7586 bytes)     v6shap4.jpg (5837 bytes)     v6shap6.jpg (8636 bytes)
Fisher-bodied coupe on V-16 chassis
[ Owner:  Dick Shappy, RI ]

 

 

 

____________________________
1  Although this model is unique, still it carries body #14, suggesting that at least thirteen identical bodies may have been mounted also on V-8 and V-12 chassis.  Painted on the firewall of that car were the numbers "M.5000088" [engine/chassis number], "B.14" [body number] and "J. 5530" [i.e. the job or style number]


UNIQUE
Fisher bodies
Job/Style number Body Style Units Built Notes
30-16-158 A regular Fisher-styled 2-pass.coupe; two other unique jobs based on this Fisher style also are listed below (jobs #2902LS and #LX2904) My line drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors. This car has survived; it was reported some years ago in a private collection in R.I. 1

 

v6_158.JPG (8370 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 2-pass. coupe may have looked like

 
30-16-162 A regular Fisher-styled 7-pass.sedan; one more unique job was built, based on this Fisher style and is listed below (job #2951LX) My line drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

v6_30x.JPG (8636 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 2-pass. coupe may have looked like

 
2651-X [special job number] This car was identified by Carl Steig as a Fisher-bodied 5-pass. sedan, similar to job # 159.  1

 

v6_159.JPG (8649 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 5-pass. sedan may have looked like

 
2901-LX [special job] 7-pass. sedan, body by Fisher]; I would  assume that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

30X2.JPG (54006 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 7-pass. sedan may have looked like
(add V-16 hood and  "43" type sill)

 
2902-LX
???		 [special job] Custom 2-pass. coupe which I guess was similar in outward appearance to the regular Fisher style 158. My line drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

v6shap4.jpg (5837 bytes)
This photo should give an idea of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 2-pass. coupe may have looked like

 
LX-2903
???		 [special job number] Custom 2-pass. convertible coupe. My montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1


v6_168.JPG (7748 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 2-pass. convertible coupe may have looked like

 
LX-2904
???		 [special job number] Custom 2-pass. coupe.  My montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

v6shap4.jpg (5837 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed  
Fisher 2-pass. coupe may have looked like

 
LX-2905 [special job number] Custom 5-pass. town sedan, Fisher order #7877, engine No 702388, for GM exec. C.H. Clise; 2-tone gray, desert sand moldings, fenders and chassis, Tokyo ivory striping and wheels, delivered to the executive garage (Madame X styyling features). My libne drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

4161Sb.JPG (7338 bytes)
My own impression of what this special Fisher
5-pass. town sedan may have looked like
[note: Madame X style windshield]

 
2911-LX
???		 [special job number] Custom 5-pass. sedan similar in outward appearance to Fisher job #159. My line drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

v6_159.JPG (8649 bytes)
My own impression of what this specially trimmed 
Fisher 5-pass. sedan may have looked like

 
LX-2913 [special job number] Custom 5-pass. coupe, Fisher order #7878, engine #702117, plain Wiese upholstery code 2972 Silver Gray, silver leather piping, spotlight, 2-tone green, silver leaf striping, shipped to Tabor Cadillac, Hartford, CT, on 21.6.1930 for a Mr. Dewitt Page (Madame X styling features). My line drawing  montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

v6lx2913.JPG (8329 bytes)
My own impression of what this special Fisher 5-pass.
Victoria coupe may have looked like [Madame X
windshield, like job #LX2905, above]

 
2951-LX A special, custom 7-passenger sedan similar in outward appearance to Fisher job #162, built in 1931. My line drawing montage (right) assumes that all the Fisher-bodied sixteens except #30X were mounted on the "43..." type chassis and got a V-16 hood with five louver doors 1

 

30X2.JPG (54006 bytes)
This photo gives an ideampression of what this special
Fisher 7-pass. sedan  may have looked like

