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Today, Cadillac represents luxury in the United States. However, by the beginning of the 1930s, the General Motors brand was yet to truly make its mark. That moment would come in January of 1930 at the New York Auto Show.
Cadillac Automobile Company would be founded, amazingly enough, as a result of a fall-out between Henry Ford and some of his investors. Named after the French explorer that founded Detroit in 1701, the Cadillac Automobile Company would be founded almost exactly 200 years later when it opened its doors in August 1902.
In the early days, getting and maintaining orders was the important matter of the day. Therefore, luxury automobiles would not be the first introduction people would have with the Cadillac name. However, it wouldn't be long before people would begin to recognize their early Runabout and Tonneau designs were simply better built than most.
Awards and recognition would quickly follow and this would attract the attention of General Motors. Being a part of a large conglomerate, Cadillac would be able to focus on building a specific line of automobiles. General Motors already knew what it had in mind and Cadillac would become the company's luxury line with many of its cars being custom-built designs.
All throughout the next couple of decades Cadillac would be reliable and fine automobile. However, the line was yet to make its mark on a worldwide stage. The name was well-known and respected as a maker of fine luxury automobiles, but that was mostly within the United States. Then, in 1930, Cadillac would make a deliberate move that would put it in a rare class the world over.
Under a great cloud of secrecy Cadillac would develop a 16-cylinder engine, the first to be built by scratch. There was only one other manufacturer in the world that had ever introduced a 16-cylinder engine in a production automobile and that was the elite automaker Bugatti. Now, in one moment, Cadillac entered rarified company.
Producing 175hp from the 452 cu.in. engine, Cadillac had an engine that offered performance. Fleetwood would be one of the coachbuilders assigned the task of capturing that performance in an equally-evocative design.
Situated in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish country, Fleetwood would be named for the town located within a stone's throw of the Reading & Lehigh railroad line. The company would be a family affair and would get its beginnings as a blacksmith shop. However, when the company turned its hands to building custom bodies for the automobile industry, Fleetwood would truly come into its own. And, while there would be many coachbuilders that would design and build bodies that sat atop Cadillac chassis, Fleetwood would become, by far, one of the most desirable and coveted.
One of those highly coveted Cadillac V-16s would be a roadster built by Fleetwood bearing engine number 70161.
Completed in 1930, the 16-cylinder engine would be transported to have itself mated with one of Fleetwood's most popular designs, body style 4302, or what was the Roadster. Upon completion, the Cadillac would be transported to Fitzhenry Cadillac Company of Worcester, Massachusetts. Completed in Boone Brown and trimmed in Thorne Maroon, the roadster would be held in Worcester for its first owner, none other than Matthew Whittall Sr.
Whittall Sr. was a prominent member of society owning most all of the mills in the area. Besides being a Master Mason, Whittall would be well known for building a number of other community buildings and for his 'summer' place, which was known as 'Juniper Hall'.
Apparently, the performance of the Roadster deeply bothered Whittall and he would trade the car to another dealer. This is where the Moir family comes into the picture.
Passing by the Baker Ford Company, John Moir Sr. would see the Cadillac and would determine to own to the car. Seeing that it was the heart of the Great Depression, Moir would get a reasonable deal on the car and would use it routinely, right up until the outbreak of the Second World War when gas rationing began to take hold of the nation.
Moir Sr's son would train as a belly gunner in B-24s during the war and afterward would be given the Cadillac for his own use. Over the next few years, Moir Jr. would use the Cadillac going to and fro until retiring the automobile sometime later. But even though the Moirs would discontinue using the Cadillac for their everyday vehicle, they would never sell it. Instead, they would store the car away, keeping it in its highly original condition all the way up through the 1990s when it would be restored by Curt Hardee.
Since the car remained in its original state before the restoration, it was relatively easy to keep it original when all was said and done. The livery would remain the same, as well as all of the other little details that made it a Fleetwood Cadillac.
A little more than eight decades, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood has remained in the care of the Moir family. In fact, it truly had become a member of the family, an old dear friend. And like those old family members that always has a story to tell, this particular roadster, with its highly original and first-hand feel tells a story of a period of luxury now gone by, but a symbol that still tells the story of how Cadillac became a premier luxury car builder.
