V-16 Survivors [1934-1937]

Part 4b
Roster of Survivors

Series 452D or Series 60, and Series 35-90, 36-90, 37-90
1934-1937

Regular Production Models
Body Style	Body Number	Engine Number	Latest available information
5825	15	5100051	(1934) This one, with regular wire wheels and hub caps, custom trunk rack and hand-crafted wooden bumpers (replacing the original, delicate bi-plane type) was owned in the seventies by an elderly namesake, Lyle Saunders. In a letter to Stan Squires dated Dec. 26, 1969, Lyle mentioned that his car had been featured in the CLC magazine a few years earlier. He said he had located his car on Long Island, in 1954, and a friend of his had driven it west to IL. In the early 70s, Stan reported the car to be in "very good condition". It has survived [2006], as has its former owner; I learned from the car's new owner, D. Mitchell, IL, in Nov. 2000 that both Lyle (then aged 97) and his wife were well and still enjoyed being taken for occasional rides in the old V16. I learned also that the bumpers are in fact authentic; it is the trunk rack that is made of wood.

5825	#40	5130317	(1937) This one was not previously listed here. I found it on the roster of survivors prepared by Stan Squires in the early 70s. There, it was registered to a James E. Gaskins of Norfolk, VA and described as being in poor condition. He said the prior owner (unnamed) had replaced the original leather top with some kind of cloth top that deteriorated owing to the car being stored outside. The trim code is 50403. Has it survived? Late Extra (Apr., 2011): Owner enthusiast, Steve Brauer added this comment: Yann, The town car (5825) pictured in your Database as 5130317 is not that one; it is photographed in AZ, and is likely the Barrett- Jackson car, 51100206. Info on 5130317 is attached. It’s body was a total loss, and had been for a long time. Thanks for the tip, Steve. I have moved the photo and modified the corresponding entries.
5825	?	?	(1937) This one [one of only two town cars built on the "Sixteen" chassis in 1937, and the only known survivor] belonged to President Quezon of the Philippines; it was given as a gift to Gen. Douglas MacArthur when he was under contract to the Filipino Government to form a military force there. The car remained on Corregidor Island following WW2 in the Pacific. It is hoped at one time to get the car to the USA on a long lease arrangement with the Philippines, whereby it could be restored and better protected in a museum. In fact, the car was shipped back to Quezon City and became part of the memorabilia collection honoring former president Quezon. It was fully restored by the Vintage Car Club of the Philippines. It is said that GM funded part of the restoration at a cost of $25,000.
[ Photos: (except top, left) by Craig Watrous and Robert De Mott, CCCA ]
5825-C	38	?	(1936) Sadly, this magnificent automobile is not believed to have survived. This town car/landaulet with collapsible roof over the rear seat passengers is said to have cost $17,000 [that's about $360,000 in today's dollars!
Fleetwood style #5825C, special "V" windshield town landaulet for seven passengers: outwardly similar to style #5825 but with folding roof over sear seat area; Above: catalog illustration from the 1934 book of Fleetwood designs: Below: (left) coach builders fitting the integral roof luggage rack; (right) the finished car, which cost a reported $17,000 One of the most expensive of all Cadillacs [that is until the Seville models of 1976] was this custom designed and hand-finished town landaulet. It appears in factory records as Fleetwood style #5825C [body #38]. According to Automobile Topics for July, 1936 this hand-made landaulet was commissioned by an Eastern motorist and cost a reported $17,000. The collapsible rear quarters were covered in imported black leather and all the interior hardware was hand-wrought in natural brass. All the interior hardware was finished so as to match the tan whipcord upholstery; the texture of the latter was so fine that it looked much like broadcloth. At $13.074 in 1957, even the bespoke Eldorado Brougham was cheaper! I wonder who owned this almost chrome-free vee-sixteen and what happened to it. Photos: courtesy GM/Cadillac. In his book, "Fleetwood - The Company and the Coachcraft", James J. Schild identifies this car as Body #38, although only one unit was built and only nine of the regular Fleetwood style #5825 were built in the period from 1934-1937; I am guessing, therefore, that similar bodies were mounted on V-8 and V-12 chassis in the same period
5825-LB	11	5100031	(1934) Town car, no sidemounts. First owner: actress Marlene Dietrich. She used the car for a tour of Europe that year and left it in England. In 1963, this car was reported to be owned by Mrs. William Ott of St. Petersburg, FL [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]. Mrs. Ott reportedly bought the car in 1960 from a Mr. George Hormel of Austin, MN who had got it in 1955 from the original owner. My information [obtained from Stan Squires] shows that a Mr. Milford "Tiny" Gould of Trucksviller, PA, then bought it from Mrs. Ott. It was owned subsequently, in the early 70s, by Leonard Poole of Allentown, PA. The British magazine Motor Sport for 11/1962 (p.894) reported that it was sold at auction, as part of the Sword collection in the UK, for £375 [???] to a collector in Australia? Yet, Stan Squires sent me a cutting from a MI Sunday newspaper from Nov. 26, 1972, reporting that a Mr. Charles Wood of Lake George, NY, had paid $9,500 for this car at the First Philadelphia Auto Show Auction conducted there by Kirk F. White Motorcars; it came with a photostat of the original title signed by Marlene Dietrich. In a later ad in Motor Sport, December 1973 [p.1459], the car is mentioned once again. Did Sword buy it from Mrs. Ott or from Len Poole? It was last reported in a Museum collection in New Zealand [6/1999] Late extra (9/2000): I am in contact with Stan Bellamore, the museum manager; he supplied the engine and body numbers. The body #11 is at odds with the records which show that only 4 units of this style were built in 1934. I am assuming, therefore, that the factory grouped this style with the following ones: 5775 (10 units), 5775FL (1 unit) and 5775S (5 units). If anyone has another suggestion, please let me know. Later still (4/2006): Indefatigable V16 researcher, Terry Wenger, has passed on some interesting information re the Dietrich car. He writes: Concerning the Marlene Dietrich car. I thought I read somewhere that the car she posed with was a stand-in; her car has the small hubcaps and exposed wire wheels as shown [below] when Mrs.Ott owned it. Since Marlene took delivery of the car in early '35, the new bumpers must have been installed. If you look closely at the RH picture, below, the right license bracket is still there, only it has a sign that says that the car was owned originally by Miss Dietrich. The picture you have of a town car owned by James Gaskin Sr. also is Marlene's car, taken in the '70's at Hershey [I have now moved that picture to this entry]. I took several pictures of it at Hershey that year, myself, and it still had the same sign on the RH front license bracket that it did when Mrs. Ott owned it. Thanks for the update, Terry.
The photo (top) shows the German-American actress with her new car; the lower one was taken at the time the car was owned by Ms. Ott [ Note: the license plate as changed sides ] The car at left was owned in the seventies by James E. Gaskin, Sr., of Norfolk, VA Center and right: excerpt and cover of the book Marlene Dietrich, by her daughter, Maria Riva; I believe this is the car to which Maria refers; there is a 1933 town car like this one with a possible Marlene heritage; however, I think that if her mother had owned TWO such gorgeous town cars within such a short space of time, Maria would have mentioned it and there probably would be photos of it
5825-LB	#35	5110206	(1936) This car was delivered as a show car to New York City on October 31, 1935 then diverted to Newark, NJ on July 10, 1936, where it was sold. It is the only Fleetwood town car on the V-16 chassis for 1936. The base price was $8,850; options included sidemounts, license frames, trunk rack and rear seat radio, bringing the total to around $9000. This car was acquired by the U.S. Navy and used by Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King from 1941 through 1946; at that time it carried USN tag #17200. It was owned later by Leo L. Gephart (mid-sixties). In 1970 it appears from a card I got from Stan Squires that it was owned by Carl J. Kalinoff in Ohio; he said it was an "excellent original". then, for many years, by Robert R. Lewis (since about 1971 and through the eighties). Mr. Gephart told Stan Squires in August 1965 that the car had been Admiral Nimitz' staff car through WW2 (this may be a mistake as other sources refer to it as belonging to Admiral King); it was 100% complete with nothing missing or broken and (in 1965) had circa 37,000 miles on the odometer; the interior hardware was gilded like the well- known surviving Fleetwood V-12 town car owned by collector, Jack Frank. Subsequently, this car was acquired by Dick Kughn (early nineties?). I saw it advertised for sale on the Internet by RM Classic Investments in Aug. 1995. Kruse Auctions advertised it again in Aug. 1996 [lot #973] for $225,000. I next saw it for sale at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ, in Jan. 1998. It may have been acquired there by Don Behring for the Blackhawk collection, although I did not see it there when I visited in June 1999. Late Extra (Apr., 2011): Owner enthusiast, Steve Brauer added this comment: Yann, The town car (5825) pictured in your Database as 5130317 is not that one; it is photographed in AZ, and is likely the Barrett- Jackson car, 5110206.. Thanks for the tip, Steve. I have moved the photo and modified the corresponding entries.
Left: The car when it was owned by Robert R. Lewis, circa 1971 Right: In Scottsdale, AZ, during the annual Barrett-Jackson auction In this snapshot, the car was owned by Dick Kughn Here it is displayed in the collection of author, Clive Cussler (2002) I believe the photos in the above two rows all depict the same car. I took the one at top (right) the two below it at Scottsdale, AZ, in January 1998. The one in the upper row, left, was taken at the Gilmore Museum, Kalamazoo, MI, during the Cadillac-LaSalle Experience, in June 1993 [that photo, courtesy of my dear friend Katie Robbins]
5833S	#12	5100106	(1934) On the roster of survivors prepared by Stan Squires in the early 70s, this one is reported to have been scrapped. Only the engine remained. It was in the name of Ben F. Snider of Riverside, CA. I found Ben's business card among the papers Stan sent me.
5833S	#24	5110221	(1936) Among the correspondence exchanged in the 70s between Stan Squires and owners of V-16s from the 1934-37 era, there is a letter from a Charles Jones dated Jan. 22, 1979 telling Stan he had just bought this car from a Mr. Paul Mundt of El Cerrito, CA. Stan was able to tell Mr. Jones that the car had shipped form the factory April 13, 1936; he did not know the original destination or the owner's name. Letr, this Town sedan was owned by Bill Ruger Jr. of Ruger firearms in Newport, New Hampshire. I chanced upon this car in Amelia Island during the 2012 Concours d'Elégance staged there annually. A placard in front of the car read: This car is the only one of the 11 still in existence [built from 1934 to1937; it is also one of only 2 built in 1936]. This car was acquired by the present owner in 1995 as a very good original car. It was restored by Fran Roxas and his Vintage Motor Group. The restoration was complete in every detail and was completed in 1998. It is finished in its original Tunis blue with taupe interior in leather, Bedford cord and broadcloth. Late extra (7/2012): Meadow Brook and Pebble Beach class winner; offered at auction, in July 2012, by RM, from the collection of William Ruger Jr. The catalog description reads: Demand for the new series of V-16s fell far short of the stated maximum of 400 examples annually: a mere 212 examples of all body styles were built from 1934 to 1937. This gorgeous Town Sedan was purchased by Mr. Ruger in 1996 from the estate of a collector in California and was delivered directly to Fran Roxas for a comprehensive body-off restoration. According to Mr. Ruger, #5110221 was a good, complete, original car in need of the restorer’s attention. The work took approximately two years, and when the car was delivered in 1998, it received a First in Class at Meadow Brook and a First in Class at Pebble Beach that same year. It also performed wonderfully in the first annual Tour d’Elegance. The virtually flawless interior was refurbished using Bedford cord with leather bolsters on the seats and broadcloth on the doors and headliners. Leather is also used to accent the armrests, visors windlacing, and other places that typically receive the most wear. The entire choreography of material was arranged exactly as specified by the designers at Fleetwood. Other accents include the contrasting black painted dash with its Art Deco gauge faces and zig-zag pattern created by chrome strips, which is found on both the instrument cluster and mirrored on the glove box door. The elegant four-spoke banjo-style steering wheel completes the presentation, along with the immaculately finished wooden garnish moldings. The light interior is beautifully complemented by the deep Tunis Blue exterior paint, which was the original color and was applied over excellently prepped body panels, and is completed by deep mirror chrome. The coachwork rides on body color wire wheels with the desirable, elegant chrome “clock winder” hubcaps and spoke covers shod with whitewall tires. Of note are the dual exhaust tips, which are angled toward each other; Mr. Ruger notes that this was based off of the original exhaust system and verified by original Cadillac drawings. Attention to this particular detail is not only historically accurate but helps better sweep exhaust behind the car. The nicely-sculpted integral trunk contains the spare tire as well as jacking tools. The immaculate engine bay only shows light sign of use, which can be detailed in short order back to show readiness, and overall, the serious observer should note that this is the only surviving example of Style 36-5733S in existence. The interior work is by Davidsen's Auto Interior in New Hampshire. The sale in 2012 brought $247,000.
Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012 [ Photos: © 2012, Gita Saunders ] [ Photos these 3 rows: RM catalog ]
5835 [rebody]	[V-12] #35	5100129 ???	(1935) This was originally a limousine style 5875 [body #58] that was subsequently destroyed. It now carries a convertible coupe body off a V12 chassis and uses a 1933 V16 engine [???]. What became of the 1935 limousine body and engine listed here is not known; this car was featured in the August 1963 and Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the CLC's Self-Starter magazine where it was reported under the ownership of a Mr. Bernie Miller. On the roster of survivors prepared by Stan Squires in the early 70s, this one was reported to be owned by Joseph P. Mikula of Sacramento, CA.
5835	?	?	(1934) I believe this car was photographed at Pebble Beach in 2008. It has the distinctive bi-plane bumpers and no sidemounts

5835	?	?	(1936) Is this the car that was offered for sale at different Kruse auctions as lots #5031, #687, #720 (in 1989) with a price tag of $800,000! The color is brown and the condition rated as excellent. Note the lack of sidemounted spares!
5835	#41	5110243	(1936) This car is said to have had a frame-off restoration in Canada, so it could be the one owned in the 70s by D. Chartier, Jr., of Sherbrooke, Canada; he had offered it to Stan Squires in Oct. 1976 for $58K; he said it was a good original ...but for new paint, new upholstery, new top and new tires. This car was a Kruse lot #650 (in 1991) and #47 and #646 (in 1994) and The color could be black or dark brown. The rumble seat is special; the original Fleetwood design comprised two Opera type [auxiliary seats], facing sideways, concealed in side walls when not in use [photo, below]. However the location of the auxiliary seating could be changed; it cost $200 and delayed delivery by one week. As lot #646 it was reported as sold for $285,000 [a far throw from the $800,000 asking price!]. The two B&W photos (below) are from the seventies (before the Canadian restoration); the rumble seat was already in place at that time.
*[ Photo: Self* Starter, Jan. 2007 ] [Color photos: Thomas Barrett III, courtesy the late Mike Chapuisat, PA]**
5875	#56	5100103	(1935) Reported in the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, as being only a parts car, owned by Mr. Chester Holley of Tampa, FL. He bought it from a Minister. Mr. Holley last saw it somewhere North of Orlando, FL. According to listing of survivors prepared by Stan Squires in the early 70s, only the engine remains; it was registered at that time to R. Egidi, Jr., of Yonkers, NY. The body was effectively scrapped. An earlier owner may have been Richard Terhune of Sanford, FL.
5875	#58	5100129	(1935) Has been converted to a convertible coupe [body #35]. According to the roster of survivors drawn up by Stan Squires in the early 70s, the workmanship was poor but the car was running.
5875	#77	5100133	(1935) Formerly a 4-door sedan, this one was converted to a 5-pass. convertible [body #16 off a V8 or V12 car]. According to the roster of survivors drawn up by Stan Squires in the early 70s, it was registered to Eugene W. Zimmerman of Harrisburg, PA. According to a card dated Feb. 14, 1969, from Cadillac dealer and friend Dave Towell of Akron, OH, this one may have been sold by him to Mr. Zimmerman.
5875	#79	5100137	(1935) is included in the roster of survivors drawn up in the early 70s by Stan Squires. It was registered at that time to Dr. John F. Patt of Gilbertsville, PA, but described by Stan as "barely restorable".
5875	#85	5110204	(1936) This car was owned in 1963 by a Mr. Victor N. Agather of Mexico City, Mexico [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; he bought it in 1959 from a Sr. Durán. This matches the information included in Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s; he described the car as "excellent and in good running condition." Late extra [June 2004] This from the son of the previous owner: I chanced upon your database and was pleased to find data on my car. I wanted to let you know that your information is correct. My father, Victor N. Agather passed away 3 years ago. Today I own the car [in a letter from Victor to Stan Squires, on Apr. 22, 1969, he said he had located a spare V-16 engine which he was having shipped to Mexico]. I imported the car back from Mexico about 10 years ago. It is a running car, though a bit rough. I have been slowly upgrading it while still driving it. The history I have is that the car was specially ordered for a customer in San Francisco, though I do not know who. The car entered Mexico in 1946 (I have the import papers). I have heard it was owned by the Governor of the state of Chihuahua, though I cannot verify this. I also have heard that the car lived in the port Mazatlán, Mexico, though I cannot verify this either. There is some corrosion on the underside of the running boards that would support its having lived in a corrosive environment like a seaport, but there is no corrosion anywhere else. If you have any other information on the car I would appreciate it [sorry Victor, but the only information I have, about any surviving V-16 cars, is what you see in this section - I never hold ANYTHING back from Database users, unless formally asked to do so by a vehicle's owner]. The car is a wonderful and after 45 years is definitely part of the family. Lots of weddings are in its history as well as the regular transportation to Church on Sundays. Perhaps Victor has a photo or two that we could add here for the viewing pleasure of our many Database visitors ?
5875	#95	5110212	(1936) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. Bob Mellin of Richmond, MI [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; Bob bought it on June 30, 1962, from Thomas W. Synott II of Wenonah, NJ. Mr. Synott had got it from William T. Walter of Drexel Hill, PA, in 1954; Mr. Walter had bought it in 1951. The car was sold originally through a dealer in Jacksonville, FL where it had been shipped from the factory on April 21, 1936. Late Extra, May 2009: the car has been advertised for sale, on the Web, by Platinum Classics who describe it as an incredible example of an original survivor, showing very low mileage. It is all original and untouched with the exception of some of the exterior body paint. Impeccable history from new : Owned in Michigan from 1965 - 2009, along with a number of other V16 Cadillacs. This car was also item number: 120427334394 on Ebay in May 2009. It appears to be a solid base for a minute restoration. Late Extra [June, 2009]: Apparently, the car has found a new home. The winning bidder of the Ebay auction parted with $54,900 to acquire this future beauty. Latest [July 2012]: V-16 "private investigator", Chris Cummings, spied the car on a British Web site and notified me of the URL. The restored car appears to be currently in England, the property of Cunningham Classic Cars.
1 2 3 4 1. Center division as viewed from the rear seat; note the division window crank and clock 2. Rear seat radio controls and dial are located above the RH, rear arm rest 3. On either side of the division (upper area) are handy storage compartments 4. LH rear tail-light, reflectors and license plate bracket 5 6 7 5. Folding rear trunk support brackets 6. RH rear trunk bracket in position to receive trunk 7. The engine will probably need an overhaul and much detailing [ all images from Platinum Classics web site, May 2009 ] After its restoration, the car appears to have acquired some gilded hardware in lieu of chrome [ Photos, above 3 rows: © 2012, Cunningham Classic Cars, UK ]
5875	#101	5110220	(1936) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. Joe P. Mikula of Sacramento, CA [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; Joe bought it from Gordon Turnage of San Jose, CA, in 1962 when it had already 123K miles on the odometer. This car was shipped from the factory on May 18, 1936 [my birthday ...but three years later!]. It was sold to the first owner only in 1937. In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, it is described as a "good original in running condition". In 1971 it was owned by Bill Podsedly of Carmichael, CA, and appears in Maurice Hendry's Cadillac History.
This is how the car looked in 1971 when it appeared in Maurice Hendry's "70-Year History of Cadillac" Photos: courtesy of Larry Wolfe, L&M Classics http://www.lmclassics.com/
5875	#117	5130306	(1937) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. George E. Klein of Warrington, PA [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; Mr. Klein had bought the car in 1942. It was shipped from the factory 5 years earlier, on March 11, 1937. In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, it is described as a good runner, needing body work. Mr. Klein also owned a 1930-31 V-16 engine. *[ Photo: Classic Car, June 1998, p.32 ]*
5875	#112	5130307	(1937) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. S. Howard Brown of Grantville, PA [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; prior to that it may have been owned by Donald S. Gilmore of the Gilmore Museum in Kalamazoo, MI. It was shipped from the factory on March 12, 1937. This car was destroyed by fire. Only some parts remain. This information ties in with that of Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s
5875	#119	5130311	(1937) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. Michael J. Barts of Chicago, IL [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; it was first shipped to Columbus, OH, on November 25, 1936; in 1958 it was acquired from the Gaylor estate and had several owners until 1961 when it was bought by Mr. Barts from a Mr. William Holzer. This info ties in with that contained in Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s. At that time it was "good to excellent, with 23K miles on the clock" and "under the process of restoration." Among the notes I got from Stan, in 2008, was a descriptive sheet concerning this car and signed by Gary M. Smith, of Pittsboro, IN, who said he bought it from Barts in Aug. 1973; the car had paint code #6W and special order trim (#SO398). In 1981 Gary told Stan his car was now fully restored and had scored 96 points at the Indy 500 Midwestern Grand Classic.
5875	#123	5130321	(1937) (1934) Craig Watrous, a V16 collector and admirer relayed this information in June 2000: About three years ago, at Hershey, there was a 1934 V-16 7-pass. imperial for sale in the Car Corral. It allegedly had just come from England and had been purchased new by Rolls-Royce to allow them to study the competition¹. There could be no doubt it had been used in a UK country. It was equipped with trafficators, number plate sunk in the deck lid, odd ball lights in front. I may have a photograph of it somewhere. The results of the Kruse auction venue at Hershey, PA, in Fall 2005, show that the car changed hands for either $82,000 or $88,000 (the two amounts are shown). Late extra: This message was posted on the CLC Message Board on November 08, 2002 at 11:13:12: 3My company is restoring our 1937 V-16 limousine. I have looked everywhere and cannot find the lenses or the bezels for the front fender mounted parking lights. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone knows where some are, or where I can get some good photographs and measurements for fabrication. I wrote to Chris the same day and got this additional information:. Our Cadillac is a 1937 Fleetwood 7 passenger limousine. Body style 5875. The engine or vin# is 5130321. This is the best information I currently have. If I find something different I will let you know. Let me know if you need any further information. Chris. Another "Chris" (Chris Cummings, an avid V-16 owner and enthusiast) got these additional facts in late 2008 from the Web site of the superb Steve Plunkett collection, in Canada: This car spent all its life in England and was brought back to the USA around 1995. The English license holder and European tail lights are in the trunk! It is believed to have been the US embassy car during the time Joe Kennedy served as ambassador, starting in 1937. This is as good as it got for luxury of this time. Radio with rear controls, intercom to driver, power brakes, 5 settings for ride control on the fly and a huge 154” wheelbase. Only 49 V16 engines produced this year. __________________________________________ ¹ I believe this had Cadillac approval; there was an interesting series of articles on Rolls-Cadillac cooperation in the Self-Starter in 1999(?)