 
30-X [special job number] Custom 7-pass. sedan (test car).  Factory photo at right shows that unlike the other custom Fisher bodies on the V-16, this one retained the regular 1930 Cadillac hood with closely spaced  vertical louvers 1

 

30X2.JPG (54006 bytes)
Factory photo of job #30-X

 


UNIQUE Fleetwood bodies

 
Job/Style number Body Style Units Built Notes
2950-X This custom job was built in 1931.  I am guessing that this was a made-to-order special sedan for 7-passengers, using a regular sedan in Fleetwood's "43..." group  In the absence of a build sheet or factory photo, your guess  is as good as mine 1

 

30X2.JPG (54006 bytes)
This photo gives an ideampression of what this special
Fisher 7-pass. sedan  may have looked like

 
3289-B
[3289A?]		  

Special 7-pass. town car thought by Jack Triplett to be a re-body job; it is listed in the Master Parts Book (info: "Cars & Parts", July '72, p.86); "32" indicates that a 1928 chassis may have been used . There exists a designer's drawing (below) marked "3289A"; could it have been the basis for this car ?

 

 1

[ no photos ]
 

3289a.JPG (13565 bytes)    Fr_cane.jpg (8407 bytes)
Features of this style (so far as may be determined by examining the factory designer's drawing)
are a front section quite similar to style #4260 special phaeton and a rear section like style #4325
town car; the French cane work applied to the rear body and the coach lamps mounted
on either side of the driver's compartment add retro flair to this distinctive town car style
[ illustration at right shows typical cane design in full size ]

 
3981 Straight sill, no ¼-windows]; initial digits "39" was used to identify 1929-30 Fleetwood style cars; this was probably a slightly modified 4-pass. sedanette, like Fleetwood's 1930 Fleetwind on the V-8 chassis. 1

 

V63981.JPG (9813 bytes)
This is a factory drawing I modified to
illustrate this unique Fleetwood job

 
 

30-3981Fwind1.jpg (29850 bytes)     30-3981Fwind2.jpg (4654 bytes)

30fwind.jpg (7630 bytes)     fwindi.jpg (3534 bytes)
"Fleetwind"  cabriolet, style #3981, a fixed top sedanette cabriolet
version without quarter windows and with a light colored Burbank top over metal;
weight 5,070 lbs; list price $4,500

30awp.jpg (9500 bytes)     30awpPho.jpg (41949 bytes)
Not sure if these two photos show the same "Fleetwind" cabriolet; neither picture has been identified with certainty; we do know that one Fleetwood style #3981
"stationary cabriolet", like this (V8?) model, was fitted with a V-16 engine; it is quite possibly the car on the right; who knows for sure?

 
3991 This car has survived; it began life as a regular 1930 Cadillac Fleetwood "Fleetbourne" town brougham for 7 passengers (body #6) but was fitted (later?) with a V-16 motor. 1

 

30-3991FBourn.jpg (11766 bytes)
This illustration is from the 1929 book of
Fleetwood designs for the 1930 models

 
 

4391DG.JPG (11287 bytes)     3991B2.JPG (18165 bytes)
The line drawing at left is of Fleetwood style #4391;   the artist's rendering at the right shows
Fleetwood's "Fleetbourne" town brougham, style #3991 designed for the V-8 chassis

4391xx.jpg (26973 bytes)     700298plate.jpg (25823 bytes)
This unique car survived and is owned
at this time [2009] by Rick Kellman

 
4155-S [2]  

5-pass. Madame X  sedan with almost vertical "V" windshield and split instrument panel; straight sill, no ¼-windows, no partition or division glass between driver and rear compartments, robe cord with assist cords, arm slings, silk umbrella, sheepskin mat, luggage net [production figure of one unit is my own best guestimate; since car #2 was built in Detroit, with the new, flat, slanting windshield, and 7 units were built in total, I "guestimate" also that the remaining 6 units all were built in Detroit (see #4155-S [1] in Part 1j[i]), above)]. Price 1.1.30 = $7125.