Offered at the 2014 RM Auction's Hershey event, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster would draw estimates ranging from between $450,000 and $650,000. However, when the spirited bidding came to an end, the 1930 Cadillac would garner an astonishing $1,100,000!
Sources:
'Fleetwood Metal Body Co.', (http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fleetwood/fleetwood.htm). Coachbuilt.com. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fleetwood/fleetwood.htm. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
'Lot 109: 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood', (http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1070511). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1070511. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
Wikipedia contributors, 'Cadillac', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 October 2014, 02:22 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadillac&oldid=628574494 accessed 7 October 2014
By Jeremy McMullen
Cadillac Automobile Company would be founded, amazingly enough, as a result of a fall-out between Henry Ford and some of his investors. Named after the French explorer that founded Detroit in 1701, the Cadillac Automobile Company would be founded almost exactly 200 years later when it opened its doors in August 1902.
In the early days, getting and maintaining orders was the important matter of the day. Therefore, luxury automobiles would not be the first introduction people would have with the Cadillac name. However, it wouldn't be long before people would begin to recognize their early Runabout and Tonneau designs were simply better built than most.
Awards and recognition would quickly follow and this would attract the attention of General Motors. Being a part of a large conglomerate, Cadillac would be able to focus on building a specific line of automobiles. General Motors already knew what it had in mind and Cadillac would become the company's luxury line with many of its cars being custom-built designs.
All throughout the next couple of decades Cadillac would be reliable and fine automobile. However, the line was yet to make its mark on a worldwide stage. The name was well-known and respected as a maker of fine luxury automobiles, but that was mostly within the United States. Then, in 1930, Cadillac would make a deliberate move that would put it in a rare class the world over.
Under a great cloud of secrecy Cadillac would develop a 16-cylinder engine, the first to be built by scratch. There was only one other manufacturer in the world that had ever introduced a 16-cylinder engine in a production automobile and that was the elite automaker Bugatti. Now, in one moment, Cadillac entered rarified company.
Producing 175hp from the 452 cu.in. engine, Cadillac had an engine that offered performance. Fleetwood would be one of the coachbuilders assigned the task of capturing that performance in an equally-evocative design.
Situated in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish country, Fleetwood would be named for the town located within a stone's throw of the Reading & Lehigh railroad line. The company would be a family affair and would get its beginnings as a blacksmith shop. However, when the company turned its hands to building custom bodies for the automobile industry, Fleetwood would truly come into its own. And, while there would be many coachbuilders that would design and build bodies that sat atop Cadillac chassis, Fleetwood would become, by far, one of the most desirable and coveted.
One of those highly coveted Cadillac V-16s would be a roadster built by Fleetwood bearing engine number 70161.
Completed in 1930, the 16-cylinder engine would be transported to have itself mated with one of Fleetwood's most popular designs, body style 4302, or what was the Roadster. Upon completion, the Cadillac would be transported to Fitzhenry Cadillac Company of Worcester, Massachusetts. Completed in Boone Brown and trimmed in Thorne Maroon, the roadster would be held in Worcester for its first owner, none other than Matthew Whittall Sr.
Whittall Sr. was a prominent member of society owning most all of the mills in the area. Besides being a Master Mason, Whittall would be well known for building a number of other community buildings and for his 'summer' place, which was known as 'Juniper Hall'.
Apparently, the performance of the Roadster deeply bothered Whittall and he would trade the car to another dealer. This is where the Moir family comes into the picture.
Passing by the Baker Ford Company, John Moir Sr. would see the Cadillac and would determine to own to the car. Seeing that it was the heart of the Great Depression, Moir would get a reasonable deal on the car and would use it routinely, right up until the outbreak of the Second World War when gas rationing began to take hold of the nation.
Moir Sr's son would train as a belly gunner in B-24s during the war and afterward would be given the Cadillac for his own use. Over the next few years, Moir Jr. would use the Cadillac going to and fro until retiring the automobile sometime later. But even though the Moirs would discontinue using the Cadillac for their everyday vehicle, they would never sell it. Instead, they would store the car away, keeping it in its highly original condition all the way up through the 1990s when it would be restored by Curt Hardee.
