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1930 Cadillac Series 452A V16

Cadillac, Marmon, and Peerless were all working on V-16 engines at the end of the 1920s, but Cadillac was the first to unveil its V-16, on January 4th, 1930 at the New York Auto Show. The engine was constructed using two blocks of the new Buick 8-cylinder engine mounted on a common crankcase set at a 45-degree angle. The engine displaced 452 cubic inches and was rated (conservatively) at 175 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds at 1,200 to 1,500 engine revolutions. Unlike many of its competitors, Cadillac mostly offered finished and complete cars bodied by GM's in-house coachbuilders, Fleetwood and Fisher. The new V-16 was a great success; over 2,000 cars were ordered in the first seven months of 1930 before sales fell due to the economic climate as well as the introduction of Cadillac's new V-12 engined chassis.

With the introduction of the new Cadillac V-16, the cylinder wars were brought to new levels and Cadillac asserted its dominance of the luxury car market. Up to this point in history, Bugatti had already produced a 16-cylinder engine by mating a pair of inline eight-cylinder engines, however, Cadillac's 16-cylinder was the first true engine to be designed and purpose-built from scratch. Clandestine development began in 1926 and was led by Owen Milton Nacker and GM Engineering chief Charles Kettering.

This was the first engine to be 'styled' with completely hidden wiring and the use of polished aluminum, porcelain, and a pair of valve covers with brushed aluminum ridges prominently featuring the Cadillac emblem. There were external manifolds, a silicon-aluminum crankcase, five-point engine mounts, evenly-spaced firing intervals, and a large, well-balanced forged crankshaft, supported by five main bearings. Hydraulic valve-silencers allowed for whisper-quiet operation and a single distributor with two sets of breaker points were controlled by two separate ignition coils.

Among the unavoidable drawbacks of Cadillac's new flagship automobile were its timing, introduction during the Great Depression, and the rapidly declining luxury car market of the early 1930s. Very few could afford to pay the exorbitant price tag that was often more than ten times a contemporary Ford or Chevrolet. Cadillac managed to survive thanks to the financial resources of GM, its parent company. During its production lifespan that lasted through 1940, a total of 4,378 examples of the V-16 were built, including a completely redesigned engine for the final three years.

The 1934 Cadillac Model 452-D Sixteen had a 154-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 240 inches, and shared the Fleetwood bodies with its eight- and twelve-cylinder siblings. Both flat and vee-shaped windshield designs were available, and catalog bodies listed over 50 body styles of 2- to 7-passenger designs. Prices began at $6,600 and rose to over $8,800. The designs became more modern and in-vogue with pontoon fenders, flowing bullet-shaped headlights, aerodynamic grilles, and streamlined styling. The crease across the nose of the front fenders found on previous model designs was abandoned, and three spears were placed on the front fender skirts and hood side panels.

The engine was backed by a three-speed selective synchromesh manual gearbox with a twin-disc clutch, and braking was handled by mechanical brakes with vacuum assist on all four wheels. A 4.64:1 drive ratio and 17-inch wire wheels were standard; a radio, side-mount covers, heater, flexible steering wheel, spotlight, and seat covers were optional equipment.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood

By the end of the 1920s, Cadillac had earned a reputation as one of the most prestigious American marques, and on January 4, 1930, at the New York Auto Show, the company unveiled a sensational new luxury model with a 452 cubic-inch V-16 engine designed by Owen Nacker. The car was as technically advanced as it was powerful, with a stylish Art Deco-inspired design. The powerful V-16 stole the headlines with its 165 horsepower output and unparalleled refinement. It was installed in a new, strengthened chassis with power-assisted brakes and a fully synchromesh gearbox. The Cadillac 452 Fleetwood Roadster was one of the most sporting automobiles offered by Cadillac on the V-16 chassis.

This car has known ownership from new, including the famed early collector James Melton. Its current owner acquired this Roadster in 2018 and completed a full restoration in 2019.

Coupe by Fleetwood

Cadillac produced the 452 cubic-inch V-16 engine and chassis from 1930 until 1937. The engine develops 165 horsepower at 3,200 RPM generating over 300 ft. lbs. of torque.

Owen Nacker was hired in 1926 by Cadillac and became the lead engineer of the V-16 engine. His design included remarkable features such as overhead valves with hydraulically adjusted rockers. The crankcase and oil pan were aluminum castings while the cylinder blocks and heads were cast iron. Nacker used the development of Cadillac's V-12 engine to hide the work on the V-16 from the public's eye.

This was the first engine to be styled for aesthetics as well as functionality. It utilized polished raised aluminum panels on the valve covers and the wiring and plumbing were hidden behind a firewall panel, while porcelain was used on the exhaust manifold. The styling made this one of the most beautiful engines ever built. The chassis features a three-speed synchromesh transmission and vacuum-assisted power brakes. It has metal-covered leaf springs to keep out water and thermostatically controlled radiator shutters. With a wheelbase of 148 inches and an average weight, including a body of 5,900 pounds, the V-16 is an enormous automobile.

This was a very expensive automobile. 1930 prices ranged from $5,300 for Roadsters and $9,700 for Towncars. This car sold for $6,850.

By the mid-thirties, the depth of the Depression eliminated most of the demand for cars in these price ranges. This Cadillac 452 is one of 70 Coupes built and one of the rare surviving closed cars.

Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 7-2597
Engine number: 702455

Cadillac introduced its new and luxurious V-16 automobile at the 1930 New York Salon in response to the Duesenberg Model J that had amazed the world when introduced in late 1928. The V-16 had an equally impressive performance, displacing 452 cubic inches and producing 185 horsepower. Only 85 Fleetwood sport phaetons were produced on the V-16 chassis. This example is fitted with dual cowl coachwork; the cowl for the rear-seat passengers is mounted directly to the rear of the front seat and is raised and lowered by turning a small crank. This gives the car its distinctive low line. The body is sometimes referred to as a four-passenger roadster.

Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 700503

Cadillac created the V-16 to exceed the standards of the best automobiles in the world - particularly the Duesenberg Model J in the American market. Cadillac introduced its new ultra-luxurious car with its new 16-cylinder engine at the 1930 New York Auto Salon, where it caused a sensation. They offered a number of Fleetwood bodies on the 1930-31 Series 452A chassis but the most successful was the All-Weather Phaeton. The V-16 Phaeton cost more than ten times the price of a contemporary Chevrolet convertible, and few people could afford such luxury due to the shrinking depression-era car market.

This V-16 Cadillac was sold new from the Chicago, Illinois, Cadillac distributorship to Tiffany's on March 14th, 1930. It resided in Chicago until the early 1940s when it was sold to Willy Christ who brought it to California. The car remained in CA and with Mr. Christ until his passing in 1988. It was purchased from the estate sale by Jim Pearson of Kansas City, who later sold the car to Bud Tinny, a Cadillac dealer in Florida. The car was restored by Lloyd and Jeff Brekke from Bartow, Florida in 1998 back to the original build sheet specification. In 1999 the car was sold to Dave Lindsay from Manawa, Wisconsin. It received a Cadillac LaSalle Club Senior badge in Detroit in 2002 and, later that year, a CCCA Senior First Place badge. Richard Rollins purchased the car in 2015, who sold the car to Dave Creak in Ohio and Creak to the current owner.

Over the winter of 2016 and into 2017, the Cadillac was partially disassembled, receiving a refresh and major detailing. It was shown at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2017, where it completed the Eight Flags Road Tour and received Best in Class honors.

This car is finished in its original colors of black and crimson. It is estimated there are only 150 remaining V-16s with all original components and only 1/5 of them were convertibles.

Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 702425

Cadillac produced just 85 examples of the Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood, with body style 4260, on the V-16 model between 1930 and 1931. They were a modern update of the traditional 'dual cowl' phaeton, which had a second cowl and windshield for the rear occupants. The Sport Phaeton had a windshield mounted directly in the back of the front seat. A small hand crank could be used to raise or lower the windshield.

It is believed that just seventeen authentic survivors of the Sport Phaeton remain in existence.

This particular example was delivered new in New York City. It later made its way to the southwest in April 1958. It was owned in the 1960s by Clarence Stalts, then acquired by the late Russell Strauch of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Strauch had begun a fresh restoration of the car at the time of his untimely passing in 1975. The car was sold by his estate two years later to Richard Gold of Deephaven, Minnesota. While in Mr. Gold's care, the car was given a restoration. It was finished in pewter and black with a black leather interior and equipped with dual side-mounted mirrors, Cadillac Pilot Ray driving lights, a low-profile 'touring trunk,' and original-style wind wings. After the work was completed, the car was taken to the CCCA Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, where it received 100 points, eventually achieving Senior status in CCCA judging. The car also won the AACA's national James Melton Memorial Cup, as the outstanding Senior car in its division.