 

 1

[ no photo ]
 

4108cclo.jpg (10810 bytes)     4155V2.JPG (9397 bytes)
Artist's renderings of  both styles #4155-S and
#4155-SC show them with the light-colored Burbank top; nonetheless,
it is believed they all had a black leather roof covering
[as shown at right] like the later,  Detroit-built versions

 
4161 Straight sill, no ¼-windows; this Madame X model was built in Detroit, as you can tell from the slanting windshield; outwardly similar in appearance to style #4161-S, but with a partition and division glass between the driver and passenger compartments (a feature rarely seen in a close-coupled sedan) 1

 

V6p161.jpg (13358 bytes)

 
 

4161dg.jpg (9882 bytes)

 
4200 7-pass. limousine (with division).  Full details are available on this page, devoted to Fleetwood's so-called "French Brougham" 1

 

 
 

          4200drg.jpg (9917 bytes)
I was able to acquire from V-16 enthusiast and CLC member, Craig Watrous,
a copy of the original designer's drawing (right)  for this unique Fleetwood style

 
4206 Special 2-pass. stationary coupe with Burbank roof covering but false landau bars. Styling details include a special belt molding and exposed, chrome-plated door hinges. The factory drawing does not show the special hinges but does include a long golf-bag sorage door in the rear quarters (not visible on the photo). Since there is some doubt as to the ID of styles #4206 and #4207, I decided to give the benefit of the doubt to the designer's original drawings. 1

 

V6p207x.jpg (9314 bytes)

 
 

   4206DGSM.JPG (8604 bytes)
The photo (previous row, right) is ID'd as Fleetwood style #4207 but the car corresponds in fact to this
designer's drawing, a copy of which was acquired from V-16 enthusiast and CLC member, Craig Watrous
[ the large, exposed hinges do not appear on the drawing; moreover, and unlike the drawing,
the car features stubby windshield posts and painted windshield and window frames ]

 
4212-C  

A designer's drawing was included in the copies I got from Craig Watrous; features include the coach sill common to "42..." sixteens, functional landau bars; the car is outwardly similar in appearance to style #4212 but has a folding roof portion over the rear seat passengers.

 

 1

 

[ no photo ]

 

 

4212cdgs.jpg (9366 bytes)     4212clo.JPG (9419 bytes)
This is like regular style #4212, but with a folding roof
portion over the rear seat passengers


This custom job by French coach builder, Duvivier, gives a good general idea what the Fleetwood
equivalent would resemble, except that the French custom job has front-hinged rear doors

 
4220-B  

As there was only a minor derivation from regular style #4220, it seems that no designer's drawing was made. This was a regular town car for seven passengers, with coach sill and ¼-windows; it differs only in having a plain, painted metal roof (no leather roof covering at nolandau bars); it is outwardly similar to style #4220.

 

 1

 

[ no photo ]

 
 

4220dg.jpg (11345 bytes)

 
4225-C The designer's drawing for this style was included with the batch of copies I got from Craig Watrous. The car is outwardly similar in appearance to style #4225 but with a folding roof portion over the rear seat passengers. 1

 

[ no photo ]

 
 

4225cdgs.jpg (8483 bytes)

 
4257 The artist's drawing for this Fleetwood design for a convertible touring car is sxciting ... but was the car ever built. We know a number of them saw the light of day, each with unique styling. 1

 

[ no photo ]

 
 


This is an artist's drawing of proposed Fleetwood style #4257

 
4257-A This is a custom sport phaeton style with a secondary folding cowl and second folding windshield;  there is no belt molding although not visible in this low resolution, compressed digital image. With its straight sill, this car is an exception to the Fleetwood "42..." group, as is style 4257-Hs, below.  This car may have been a conversion of Fleetwood style 4257-H3, below. Two cars designated "4257" have survived; they appear to share some common styling  characteristics with this custom job. 1

