1955 Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood Imperial Sedan

American Presidents, in a similar fashion to important, dignitaries and 'royalty' throughout the world, have unique needs when it comes to transportation. Along with mandatory criteria, presidents and their families have their own preferences and needs for transportation, both official and informal. In the case of Mamie Doud Eisenhower, First Lady of the 34th President of the United States, desired a car that could be used as a formal and parade vehicle when needed.

An order was placed in March of 1955 with Cadillac for an eight-passenger Imperial sedan, body style 7533X. The car was painted in basic black with dark grey, plain broadcloth upholstery, power brakes, E-Z Eye tinted glass, a rear compartment radio, a heater, and air conditioning. The car was sent from the factory to Hess & Eisenhardt, professional car conversion specialists in Rossmoyne, Ohio. Most of the rearmost part of the roof was replaced with a section and rear window from a Series 62 Coupe de Ville. This transformed the basic Imperial Sedan into a pillarless 'hardtop' limousine, allowing the occupants an excellent viewpoint for press photographers. The car was given a sliding sunroof, along with a grab rail for balance while standing in the moving car. The driver's compartment was upholstered in blue leather and given a black padded dashboard. The rear compartment was finished in buttoned grey broadcloth. The work was completed - as evidenced by the firewall data plate - on May 27th of 1955.

The car remained in the White House garages for the remainder of Eisenhower's term. GM requested in January of 1958 to display the car at the Washington Auto Show. Unfortunately, the government rejected the request. After Eisenhower's left the White House, the car is believed to have been sold to an American General. In 1988, it was purchased by Olivier Delafon, a French collector of presidential automobiles and cars of state. The current owner, another European collector, purchased the car in 2006.

Currently, the car is in original condition with the original trunk-mounted air conditioner, with clear plastic ducts extending to the roof. At some point during the car's life, the original engine was replaced with a more powerful 1956 unit. The overhead valve V-8 displaces 365 cubic inches and offers 285 horsepower. There is a four-speed Hydra-Matic gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

In 2013, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's Scottsdale, Arizona sale. Bidding reached $105,000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2013