Mr. Gold sold the Sport Phaeton in 1989 to the Weber Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri. The next owner was Hans Lüscher of Switzerland, with whom it remained for over a decade before joining the current owner's collection.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood

The 1930 Cadillac Sixteen was the first year for the overhead-valve, 452-cubic-inch engine producing 165 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque. The Sixteen was theoretically available in 33 different models, sub-models, or trim variations ranging from a $5,350 two-passenger roadster to an $8,750 town cabriolet. The typical example could return about 8 miles to a 15-cent gallon of gas and 150 miles to a quart of oil, plus cruise at 70 to a top speed of 90 mph.

This example has coachwork by Fleetwood and is mounted on a 148-inch wheelbase and a total of 3,250 Sixteens were built in 1930 and 1931. The Sixteen continued to be produced until 1940.

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 7-926
Engine number: 701432

The first owner of this Roadster by Fleetwood was Floyd E. Becker who placed the order on January 2nd of 1930. His order requested the V-16 roadster with map pockets in the doors, a top made of the same shape as on the Beckers' previous Cadillac, no trunk rack, dual rear-mounted spares, four artillery-type 20-inch wooden artillery wheels all around with spokes painted the body color, dual rear-mounted spare tires, wind wings with chrome brackets, special door pockets, and special Cannon Smoke paint color, interior trim, and monograms. The total price came to $5,896.40. Other options include an extended seat cushion and backrest, and a hand brake handle the same height as the gear shift lever.

The Beckers retained the Cadillac until 1948, when it was sold to Harry Travis of Livingston, New York for $400. The next owner was S. Prestley Blake. Mr. Blake eventually traded the car in 1959 to Briggs S. Cunningham as part of a transaction on a 1914 Rolls-Royce.

The roadster remained in the Cunningham Museum at Costa Mesa, California, until the museum closed at the end of 1986. The car was later sold to Miles Collier. Seven years later, it was sold to another owner who kept it for eight years before it was acquired, through RM Classic Cars, by the present owner.

The car was subsequently fully restored by RM Auto Restoration to exactly its original condition.

In 2001, the car was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours where it earned a 3rd in Class and a 2nd in Class in 2012.

Mr. Floyd E. Becker, of Roseland, NJ, placed the original order for this car on January 27, 1930, and it was delivered on May 16, 1930. The order specified a V-16 engine (452 cubic-inch displacement, 175 HP, and 320 ft-lbs torque), 20-inch wood spoke wheels painted the same color as the body (Cannon Smoke with Aztec Red double hairline striping), two rear-mounted spares, 3.92:1 rear axle ratio, special door pockets, windshield wings, and special seats. The total price was $5,896.40 and included two spare coils, condensers, and points. A complete restoration was completed in June 2001, with 3,392.5 man-hours of labor.

Engine

Newly designed for 1930, the series 452 V16 engine is rated at 452 cubic inches and produces 165 HP It utilizes dual carburetors and dual vacuum tanks for fuel delivery. This was one of the first engines designed with panels to hide components and also utilized the industry's first hydraulic valve lash adjuster.

Madame X Sedan by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 702103

This 1930 Cadillac V16 Madame X Five-Passenger Sedan was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars sale at Hershey, PA presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $100,000 - $125,000 and offered without reserve. Bidding surpassed the estimates with the final bid settling at $93,500, including the buyer's premium.

In 1930 Cadillac introduced its new sixteen-cylinder masterpiece which carried a sticker price of $6,900. Up to this point in history, Cadillac had mostly been a mid-priced vehicle, but with the introduction of this new model, Cadillac graduated to the head of the luxury car segment. It shared an honor with only one other marque, Bugatti, who had produced a 'U' shaped sixteen-cylinder engine, with Cadillac's being the first true 16-cylinder created from scratch. It was designed by Owen Nacker and featured a 45-degree cylinder bank angle and overhead valve design which kept the engine very narrow. To complement the ingenuity and genius of the V16 powerplant, the engine bay became one of the first to be given proper 'styling.' All of the wiring was hidden and there was generous use of polished aluminum, shining porcelain, and a pair of valve covers with brushed aluminum rigged surfaces featuring the Cadillac emblem.

What was even more impressive is the era in which it was introduced - the Great Depression. This new technology in one of the largest and most complex packages ever created up to this point, kept the competition struggling to keep up. In their efforts to develop, experiment and test, many over-extended themselves and were forced out of business.

Even though the luxury market was declining, Cadillac was able to survive, thanks in part to the financial support from General Motors.

It is believed that only 49 examples of the model 4130-S were ever produced. They are commonly known as the 'Madam-X' Cadillacs and wore series 4100 Fleetwood bodies. Their most unusual and possibly attractive feature was the raked, one-piece flat windshield which had very thin side pillars and fine chrome molding around all side windows.

This particular example was built on July 7th of 1930 and shipped to the Akron Branch of Cadillac. During its trip, it was diverted on October 10th to Canton, Ohio where it was sold to its first owner. It has been well cared for throughout its life. It retains many of its original equipment including the correct 13-inch headlights, an eight-inch articulated lower driving lights that turn in sync with the front wheels, chrome pilot fender lights, painted spoke wire wheels, dual hard cover side mounted 19-inch spoke wheels, and painted in a two-tone blue exterior. It is body no 26, bodied by Fleetwood, and one of the few remaining in modern times.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700809
Engine number: 700809

The Cadillac 452 V16 was the biggest, quietest, most sophisticated, and most luxurious automobile during the Classic Era. The development of the V16 engine was done in utmost secrecy. General Motors did all it could to keep it a clandestine affair, even going to great lengths to mask its activities. When placing orders and giving suppliers drawings they marked 'bus' and 'coach' to douce suspicion.

As the 1920s came to a close, GM introduced their V16 engine to an unsuspecting world. Their goal had been ascertained; to construct a smooth and quiet engine that had adequate power and torque to carry the ever-increasing weight of the luxuriously trimmed coachwork. The engine was unveiled to the public at the New York Auto Salon in January of 1930. By early April, Cadillac had already shipped more than a thousand V16s. Over the next seven years, a total of 3,878 examples were produced.

Production figures would have been higher had not the Great Depression dwindled the pool of potential buyers. Nevertheless, the V16 was still a triumph for General Motors, Fleetwood, and the Art and Color Department. The styling had firmly established Harley Earl as the prominent GM designer. Over the next quarter century, Earl would ride on its success and become a dominant figure in the design of the American automobile.

This 1930 Cadillac 452A V16 Roadster has coachwork by Fleetwood. It has chassis number 700809 and a matching engine number. It is a very original car with every numbered component, including the engine, chassis, steering box, front axle, bell housing, and generator, bearing the numbers cataloged when it left the factory in March 1930.

Since new, it was treated to a three-year professional body-off restoration that was completed in 1995. It has received its Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Primary, Senior and Premier awards. It scored a perfect 100 points on three separate occasions.

The vehicle's first owner was a Virginia resident and little documentation exists from its early days. It was found in a barn in upstate New York in the late 1980s and wore New Jersey registration tags from 1950. Jim Bradley purchased the car and commissioned the restoration.

When the car left the factory it had been fitted with dual side-mounted spares with body color metal covers, stainless spoke wire wheels, wind wings, chrome-plated vents, Cadillac ***** spotlights, Pilot Ray auxiliary driving lights, and an original Cadillac accessory trunk with a full set of fitted luggage. The color it wears today is original to its build sheet. The interior and chassis is red with the body painted in black.

In 2007 it was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction where it was estimated to sell for $550,000 - $650,000. Those estimates were proven nearly accurate as the lot was sold for $495,000 including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Madame X Sedan by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700979
Engine number: 700979

This 1930 Cadillac 452 V16 has coachwork by Saoutchik and was originally built as a promotional tour of major European cities in June of 1930. After its tour was over, it lay abandoned in a Paris garage for a number of years. It was later purchased by French automobile dealer Johnny Thuysbaert and repair work was carried out in 1964 by the Francis Workshops near Paris. It was later purchased by Serge Pozzoli, former editor of France's Fanatique de l'Automobile, who put the car into storage. The car was later purchased by Hubert LeGallais who showed it at various meets in and around Paris in the late 1960s and 1970s.

In the 1980s, the car returned to the United States where a restoration was performed by Fran Roxas for Fred Weber in St. Louis, Missouri. During the restoration, the body was removed from the European tour-car chassis and put on chassis 700979.