Since the car remained in its original state before the restoration, it was relatively easy to keep it original when all was said and done. The livery would remain the same, as well as all of the other little details that made it a Fleetwood Cadillac.
A little more than eight decades, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood has remained in the care of the Moir family. In fact, it truly had become a member of the family, an old dear friend. And like those old family members that always has a story to tell, this particular roadster, with its highly original and first-hand feel tells a story of a period of luxury now gone by, but a symbol that still tells the story of how Cadillac became a premier luxury car builder.
Offered at the 2014 RM Auction's Hershey event, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster would draw estimates ranging from between $450,000 and $650,000. However, when the spirited bidding came to an end, the 1930 Cadillac would garner an astonishing $1,100,000!
Sources:
'Fleetwood Metal Body Co.', (http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fleetwood/fleetwood.htm). Coachbuilt.com. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fleetwood/fleetwood.htm. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
'Lot 109: 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood', (http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1070511). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1070511. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
Wikipedia contributors, 'Cadillac', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 October 2014, 02:22 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadillac&oldid=628574494 accessed 7 October 2014
By Jeremy McMullen
2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $1,100,000-USD $1,500,000
Sale Price :
USD $1,105,000
2014 RM Auctions - Hershey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $450,000-USD $650,000
Sale Price :
USD $1,100,000
1930 Cadillac Series 452A V16 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Cadillac Series 452A V16
(Data based on Model Year 1930 sales)
1930 Cadillac V-16 Coupe Chassis#: 4376 Sold for USD$280,000 2024 Worldwide Auctioneers : Auburn Auction | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$797,000 2024 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood Chassis#: 7-952 Sold for USD$1,077,500 2024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami | |
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster Chassis#: 702537 Sold for USD$93,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster Chassis#: 701990 Sold for USD$550,000 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1930 CADILLAC SERIES 452 V-16 SEVEN-PASSENGER SEDAN Sold for USD$78,400 2023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1930 CADILLAC SERIES 452 V-16 CONVERTIBLE COUPE Sold for USD$268,800 2023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood Sold for USD$1,105,000 2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$880,000 2022 RM Sothebys : The Hershey Auction | |
1930 CADILLAC SERIES 452 V-16 ROADSTER Chassis#: 7-926 Sold for USD$1,655,000 2022 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster Chassis#: 702092 Sold for USD$758,500 2022 Worldwide Auctioneers : The Enthusiast Auction | |
1930 Cadillac V16 Série 452 Roadster par Fleetwood Chassis#: 701990 Sold for USD$339,511 2022 Artcurial : Retromobile | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Transformable Town Cabriolet by Fleetwood Chassis#: 700492 Sold for USD$395,500 2022 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster in the style of Fleetwood Chassis#: 700697 Sold for USD$169,010 2022 RM Sothebys : Paris | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$885,000 2022 RM Sothebys : Arizona | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 All-Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$182,000 2021 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island Auction | |
1930 CADILLAC/LASALLE V-16 SPEEDSTER CUSTOM Sold for USD$47,040 2020 Bonhams : Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$802,500 2020 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island Auction | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 All-Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood Sold for USD$200,000 2020 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island Auction | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood Chassis#: 2597-7-1 Sold for USD$1,105,000 2020 RM Sothebys : Scottsdale Arizona |
Cadillac Series 452A V16s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1930 Cadillac Series 452A V16's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1930 Cadillac V-16 Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan by Fleetwood | 2024 RM Sothebys : Hershey | $75,000 | $100,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 7-1924 | 2024 Bonhams : The Scottsdale Auction | $1,000,000 | $1,200,000 | |