 

v6p257a.JPG (12302 bytes)

 
 


This could be a conversion of the latter custom job

4260asm.jpg (9651 bytes)     4257A2.JPG (9973 bytes)
The rear styling on this custom Fleetwood job #4257-A also is quite different from the surviving car(s) described above

 
4257-H Large touring cars like this one were built on the V-8 and V-12 chassis.   This is the only one known to have been powered by the V-16 engine.  The suffix "H" usually indicates increased headroom when the top is up. This car (or a combination of this one and 4257-A, above) may have survived. 1

 

4257H4S.jpg (19038 bytes)

 
 


[ Photo:  Walter Miller collection ]

        4257h3s.jpg (7925 bytes)
 as will be seen from the photo in the preceding row, the actual car got the correct,
curved or coach sill used on the bulk of Fleetwood styles beginning with "42...";
above are my own impressions of Fleetwood style 4257-H with the soft top up (left) and folded back (right)

 
4257-H3(?) The original designer's drawing (filigree, right) is from the collection of V-16 enthusiast and CLC member,
Craig Watrous; it shows this unique touring car style with the horizontal sill typical of Fleetwood V-16 styles
beginning with the prefix "43...".  Below is the actual car (factory photo);  compare the roof height with style 4257-H, above.  I believe the former car had a regular phaeton roof height (circa 49"), Whereas the designer's drawings with specifications shows an inner roof height of 53" (consider the style suffix "H3"). 		1

 

 
 


This one is very similar but has rear-hinged front doors, so probably NOT the same car
note also the increased roof height of the car in the B&W factory photo and designer's drawing!
[ The actual interior roof height is 53", whereas it was usually 49-50" on regular Fleetwood  convertible models ]

 
4260-A This special 5-passenger phaeton is similar in appearance to the regular Fleetwood style #4260 but it features the "Le Baron" hood typical of Fleetwood's "43..." group of sixteens. It has no belt molding.  Unusual in an open car is the cloth upholstery. This was one of the official cars (NOT the pace car) used during the Indianapolis 500 race in 1930; it was driven by "Big Boy" Willard Rader 1

 

V64260a1.jpg (9550 bytes)

 
 

v6CusPha.jpg (26650 bytes)

4260cus.JPG (37668 bytes)     
"Big Boy" Will Rader driving the custom Sixteen at Indianapolis

V6pacar1.jpg (8115 bytes)     V6pacar2.jpg (5548 bytes)
Unique style #4260A was one of the official cars used during the Indianapolis 500 race in 1930;
here we see it fitted with chrome spare wheel covers and Speedway markings

4260pace.JPG (9039 bytes)
I have seen no original designer's drawing for this unique style; I made this montage
using the front of a "43..." group car combined with a modified drawing of regular style #4260

 
4262  

This is a custom. limousine style (division) for seven passengers.   There appear to be no factory photo, artist's rendering or designer's drawing of this Fleetwood job.  The line drawing below is my own impression of the car, based on the description included in factory records. It had a leather roof covering and no ¼-windows; perhaps also it had a special windshield, as I have shown in this drawing.

 

 1

[ no photo ]
 

4262gues.jpg (31025 bytes)
In the absence of an original designer's drawing for unique style #4262, I created
this montage from style #4275 [windshield and front roof] and #4225 [rear roof] 

 
4275  

This is another custom limousine with division, for seven passengers.  The sketch below actually illustrates a Fleetwood style #4225 town car. Try to imagine that car without the open chauffeur compartment like Fleetwood style  #4375 shown below it.