I believe this is the car in question; this photo was taken at the Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
5875	?	?	(1937) was offered for sale in the CLC Self Starter in June, 1996; at that time it was located in San Gabriel, CA and said to be in excellent condition. Asking price was $40K.
5875-FL	#23	5100035	(1934) This car was purchased new from Dew Motors in St. Petersburg, FL, June 4, 1934, by Mrs. Margaret V. Atchison. In the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p. 13, this car was reported owned by Mr. Chester Holley, a model railroad specialist in Tampa, FL. He was confirmed as the owner, in the early 70s, by Stan Squires. It is one of two such body styles built; it may have survived; it was last photographed in CA, in 1978. The trouble with cars of this "repute" is that unscrupulous restorers/speculators will discard or destroy a less attractive, closed body style to convert the car into a much more desirable convertible style. The car below may have suffered this fate. According to an article by Bob Mellin in the Self Starter issue for August 1963, p.8, at least one limousine style was "retired" and given a convertible coupe body!
5875-FL	#122	5130313	(1937) This car is included in Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s; it is described as in near mint, original condition with approx. 27K miles on the clock; it was registered at that time to Peter Tilp of Adam Industries Inc., of Union, NJ. It was seen advertised for sale in Hemmings, Nov. 1967 (p. 871) by a Mr. Russell C. Jackson. of Scottsdale, AZ. It has been across the auction block a few times since then. It was lot #961 at a Kruse auction (also #942 in 1991 and again #968 in 1992); the color is black [John Klein photo CCCA - perhaps not this car]. A similar car was on sale again at the Kruse auction in Tampa, FL, in March 2000. No engine number was listed. The car [lot #841] was described as a 4-door, 7-pass. limousine: Black exterior, black interior - frame off, black leather front, gray rear interior, divider Final bid $30,600. The car was not sold. Late Extra [12/2005]: The car was offered for sale on Ebay with a reserve of $60K. The description reads thus: This fabulous original V-16 Cadillac has a great documented history. Only two of this style were produced in 1937 and only 37 [actually 47] total V-16's were built in that year. 1937 was the last year for the powerful 452 cu. inch V-16 OHV engine. Purchased new by Edgar Mannix, Chief of MGM Studios. In fact, he owned the car until his death in 1963. It has only traveled 34,000 and is truly a survivor. Note custom leather padded roof. Winner of the CCCA First prize, the car speaks for itself. Many options including driving lights, dual slide mounts with metal covers and mirrors, and a hidden rear seat radio. Hidden turn signals were added in the parking lamps for safe touring. Although the Cadillac was in storage for 22 years, it is mechanically sound. It has always been well maintained and updated with such things as new brake pads, lines, and wiring so that it is ready to tour once again. Mannix was great friends with Clark Gable. In fact, Gable was given the car for his personal use during the filming of Gone With the Wind. He and Vivian Leigh, his co-star, used the car daily for their trips to the movie set. This is a rare and important Classic that would be the star of any collection or Museum. Later [1/2006]: the car was bid up close to 100K ($98.7K) but failed to meet the vendor's reserve! Later still [10/2007]: the "Bulletin" of the CCCA for 10/2007 contains a 2-page story about the car; the pics there are in B&W. And later again [8/2008], from Chris Cummings: this car was sold at Meadow Brook for $192,500 . Latest [4/2009]: the car is stock #3945 on the current [4/2009] inventory of Hyman Ltd.
[ Photos: Internet, 12/2005 ] Could this be the same car? [ Photo: Self Starter, Jan. 2007 ] The body tag on this car [far right] does not appear original; the only information on a genuine tag for Sixteens of 1934-1937 is the company's name, the body style and the body number; this tag does NOT carry a body number (it would have to be #1 or #2, since only two units are recorded as having been built that year); the actual body number may be determined from the build-sheet , which is readily available from Cadillac's own "Historical section" for a $50 fee [ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Hyman, Ltd. ] Photos in above 3 rows: © 2014 and courtesy RM Auctions
5875-S	#2	5100012	(1934) This car was reported in the Harrah collection, Reno, NV, in the early seventies. According to V-16 researcher, Stan Squires, the car needed a complete restoration. Could this be the car mentioned on one of Stan Squires roster inputs; that one was a 6-wheel job that apparently Ron Renaldi bought from Batey Chevrolet, who had acquired it from the Harrah Collection in Reno, NV, in 1977. Renaldi had subsequently sold it to a Gunnar (?) Henriouille in 1978. Where is it now ?
5875-S	#9	5100016	(1934) This car was reported to be owned in 1963 by Mr. Robert E. Harrison of Philadelphia, PA [Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; it was shipped from the factory on July 25, 1964; this was the third car of this style to be built; it remained in storage for many years. It is believed to have been acquired, later, by Don Herrington of Doylestown, PA, then Dave Towell of Akron, OH [seen in the Self-Starter, August 1965]. In the early 70s, it was in the hands of Eugene W. Zimmerman of Harrisburg, PA. At that time, according to Stan Squires, the car was in "rough" condition and not operable. Late extra [Oct., 2003]: the present owner, Cliff Woodbury (who was to celebrate his 89th birthday in March 2003) wrote to say he had this car. He explained the apparent discrepancy in unit numbering, his car being #9 of only 5 units built on the V-16 chassis; he said "Fleetwood body styles were installed on V8, V12 and V16 chassis without interruption of the body number progression." BTW, Cliff owns also a 1935 Cadillac convertible coupe, style 35-668 that he bought in October, 1940 (!), and still drives !
[ Images right and center: © 2008 and courtesy of Chris Cummings ]
5875 or 5875-S	?	?	(1934-37) This as yet unidentified photo was found on the Internet in 2013. I'm sure someone will recognize it and provide the missing details
5875-S	?	?	(1935) Craig Watrous owned this (green) sedan in the mid-sixties (photo in SS Nov-Dec 1965) [ missing photo]
5875-S	?	5110252	(1936) The owner contacted me on New Year's Day, 2007, informing me that he owned this car (purchased originally by his great-grandmother); it has only 43K miles on the odometer and is presently undergoing restoration in CT. I hope to get more information soon, as well as a couple of pictures. The owner writes: This car was bought new in Charlotte, NC by my great grandmother, Mary Ella Cannon. It was ordered for her and has her name and last three digits of it's serial engraved on the steering wheel. She ordered a silver plated goddess hood ornament which I have replaced but have the original on a marble stand. She had a chauffeur and was the wife of the founder of Cannon Mills, maker of towels and sheets. She lived in Concord NC and died in 1938, thus it was her last vehicle. The car sat from 1952 until 1972 then it was partially restored and driven sporadically until 2005. Today it is near the end of a frame off restoration at Enfield Auto in CT. I plan to keep it in my family for more generations. I am the third owner and the fourth generation.
This unidentified car, perhaps?
5875-S	#19	5130336	(1937) According to the roster of survivors drawn up in the early 70s by Stan Squires, this car has been destroyed and only the chassis and engine remain. At that time it was registered to Richard Ancerewicz of Detroit, MI. The horn button for this car came up for sale on Ebay in April, 2009. Thanks, Chris Cummings for bringing it to my attention.
5875-S	?	?	(1937) This car was offered for sale by a a Mr. Walter Gehlmar of IL. He ran an ad in one of the earliest Self Starter classifieds, back in 1958. I have no way of knowing if it survived the next 50 years !
5876	#24	5100050	(1934) Such a car was owned by Bob Mellin of Richmond, MI, as reported in the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13. I saw it again in the Self-Starter for Nov.-Dec. 1967, p.7. It was acquired subsequently by Stan Squires, MI. Stan was a great help in piecing together this section on V-16 survivors. He was telling me just recently (March, 2004) that his car was missing all the instruments on the dash; believe it or not, he actually found a complete set for sale; talk about LUCK! He says: The car had to be in very good condition because the instruments are beautiful. They are definitely from a 1934 to 37 Cadillac V-16 as the face is gold with black letters [V-16 only]. I would suspect that it was a limo more than a coupe or convertible and it was in California. Stan was able to obtain many drawings from Cadillac where he was in close contact with Pete Estes. His car was originally owned by Daniel B. McDaniel of Houston, TX. Then between 1955 and 1958 was in a stock car race at Blue Island, IL [!!!]. Stan purchased it from Bob Mellin, in 1964. Stan sold the car in 2007 to Monty Holmes, WA. Monty added the non-original rear wheel skirts seen in the Pebble Beach photos, below. Late extra [July, 2003]: the car will be offered for sale at a Gooding Company auction.
Designer's drawing from 1934 "Book of Fleetwood" Before (top) and after (above) completion of full restoration This is the same car with non-original rear fender skirts added? [ Photos: Pebble Beach, 2008]
5876	#25	5100059	(1934) was included in Stan Squires' listing of survivors that he drew up in the early 70s. It had been spotted in Virginia, in rough but original condition
5876	#39	5100130 or 5100132	(1935) was listed in the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, as being owned by Mrs. Mary B. Hecht of Alligerville, NY and Miami, FL. In November 1975, V16 enthusiast Stan Squires informed me that this car [as well as a second one] had been sold to a Mr. John Serafin of Rockville Center, Long Island, NY
5876	???	???	(????) As indicated in the previous entry, another Fleetwood style #5876 was sold to Mr. John Serafin of Rockville Center, Long Island, NY
5876	#43	5130315	(1937) A Mrs. Edward Hummel got this car as a wedding present around July 1937; her husband was the President of P. Lorillard Co. In the CLC's Self Starter magazine for Nov.-Dec. 1963, it was said to be owned by a Mr. Bill Wenslau, son of that first owner; at that time the car had a reported 15K miles on the odometer. In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, the car is described as being in excellent, original condition; he confirmed the mileage at 15K. At that time, the owner was listed as James G. Groendyk of Dunedin, FL. This one was Kruse lot #43 at a recent auction; it had been lot #29 in 1993 and probably also lot #684 in 1992. The color is black. Formerly owned by Tom Barrett III, its current owner is a New Jersey resident. Thanks for the clarification, Stan Squires.
The car was once owned by Tom Barrett III, Scottsdale AZ *Photos (above 3 rows): Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, 2011* Same car, different Concours
5880 or 5880S	#23	5100040	(1934) This one was reported to be owned by a Mr. A.E. Marcotte of Glendive, Montana, in the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, on P.13. Stan Squires, of Detroit, who has thoroughly researched the sixteens of this era, reported that the car was effectively scrapped, circa 1958. The engine was subsequently installed in a racing car; second car of the series to be built, this convertible sedan was shipped form the factory in May 1934. I have it that the car was rescued by Monty Holmes, WA., many years ago, along with the race car. It was in pretty horrible shape. Both the convertible sedan and the race car are being restored. The finished chassis was shown at Pebble Beach about 5 years ago. Late extra [July, 2003]: the car will be offered for sale at a Gooding Company auction.
I am wondering if this might be the car (it was undentified as at 12/2012) ...or might it be this one (currently (2014) owned by Steve Plunkett of Lodon, Ontario?
