1955 Cadillac Custom Viewmaster Station Wagon

The Hess & Eisenhardt, Cincinnati, Ohio, built Custom Viewmaster Station Wagons in 1955 and 1956. William 'Bill' Hess, who designed this wagon in conjunction with the Cadillac Motor Car Division of GM, was a graduate of General Motors Institute of Technology; in the fifties, he was considered one of the most advanced stylists in the industry. These luxury station wagons were built on the Series 62 chassis (129-inch wheelbase) using a Series 86 Commercial cowl and floor pan. The doors were by Fleetwood. The tailgate glass was that of the Chevrolet Nomad wagon. Seven were manufactured, each one being different in color and finish from the next; they stood two inches taller than the regular Series 62 Cadillac and each weighed around 5000 pounds. All had chrome window pillars all round and most had imitation wood side-paneling in Fiberglass (except this prototype with its plain metal sides), as well as three rows of seats providing room for eight passengers.