1930 Cadillac V-16 Transformable Town Cabriolet by Fleetwood | 2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $300,000 | $400,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 702537 | 2023 Mecum : 2023 Monterey | $90,000 | $250,000 | $400,000 |
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 701990 | 2023 Mecum : 2023 Monterey | $350,000 | $400,000 | $600,000 |
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 701990 | 2023 Mecum : Houston | $550,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Transformable Town Cabriolet | 2023 Bonhams : Amelia Island Auction | $350,000 | $450,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 2023 Mecum : Kissimmee | $400,000 | |||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster | 2022 Broad Arrow Auctions : Monterey Jet Center Auction | $550,000 | $650,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Roadster | 701990 | 2022 Mecum : Monterey | $425,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Phaeton by Murphy | 7-9094 | 2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $1,500,000 | $1,800,000 | |
1930 CADILLAC SERIES 452 V-16 IMPERIAL SEDAN 4330 | 2020 Bonhams : Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum | $150,000 | $180,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Madame X Imperial Landaulet Cabriolet | 2019 Worldwide Auctioneers : Pacific Grove Auction | ||||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster in the style of Fleetwood | 2019 RM Sothebys : Villa Erba | $400,000 | $500,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster in the style of Fleetwood | 2019 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | $325,000 | $425,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan by Fleetwood | 702402 | 2018 RM Auctions : Auburn Fall | |||
1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster in the style of Fleetwood | 2015 RM Sotheby's Hershey Auction | $350,000 | $450,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V16 All Weather Phaeton | 2014 Bonhams The Scottsdale Auction | $275,000 | $325,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Sixteen Madame X Sedan Cabriolet | 702054 | 2013 Auctions America Auburn Fall | $135,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac V-16 All Weather Phaeton | 2013 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction | $275,000 | $350,000 | ||
1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 | 2010 Leake Auctions Tulsa, Oklahoma | $240,000 | |||
1930 Cadillac V16 série 452 dual-cowl phaéton | 700665 | 2010 Bonhams Automobiles d'Exception á Rétromobile | $350,000 | $450,000 | |
1930 Cadillac Series 452A V16 | 700898 | 2009 Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook | $210,000 | $250,000 | $350,000 |
1930 Cadillac Series 452A | 2007 Vintage Motor Cars at Hershey | $100,000 | $125,000 | ||
1930 CADILLAC IMPERIAL LIMOUSINE | 2001 Kruse Auction Auburn, IN | $72,100 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $466,405 range.
1911 Mercedes 50 HP Tourer Chassis#:BM971 Sold for $467,000 2024 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1928 Bugatti Type 44 Torpédo Coachwork by Figoni Chassis#:44437 Sold for $467,000 2024 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1968 Porsche 911 T/R Chassis#:11820807 Sold for $467,000 2024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami | |
2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica Chassis#:ZFFGT61A650145715 Sold for $467,000 2024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami | |
1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 TE 6.0 AMG 'The Mallet' Chassis#:WDBEA90D3JF060409 Sold for $467,000 2024 RM Sothebys : ModaMiami | |
1959 LANCIA FLAMINIA SPORT Chassis#:824.00.1097 Sold for $467,000 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island | |
2005 FERRARI 612 SCAGLIETTI Chassis#:ZFFAA54A050142651 Sold for $467,000 2024 Gooding : Amelia Island | |
1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CUSTOM SPLIT-WINDOW COUPE Chassis#:30837S104310 Sold for $467,500 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1970 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 429 Chassis#:0F02Z124179 Sold for $462,000 2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ | |
1971 Dodge Hemi Charger R/T Chassis#:ws23r1a165242 Sold for $467,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
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2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Coachwork by Pininfarina Chassis#:ZFFZR52B000124211 Sold for $461,898 2023 Bonhams : The Zoute Sale | |
1928 ISOTTA FRASCHINI TIPO 8A S LANDAULET Chassis#:1515 Sold for $467,000 2023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
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2010 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Chassis#:WP0ZZZ99ZBS776234 Sold for $468,531 2023 RM Sothebys : The Carrera Collection Part 2 (Italy) | |
1997 Porsche 911 Turbo S Chassis#:WP0ZZZ99ZVS370658 Sold for $468,531 2023 RM Sothebys : The Carrera Collection Part 2 (Italy) | |
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1930 Cadillac Series 452A V16
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