During the 1990s, the car was owned by Bernie Glieberman and shown at various events. Highlights include a Class Award at Pebble Beach in 1991 and at Meadowbrook in 1995 where it won Best in Class and the Engineering in Excellence Trophy. The current owner purchased the car in January 2001.

This car has won awards at the Pebble Beach Concours, Amelia Island Concours, Palos Verdes, and Newport Beach Concours.

This car is finished in silver and blue paintwork, has classic limousine-style seating, a custom sliding sunroof that opens to the entire passenger compartment, rear-seat cabinetry, rear speedometer and running lights.

In 2007 this Jacques Saoutchik V16 Cadillac was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was estimated to sell for $300,000-$400,000. As the gavel fell for the third and final time, this former Pebble Beach winner had been sold for the sum of $462,000 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Transformable Town Cabriolet by Fleetwood
Engine number: 700492

This V-16 Cadillac is one of 35 Transformable Town Cabriolets built (style number 4325) with bodywork created in Fleetwood's factory works in Pennsylvania. It has Fleetwood's Vee'd windscreen and matching trim molding along the spine of the hoodline. The Cadillac was delivered new to New York City's Uppercu Cadillac Company, and by 1946, it was registered in Los Angeles, California to J.R. Adams.

When 'Cadillac Jim' Pearson of Kansas City, Missouri, sold the car to Fred Weber, it was still an original and unrestored vehicle. While in Mr. Weber's care, the car was given a restoration with the work entrusted to Marc Ohm. Upon completion, it was shown at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it earned a class award.

The car's next owner was John McMullen of Lapeer, Michigan, who would display it at CCCA competitions, where it would earn a top score of 99.5 points and Senior Emeritus status in 2006. It later won Best in Class awards at the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance and Eyes on Design.

The penultimate owner purchased the car in 2007 and entrusted RM Auto Restoration to overhaul the V-16 engine. The present owner purchased the car early in 2022.

This Cadillac is powered by a 452 cubic-inch overhead valve V-16 with twin Updraft Cadillac carburetors and delivers 185 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. There is a three-speed synchromesh manual transmission, four-wheel vacuum-assisted drum brakes, and solid axles suspended by semi-elliptic leaf springs.

by Dan Vaughan

All-Weather Phaeton by Murphy by Murphy
Chassis number: 7-9094
Engine number: 700991

Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company when Henry Ford departed. Henry M. Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company persuaded the remaining partners to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine. On August 22, 1903, the company was renamed the Cadillac Automobile Company.

The Cadillac's biggest selling point was precision manufacturing and reliability based on winning the British Dewar trophy for the most important advancement of the year in the automobile industry. General Motors acquired the company in 1909. Cadillac's introduction of V-12 and V-16 powered cars in 1930 kicked off the 'cylinder wars' among the American luxury marques leading Packard to introduce their line of twelves. The V-16 powered 90 Series was Cadillac's top-of-the-line car until production ceased in 1940. The 90 Series rode on a 154-inch wheelbase with a 452 cubic-inch V-16 engine delivering 185 horsepower. The bodies featured GM's all-steel Turret Top with Vee windshields. Only 52 were produced in 1936, all built to order.

The Aerodynamic Coupe body style was the production version of the show car built for Chicago's 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair and represented a When the 1906 earthquake hit San Francisco, very few automobile dealerships survived. The Charles Howard Buick dealership did and fortune allowed him to sell cars to those in need. Howard became a very successful dealer on the west coast and became interested in Pasadena coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy.

Charles himself ordered a V-16 Cadillac. This car left the factory as a standard Fleetwood-bodied roadster, shipped to Charles S. Howard, the San Francisco-based California distributor for Buick (and eventual owner of Seabiscuit, the legendary triple-crown winning racehorse). Howard's aim was to have a custom-built V-16. As was standard practice at the time, Cadillac did not sell a V-16 chassis to a coachbuilder. If a client wanted custom coachwork, they usually purchased the most inexpensive model, removed the body to be sold off, and installed the new custom body. Howard had previously used Murphy, the respected coachbuilder from Pasadena, and commissioned them to build his special V-16.

A young and very talented Murphy designer, Franklin Hershey, gave the car a 'California' look, with very thin pillars and a light appearance. The most striking feature was a 22-degree, racked-back windshield, used instead of the typical, almost vertical, style. The finished car had a dual-purpose character. Fully enclosed as a convertible sedan, it was designed so that the windows could be lowered and concealed by flush chrome covers. With the center posts removed, and the rear windscreen raised, the car had the look and feel of a true open car.

Special features found on this car include inlaid interior woodwork, a second windshield for rear seat passengers, and a slightly raked windshield. This gave the car the appearance of a dual-cowl phaeton when the top was lowered. Number 701203 was a body style designated for the V16 Cadillac built from 1930 to 1931. It was put on a 148-inch wheelbase and boasted a 165 horsepower from the 452 cubic-inch engine.

The only option noted on this car is the wire-spoke wheels, the fender-mounted spare tire, and the faster 4.07 to 1 rear axle. It is one of just 105 built in 1930 at a cost of $5,350. The color scheme has been duplicated from the original Cadillac colors from 1930.

The completed car was enjoyed by the Howards for many years. It then passed through the hands of many well-known collectors before its acquisition by the current owner.

First restored around 1984, the restoration was thoroughly upgraded with new paint and other details to bring it back to concours quality in 1995. The present owner acquired this superb and rare custom V-16 Cadillac very recently.

Cadillac scooped the luxury market with the mid-1930 introduction of their series 452 sixteen-cylinder super luxury car. This individual custom creation from the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California, was built for Charles Howard, owner of the famed racehorse Seabiscuit. Murphy is best known for building Duesenberg bodies, but Howard obviously preferred the new Cadillac chassis for his car. The silky-smooth V-16 employed hydraulic valve silencers, and period press reported that the loudest noise heard at idle was 'the spark of the contact points.'

The interior of this example features gold-finished hardware with windows edged in walnut. Cloth sun visors, shaped like abstract leaves, feature screw heads that imitate pearls.

This 36-90 Aero-Dynamic Coupe is one of only four produced in 1936. The $8,150 price tag made it one of the most expensive Cadillacs in 1936. The Series 90 models were fitted with Fleetwood coachwork and only 52 were produced on the 154-inch wheelbase. 24 of those were 7-passenger limousines. This Aero 5-passenger coupe is one of only 4 produced in 1936.

The Coupe was powered by the overhead-valve, 452-cubic-inch, V-16 engine producing 165 horsepower and 320 foot/pounds of torque.

It is believed that this Cadillac remained with Mr. Howard into the postwar 1940s. in the late 1940s or early 1950s, the Cadillac was in Mendocino County possibly in Charles Jr.'s ownership, and still wearing its original Algonquin Green livery. Its next known owner, Dr. Robert N. Craycroft of Los Angeles, California. It is possible that Dr. Craycroft acquired the Cadillac directly from its first owners. Dr. Craycroft later transferred ownership of the Cadillac around 1959 to his friend Bob Gillespie.

Norman Taunton bought the car out of the basement of Fazackerly Cadillac in San Francisco during his honeymoon in 1961. He repainted the car its correct Algonquin Green but otherwise preserved it as-acquired, including its original red leather upholstery and hand-hammered trim hardware, as well as the speedometer and clock supplied by Murphy for rear-seat passengers.

In the late 1960s, ownership passed to the Brucker Family, of Movieworld museum fame, in Buena Park, California, who sold it roughly a decade later to Don Westerdale of Los Angeles. Mr. Westerdale undertook the Cadillac's first true restoration before selling it in 1985 to collector John Mozart. The next owner was Jim King of Beverly, Massachusetts, then in 1994 to John McMullen of Lapeer, Michigan. While in Mr. McMullen's ownership, the Murphy V-16 was restored anew by Brian Joseph's Classic & Exotic Service of Troy, Michigan. It went on to be shown at numerous concours d'elegance, winning its class at Meadowbrook in 1996 and at Pebble Beach in 1997, among many other laurels.

Paul Andrews of White Settlement, Texas acquired the Cadillac in 2007 from the McMullen stable and remained with him for the next eight years. Its current owner bought the car from the Andrews Collection in 2015.

Madame X Coupe by Fleetwood

Of all the luxury automobiles produced during the Depression, few if any, could surpass this 16-cylinder, 6000-pound Cadillac. Of the approximately 72 examples produced, only four are known to exist. The 'Madame X' designation was attached to the car after the heroine of a contemporary motion picture was pictured driving one.