 

 1

[ no photo ]
 

    
Left: artist's sketch of style #4225 town car; right: my own modified sketch showing possible general appearance of style #4275 limousne

 
4355-C Outwardly, this limousine-landaulet style with division, for five passengers, must have looked much like style 4355, with the exception of its functional landau bars, enabling the  roof to be folded back over the rear seat passengers 1

 

[ no photo ]

 
 


This car but with a folding landaulet roof portion over the rear passenger seat

4355cdg.jpg (10978 bytes)
This designer's drawing is for proposed Fleetwood sedan style #4355-SC; it is part of
the set of copies I got from Craig Watrous; none of the latter style were actually built

 
4412  

This town car for five passengers is another exception to Fleetwood's coding system.  The straight sill and belt molding normally would place it in the "41..." group of sixteens, but the latter was reserved for Madame X styled cars which precluded any open town car styles.  My drawing, right, assumes that the car was similar to style 4312 but without the "Le Baron" hood, like coupe style #4476.

 

 1

[ no photo ]
 

V6d412.JPG (9529 bytes)

 
?  

1928/29 sport phaeton (body only). This car spent many years in Obie's Auto Museum, on Long Island, where it was re-discovered and subsequently restored; the "heron" hood ornament was replaced by a "Goddess"; wind wings were added as were whitewall tires; door handles were updated form 1929 style to 1930-31. Cadillac enthusiast, Jeff Maltby, photographed the descriptive placard relating to this car in the Merle Norman collection, San Sylmar, CA, in 2002.  It reads: Although technically not available in 1930 this dual-cowl phaeton body was installed new at the factory.  The first purchaser, a band leader of some repute, convinced Cadillac to install an earlier, unsold body on this V-16 chassis. Writing in the CCCA monthly "Bulletin" (May, 2004), member Benner Hunt confirmed that the car was owned once by AMR Max Obie.  Mr. Obie had said that the car's wealthy owner so loved his 1929 Fisher sport phaeton that he had the factory transfer its body, later, onto a new V-16 chassis. The car is currently (2002) part of the Merle Norman collection [Jack Nethercutt] in San Sylmar, CA.

 

Fleetwood
special
order

V629flt.jpg (11347 bytes)
[ Photo: Long Island Auto Museum ]
 

    
The surviving car o display at Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012
[ Photos: © 2012, Gita Saunders ]
    
      
Photo:  Jack Nethercutt collection, San Sylmar, CA

V629phae.jpg (10239 bytes)    
Photo: Kruse auction catalog and my own line drawing

 
n/a

 

Bare chassis delivered to domestic and foreign coach builders; some of these have survived [check out the "survivors" file].

 

 32

[see below for details]
   

Missing data sheets

 

 4

[see below for details]
   

Missing record

 

 1

[see below for details]
 

 

Grand Total

 

 3251 1

1  The Cadillac Master Parts List shows at least one of each job # 4161-C, 4175-C,  4312-C, 4320-C,  and 4391-C to have been
      built on the V-16 chassis, although none of these models are listed in the preceding table; conversely, the following
      models that we know to have been built do NOT appear in the MPL: #4220-B [1 unit], 4361 [2 units] and 4375-C [2 units];
      obviously there are inconsistencies in the MPL

 

Veesixteen Chassis
with Coachwork by
domestic (U.S.) coach builders

Job/Style number Body Style

Units Built

 Notes
  Eureka, hearse [probably a re-body] 1

 

v630hrse.jpg (13868 bytes)

 
 

 
  Murphy [convertible sedan].  This car has survived. It began life as a regular Fleetwood-bodied roadster, style #4302 1

 

v630mphy.jpg (11153 bytes)

 
 


Two views of the surviving car

V6MurphX.jpg (9101 bytes)
This car has survived

 
 

 

 Rollston [roadster]. This car has survived. 1

 

v6_Rollston.jpg (9621 bytes)

 
 

    
Two views of the surviving  car

 
  Waterhouse [town car]

1

 

 
 

 

 

 

Veesixteen Chassis
with Coachwork by
foreign coach builders

Job/Style number Body Style

Units Built

 Notes
? Bronkhorst, Netherlands [town car]