5880	#25	5100038	(1934) This car shipped from the factory June 19, 1934; it was reportedly purchased new by Ethel DuPont Regal. It was acquired in 1952 by Roy N. Licari of Alexandria, VA (see Nov-Dec. issue of the Self Starter, p.13). Mr. Licari sold it to the current owner, Mr. Louis L. Barnhart, in 1963. Louis told me, in May 2003, that being the brash youth he was in 1963 he had simply jumped in the car and driven it home the 300 miles from near Philadelphia, PA, to his home near Roanoke , VA. Although he says some electricals were faulty he was able to complete the trip without incident. He describes the car's condition as "'good", but that it would need work to be a "show car". Louis has also a 1959 Coupe de Ville. Late Extra [9/2008]: Louis called to inform me that his car has gone, in a trade, to a new owner, David Kane in NJ. David has already completed a ground-up restoration of the car which took a first place at Pebble Beach this year! Louis will be sending me other "inside information" about V-16s with which he is familiar.
These images, kindly sent by the car's owner, were taken at a picnic organized by the Barnharts each year for the Roanoke Valley region AACA I believe this is the same car after restoration
5880	#44	5100052	(1934) Is said to have been designed for the Edgewater Beach Hotel Auto Show, Chicago Il. It was purchased from the floor of the General Motors Rotunda at the 1933-1934 Chicago World's Fair by the Williams family, of Western and Southern Life Insurance. It has been locally owned since new. Stan Squires reported, in the early 70s, that it was owned by Sam J. Paolella of Cincinnati, OH; it was listed under that name in the Self Starter issue for Nov.-Dec. 1963. In 1991, this car was owned by Bob Westerman of Cincinnati, OH; there is an article in the Self-Starter for September, 1991. Late Extra [1/2007] from John M. Mereness who has helped me in the past to straighten out erroneous information in the Database: The car was originally pearl grey (and was still original prior to being restored and painted black); it was built for a hotel auto show (I had the [build] sheet from GM in my hand a few weeks ago and cannot remember what it said though it lists the hotel and is very detailed as to the paint finish which must have been a very early use of pearl paint); later, it was bought new from the GM World's Fair Rotunda where the original owner's son still talks about it revolving on a platform in the middle of the rotunda. That family, the Williams family owned (and still own) Western & Southern Life Insurance Co. in Cincinnati. The house where the car resided is also still in existence and for sale at something like 6 million dollars! The picture of the car is the black one that you have equally misidentified below. You can see the Ohio historical license tag. The car is very distinctive as it has a trunk mounted spare. I had a new top put on for them several weeks ago and had the pleasure of taking the car across town (one helluva great driving car). Hope this info helps. John added: This may be of interest as well: we had a new top put on and while the top was replaced, the pads were original. Inside the pads runs a radio antenna that circles the car inside the top pads. It was very difficult to restore and added about $2,500 to the bill for the top, of nearly $8,000 dollars, due to the overall complexity of the top.
Car has been black since the late 1960's; wheel disks were gold plated (right) and getting shabby, so were chrome for a period; gold plating was restituted at restoration, when it was discovered they had been delivered thus to the first owner [ Photos: © and courtesy Bob Westerman and John M. Mereness ] Pebble Beach, 2008 ?
5880 [rebody]	[1936 body #3?] used to be Style 6275S with body #75	5100023 [formerly carried sedan body style 6275S]	(1934/1936) Frequently seen at Kruse auctions during the collector car "boom" in the late eighties and early nineties, this car was lot #700 in 1989, #690 in 1990, #710 in 1991, #5033 [?] in 1992, #49 in 1993, #46 in 1994 and #662 [year unknown]. As that particular lot, it was said to have been sold for $115,000. In 2006, the vendor said the car had undergone a professional, body-off restoration in 1974 and that it was in excellent running condition. From what we know, the chassis/engine # was assigned originally to a 6275-S sedan (flat-windshield type); later, it received a much more desirable convertible sedan body from the 1936 V-16 production [body #3?]. The car had circa 61K miles on the odometer in 2001. It is black with a red leather interior and a tan Stay-Fast convertible top; bumpers and grille were rechromed in 2001; it has dual side mounts under metal covers. The asking price in 2001 was $175,000 [Frank Nicodemus of F.E.N. Enterprises, 845.462-5959 (NY)]. A new price was quoted by Frank in 2006 ($225,000 !) Late Extra [6/2009]: the car was offered for sale on Ebay but the highest bid was far below the vendor's reserve. It was described on Ebay as a rare 1934 Cadillac 16 cylinder phaeton. Trophy winner. Only 7 produced [???]. Limousine chassis [actually a sedan chassis] ... Serious enquiries, call Autohaus Los Gatos (408) 370-2655 in N. California. ...This is body #3 of 7 [my records show that Cadillac built 20 of these convertible sedans between 1934 and 1937 - there were 5 in 1934, 4 in 1935, 6 in 1936 and 5 in 1937; I believe this is body #3 of the 1936 production]; it [the body] is not on the chassis it was delivered with [correct!] ; it [the body] was switched to another, same chassis years ago, before restoration ...This one is $295,000; the last one sold was $600,000 at RM in January, 2009. ...and it was not this strong [actually the car to which the vendor seems to refer was sold by RM for $473,000, not $600,000 - see below]. It will be interesting to see if the horn button still carries the name of the original owner, Mr. R. Van Hoosear, with the number "11" (of 20 built 1934-1937?).
I believe this is the car [photo: Kruse auction catalog] [ Photos (above three rows): Internet, 2009 ]
5880	?	5100043	(1935) (1934 according to the VIN) To be auctioned in Arizona by RM Classics in January 2009. More details awaited. This car is the same color (and has the same color license tag) as this one, previously listed here as a survivor from the 1937 production run. The car is part of the Dr. Barbara Mae Atwood Collection, from Rockford, Illinois. V-16 enthusiast, Jon Riley, provided a copy of the car's ownership history from the RM sales catalog that includes this car: Dr. Atwood purchased this 1935 Series 452-D Convertible Sedan from well-known long time Classic Car Club member Dick Gold of Minneapolis in October 1984. According to Gold, he found the car courtesy of a mailman that he paid to peek into garages for him. Still in the hands of the original family, the V16 was quite a find. According to restorer Steve Babinsky, “it was an amazing original car, with excellent and untouched original paint, chrome, and upholstery. She should never have restored it”. Nonetheless, in pursuit of perfection, Dr. Atwood commissioned Steve Babinsky’s highly respected New Jersey firm, Automotive Restorations, Inc. to perform a complete restoration, which was finished in 1991. It had previously achieved AACA National Junior and Senior First status. Fresh from restoration it took a First in Class at Pebble Beach in 1991, followed by an appearance at the AACA Eastern Fall Meet at Hershey, winning AACA’s 1991 Chocolate Town Trophy. It achieved a Grand National First at Dayton, Ohio in 1992 and was nominated as AACA’s Outstanding Vehicle for the year. Although restored more than 15 years ago, the car is still in amazing condition. The paint – an exact match for the original yellow - is still outstanding, with no visible flaws. All panels are straight and true, door gaps even and all the doors shut well. With a little polishing the brightwork will be flawless. The tan canvas top is as new, a clear plastic cover for use when the car is stored is included in the sale. The interior is done in brown leather - which was specially ordered to match the original color – and is all in excellent condition. This car is the Imperial model, with a roll-down division window. Ample foot room for rear seat passengers is provided under the division partition. The brown carpet on the floor, also matched to the original, is in superb condition, as is the fully restored instrument panel. The odometer shows 277 miles, probably the distance traveled since restoration. There is an authentic radio in the panel, its power supplied by a Cadillac 'B' Eliminator under the hood. The engine is clean and detailed, the undercarriage spotless in gloss black. The car has not been driven lately, but is expected to be running by the time of the sale." Late Extra [5/2009]: the car was sold in January, from the esteemed collection of Ms. Barbara Mae Atwood, for $473,000! Later [11/2011]: New photos have turned up on Internet (lower rows); I assume the car is up for sale again ... if it is the same car!
Possibly this car, identified as a 1934 model despite its single-bar bumper [ Photo: courtesy Roy Schneider, from his book Sixteen Cylinder Motor Cars ] Photo: Internet 2012 [ Photo: © and courtesy RM auctions ] [ These images: Internet, 11/2011 - the car appears to be a darker hue! ]
5880	#64	5100104	(1935) This car has been junked. According to the Self Starter issue for Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13, it was owned at that time by Mr. Bob Mellin. It was shipped by the factory on January 24, 1935 to the Cadillac branch in Philadelphia, PA, only to be diverted later to the New York Auto Show; after the show it returned to PA where it was acquired by Henry W. Breyer, Jr. of Breyer Ice-Cream renown; at that time the car was painted a similar green to the color of the Breyer ice-cream cartons. William T. Walter of Drexel Hill, PA, bought the car in 1952 and sold it in 1954 to Thomas W. Synott II of Wenonah, NJ. The late Dave Holls bought it in 1962 and spent many hours restoring it; sadly the Holls' home caught fire on January 2, 1963 and the car was all but destroyed. Bob Mellin acquired it for parts. According to Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, the car (or the carcass?) was registered at that time to Richard Ancerewicz of Detroit, MI.
5880? [rebody]	#16	5100133	(1935) This Fleetwood Convertible Victoria is a conversion from limousine style #5875, body #77. According to the roster of survivors drawn up by Stan Squires in the early 70s, it was registered to Eugene W. Zimmerman of Harrisburg, PA. This particular car was in the Museum of Antique Autos in Princeton, MA from 1940 until 1965 when it was bought by Mr. Zimmerman. It is a CCCA senior premiere car, 1406 SP, and has won 3 successive Florida Grand Classics; it has been pictured on the cover of The Classic Car. Late Extra (1995): The car was purchased by Hunter Classics in 1995, and repainted black, with red leather interior. It was awarded Best of Show (open) at the “Classic Car Experience” in June, 1997. Possibly this car that I have not yet been able to identify for sure
5880	?	?	(1935) This one has for many years graced the halls of Jack Nethercutt's superb classic car collection in California

5880	#86	5100143	(1935) According to the Self Starter issue for Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13, this car was owned at that time by Alden O. Johnson of Minneapolis, MN. An army captain had sold it to a used car dealer in the fifties; the late Dexter Buell bought it from the dealer, located in St. Paul, MN. He sold it to a Mr. John Morgan who, in turn, sold it to a Mrs. Norval. In 1957 Mrs. Norval sold it to Mr. Johnson. In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, it is described as "disassembled, with no running boards, but otherwise good condition".
5880	#100	5100144	(1935) In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, it is described as a mere parts car [engine]; it was registered at that time to John T. Fisher of Huntington, IN [or Henry Groner of Berger, MO?]
5880	#101	5110245	(1936) In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, this car is registered to Sam J. Alfano, Jr., of Houston, TX. At that time it was in excellent condition with only 39.5K miles. The original owner was said to be a Mr. R. A. Josey. Car was estimated at 90 points; it was black with a red interior. The horn button carried this info: "#245 - Mr. R.A. Josey". The car in this picture was included at one time in a Kruse auction catalog, in the eighties. Possibly also this car
5880	#100	5110222	(1936) This car shipped from the factory on February 10, 1936. In 1963, according to the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, it was owned by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL, the museum having got it as a gift, in 1949, from a Mr. John B. Hawley of Minneapolis, MN. At that time it was in fine condition despite non-original front bumpers, headlights, running board, rear stone guards and rear fender spears. In Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, it is described as "very good ... except the car has been butchered (running boards removed, headlights in fenders, etc.)." Late extra [6/2006]: this just in from enthusiast Chris Summers of W.Virginia. I recently visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and 5110222 is still there and still part of the museum, listed on the info card as donated by Mr. Hawley. It appears to be in poor condition, with chipped and scratched paint and a threadbare, water stained convertible top; I was unable to see much of the interior because the top and windows were up, but it appeared ratty, as well. It has its headlights mounted in the front of the fenders [???], running boards split and curved in towards the middle, and rounded front and rear bumpers, as well as solid guards on the rear fenders. None of which are for the better, in my opinion... A photo would be useful, if any Chicagoans can do the honors! Later still [8/2006]: the car was offered at auction, at no reserve. as Lot #512. It was valued between $300-500K. The current (2008) odometer reading is only 17K miles. The alleged "butchering" mentioned by Stan Squires is described by the vendor as "custom design features". The factory full-length running boards have been modified or replaced with short, wing-like running boards, for the rear doors only. The front fenders on the vehicle have also been extensively modified and now have headlamps built into them, replacing the bullet-shaped original headlamps that once flanked the grille. The vendor posits that the special running boards were designed into the vehicle when new and that the front fenders were modified by a coachbuilder just before, or perhaps shortly after, World War II. Photos of the car from 1947 already reflect the custom features as well as its 1942-1947 Cadillac-style bumpers. The original leather is reported to be largely intact and in good overall condition. The dashboard retains all of its proper gauges and controls. The Fleetwood style 5880 body included the division window that separates the front driver’s compartment from the rear passenger compartment. The paint remains quite presentable for its age. The top material has been replaced and is somewhat deteriorated. Two of the exterior door handles are missing, as is the original radiator mascot.