Convertible Coupe Style 4335 by Fleetwood by Fleetwood
Engine number: 700898

Henry Leland was 47 years old when he moved his family to Detroit. He had enjoyed a prosperous career having invented mechanical hair clippers and more success was on the horizon for this precision machinery expert. Teaming up with Robert C. Falconer, the duo began producing precision gears and later moved into the production of steam engines for Detroit street cars and small gasoline engines.

Oldsmobile contracted the precision company in 1901 to build a single-cylinder internal combustion engine for their Curved Dash vehicle. The engine that Leland & Falconer created was 23 percent more powerful than existing Oldsmobile engines. It was rightfully dubbed the 'Little Hercules.' Sadly, the engine was rejected after a fire at the Oldsmobile factory delayed production and the retooling further delayed the release of the car.

Leland played a part in forming the company named after the French explorer who founded Detroit in the eighteenth century - Le Sieur Antoine de la Moth Cadillac - the Cadillac Automobile Company. Three decades later, the world was introduced to the sixteen-cylinder Cadillac. It was the first true 16-cylinder engine built from scratch. It was designed by Owen Nacker and given a 45-degree cylinder bank angle and overhead valve design allowing for a very narrow design. The external manifold provided good access to the engine compartment. It went a step beyond just a mechanical tour-de-force, it was a thing of beauty and style. All of the wiring was hidden and there was plenty of gleaming polished aluminum, and a pair of valve covers with brushed aluminum ridged surfaces with the Cadillac emblem.

The least expensive of the V16 Cadillac body styles was the Roadster style 4302 which sold for $5,350. The other end of the scale was the convertible coupe style 4235 which sold for $6,900. This example is a Fleetwood Convertible Coupe with style 4335 and sold new for $5,900. It is a unique design with a 'V' swing-out windshield with a seven-degree rake. There are suicide doors hinged at the rear and a 'LeBaron'-style curved hood.

Only 100 examples of the style 4335 were known to be produced. Only 12 are known to exist and even fewer are matching number cars, such as this example. It wears body number 47, is painted in two-tone red, and rides on 19-inch wire wheels. There are eight-inch lower Pilot-Ray driving lights that turn with the front wheels, chrome fender lights, and dual side-mounted 19-inch wire wheels.

In 2008 this 1930 Cadillac V16 Convertible Coupe was brought to RM Auctions 'Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook' where it was estimated to sell for $280,000-$350,000. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for $324,500 including the buyer's premium.

The car returned just one year later to the same auction and again was put onto the block. The car was estimated to sell for $250,000 - $350,000. As bidding came to a close, the lot failed to sell after achieving a high bid of $210,000.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Rollston & Company

This one-off convertible coupe is considered by many to be the most beautiful V-16 Cadillac ever built. The short-raked windshield and flowing lines mated perfectly with the massive 148-inch wheelbase V-16 chassis. Rollston and Company of New York did the coachwork. The V-16 delivered 8.5 miles per gallon with the standard 4.39 rear-end ratio and could attain an honest 90+ miles per hour. This Cadillac 452 Rollston Convertible Coupe has been owned by several major collectors during its lifetime and has been in the Robert M. Lee Collection since 1991.

Fleetwood Imperial Landaulet by Fleetwood

Cadillac offered an amazing array of catalogued custom bodies for the V-16 series. This Fleetwood body offered the ultimate combination of a formal closed design with sport sedan style. The dramatic V windshield, contoured hood, and bright window reveals were just a few of the special styling cues incorporated into this design.

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 7-2218
Engine number: 702338

The first owner of this car was the Schaeffer family of Schaeffer Pen Company fame. It was later purchased by Bob Bahre. In the mid-1990s, the car was sold to its present owner. Under the new owner's care, the car was treated to a professional restoration, bringing this Fleetwood-bodied Roadster back to its original glory. It was shown at the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it was given a Class Award for both its correctness and superior condition.

The car is finished in a blue-over-blue combination, with a tan top, and correct Tilt Ray headlamps with desirable dual side mounts.

In 2008, this 452 V16 Cadillac was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA. It was estimated to sell for $650,000-$850,000. The lot was sold for $693,000, including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Limousine by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700280

This vehicle was originally produced at Detroit's Fort Street plant as a Seven-Passenger Sedan with Style 4375-S bodywork. It was retrofitted by the dealer to Style 4375, Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan specifications with the addition of a sliding glass division window and a pair of forward-facing, foldable auxiliary seats.

The original owner of the car was Templeton Crocker, a well-known adventurer, yachtsman, and heir to a West Coast banking and railroad fortune. It was sold a year later to Lillian Remillard, the heir to her father's San Francisco brick company fortune. She was married to Italian inventor Count Alessandro Dandini for only a brief period of time. Though her marriage was brief, she retained the title 'Countess Lillian Remillard Dandini,' until her death in 1973.

The car would pass through several owners, yet it was fondly known as the 'Countess Dandini' car. It was found in a barn in San Jose, California during the 1960s. It was covered in the June 1965 edition of The Self Starter, the magazine of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, and is believed to have passed through two more owners prior to acquisition by the current owner in 2007.

In 2009, this example was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $100,000 - $125,000. As bidding came to a close, the lot was sold for the sum of $126,500, including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood

Only two American motor car manufacturers, Cadillac and Marmon, produced automobiles equipped with V-16 engines. The much heralded Cadillac V-16 automobile made its debut on December 10, 1929, less than two months after the stock market crash and the start of The Great Depression. Nonetheless, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 became an instant status symbol, propelling Cadillac's sales beyond exception. Marmon did not come to market with a V-16 until 1931 and, by that time, Cadillac had taken a commanding market share for their prestigious automobiles.

The 452 cubic-inch, V-16, overhead valve engine developed 165 horsepower and had a top speed of 95 mph. It could achieve 60 mph in 20 seconds. The engine was coupled to a three-speed gearbox.

Cadillac's total V-16 production for 1930-1931 was 3,251 units. Production of roadsters consisted of 105 units or a meager 3.3% of production. The list price of the Roadster was $5,530.

Roadster by Fleetwood

In an attempt to replace Packard as America's premier motor car, Cadillac introduced their V-16 models in January 1930, followed by the V-12 model in September of 1930. Cadillac began the development of a new, 'multi-cylinder' car in 1926. The end result was a car powered by an engine both more powerful and smoother than any other available.

Development proceeded in great secrecy over the next few years, while at the same time, Cadillac chief Larry Fisher and GM's stylist Harley Earl toured Europe in search of inspiration from Europe's finest coachbuilders. The new model sparked the multi-cylinder race among Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Lincoln, and Marmon. Ironically, due to the Great Depression, the debut of the larger engines came at a time when the luxury car market was struggling the most. Production of the original V-16 continued under various model names through 1937.

Cadillac produced 4,076 V-16 cars over an eleven-year span. Most were built in a single year (1930) before the Great Depression really took hold. The V16s rode on a long 149-inch wheelbase and had massive 'four-bar' bumpers and a larger 'Goddess' hood ornament. The hood was four inches longer than the V12 and five inches longer than the V8. The instrument panels were similar, but the headlights were one inch larger in diameter and the dual rear lights were unique on the V-16 models.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood

On January 4, 1930, at the New York Auto Show, a crowd of 20,000 people jostled for a glimpse of the new American 'Supercar,' the 16-cylinder Cadillac. Until that moment only Bugatti had produced a V16-cylinder engine and that was two eight-cylinder engines bolted together.

The Cadillac engine was the first 16-cylinder engine designed from scratch. The brainchild of Owen Nacker, it used a 45-degree bank angle and overhead valves which allowed a narrow width. It was also styled, with hidden wiring, polished aluminum and valve covers with brushed aluminum ridged surfaces. It developed 175 bhp, but even more impressive was low speed torque, 320lb ft assuring low speed operation that was silky smooth and very quiet thanks to hydraulic valve lifters. Much like today's cars, this was the first underhood area and engine to be styled by designers rather than engineers.

Cadillac delivered a total of 2,887 V-16 models in 1930; however, sales fell precipitously, as each was 'built-to-order,' becoming the official policy in 1933 when just 126 were ordered. Cadillac never envisioned selling records numbers – it was to put the world on notice that Cadillac was the topmost echelon of the American automobile industry.

The convertible couple, Style 4235, priced at $6,900, was the most expensive of the open two-seat cars. This car was built in the first week of June 1930 by Fleetwood in the Detroit factory making it truly a coachbuilt car. The windshield has a 21-degree rake, aiding the sleek profile and it has roll-up windows and a flush-fitting top. It is finished in the original colors and is one of only ten remaining.