Possibly a modified version of the European tour car style 4264-B with ¼- windows added; or it may be a full custom job with stretched rear (style #4264-B was a 5-seater, short-bodied, razor-edged brougham)

 1

 

v6bkhs3.jpg (7987 bytes)

 

v6bronkh.JPG (9105 bytes)
This designer's drawing was made up using the
Fleetwood designer's drawing for style #4264-B
[ Photo at right shows Bronkhorst workshop in Holland ]

 
? Duvivier, France [town car-landaulet] 1

 

v630_Duviv.jpg (8524 bytes)

 
 

 
? Farina, Italy [boat-tail speedster]. This car has survived6. 1

 

V6pfab.jpg (9560 bytes)
The pith-helmeted, mustachioed gentleman lighting a smoke on the left is the
wealthy Maharajah of Orccha; his car carries the tag "ORCCHA 1"

 

The preceding car was the Salon Picture of the Month in the June, 1965, issue of the Self Starter. The late Dave Holls, who wrote that column for many years, said is was based on a 1930 V-16 chassis. The body was custom-built by Farina [before Pinin Farina] of Italy.  He added: It is a very unique body style in that when the rear compartment is closed the car is a true boat tailed speedster, when open a dual cowl phaeton, what a  fabulous combination! The entire frame is covered with louvered sheet metal in the best sporting continental tradition. He added that the car had been featured earlier in the Self Starter [which issue?] as well as in Motor Trend [again, which issue?].  It was owned by the late Sheikh Mukhtar who, at the time, was a well-known movie star in India.

v630pf.jpg (56143 bytes)
The original car (factory photo from PF archives in Turin)

v630pfrdst2b.jpg (20408 bytes)     V6pf30.jpg (17476 bytes)     v6Orccha2.jpg (8813 bytes)

    v6Orccha.jpg (22375 bytes)     31PForccha.jpg (10971 bytes)
The car has been (over-)restored a number of times since the 60s; in the above two rows, this is how the car looked at Pebble Beach, in 2005; it appears to have been repainted
closer to the Farina original, above; in addition, the scarlet  velour seat material [installed by Fran Roxas?] appears to have been replaced  by a more plausible and durable dark brown leather

 
? Town-car, landaulet by either Georges Kellner of France or Alexis Kellner of Germany. It may not have survived, 1

 

v630klnr.JPG (7431 bytes)

 
 

 
? Lancefield [possibly the English coach builder who bodied the Van den Plas sport saloon, below]. This car has survived. 1

 

V6lance1.jpg (8805 bytes)

 
 

    
Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012; now the  car sports chrome wire wheels
[ Photos, above 2 rows: © 2012, Gita Saunders ]

 
? Nordberg, Sweden [town car, landaulet]. This car has survived. 1

 

v630nrbg.JPG (12273 bytes)

 

 

v630nrbg2.jpg (58383 bytes)    

         v6NrdbrgRR.jpg (53205 bytes)
On display in the Nordberg showroom, 1930 (?)
[ Photos:  courtesy Olle Ljungstrom, Jan Ströman and Fred Summers ]

 
? Saoutchik, France
[convertible Victoria]		 1

 

 
 

    
This car may not have survived ... which is really a pity; there was a caption to the photo (at right) that I found in a 30s French magazine; it translates as:
Interior of 2-door convertible sedan [actually a convertible Victoria] built by Saoutchik on a 16-cylinder Cadillac chassis.
Leather upholstery with piping. Custom door-opener [see base of driver's door]. Front seat tiltable

 
? Saoutchik, France, special sliding roof sedan conversion from Fleetwood special phseton style #4260 (this is one of six V16 cars that were sent to Europe in June 1930 to participate in a promotional tour). The car has survived. 1

 

 

 
 

    
Above: the Saoutchik conversion of  Fleetwood style #4260 in Fontainebleau, France, in 1974 (tan top, blackwalls, painted spokes, Marchal headlights)
Below: As (over-)restored in the USA in the late eighties (blue top, whitewalls, chrome spokes and hood vents, Grebel headlights)

v6SaouRM1.jpg (41028 bytes)     v6saourm2.jpg (39857 bytes)