The B&W photo (left), taken circa 1947, already reflects the major body modifications made to this car and seen in the RH photo; the chrome trim spears on the rear fenders are reminiscent of those used on the sixteens of 1938-40, but integrated headlights mounted inside and flush with the front fenders did not appear on Cadillacs until 1941, so these may be post-WW2 modifications; the front and rear bumpers, clearly visible in these two photos, are without doubt off a 1942 Cadillac; even THEY are quite rare! Far left: rear fender spears; far right: integrated headlights Center photos: interior layout and trim appear to be factory stock Clues in these 2 rows suggest that this is an authentic, numbers matching car; it has to be assumed, therefore (and taking into account the 1942-style bumpers on the car), that the body modifications were made independently, at least 7-8 years after the car left the factory [ all photos: Internet, October 2008 ]
5880	#104	5130320	(1937) This car was shipped from the factory on December 12, 1936; the original owner was a Mrs. E.P. Waggoner of Beverly Hills, CA; her name still graces the horn button along with number "320" [from the engine number 5130320]. In 1958 it was acquired by a Mr. James A. Weston who, in 1961, sold it to Mr. Craig Watrous of Sacramento, CA. It was reported to be still owned by Craig in the Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]. In the roster of survivors drawn up by Stan Squires in the early 70s, the car is registered to Joseph P. Mikula of Sacramento, CA and said to be in very good condition, having been restored in 1959. In 2001, it was owned by Hunter Classics. Late Extra [1/2007]: enthusiast and restorer, John M. Mereness, kindly sent this description from the Hunter Collection catalog: This particular car was ordered in October, 1936 for shipment 'Dec. 12, sure' to A.P. Mitchell Cadillac of Fort Worth [TX]. The purchaser was Mr. E.P. Waggoner, whose family controlled one of the largest ranches in Texas (Mrs. Wagonner's daughter, Electra, was the famous Texas beauty for whom the Buick Electra was named in 1959). The build sheet specified black exterior with flare red wheels, black leather interior and silver goddess (mascot). It became part of the Jim Brucker (Cars of the Stars - Movie World) collection in the 1960s and appeared at an auction in Southern California in the early 70's, at which time it was bought by Thomas Cadillac [Los Angeles]. It is pictured at that auction on page 125 of [Roy Schneider's] Sixteen Cylinder Motor Cars. It can be identified by its distinct (non authentic) rear window. It was sold at the Thomas Cadillac auction, April 1986 [1996?] and restored by Hunter Classics in 1997-98. It received a 2nd in class at Pebble Beach, 1998 and scored 100 points (Senior #22232) at the Indiana Grand Classic." I have among the papers I got from Stan Squires a letter from him to Mr. Thomas inquiring about the engine number of the car, which Mr. Thomas had shown as "702889" [which is the number of a V-16 engine from a 452 or 452A series car]; he said also that his car was tan colored.and needed some wiring. He later confirmed that Stan was right; the correct engine number being "5130320".
*[ Photo: Self Starter, Jan. 2007, courtesy of Hunter Classics ]* [ trunk image to be processed ] In his authoritative work on the V-16, Roy Schneider wrote in Sixteen-Cylinder Motor Cars, page 125: Although integral trunks were spacious on many 452Ds [i.e. 1934 V-16s], an accessory trunk rack was available as seen in this photograph - arms swung out to receive trunk and folded against body when not in use [ Photos: Sixteen-Cylinder Motor Cars, courtesy of Roy Schneider and the late Dave Holls ]
5880	#107	5130349	(1937) This was the last V16 convertible phaeton built and the second last V16 car of the 452ci series. The list price of this particular car was $8105 and it weighed 6210 lbs. In the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, it was reported to be owned by a Mr. S. Howard Brown of Grantville, PA. Mr. Brown bought the car on September 16, 1947, from a Dr. Devine, the second owner; he was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. The story of this car was published in Torque magazine for Mar-Apr. 1987, pp. 4-5. In the roster of survivors drawn up in the early 70s by Stan Squires, the then owner is listed as Donald S. Gilmore, board chairman of the Upjohn Company as well as owner/curator (?) of the well-known and respected Gilmore Museum, Kalamazoo, MI. Stan said it was in very good condition. Late Extra [May, 2007]: According to Aussie/Tasmanian enthusiast, Bruce Reynolds, who took a photo of this car at the Gilmore Museum in PA, in 2002, the car is now dark green. It was previously listed here as an "unknown" because I did not have the VIN or body numbers.
Left and/or right? The Gilmore Museum car before restoration The photo [left] was a post card that you could purchase in the gift shop of the museum [ thanks to Jon Riley for identifying this former "unknown" V-16 ] Photo, left, was taken on the occasion of the Gilmore Museum's Cadillac-LaSalle Experience, in Kalamazoo, MI, in June 1993; the restored car is dark green although this may not be very obvious in the pics at center and right [ Photo (2nd row, left): courtesy Katie Robbins ]
5880	#121	5130319	(1937) was not previously included here; I just found it on the roster of survivors drawn up by Stan Squires in the early 70s; it is described there as a 7-pass. limousine [???]. At that time it was registered to Russel C. Jackson of Scottsdale, AZ. It was described as a "good original." Who has it today ?
5880	?	?	(1935-37) Unidentified
Black with red interior (Barrett-Jackson?)
5880	?	?	(1937???) Unidentified

5885	#1	5100044	(1934) This unique convertible Victoria was purchased new by Hugh McLeod Fenwick (1905-7/24/1991) of Aiken, South Carolina, for $8150. For family history buffs, Fenwick was a businessman and one time president of Vultee aircraft; he authored a book entitled The challenge of air to American business men. On October 13, 1928, in Spring Harbor, NY, he married Dorothy Ledyard. In 1931 he divorced Dorothy to wed Millicent Hammond; she was an American fashion editor, politician and diplomat. Her parents strongly disapproved of their daughter's choice of husband. So upset was Mrs. Hammond that she had Millicent thrown out; determined to sabotage the wedding on June 11, 1932, she purposely kept the ceremony small, using the death of her brother Arthur as an excuse; then she went around unplugging the photographer's lights, so the only pictures of the wedding are lit by sunlight. Her wealthy parents did not help out with Millicent's married life; her father would drive past his grandchildren on his way to his job as president of the First National Bank of New Jersey and rarely offered them a ride to school in his chauffeured limousine [a Cadillac?]. Millicent and Hugh eventually separated, six years later, after they had two children together. Hugh Fenwick went on to marry a third time; this time to Barbara Madeleine West. He died on July 24, 1991, in Aiken, SC. It is not known for sure how long he kept this car. In the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, it was reported [apparently in error] to be in the Princeton Auto Museum, Princeton, MA. The second owner was Robert P. Friggens of Allison Engineering, NM; he kept it for many years. Stan Squires described it in the early 70s as a "good original with 80K miles on the odometer." It was offered for sale in the early seventies, for $37,500 by George J. Patterson, of Houston, TX. At that time it had no rear fender skirts nor bumper guards [top photo, below]; on the other hand, there were two additional front lights. A subsequent owner was Automatic Transmission Services of Los Angeles, CA. The car was fully restored for Jon Freeman, by Fran Roxas of Chicago, IL; work was completed in May, 1981. There is an article about this beauty in CC for June, 1983. The car was subsequently advertised for sale by Kruse in August 1996. According to a placard placard near the car at the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elégance in 2008, it is said that the owner traveled frequently to Europe with the car. Late Extra [July, 2007]: According to an enthusiast in California, the car is currently a holding of the Steve Plunkett collection in Canada.
Photo taken when the car was owned by Robert P. Friggens of New Mexico The upper photo was taken way before Jon Freeman had the car restored by Fran Roxas [photo, below] On show at Pebble Beach (?), 2002 Pebble Beach, 2008? At Meadowbrook, summer 2008 [ Photos © 2008 and courtesy Bob Proctor ] Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012 [ Photos: © 2012, Gita Saunders ]
5885 ex-5875	[ #5 ]	5100013	(1935) This car was on display at a Florida CCCA meet in 1990; believed to be owned today [2001] by Hunter Classics of St. Louis, MO. Formerly a light color (primrose yellow, early '90s), currently (2001) it is painted black. The original chassis/engine carried a limousine body (1934 style #5875); somewhere along the line it appears to have acquired a much more desirable convertible Victoria body. The car was formerly in the Princeton Auto Museum. Its body reportedly was changed by the Museum in the 40's, after a wreck. Gene Zimmerman owned it and displayed it at his Automobilarama Museum near Harrisburg, PA, before moving to FL. Formerly (2006) owned by Hunter Classics, it is now in the safe hands of Steve Brauer. Friend and enthusiast, Terry Wenger has photos of it that he took in 1971, in PA.when it was apart and that body had been on it for a long time. Late Extra (Apr., 2011): Owner-enthusiast, Steve Brauer added this comment: Yann, the yellow ‘35 V-16 5885 Victoria pictured, is 0013, before I painted it black. It is pictured on the cover of Bev Kimes book, in its yellow paint. Thanks for your great database! Thanks for the tip, Steve. I have moved the photo ro the correct location and modified the corresponding entries.
Same car, before repaint This car? Different wheels from car shown below
5885	#11	5100038	(1935/37) I saw and photographed this modified convertible Victoria in the Blackhawk collection in Danville, CA, in June 1999

5885	?	?	(1935/37) I saw and photographed this modified convertible Victoria in the Blackhawk collection in Danville, CA, in June 1999
(Left) Pebble Beach Concours d'Elégance (1998?); (Right) Blackhawk collection, Danville, CA (1999) [ Photo (right): © 1999, Yann Saunders ]
5891	#8	5130309	(1937) According to Stan Squires' roster of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s, this car was destroyed by fire; only the engine remains, which is most unfortunate as Fleetwood built only ONE unit of this style over the entire period 1934-37. Louis Barnhart heard from Romeo Boivin of Bagotville, Quebec, Canada, that the car had been destroyed by fire; he [Boivin] said the town car had been acquired [new?] by a local taxi company of Montreal. It was later acquired by a Mr. Joseph Cosgrain in whose garage it was totally destroyed by fire. Boivin later found the remains behind a barn; the farmer intended to use the engine to run a sawmill but could not find some missing parts! Boivin acquired the engine and later may have sold it to Alden O. Johnson of Minneapolis, MN.