Less than 10 cars remain of this body style and fewer matching numbers as in this example. This car appears in its original interior and exterior colors (Josselyn Gray body, Trafalgar Grey fenders, and Winosky Green wheels as specified on the original factory build sheet). It is a convertible coupe with coachwork by Fleetwood and originally priced at $6,900 - it was the most expensive open two-seater model offered by Cadillac.

Engine

The V-16 engine itself was an overhead-valve unit displacing 7.4 liters (452 cid) with a 3-inch bore and a 4-inch stroke. The 45-degree vee angle was chosen for chassis fit and serviceability. Engine structures at the time were usually multi-piece affairs, and the V-16 consisted of two V-8 cylinder blocks bolted to an aluminum-alloy crankcase. Cadillac had avoided straight-eight engines because of the concerns about harmonic vibrations with a long crankshaft, but the small bore meant the V-16 was reasonably compact—its five-bearing crank was actually slightly shorter than that of the contemporary Pierce-Arrow V-12. (Cadillac fitted a leaf-spring-type harmonic balancer, just in case.) Each bank had its own single-barrel updraft carburetor. The engine's aesthetics were as impressive as its engineering. All plumbing and wiring were concealed, and the engines were painted with black enamel trimmed with chrome and polished aluminum. The engine was rated at 165 horsepower at 3,400 rpm, and was designed to operate reliably at the then-heady speed of 4,000 rpm. The V-16 developed 300 lb-ft of torque at idle, peak torque of 320 lb-ft @ 1,400 rpm, and more than 300 lb-ft from 400 rpm to 2,000 rpm. One British magazine found that the car could be shifted into top gear at 2.5 MPH and accelerated smoothly to top speed—which, depending on the gearing and body fitted, ranged from 84 to 91 mph, with roadster bodies reportedly topping 100 mph.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700809
Engine number: 700809

This Style 4302 Roadster was priced at $5,350 when new. It was sold new in Virginia and by the late 1980s, it was discovered in a barn in upstate New York, still wearing circa 1950 New Jersey tags. It was purchased by Jim Bradley, a noted collector from Oklahoma, who undertook the painstaking restoration process.

When Mr. Bradley found the car, it was evident that the chassis was original and parts of the body were missing. Other parts had deteriorated over time. Bradley searched extensively until he located another correct, original Fleetwood-built Style 4302 roadster body, and he used original components from it to restore the car. The three-year body-off-frame restoration was completed in 1995, followed by the achievement of CCCA Primary, Senior and Premier awards, scoring a perfect 100 points all three times.

This car is very well equipped, including dual side-mounted spares with correct metal covers, stainless-spoke wire wheels, wind wings, Cadillac-scripted spotlights, and Pilot Ray driving lights, as well as a correct and original Cadillac 'lo-boy' accessory trunk, complete with fitted luggage.

In 2007, just after receiving a complete service, the car entered a private collection. Since then it has been well cared for and received proper attention.

In 2010, this V16 Roadster was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook event presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $375,000 - $475,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $440,000, including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Fleetwood Sedan Cabriolet by Fleetwood

The present owner purchased this Sport Phaeton model while he was still in high school. He later drove it to his prom. Many years later, it was put on display at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Despite being the most expensive Cadillac ever and despite being introduced during the clouded times of the Great Depression, 3,250 examples were sold in the 1930-31 series, catapulting the Cadillac marque toward almost total ownership of the U.S. luxury market.

by Dan Vaughan

All Weather Phaeton Coupe by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 702514

The current owner of this Sport Phaeton acquired it in early 2008. The prior California-based owner purchased it directly from Mr. Fred Weber during the mid-1980s. This V-16 is understood to have been assembled using an original chassis and engine, with new coachwork painstakingly built to exacting standards of authenticity. It is believed that this vehicle was originally bodied as a Sport Phaeton, just like it is in modern times.

This vehicle is fitted with all the correct and desirable period accessories, including chrome wire wheels with stainless-steel spokes and wide whitewall tires, Pilot Ray driving lights, a radiator stone guard, dual spotlights, dual side-mounted spare wheels and tires with matching covers, accessory mirrors, a rear-mounted metal luggage trunk and a correct Cadillac radiator mascot. It is painted in two-tone black and silver paint which is complemented by a maroon leather interior.

In 2010, this V-16 Cadillac was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $300,000 - $350,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $297,000 including the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700809
Engine number: 700809

Perhaps nothing can convey the nostalgic feelings of America's golden age more so than the custom-ordered, custom-built cars of those days. Cadillac vaulted itself into a very special place amongst those nostalgic memories with its 1930 V16 Roadster.

Upon its debut in 1930 at the New York Auto Show, the V16 wowed the public and became Cadillac's top-of-the-line car until production ceased in 1940. Until Cadillac introduced its own V16, only Bugatti had a sixteen-cylinder luxury car. By introducing a sixteen-cylinder car of its own, Cadillac entered a very special class.

Cadillac's V-16 was the first-ever production sixteen-cylinder engine in the United States. It was also the first engine that was ever styled in and of itself. The development of the large-cylinder engine was performed under a great deal of secrecy. GM even conjured up a campaign of disinformation in order to keep information of the engine from leaking to the public and competitors.

All too often, car manufacturers concentrate on styling the chassis and merely finding an engine to fit the design, or, the engine is the focus and less consideration is given to the chassis design. On Cadillac's V16 Roadster, all aspects of the car came under the critical eye of the design team. What the design team managed to create was a work of art inside and out.

Over a short period of time, construction of the V16 models was in full-swing with 2,000 models having been produced by June of 1930. Initially, the new car was offered in ten different body styles.

In June of 1930, Cadillac toured its V16 throughout Europe. In many cities, like Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt and Vienna, the car was honored. Despite its rave beginnings, sales of the car dropped off incredibly. Cadillac was about the only luxury car manufacturer to be able to make it through the depression era. This was because of its relationship with GM. The larger parent company helped to keep the smaller, luxury car division alive. However, because of the tough economic times, Cadillac figured it actually lost money on every V16 they ever built.

The car offered at the RM Auction was a Fleetwood body-styled Cadillac Roadster model and it was built from scratch that way by Cadillac during the V16's first year of production. As with the hard-top models, the company's roadster was a beautifully styled chassis.

The body shape of the chassis is an intriguing wedge shape. The large sixteen-cylinder engine was designed at a forty-five-degree cylinder bank angle. This meant the engine was rather narrow in its construction. This fit neatly in the long, narrow nose of the V16 Roadster. The nose of the car is dominated by the large, round headlights; chrome, bent bumper and the large rectangular-shaped grille that had been rounded at the bottom and designed at the top to blend into the lines of the engine cowling.

On the sides of the V16 were a series of small panels. Many, including the one at the auction this year, sport those small panel vents with a chrome finish. These vents could be opened to further aid in engine cooling.

One of the V16's other memorable design features was the placement of the spare tires along the side of the engine compartment, recessed into the fenders flowing down from over the front wheels into the running boards along either side of the doors. Attached to the top of those spare tires were the car's rear-view mirrors. Chassis number 700809 even has the wheel covers correct with that year's production.

The passenger compartment of Cadillac's Roadster was tailored beautifully, including two smaller, round lights on either side of the low, squared-off windscreen. The interior, itself, was simple, but plush. The model up for auction this year was finished in charcoal-colored leather. The passenger compartment of the V16 is dominated by the large, four-spoke steering wheel and central dashboard instrument display. 700809 featured finished metalwork on either side of the instrument cluster. Just to the right of the large steering wheel is the long-arm gear lever for the three-speed selective manual synchromesh transmission.

The rear bodywork of the Roadster was designed to extend forward further until it reached the back of the two seats. Therefore, the bodywork flows back toward the rear of the car horizontally to the ground, and, then, falls off dramatically in a wonderful contoured arc. At the base of the bodywork is the platform-supported luggage trunk.

Discovered in a barn in upstate New York in the 1980s, chassis number 700809 was purchased by noted collector Jim Bradley of Oklahoma. When inspected by Bradley it was noted that it seemed the chassis had never before been taken apart.

Ever since being purchased by Bradley, the car has undergone restoration work of some kind. The chassis seemed in decent shape, but, the bodywork was badly deteriorated. Bradley searched and found another Fleetwood-built roadster body and used its components to replace and restore chassis 700809. This off-body restoration took three years and was completed in 1995. The car received a perfect score of 100 points in each of the CCCA Primary, Senior, and Premier awards.