V630saou1.jpg (54017 bytes)
The restored car, circa 2010-2011

 
? Van den Plas, England & Belgium [limousine landaulet]. This car has survived. It was restored in the J.C. Leake shops, in Tulsa, OK, circa 1978-79. 1

 

v6vdp05.JPG (11331 bytes)

 
 

    
Somehow, the restored car found its way to Holland
[ Photos: © 2001, Yann Saunders ]

 
? Van den Plas, England & Belgium [Sport Saloon (sedan)] this car is believed to be currently (2004) in Pakistan.7 1

 

Paki16b.JPG (77984 bytes)

 
 

v6paki.jpg (89290 bytes)     

 v6PakiE.JPG (73554 bytes)     v6pakiF.JPG (45789 bytes)   

v6PakiH.JPG (56837 bytes)     v6PakiG.JPG (74288 bytes)
The car has survived and is located in Pakistan [2004]
[ as may be seen from these two photos; it needs major work ]

 
? Voll & Ruhrbeck, Germany [roadster] 1

 

 

3  Possibly also a conversion from a limousine style
4  With quarter windows, full jump seats and lower cane work à la Fleetwood style 4264B; it had different rear window winders
5  Built for the Maharajah of Orchha; acquired in 1960 by Sheikh Mukhtar, a Pakistani film director, then by Akron, Ohio, Cadillac dealer Dave Towell who bought it in April 1976 (the car arrived in Akron in July 1976)
6  Of this car, Pininfarina said in a brochure published in 1999 on the occasion of the Concorso Italiano at Pebble Beach, CA: When the Maharaja of Orchha decided to buy a Cadillac V-16 chassis, he commissioned the young firm in Turin to create the bodywork.  Farina built a handsome, topless body, its boat-tail speedster lines effectively lightening the impression of massiveness inevitable with the V-16's dimensions.
7 Late extra [June, 2004]:  I got a telephone call from the grandson of this car's first owner, a wealthy Pakistani gentleman; the car survives in Pakistan and we hope to hear more about it

 

 

Veesixteen Chassis
not accounted for1

Job/Style number Body Style

Units
Built

 Notes
n/a n/a 4 Blank records
n/a n/a 1 Missing record2

1   I suspect that some of these were display or demonstration engines; I have photos and numbers of two of them
     [#700283 and  700425];  perhaps  someone with access to factory build-sheets could check if there is
     anything on record for these two engine numbers
2   Possibly an early custom job for a GM/Cadillac big-wig; so many designer's drawings exist that could
     easily fit the bill; Fleetwood style  #3289-A is one such custom job that was actually built from an existing
     designer's drawing; so there's no saying that another "special" style slipped past the record keepers during
     this time of major change (and secrecy) at the Cadillac production plant

 

 

Env6demo.jpg (6306 bytes)     V16demo.jpg (6536 bytes)     v6demoEng.jpg (6184 bytes)
These are three demonstration engines, allegedly never mounted in cars

 

 

Production record
[Summary Table in ascending order of rarity]

Group Body Style

Units
Built
"43..." Le Baron  hood 2547
"42..." Coach sill 321
"41..."
[V windshield]		 Madame X  (early) 1(265)
"41..."
[X windshield]		 Madame X  (late) 1(30)
-- Fisher [standard] 25
"44..." Orphan style
[ Atypical belt & sill ]		 12
-- Custom [Fisher] 10
-- Custom [Fleetwood] 4
--

Sub-total

 3214
Other V-16 engine/chassis
-- Bare chassis 32
-- Unaccounted for 5
 

Grand Total

 3251

                            1  Estimate only

 

Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or to the "V-16" index page

 

© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.
[ Background image: Fleetwood designer's drawing of style 4375, the most common V-16 of 1930-31 ]