5899	#3	5100034	(1934) was formerly owned by William T. Walter, Sr. of Drexel Hill, PA. He bought the car in 1946 and still owned it in 1963, according to the Self Starter issue of Nov.-Dec. 1963]. Immediately recognizable in those days by its single, massive, orange, Cyclops-like fog light, the car was on the field at Hershey in 1967 (photographed there by the late Dave Ficken). It was fully restored in the nineties and went from being a nice, used car worth $5-6K to one estimated (by some) at over $2 million! Indeed, I saw it and photographed it at the Barrett- Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ, in 1998. There it carried a $2.2 million price tag! At an earlier showing it was priced at "only" $850,000 (lot #11). I believe the car currently (2005) is in the Blackhawk Museum collection in Danville, CA. It has been advertised for sale also by the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. Later [8/2007]: An effective sale took place at the Gooding & Co. auction at Pebble Beach on August 19, 2007. The car achieved "only" (!) $616,000 [thanks for the update, Chris Cummings]. Latest [12/2009]: Aussie collector-enthusiast, Ross Morgan, had a friend take lots of pics of the care
William T. Walter's aero coupe before it was fully restored *[ Photos (above 2rows): courtesy Imperial Palace, Las Vegas ]* Photos (left and center): © 1998, Yann Saunders Photo (right): courtesy Imperial Palace, Las Vegas
5899	#5	5100060	(1934) In the Nov.-Dec. 1963 issue of the Self Starter, p.13, this car was reported owned by Grady Paine of Lakewood, CA. This was confirmed by Stan Squires in his listing of survivors, drawn up in the early 70s. At that time it was reported as unrestored. It had been converted from a 6-wheel to a 5-wheel job. Original colors included brown, tan and black.. It was complete, mechanically in good order "but reluctant to start", said Mr. Paine. The horn button on this car reads: "Walter M. Knauth" (possibly the first owner). Late extra (2010): The car was acquired this year by an Australian enthusiast. It is in good hands and we may expect to see the car restored to its original splendor in the coming months.
You can see here the magnitude of the job facing the restorer, but definitely worth the effort ... and the money!
5899	?	?	(1934) Seen on the Web in May, 2001; this vehicle is reported to have served a beer delivery route during WWII. The car recently completed a full restoration.
Possibly this car [left], formerly owned by William C. Williams [ Photo on right was taken during a CCCA CARavan in 1956 - it is possibly also the same car ] [ Photos: © and courtesy CCCA ]
5899	#13	5110224	(1936) [BTW, all aero coupes were 5-wheel jobs] This is one of the 4 units built in 1936. On a card I got from Stan Squires [1934 V-16 coupe], in the early 70s, it says "original owner W. M. Keck.". This was confirmed in a 3-page article in the 1975 Self-Starter annual issue about the restoration of this car in 1975, under the guidance and supervision of the daughter of the original owner, William M. Keck, who had ordered the car new in 1935. He was the founder of Superior Oil Co. The car was later registered to Wilhelmetta Keck-Day, wife (?) of Robert Day of Los Angeles/Santa Monica, CA [see Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]; at that time the car had around 58.5K miles on the odometer and was described as an "unrestored original.". According to Forbes magazine, Mr Day inherited the Keck fortune. He is one of the world's billionaires (ranking #754); he was born circa 1944 and currently (2007) chairs the one billion dollar William M. Keck foundation for science and the liberal arts. The current owner is CCCA member Bill Parfet, a principal of the Gilmore (CCCA) Museum where the car is on show. Thanks to Jon Riley for this update.
Possibly this car, now owned by Jim Saundra; not sure if the car on the right is the same car [ Photo (left): © and courtesy CCCA ] Possibly this car, owned by a Mr. Parfet [ Photos: CCCA ] Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012 [ Photos: © 2012, Gita Saunders ] Photo: Internet Photo (left), from a magazine article, (right) CCCA
5899	?	?	(1936) This (other?) survivor was mentioned in a magazine article as belonging (at the time) to a Mr. William B. Ruger, Jr. More details sought.
Rear view (left) was taken in New Hampshire in 1998; dash picture (right) is from magazine [ Photo (left): © 1998, courtesy John Toner ]
5899	#20	5130339	(1937) This is the only aero coupe built on the V-16 chassis in 1937. In the Self-Starter for 3/63, on p.11. there is a photo of this car when it was owned by a Mr. Rudolph Buckles; in the issue for Nov.-Dec. 1963, on p.13, the car is shown to be in the ownership of a Mr. Wilbur "Bill" F. Sanders, of Dearborn, MI; the latter matches the information gathered by Stan Squires for his roster, drawn up in the early 70s. It was said to be in good, original, unrestored condition. Another owner was John Serafin of Long Island, NY [at one time, John owned TWO of these aerodynamic coupes]; it was acquired later by Jack Nethercutt for the Merle Norman collection, San Sylmar, CA. .
[ Color photo: courtesy " Trombinoscope"] This car?
6275	#356	5100136	(1935-36?) Was included in the Vegas Auction for April, 2001. The listed engine number, if correct, would make this car a 1935 model. The auction ad described it thus: 1936 Cadillac V-16 armored limousine ID #5100136; Roosevelt's car - own a part of American history. I saw this car in a glass display case at the Imperial Palace, Las Vegas, in 1999. At that time it was in "as found" condition (in drab, military olive gray garb). The holes in the windshield and side windows allowed occupants to fire guns at would-be aggressors ! Late Extra [June, 2004]: Tim Pawl who heads our CLC Museum and Research Center reports that the car is currently at the Peterson Museum in L.A. A young CLC members has an internship there sent Tim a letter describing the car; he said it was located in their basement storage, looked rough and thought it should be "saved". The Peterson Museum has no current plans for restoring the car. In a letter from Cadillac PR to Stan Squires on Oct. 28, 1976 it was stated that all armor plating was done by outside contractors like Hess & Eisenhardt. Eight poor Xerox copies of photos are attached to the letter; I wonder who has the originals? Stan?
Image (right): Las Vegas auction site, Internet, April 2001
6275	#100	5100024	This one was previously listed here - in error - as a Fleetwood style #5875; Louis Barnhart has set me straight. This one was seen advertised for sale in Scottsdale, AZ (at the annual Barrett-Jackson venue in 2001); it was described thus: basically original, solid, perfect running V16, new interior, no rust, mechanics sound, good driving and running original V16, divider window . The car was bid up to $62,500 but not sold. According to RM’s write-up for the auction [Lot #058 - estimated between $70-100K], the two-tone car was shipped new to Rolls Royce in Great Britain. That would likely make it the 1934 Cadillac that Rolls purchased to examine and study when they were designing the Phantom III. For years it was known as the "Joseph Kennedy" car, and RM stated that a handwritten note on the build sheet said that the car was intended for Kennedy’s use. This is paradoxical, considering that Joe Kennedy didn’t become Ambassador to Great Britain until 1937. It is quite likely that the Cadillac was still part of the Embassy fleet during his tenure, but clearly could not have been ordered for him. The fine example shown here is one of just 60 Sixteens built in 1934, and one of just nine of the flat-windshield Fleetwood style #6275 7-passenger limousines. According to the factory buildsheet for the car it was shipped directly to London, England in 1934 – to Rolls-Royce! Apparently, Rolls-Royce serviced and maintained the cars for the U.S. Embassy. It is believed that the car came back to the U.S. after the war, although little is known of its ownership history since that time. The vendor acquired the car from a well-known Oklahoma collector, who had expended considerable effort to ensure that the car would be in top operating condition – including a full rebuild of the remarkable 16-cylinder engine and a conversion to 12-volt operation. The car changed hands at the auction, achieving $83,600.

6275	#107	5100030	(1934) The first owner is believed to have been Texan, John Nance Garner, Vice President of the USA in the Roosevelt administration (1933-1941). A subsequent owner (or the very next one?) Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, US naval officer and famed Antarctic (South Pole) explorer. In the 60s, it was owned by the Admiral's son, by R.E. Byrd (Jr.?) of Boston, MA. He sold it [in the late sixties?] to Count J.O. Raben, of Nysted, Denmark. Somewhere along the way, this car was considerably modified [by whom?]. I got the engine number from Mr. Raben's secretary in 1977. The Museum catalog tells this story: The Admiral's son [R.E. Byrd] wrote to the Museum [no date indicated] asking whether the car might be of interest to it. He admitted it was in poor condition as it had lain out in the open for fifteen years, so the price was reasonable. Unfortunately, although the initial cost to acquire he car was low, restoration proved to be very expensive. The engine, however, was in good condition. All that was needed was to clean out the fuel lines; the car started up after only a few engine revolutions. Matt Larson, CLC archivist par excellence, confirmed in 7/2001 that this car started out as a flat-windshield 1934 V-16, Fleetwood style #6275 [as now listed here - previously I had it listed as a custom job]; Note, however, that unlike Fleetwood style #6275, the converted car has a "V" windshield; I doubt that anyone would want to attempt to convert a flat-windshield 1934 V-16 to a "V"-windshield type. Are we to assume, therefore, that a "V"-windshield limousine body was later put onto the original engine and chassis ( #5100030), from the cowl back, leaving ijn place the original body tag (#107) from the original flat-windshield car (style #6275)? Perhaps one of our Danish CLC members might volunteer to help us clear up this mystery by examining the car's body tag at the museum [hmmm?!?!]. Matt confirmed also that the first owner was not [as I had been told earlier] South Pole explorer, Admiral Byrd. The car was ordered by Capital Cadillac Co., Washington, D.C., and is listed as "Charge to Mrs. John N. Garner at Factory". Neither Matt nor I know who the Garners were, but cars charged to factory accounts in those days are rather unusual; that notation is found, for example, on build sheets for cars ordered by the various Fisher brothers, by Alfred P. Sloan, by Harley Earl, etc.]. as well as fully enclosed rear quarters. Stan Squires [car #5100050] a long-time acquaintance and V-16 enthusiast pointed out many years ago the following anomalies on the Raben car: (1) the car has no rear bumper, (2) three vertical "stiffeners" have been added between the bi-plane front bumper bars, (3) there are painted grille areas that should be chrome, (4) sealed-beam headlights have been added, (5) car has the wrong wheel covers. Late Extra [8/2002]: Long time CLC member, Currell Pattie, has solved the mystery of the first owner; he writes: If the John N. Garner is John Nance Garner, he just happened to be Vice President of the United States under Roosevelt! Currell adds: By the way, I grew up in Alexandria, VA, right across the river from DC. We were treated to a lot of interesting Cadillacs, due to the Federal Govt's presence. When the old car movement got started in the '50s, there were a lot of classic and neoclassic Cadillacs indigenous to the area. My own research revealed that this car was owned [in the late fifties or early sixties?] by a Mr. G.F. Wood of Boston, MA. In the Self Starter issue for Nov.-Dec., 1963, p.13, it is attributed to a Mr. R.E. Byrd of Boston, MA, whom it was later determined was the son of Admiral Byrd, the South Pole explorer.