After trading hands a couple of times, the car was purchased by John O'Quinn in 2007 and took its place among his collection of fine automobiles. In 2010, RM Auto Restoration went through the car's V16 engine and freshened it up. The rest of the car was detailed. The car was cleaned and polished. The chrome, as well as the brightwork and upholstery, were cleaned and detailed.

The Fleetwood-bodied Cadillac V16 Roadster offered this year was a Model 452-A chassis and included the 175 bhp, 452 cubic inch, overhead-valve V-16 engine. The car had a solid front axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs with hydraulic dampers for suspension. The rear axle was a ¾-floating axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Each of the car's brakes consisted of vacuum-assisted mechanical drums.

The Cadillac V16 Roadster remains one of the most memorable classic-era cars. Its V16 engine makes the car greatly desirable. The car's lines evoke memories of the golden era of car design and production. It seemed as though this car could lift the spirits of all to forget the reality of the happenings of those days and to be transported to a more wonderful and nostalgic time and place.

Sources:

'Buy: Featured Lots (Lot 271: 1930 Cadillac V16 Roadster)', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r226#). RM Auctions Arizona. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r226#. Retrieved 6 January 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Cadillac V-16', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 19 November 2010, 18:28 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cadillac_V-16&oldid=397718769 accessed 6 January 2011

by Jeremy McMullen

Fleetwood Sedan Cabriolet by Fleetwood

This 1930 Cadillac is one of 105, which sold new for $5,530. It was initially purchased by a dentist from Virginia at a dealership in New York City. Its 16-cylinder engine displaces 452 cubic inches and produces 165 horsepower. The colors have been duplicated from the original factory Cadillac colors of 1930. The original color was black with an apple green pinstripe and wire wheels. The paint has been changed to a combination that Cadillac produced for a four-door sedan in 1930. It has received a body-off restoration.

A past owner purchased the car from a gentleman who had owned it for 19 years. It received a complete body-off restoration, bringing it back to show condition in time for the 2001 Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach, where it won a class award.

It has subsequently won a First Place Award at the 2002 CCCA Show in San Jose, California; a First Place Class Award at the 2002 AACA Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania; received a National Award from the AACA in 2002 and a Senior Award from the CCA in July of 2003. In 2006, this was the poster car for the Burn Foundation event. Shown at Amelia Island in March 2011, it garnered three awards for Best in Class, Most Elegant Cadillac and the Meguiar's Award for The Most Outstanding Finish.

Limousine by Fleetwood

Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company when Henry Ford departed. Henry M. Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company persuaded the remaining partners to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine. On August 22, 1902, the company was renamed the Cadillac Automobile Company.

The Cadillac's biggest selling point was precision manufacturing and reliability based on winning the British Dewar Trophy for the most important advancement of the year in the automobile industry. General Motors acquired the company in 1909. Cadillac's introduction of V-12 and V-16 powered cars in 1930 kicked off the 'cylinder wars' among the American luxury marques leading Packard to introduce their line of Twelves. The V-16 was Cadillac's top-of-the-line car until production ceased in 1940. Only 4,076 cars were built in the eleven years the model was offered, most built in the single year of 1930 before the Great Depression really took hold. The V-16s featured a longer 149-inch wheelbase, a unique grille, a larger 'Goddess' hood ornament and massive 'four-bar' bumpers. The V-16 hood was four inches longer than the V-12 and five inches longer than the V-8. The instrument panel was similar, but the headlights were one inch larger in diameter and the dual rear lights were unique.

There were an incredible 70 body styles available on the V-16 chassis in 1930 at prices ranging from $5,800 to $7,150 - or more. Total model year production was 3,251.

This 1930 Cadillac V-16 452 is a seven-passenger limousine. It was designed and built by Fleetwood Body Co. of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, which was acquired by General Motors in 1930 and eventually relocated to Detroit. This car sold new in New York City and had 40,000 miles on the odometer when acquired by the current owner in 1996. It has the original paint and interior. A frame-off restoration was completed in 2003.

All Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood

In 1926 work began on a new Cadillac engine which was intended to give General Motors Cadillac division the leadership in the American fine car field from Packard. This engine was of course the V16, introduced by Cadillac in December 1929.

The car's original owner, Jay Gilbert Maurer, an orchestra leader, stated the way the car is bodied was because he had a 1928 or 1929 Dual Cowl Phaeton V8, and he wished to buy a V-16. However, he found the standard V-16 Phaeton unacceptable with roll-up windows. Mr. Maurer, because of some contacts at GM, was able to get them to put a special Fisher Sport Phaeton body on the V-16 chassis. Then he purchased the car.

The V-16 had a displacement of 452 cubic inches producing 175 horsepower. This type of car was used extensively by gangsters and bootleggers of the Prohibition era.

In 1954, Max Obie purchased the Phaeton from the original owner, which had languished in a barn since World War 2.

Gaylord R. 'Jim' Pearson, the car's 3rd owner, was a founding member of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, the Classic Car Club Museum, and a member of the Antique Automobile Club of America. The car was restored by Jim Pearson, Kansas City in 1978-1979.

In 2005, the Phaeton was purchased by the present owners.

Roadster by Fleetwood

The Cadillac 452 V16 set the standard in American luxury automobiles of the Classic Era. The V16 was the biggest, quietest, most luxurious, most sophisticated, and to many people, the most beautiful car of its time. It was sprung on an unsuspecting market in late 1929 and unveiled to the public in January 1930 at the New York Auto Salon. It was named after its 452-inch cubic displacement and produced 185 BHP which was good for 100 mph.

This car was originally purchased by the Schaeffer family of Schaeffer Pen Company fame. The family-owned the car for quite some time before it was sold to prominent collector Bob Bahre. In the mid-1990s, Bahre sold the car to its present owner who commissioned the highly regarded V16 authority Steve Babinsky to restore it. The car was in excellent condition having covered a mere 33,000 miles from new and requiring absolutely no rust or accident repair during the exacting restoration.

Roadster by Fleetwood

This 452A Roadster has all matching component numbers including the steering box, front axle, bell housing, and generator according to the build sheet when it left the factory in 1930. Previous owners include Ronald Benach and Otis Chandler. Fran Roxas of Vintage Motor Group completed a full restoration.

The Cadillac V-16 was the industry's first production car to offer a 16-cylinder engine. Cadillac, focused on overtaking Packard's luxury car leadership, began the development of the V-16 in absolute secrecy. It immediately stunned the luxury car competition and set a new standard for power, performance, and luxury at its January New York Auto Salon launch, becoming Cadillac's top-of-the-line vehicle until production ceased in 19400.

The V-16's 452 cubic-inch engine produced 165 horsepower and 320 ft-lbs of torque, with overhead valves and the forerunner of modern hydraulic valve lifters. Prices ranged from $5,350 for a two-passenger roadster to $8,750 for a town cabriolet. With a top speed of 90 mph and cruise of 70 mph, the typical example returned approximately 8 miles per gallon. Well over 1,000 sold by early April, most of the V-16s built over the 11 years were 1930 models. The Great Depression dwindled potential buyers and Cadillac later estimated they lost money on every V-16.

Imperial Cabriolet by Fleetwood

This V-16 Cadillac was a 'catalog custom' with coachwork by Fleetwood. It is an Imperial Cabriolet body style powered by Cadillac's overhead-valve, V-Type engine displacing 452 cubic inches and offering 175 horsepower.

by Dan Vaughan

All Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 700543
Engine number: 34

This Cadillac All Weather Phaeton was the 34th of 250 V16s built from 1930-1931. The coachwork was completed by Fleetwood. This body is one of the earliest surviving examples; it was built by Fleetwood's original Pennsylvania factory and is distinguished by its vee'd windshield. The original build sheet states the car was delivered on March 19th of 1930 to the Upperu Cadillac Corporation in New York City. The car was eventually acquired by the late Richard Gold of Minnesota. It is believed that this was the first (of many) V-16 Cadillacs in the Gold Collection and was among those he kept for many years.

Recently, the car was part of the Richard and Linda Kughn collection. It is finished in two-tone Khaki and features an interior upholstered in biscuit tan broadcloth. The cloth interior makes for an unusual choice for an open car, but it is reported that several all-weather phaetons were outfitted in this fashion. Accessories found on this car include dual side-mounted spares, fender lights, dual horns, an unrestored trunk, and the classic Goddess hood ornament. The car has never been completely restored and shows just over 72,000 miles on the odometer.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Fleetwood

Cadillac offered no less than 50 different body styles by Fleetwood and Fisher in 1930 for its new 452 V-16 model. This coupe was built by Fleetwood in its Pennsylvania factory before moving to Detroit in December 1930. The car sports a rare split V-style swing-out windshield and is known as a 'Pennsylvania Windshield' Cadillac. It has Cadillac's famous V-16 engine, which was the first true 16-cylinder engine built from scratch. While the horsepower output of the V-16 engine was publicized by Cadillac at 175 horsepower, it actually produced around 200 horsepower.

All Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 701834

This Cadillac V-16 wears a Fleetwood All-Weather Phaeton body style. The All-Weather Phaeton also allowed for a retractable division so the car could be both chauffeur- and owner-driven.

This example has been fully restored in the 1990s. It has recently been a multiple winner at the Newport Concours D'Elegance. It was also part of a long-term exhibition on American styling at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum.

by Dan Vaughan

All Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702723

This Cadillac All Weather Phaeton wears coachwork by Fleetwood. The early history remains unknown, it is known to have been in Kerry Galder's New Hampshire-based collection up in the 1960s, during which time Charles Harper of Holliston, Massachusetts purchased it. At the time, the car was in largely original and unrestored condition. Later in life, the car was treated to a restoration and would remain in Harper's collection until 2012, when it came into the care of its present owner.

The car was restored over 2 decades ago but still shows well in modern times. The car is finished in a two-tone blue color scheme and trimmed in broadcloth materials.

by Dan Vaughan

Imperial Club Sedan by Fleetwood

This Fleetwood body, style 4361 S, is one of 31 offered by Cadillac on their V-16 148-inch chassis. According to the 'Build Sheet' this was originally delivered to Don Lee Cadillac, San Francisco, CA. It remains in the correct colors of Mulberry Maroon and Black. Records documented that this was the 13th of this body style built. The unique LeBaron hood treatment with curved Vee design starting at the radiator and flowing down to the cowl accents the swept motif used by a few exclusive car manufacturers.

Designated the 452 series by Cadillac, because of the engine displacement, this particular vehicle lacks the traditional jump seats in the rear compartment and also the glass division window between driver and passengers. Clearly, a 'close coupled' sedan for owner/operator use without the customary chauffeur inclusion. Fuel consumption remained in the 4.5 to 6 miles per gallon range as these cars carried massive weight and were capable of 100 miles per hour. Even in the Depression Era, these cars commanded respect for their innovative engineering and quality of construction by the custom coachbuilder, Fleetwood Body Company.

All Weather Phaeton Coupe by Fleetwood

This was the first year for Cadillac's 452 cubic-inch, overhead valve, 175 horsepower V16 engine capable of powering this large, 148-inch wheelbase car to a top speed of 90 mph. The engine was an engineering marvel and the first to include hidden wiring, polished aluminum, shiny porcelain details, brushed aluminum, and ridged valve covers decorated with the Cadillac emblem. This innovative car also featured power-assisted, four-wheel brakes and three-speed synchromesh transmission.

Introduced at the New York Auto Show in January of 1930, it was thought of as a supercar for its time. Only Cadillac's association with General Motors prevented the brand's extinction and fostered its ability to produce these special, low-production cars.

Cadillac continued making the V16 engine until 1940, although the majority of Sixteens were built in 1930 before the Great Depression deepened. A multitude of body styles was available as well, mostly by Fleetwood with some by Fisher. Even fewer were sold to coachbuilders to finish.

This example is by Fleetwood and is officially described as 'body style #4380, 4-door All-Weather Phaeton, 5-passenger.'

Roadster by Fleetwood
Engine number: 701761

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

Madame X Sedan by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702054

At a time when the United States and the rest of the world would still be rather unaware of the scale-backs that would result from the events on that Black Tuesday, Cadillac would be busy making efforts to go big. Only a few months after that fateful day in October, Cadillac would unveil the key element that would cement its reputation.

In January of 1930, Cadillac would debut to the world its 16-cylinder engine. Immediately, the carmaker would enter very select company. Practically overnight, Cadillac would embark on an even greater path of finery. Cadillac would become an even greater draw to the governmental and affluent figures of society.

While many would consider the engine to be a work of art, the engine and platform provided many coachbuilders the perfect canvas upon which to mount their elegant designs. Metal, wood, canvas and leather would all be combined with the creative heartbeat hidden within to offer customers luxury and performance for which Cadillac remains famous.

In all, there would be some 54 body styles from which customers could choose. Among the many body styles, there would be varying levels of sportiness and luxury. The 4100 series would be considered the finest, most glamorous, within the extensive line.

At the time, there was a famous stage play known as 'Madame X'. The story follows the life of a wife who had been thrown out of her own house by her husband when it had been discovered she had had an affair. Over the course of the story, the woman becomes embroiled in some bad relationships that lead to her killing her lover to protect her son. The melancholy existence and circumstances lead the woman to make an impassioned plea for mercy and ends in her sudden, almost noble death.

Such intrigue, drama, darkness and nobility could be realized in Cadillac's Sedan Cabriolet design built by Fleetwood. Though never used by Cadillac themselves, the Sedan designed by Fleetwood would forever become synonymously known as the Madam X Sedan.

This is just such an example. Body style number two, this particular V-16 Madame X Sedan is also a cabriolet meaning the car has a 'convertible-look' through the use of a padded leather roofline.

Though not entirely gospel, it is believed just a total of seven V-16 Cadillacs would be produced with the Fleetwood Sedan Cabriolet body style. Fashioning number 2, this particular example is considered the first to have been built, especially with the one-piece windshield. While there are some unknown elements to its story there is a good possibility this is the only remaining example of a Madame X Sedan Cabriolet.

Don Lee Cadillac, based in Los Angeles, would take initial delivery of the car. Still carrying its original engine, the 1930 Cadillac would end up as part of a number of collections throughout its history, including one Wayne Merriman.

Years before the car would be restored and would be finished in its present green and black scheme. Carrying many of its original accents and accessories, the Madame X Sedan Cabriolet even retains its evocative goddess mascot.

A sight to behold, complete with its wool upholstery, rear-mounted truck, chrome wire wheels, dual driving lights, smoking sets and vanities, the Madame X Sedan Cabriolet is certainly among the most luxurious and opulent of all pre-war Cadillacs.

This stately and formal Cadillac would be offered via RM Auctions as part of their 2014 Hershey gathering. Bolstered by its luxurious presence and V-16 power the 1930 Cadillac would be a highly-anticipated feature of the auction and the bidding would rise north of $200,000. When the gavel fell, a sale price of $242,000 had been realized.

by Jeremy McMullen

Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702877

Cadillac's reputation for building automobiles combining performance and luxury would never be more firmly established than at the beginning of the 1930s when it joined a very select sphere of automobiledom.

The turning point would come when Cadillac set its sights on building its own engine. But this would not be just some engine. There had been just one other manufacturer to build a 16-cylinder engine for a passenger car and that manufacturer was none other than Bugatti.

A 16-cylinder engine was something to be expected from Bugatti. At the end of the 1920s and well through the 1930s, Bugatti was one of the premier automobile makers in the world. Cadillac would join that rarified air when it introduced its V-16 at the 1930 New York Auto Show.

The Great Depression was, unfortunately, still in its early stages. There was the belief the economy would overcome the issue rather quickly. The belief was such that it encouraged those at General Motors to conduct and elaborate disinformation campaigns just to keep people in the dark as to the true project that had been well underway. Then, at the auto show, Cadillac would let the cat out of the bag and would join Bugatti in an elite category.

Over the course of 1930 and 1931 Cadillac would produce just a total of 85 examples of the V-16 Sport Phaeton. Of those 85 to be produced over the course of a single calendar year, very few remain. This is one of those few examples.

Documents indicate this particular sport phaeton would carry body number 94, which would be placed upon chassis number 702877. Accordingly, this particular example would be considered one of the last ten to be produced over the course of 1930. Toward the end of that year, people were beginning to realize the financial situation was worse than many believed. Therefore, 702877 would be one of those examples that would bounce around before finding a home.

Upon completion, the car would be shipped to New York. The day of departure would be the day before Christmas. However, the Christmas present would be returned to the factory sometime in February for some undocumented reason. Leaving the factory for a second time, 702877 would end up in Philadelphia.

Between 1931 and the 1980s, the sport phaeton's history remains something of a mystery. However, by the 1980s, the Cadillac would be in the hands of Walt Dietzel. The car would remain in Dietzel's possession until around the new millennium. At that point in time, the 1930 Cadillac would come to be owned by its current proprietor.

Since coming into the hands of its current owner, 702877 has undergone restoration efforts, which include returning the car to its original appearance. Therefore, the car would be refinished in its original metallic silver and bright blue. Other exterior features would include whitewall tires, chromed hood louvers, dual Pilot Ray driving lights and spotlights, chromed wire wheels and even Cadillac's goddess mascot.