This is exhibit #86 in the Aalholm Museum, Nysted, Denmark current: 2002); the car is a conversion from a sedan or limousine body style; it is believed to have been owned, first, by US VP, John Nance Garner Photos (above three rows): the car in its current condition (1/2010); it is still in Denmark
6275	#356	5100136	(1934) [information supplied by Chris Cummings, V-16 owner, and Mike Fairbairn of RM Auctions]. This Series 6275 seven-passenger limousine has been known for years as Joseph Kennedy’s car. It was first delivered to Rolls Royce in London, according to the build sheet [apparently, Rolls-Royce serviced and maintained the cars for the U.S. Embassy; a handwritten note on the build sheet indicates that the car was intended for Kennedy’s use - while the car was indeed delivered in 1934, Senator Kennedy did not become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom until 1937; it is likely, nevertheless, that the car was still part of the Embassy fleet during his tenure; clearly, however, it could not have been ordered for him]. Shown at Meadowbrook in August, 2005, this car was said to be unrestored and has never required restoration. It was expected to fetch between $75,000 and $100,000. It is believed the car returned to the U.S. after the war, although little is known of its ownership history since then. The vendor acquired the car from a well-known Oklahoma collector [James C. Leake ?], who had expended considerable effort to ensure that the car would be in top operating condition, including a full rebuild of the remarkable 16-cylinder engine and a conversion to 12-volt operation. The body number seems high, considering that only nine units were mounted on the V-16 chassis; we must assume, therefore, that the balance includes also the sedan style, #6275-S, as well as bodies mounted on V-8 and V-12 chassis that year.
6275-S	#75	5100023	(1934) This car was reported as owned in 1963 by Mr. Joe P. Mikula of Sacramento, CA [see Self Starter, Nov.-Dec. 1963, p.13]. Norman Taunton of Galt, CA, bought the car in 1960. On the horn button is an indication that the original owner was a Mr. R. Van Hoosear, with the number "11". Stan Squires reported in the early 70s that the car was a "fair original" showing about 150K miles on the odometer. The body was apparently removed subsequently from the chassis and a convertible sedan body was mounted in its place [see Style #5880, with VIN 5100023, above].
6275	#364	5100123	1935 In 1968, this one belonged to Ronald Renaldi of S. Lake Tahoe, CA. In the roster of survivors drawn up in the early 70s by Stan Squires, it was registered to Joseph P. Mikula of Sacramento, CA. At that time it was reported to be in excellent running condition, with new tires and paint; it had also the original radio and an approved over-drive. [NEW, 9/2008] This car was recently acquired in a trade from David Kane (NJ) by Louis Barnhart of Salem, VA. Louis said, inter alia, that the car could quite easily be mistaken for a Fleetwood style #6275-S sedan, owing to the absence of a center division and some other items, presumably requested to be deleted, at the time of purchase. Among the most notable of these deletions are the vent windows in the front doors and rear quarters. Chris Cummings who is following closely all Cadillac V-16 models had this to say about the car, in November 2012: The body plate says "6075" and the build sheet "6275" ... the extensive modifications that make it LOOK LIKEe a "6275" were probably done at the factory. The build sheet [dated February 5, 1935] says "SEE SPECIAL FLTD. BODY ORDER No.299 DPOR DETAPOED SPECIFICATIONS". It IS a 6275. It looks like a 6275-S" Louis' new acquisition being unloaded in Salem, VA
?	?	?	(1934) Unidentified chassis photographed at Pebble Beach, CA, in 2002. It belongs to V-16 owner and enthusiast, Mike Fairbairn of RM Auctions. Within the next few months it will receive the restored body. Meanwhile the "guts" of the car are a true work of art!

?	?	5100101 ?	NEW, 10/2012: Chris Cummings wrote about this V-16 engine (offered for sale on e-bay): it may be engine number 5100101. The vendor says: My Books show as last of the '34 year and some books show as first of the 1935 engines. So you can look up those numbers and roll the dice. This was the bottom of the depression so GM and others used what they could. There was a very small production of both years and I was told the body came off a late 1934 Phaeton. I hope this helps." Chris believes the number could be either 5100060 (last 1934) or 5100101 (first 1935); however, because #5100060 appears to be in a 1934 aerodynamic coupe recently purchased and taken to Australia, the engine would be #5100101. In his book "Sixteen Clyinder Motor Cars" (1974), Roy Schneider lists the 1934 engines from 5100001 through 5100060, and the 1935s from 5100101 through 5100150.
?	?	5130323	NEW, 3/2010: (1937) Bruce , in Ohio, wrote in March, 2010: I am in the process of trying to acquire this V-16 engine. It is a complete running unit and has been owned by an associate of mine for a great many years. My plans for it is to acquire a complete, authentic series 452 or series 90 body and do a proper restoration. I have contacted a restoration shop in Connecticut that is familiar with these cars and they have stated a willingness to do the work. Bruce is right in asserting that I had no prior knowledge about this particular, surviving V-16 engine. I regret, therefore, being unable to provide Bruce with any information about it.
--	--	--	Craig Watrous, a V16 owner/admirer mentioned in May 2000 that he had owned a 1937 V-16 convertible sedan, shown at Pebble Beach in 1958 and again, with a fresh restoration, in 1998 (currently owned by Mark Ohm?). Craig had also a 1936 V-16 limo and a 1935 V-16 sedan for 7 passengers that he purchased from the original owner, Ross Perpoutsie, in San Francisco. In addition, he has been keeping track of several of the 1930-31 sixteens but regrets that he does not have the engine numbers
--	--	--	(Unknown) I was reading in a recent issue of the "Bulletin", newsletter of the Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) about a member who says he still owns a V-16 from 1934 that he bought in 1940!
--	--	--	(Unknown) My neighbor here, in Chapin, S. Carolina, remembers an family friend from West Virginia (sadly now deceased) named Russel Grant who, she says, owned an open V-16 Cadillac of 1934-1936 vintage. She believes the car may still be owned by Mr. Grant's son, Gary. Anybody out there in W. Virginia who could shed light on this mystery car?
--	--	--	(Unknown) Among the correspondence I got from Stan Squires, there is a card from a former owner, whose signature is illegible and who says his 1934-37 V-16 was sold at a Kruse auction in Dunedin, FL (in 1974-75) to Dick Gold, the well-known Minneapolis collector. Again, I wonder which one it is/was?
--	--	--	(Unknown) Among the correspondence I got from Stan Squires, there is a note, I believe written by Louis Barnhart, that mentions a 1936 or 1937 chassis for sale in Hemmings for Nov. 1966 (p.1466), by a Mr. Paul Stern of Mannheim, PA.
--	--	--	(Unknown) In that note, also, is an indication about an ad by Vintage Car Store, Nyack, NY, for a 1934 V-16 2-pass coupe described as "the last of 4 built in 1934" which doesn't add up, as Cadillac only built TWO of these in 1934.
--	--	--	(Unknown) In that note, also, is an indication about a 1937 V-16 engine for sale by a Larry Boyer of San Angelo, TX; it was advertised in Hemmings for March 1967, p.383.
--	--	--	(Unknown) On another list I got from Stan Squires is mentioned a William McKibbin of West Alexandria, OH, who is reported to own a a 1936 V-16 town car.
--	--	--	(Unknown) On that same list is mentioned a David Williams of Virginia Beach, VA, who is reported to own a a 1937 V-16 town car.
--	--	--	(Unknown) In an ad cut from a magazine, a certain John T. Fisher of Huntington, IN, was offering for sale a 1935 V-16 rumble seat coupe with the body from a V8 coupe but a V-16 front end. Mr. Fisher was also the registered owner of an engine from a 5880 convertible sedan.
--	--	--	(Unknown) Among Stan Squires' notes is a card from Rob de Mars [5899 aero coupe # ...] mentioning a recent (1975) sale of an unrestored "34-35 V-16 club sedan" by Kent Pinney of Las Vegas
--	--	--	(Unknown) In an ad cut from a magazine, a certain John T. Fisher of Huntington, IN, was offering for sale a 1935 V-16 rumble seat coupe with the body from a V8 coupe but a V-16 front end. Mr. Fisher was also the registered owner of an engine from a 5880 convertible sedan.
--	--	5130331 ???	(1937) Another sheet found among Stan's papers mentions this 6-wheel job that Ron Renaldi bought in 1976 from a gentleman in New York whose name he did not recall; it was described as a formal limousine with padded top; style number 7218LX was shown (these LX numbers are quite special and rarely seen on cars built after 1933). The chassis had been restored and the body was undergoing restoration.

Custom Sixteens of 1934-1937 [ domestic ]
--	--	???	(1937) This custom job is said to have been built on a special, stretched V-16 chassis [which I assume was from 1937] by the Meteor Motor Co. of Piqua, OH, for the Detroit Fire Department. It was a gift to the Department from Detroit Fire Commissioner Paxton Mendelssohn, a wealthy fire-brigade enthusiast who built a fortune working for the Fisher brothers, of GM fame. In 1951, Mr. Mendelssohn had the body transferred to an equally stretched but probably more economical V-8 chassis. It served with the Detroit Fire department (D.F.D.) as "Car #300" until it was retired in 1968. D.F.D. sold the fire wagon at auction in 1972 and it was last seen on a gas station parking lot a few years later. Note that only two bare chassis from the 1937 V-16 production run were released from the factory; one went to Switzerland and got a huge, streamlined roadster body from Swiss coach-builder, Willy Hartmann of Lausanne. The second chassis may have been used for this huge ambulance project, but I have my doubts on that score; I would imagine this was more likely a conversion from one of the more numerous body styles available, like #5875 or #5875S. [ Info and photo: Walter M.P. McCall collection ]
"Custom"	?	?	This racing buggy powered by a V-16 engine of the 1934-37 production was pictured in the Self Starter issue for January 2007. The engine came from a convertible sedan style #5880 that had been wrecked. It turns out that both engine and body are currently (2007) being restored. We'll be hearing more about this one, I'm sure.
Custom	[8690] 416	5100144	This hybrid car powered by a V16 engine is a mystery. On the cowl tag it has Job #8690, which relates to a 1929 La Salle 2-pass. coupe style, body # 416. The engine number was corrected in June, 2005, from #2100144 (which corresponds to a 1934 La Salle straight-eight motor) to 5100144. The car has a boat-tail body by an unknown maker ...but under the hood is the unmistakable first-generation V16 motor. The car was offered for sale on this site: http://www.carsclassic.com/stock/1930_Cadillac_v16.htm. It is titled as a 1930 model. Style #8690 relates to a La Salle 2-pass. coupe); this one apparently is body #416. It has a boat-tail body by an unknown maker. The 20 inch wire wheels are much larger than regular Cadillac- LaSalle wheels of the early thirties (16" and 17"). The body plate data is totally believable. Matt Larson, who researched the recently published history of the La Salle, had this to say about it: The beast obviously started out in life as a 1929 Cadillac 341-B, V-8 coupe. My earliest Master Body Part List confirms that style 8690 is a 2 Pass.Coupe with leather back and rumble seat on a 140" wheel base (the equivalent '29 LaSalle 2 Pass. Coupe is a style 8590, on a 134" wheel base). Whoever put this thing together didn't even bother to put 1930 bumpers and taillights on it to try to make it look like a V-16. There were no 1929 model V-16 cars and none of the real V-16 cars had Buffalo wire wheels. The photo is too fuzzy to tell if the running board mounted spotlight is authentic Cadillac. The headlights are probably 1930/31 V-8 and 12. Certainly the parts are not worth anything like the $50K that they want for this morphodite.

Custom Sixteens of 1934-1937 [ foreign and unknown ]
Custom	?	?	Here is another interesting V16 "racer" by Volpi; it is located (and apparently registered) in Holland. Photos were supplied kindly by enthusiast Anthony Hazelaar whom I have asked for complementary information. A similar exercise was conducted in Spain on a 452-452A chassis that once belonged to a sedate town car. I pray that this engine was not taken from some super-rare, Fleetwood-bodied sixteen !
[ Photos: © 2004 and courtesy Anthony Hazelaar ]
Custom	n/a	5130328	(1937) Custom 2-passenger roadster. The bare chassis was shipped to Lausanne, Switzerland, from GM's depot at Antwerp, Belgium, and bodied there by Willy Hartmann of Lausanne. Currently [June 1999] this huge car is part of the Blackhawk Automobile Museum collection in Danville, CA. This car has been offered at auction many times in the last 10-15 years at prices ranging from a "modest" (?) one million dollars, to an outrageous $3.5 million! Who would believe it was acquired by a Swiss collector, in 1965, for a modest $925 (well, it did need a major restoration!) Read the full story by clicking here. BTW, the car appears also very briefly (about 4 seconds in total!) in 7-minute YouTube video on the Internet [min 5:31 to 5:35]; the subject of the video is an NFL party held at the Blackhawk Museum. Late Extra [September 2013]: I discovered by chance that Mr. Barraud had passed in 2011 (obit, below). While Gita and I were on vacation in Switzerland, I found by chance the name, address and phone #, of Mr. Barraud's daughter, Roxanne, who lives near Lausanne. Gita and I were invited to meet with her and her husband, Benoit. She was born in 1946 so she has only few recollections of her dad's "bigcar"
Hartmann painted it originally cream with a chocolate accent stripe; today, it is fire-engine red and laden with non-original chrome, a la Figoni et Falaschi! There were major changes to the front clip following a fender-bender in the forties (compare the two preceding photos); the delicate pre-WW2 grille was changed to a modern egg-crate design; the powerful, inboard road lights disappeared, as did the original (and somewhat flimsy) "bumperettes" each side; in the eighties, the original interior design was entirely modified (compare LH and RH photos, below) Three rare views of the Hartmann roadster with "shower" top partly installed [ Photos: © 1974, Ron VanGelderen ] The dash was cream and the upholstery neutral (tan) leather; now it is all black; the original coach-builder's nameplate [far right of RH photo] has been replaced with a modified (fake) nameplate that carries the names of Figoni and Falaschi; according to Don Williams, the current owner, whom Gita and I had the pleasure to meet in Las Vegas, in 2009, the fake "F&F" nameplate was added at the time the car was in the ownership of Tom Barrett One of the ads published by Tom Barrett, for their annual auction held in Scottsdale, in 1988; the asking price rose gradually from $1 million to $2.5 million and ultimately to $3.5 million! Did I hear someone mention the word "greed"? The car currently sits on a dais in the Blackhawk Museum, Danville, CA

Modern Creations on old V-16 Chassis These two beauties were effectively listed in the "Book of Fleetwoood" for 1934 (updated in 1936); neither found buyers. An enthusiast from Chicago decided in the '80s to create from scratch these two perfect imitations of the "classy" cars that Fleetwood designers had in mind in the '30s
[5859] ex-5875	[#1]	?	(1980s) 5-pass. sport phaeton. This "1937" V-16 (like style #5802, above) was built from scratch in the eighties from an original Fleetwood design. Like the previous car, I refer to this one as the "imitation" or "modern-day", Fleetwood-inspired #5859 sport phaeton, despite the fact that it carries an "authentic" Cadillac body tag that states "Body by Fleetwood". Once again, metal fabrication was accomplished by Scott Knight on a wood structure by Don Linsley. At latest news [2009-2010], the car was a part of the Milhous collection in Florida. It was acquired later by Texas millionnaire-collector, Sam Pack and is housed in his museum. Here is a full description of this interesting vehicle from the Museum's published Web site: Automotive history is rife with designs for cars that were drawn but never built. Most of these have been forgotten in the cobwebs of time. Once in while, however, a seminal sketch is spotted and its creation taken up where the pen left off by a latter day coachbuilder. Such is the story of this Cadillac Sixteen Fleetwood Custom Phaeton. The car was built in the early 1980s by the renowned Chicago-area restorer and craftsman Fran Roxas. It began life as a rendering in a catalog of Cadillac’s Fleetwood bodies. Although given a number by the company, it was intended as an example of what could be done for an individual customer, who, so far as is known, never materialized, and thus the body was never built. Roxas decided to pick up at the point that the hypothetical customer might have appeared. In order to build the Style 5859 Custom Phaeton, he engaged well-known designer Strother MacMinn, an industry veteran stylist and instructor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. MacMinn worked with GM Head of Advanced Design Dave Holls, who obtained full-size factory blueprints for the first-generation Sixteen chassis. The donor car for this latter day classic was a low-mileage 1937 Sixteen Series 90 Seven-Passenger Limousine, Body Style 5875 [for which I do not have the VIN]. The entire chassis was retained, as were body parts that could be used, principally grille, hood, floor pan and fenders, although for some elements modifications were necessary. The original renderings were noteworthy in their simplicity and sophistication. The side-mount spare tires seen on so many Cadillac Sixteens were absent. Nor was there an external rear spare, an accoutrement that had all but disappeared from Cadillacs by 1933. Instead, the fifth tire and its necessary tools were housed in an enclosed luggage compartment. True to the catalog rendering, the car is a dual-cowl phaeton, the rear windshield vee’d like the front. It has full skirts on the rear fenders, with large circular art deco emblems, pierced by a narrow molding. The car is painted jet black and upholstered in brown leather. The dashboard is a body-color example of the handsome Sixteen panel, nicely set off by a black banjo-spoke “Flex wheel” steering wheel. In the rear compartment is an auxiliary dashboard with a Jaeger clock in the center and two compartments with burled walnut doors. Carpeting matches the upholstery throughout. Particularly notable is the fact that the top disappears entirely once it is lowered, beneath a hinged metal cover. For situations when the full top is not desired, there is a tonneau cover, housed in the luggage compartment when not in use. Although Roxas built the car for his own use and enjoyment, he eventually sold it. In 1984, the car was shown at Pebble Beach, where it won First in Class in the New Coachwork Class. It made an appearance at Pebble Beach once again in the same class in the mid-1990s, remarkably placing second after the restoration had already been ten years old. The car was acquired by the Milhous Collection in 1998 and sold to the Pack Automotive Museum in 2012 where today it remains essentially as created in the Roxas workshops, straight, clean and in excellent condition. Restoring a complete car, although requiring skill and experience, is a comparatively straightforward task. Constructing a car where none has existed, however, is a much more daunting exercise. This car is proof that it can be done and is a testament to the talents of Strother MacMinn, Dave Holls and Fran Roxas.
Artist's rendering from the 1934 "Book of Fleetwood" Modern-day execution of the original design, under way in Chicago Anyone who does not know the real story about this car and who has no access to Fleetwood production records could easily believe it to be a genuine classic. Caveat emptor ! Even the car's "body tag" looks like the one that would have been affixed to the "true" car, had Fleetwood actually built it
[5802] ex-5875	[#1]	?	(1980s) V-16 roadster for two passengers. This "1934" model was actually built in the eighties by Fran Roxas of Alsip, IL, under the expert guidance of Strother McMinn, well-known retired Cadillac stylist and keen V-16 enthusiast, who supplied the original Fleetwood drawings. In his book "Fleetwood - The Company and the Coachcraft", James J. Schild refers to this car as a "reproduction" or "reproduced duplicate", or "reproduction body". IMHO, however, it can be none of the above; to pass as such would require at least one original to have been built between 1934 and 1937, which is not the case. For want of a better term, I refer to it as the "imitation 1934 V16 roadster" or "modern-day 1934 V-16 roadster", inspired by original Fleetwood design #5802. It was beautifully built, respecting as closely as possible the coach builder's original design, specifications and manufacturing methods, yet it is a modern-day "classic" Cadillac. Metal fabrication was accomplished by Scott Knight on a wood structure by Don Linsley. At latest news [2009-2010], the car was a part of the Milhous collection in Florida. It was acquired later by Texas millionnaire-collector, Sam Pack and is housed in his museum together with tzhe "imitation Fleetwopod style 5859 phaeton" described below. Here is a full description of this interesting vehicle from the Museum's published Web site: One good turn deserves another. In the early 1980s, renowned Chicago-area restorer Fran Roxas built a car that never was. Starting with a rendering in a Cadillac catalog for Fleetwood custom bodies, which showed some innovative styles that could be created for discerning customers, he built a faithful rendition of Style 5859, a sleek dual cowl phaeton [that car described above]. This was no quick job. He turned to Strother MacMinn, an industry veteran stylist and long-time instructor at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. MacMinn in turn enlisted David Holls, Head of Advanced Design at General Motors, who produced a set of full-scale chassis blueprints for the Sixteen. Working from the blueprints, MacMinn scaled the catalog rendering up to full size. Constructed on a 1937 Sixteen chassis, it now resides in the Pack Automotive Museum being purchased from the Milhous Collection in 2012. By the early 1990s Roxas was restless again. The same catalog had a rendering of a stunning Cadillac Sixteen roadster, identified as Style 5802. As with the phaeton, this style had been illustrated but never built. Roxas again worked with MacMinn and Holls to bring the roadster to life. The project turned out to be more ambitious than the phaeton, but MacMinn was up to the task. The rendering clearly showed a metal-covered compartment for the lowered top. On the driver’s side was a golf bag door, evidence of a rumble seat [were there no actual plans by Fleetwood for that part of the automobile?]. MacMinn devised a rumble seat with a disappearing cover, which slid down behind the seat to become virtually hidden when open. The Sixteen’s generous wheelbase left plenty of room for a luggage compartment, but this made entry to the rumble seat difficult. A series of step plates on the side would have ruined the lines. MacMinn cleverly designed a passenger door in the right side that made the seat easily accessible from ground level. A low-mileage 1935 Cadillac Sixteen Seven-Passenger Limousine became the chassis donor. The car takes its chassis number from this car, but Roxas favored the more attractive “bi-plane” bumpers of the 1934 Cadillacs. Having proved a bit fragile in ordinary use, they were replaced for 1935 by heavy conventional bar bumpers, the principal distinguishing feature of that year. A show car demanded a finer line of aesthetics, so the aircraft inspired ’34 bumpers were used instead. Painted a light shade of yellow, the car is very handsome, set off with a dark green leather interior. There is matching green carpet on the floor. Craftsmanship is exceptional throughout and the condition outstanding. The steering wheel is the banjo-spoke “Flex wheel,” its black plastic rim unblemished. The dashboard instruments have all been carefully restored, and the carpeted luggage compartment is a tonneau cover for use when the top is down. Underneath, the car is clean and tidy, with all mechanical elements painted black. The engine compartment is similarly perfectly presented. This Cadillac Sixteen Custom Roadster is remarkable not only for its beauty but for its sophisticated and complex construction. The Fleetwood engineers and craftsmen of the 1930s could not have done it any better. The Milhous Collection acquired the car from Fran Roxas in 1995, and it has enjoyed pride of place in the museum for a decade and a half, also being shown at Pebble Beach in the mid-1990s. As new owner, the Pack Automotive Museum has a chance to enjoy this singular piece of automotive history that was conceived by the geniuses at Fleetwood and brought to fruition by the finest craftsmen in the hobby.
Artist's rendering of Fleetwood style #5802. from the 1934 "Book of Fleetwood" Anyone who does not know the real story about this car and who has no access to Fleetwood production records could easily believe it to be a genuine classic. Caveat emptor ! This style was offered also on the V-8 and V-12 chassis
*[5802]*	[#1]	?	New Millennium V-16 roadster for two passengers. At first glance I thought this was the previous car, after two different paint jobs on the preceding car (off-white). In fact, we are with TWO different cars; the rumble seat on the green care is quite different from the one above, devised by the Roxas-McMinn team in the '80s. Owing to differences in Photo-Shop's automatic color settings, these first looked like two different cars, whereas the car is in fact semi-unique, being a near copy of the "imitation" Fleetwood roadster style #5802 described above.
*Photo (left): unknown venue; photo (right) Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance, March 2012, © 2012, Gita Saunders ]*

Unknown
???	???	5130316	Factory records of this engine number seem to have been lost