Shown at such events as the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance, the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton remains an impressive example of the few remaining V-16 Sport Phaeton.

The 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton would be one of the highlights of the 2014 Hershey auction hosted by RM Auctions. Estimated to garner between $375,000 and $450,000, 702877 would end up earning $412,500.

by Jeremy McMullen

Convertible Coupe Style 4335 by Fleetwood by Fleetwood
Engine number: 701777

This 1930 Cadillac V-16 is one of one hundred examples produced with this convertible coupe body style, number 4335. It was built exclusively for the V-16 at the original Fleetwood Metal Body Company factory in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. In a similar fashion to 'Pennsylvania Fleetwoods,' it was distinguished by its vee'd windshield, straight door sills, and curved molding in the hood and body. Of the one hundred produced, just 11 examples are known to have survived.

According to the original build sheet, this car was intended for the Don Lee dealership in Los Angeles, only to be diverted to New York.

The present owner acquired the car from the family of its long-time owner, the late Bob Kuhlman. It has been treated to a restoration and finished in black and silver. Accessories include dual side-mounted spares, painted wire wheels with chrome spokes, double whitewall tires, the Goddess hood ornament, a 'low boy' trunk, and Cadillac Pilot Ray driving lights.

This car is a former AACA National Senior First Prize winner, and it was also a Classic Car Club of America First Prize winner.

by Dan Vaughan

Saloon Landaulette De Luxe by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: 702297

This 1930 Cadillac V16 is fitted with Saloon Landaulette De Luxe coachwork by Vanden Plas and was sold new via Messrs Lendrum & Hartman of Albemarle Street in London's West End, the UK's official importer for General Motors' makes Buick, Cadillac, LaSalle and Marquette. It was ordered by her majesty the Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands after being shown at the Olympia Motor Show in 1930. The queen declined delivery of the car after deciding out of sensitivity to the Great Depression and her subjects' own plight, that the car was grandiose. The car then went to the stand at the Earl's Court in 1931 and was sold to its first owner, the Hon. Arthur Earnest Guinness.

This car has a flat windscreen, slender window uprights, 'suicide' rear doors, and 'trafficator'-type turn signals. The car has an internal division and intercom, rear-compartment speedometer, split instrument panel found in the so-called 'Madame X' Cadillacs bodied by Fleetwood. The interior also features inlaid walnut woodwork.

In 1959, the car was advertised for sale in the Cadillac & LaSalle Club's magazine, The Self Starter, by Mr. Jeffrey Watts of Levittown, PA. It appeared at a Movieland - Cars of the Stars auction in 1974. Ownership later passed to Jim Pearson of Kansas City, who later sold it to James C. Leake of Tulsa, OK in the mid- to-late-1970s. While in Mr. Leake's ownership, the car was treated to a restoration. At the time, the odometer showed around 56,000 miles.

The car was later sold to a European private collection.

by Dan Vaughan

All Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 700395

This V-16 Fleetwood All-Weather Phaeton is powered by a 16-cylinder engine measuring 452 cubic inches featuring a 45-degree V16 cylinder layout and 2 valves per cylinder. It produces 161 horsepower at 3400 RPM, a manual three-speed gearbox transfers the power to the wheels. The original purchaser's name remains unknown, but it was eventually purchased in the early 1970s, in Plattsburgh, New York by George Luchetti of Massachusetts. The car was in completely original condition but in need of restoration. A restoration was undertaken with Mr. Luchetti doing the bulk of the work himself. It was completed in 1975. The current owners purchased the car from him in 1980 and have maintained and enjoyed it since. It was given a restoration around the mid-1970s. It was shown in 2016 at the Amelia Island Concours.

This is one of eighty-five All-Weather Phaetons produced on the Cadillac V-16 chassis. It is an early-production example and is equipped with engine number 700395 and was delivered with body number 39 via the Raritan River Railroad at Newark to the Beldon-Joiner Cadillac Corporation of New Brunswick, New Jersey, for use as a 'demonstration car.'

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 7-952
Engine number: 701056

This Cadillac Series 452 V-16 has a Fleetwood Roadster body; it is believed that there are less than ten 1930-1931 V-16 Roadsters in existence today. This car was used as the model for Danbury Mint's die-cast 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster model.

This Cadillac with body number 29 has early features not retained on later 1930 and 1931 model-year V16s, such as the lack of cowl vent and the early dash assembly.

The original owner was William C. Bryant of Jefferson Avenue in Detroit who took delivery of the Roadster at Cadillac's Detroit Assembly Plant. The second owner was Wilbur Sanders, of Detroit, who purchased the car in the 1950s. In the 1980s, it was sold to Richard Sahlin. At the time, the car had low mileage and had never been disassembled or restored. Sahlin embarked on a professional restoration; after the work was completed, it was judged by the CCCA during 1990 and 1991 seasons and awarded a Senior Badge. Also in 1991, it was a class winner at the Meadowbrook Concours.

In the 1990s, the car became part of the collection of Dr. Joseph Murphy of Pennsylvania. He later sold the car to a private collector on the West Coast. It was put on display, for a short time, at the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum for a short period of time and exhibited at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours. Around 2014, it entered the car of its current owners. Since then, it has been given a re-restoration which included a new black leather interior, new black top, new paint and a complete mechanical servicing.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood
Engine number: 701673

This Cadillac V-16 was ordered on May 14th of 1930 by Burke Cadillac Company of Indianapolis and built as Style 4375S, a seven-passenger sedan. The early history is not known and currently wears a roadster body constructed by Dave Long of Bozeman, Montana, for Al Giddings. The work was completed in 2015, and it promptly took an AACA National First, medallion W31260, and subsequently received Senior status.

This Roadster is finished in black and red paint and the black body moldings striped in red. The interior is done in black leather. There is a golf bag door on the right side, a 148-inch wheelbase platform, dual side-mount spares with steel covers, a rack-mounted trunk, and a rumble seat. There are spotlights on both sides of the windshield, and Pilot Ray driving lights.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Coupe by Fisher
Chassis number: 701341

This 1930 Cadillac Model 452-A V16 Sport Coupe is powered by a 452-cubic-inch sixteen-cylinder engine capable of producing 175 horsepower. It sits atop a 148-inch wheelbase and has four-wheel power-assisted brakes, three-speed synchromesh transmission, and leaf spring front axle and torque tube rear axle.

There were a wide variety of body styles offered during the 10 years of production of the V16 Cadillac. Most were bodied by Fleetwood and a few special offerings by Fisher. This example has coachwork by Fisher, finished in a two-door, three-window coupe design. It has chassis number 701341.

by Dan Vaughan

Madame X Coupe by Fleetwood

This vehicle is a 1930 Cadillac 452 Madame X Coupe with coachwork by Fleetwood.

The Cadillac 452D was designed by the legendary Harley Earl and first debuted at the 1933 Chicago World Fair. It was powered by a V-16 engine placed in the front and powering the rear wheels. Large 15-inch mechanical drum brakes were placed on all four corners and the transmission was selective synchromesh transmission with three gears.

Madame X Sedan by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 41613

'Madame X' is a spectacular and very stylish 1930 Cadillac Limousine. The 'Madame X' cars were some of the first designs by Harley Earl, head of styling at General Motors. The name 'Madam X' had been suggested by Harley Earl, after the mysterious female character in a popular 1929 play. They featured a light, lowered look, with incredibly thin pillars and a raked windshield. These cars were very dramatic and well-received, but few were built because of the Depression. They are highly prized by collectors today.

It is a Harley Earl-styled seven-seater body and is powered by the industry's first V16 engine. A 452 CID overhead valve engine designed in the late 1920s to deliver the last word in luxury motoring.

To showcase the 452 engine with 165 HP, the engine bay was painted, polished, and enameled. These cars sold for just over $7,000 at the time, this made-to-order masterpiece was only for the ultra-wealthy. At present, there are only a few known to exist with the club body style. Used as the post car for The 2020 Greenbrier Concours d'Elegance, the vehicle currently resides in Bluefield, Virginia.

Just 3,251 of these models were built in the 1930 and 1931 model years.

Roadster by Fleetwood

The Fleetwood body, also known as the Fleetdown, projected an image of speed and grace with its top up or down. The car comes with power brakes, anti-theft ignition, linkage-operated driving lights and a rear-mounted trunk. The Cadillac weighs 5,310 pounds and has a wheelbase of 148 inches. It was purchased from the Imperial Palace auto collection.

Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702478

This Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood was delivered new via Los Angeles's Don Lee Cadillac to its original owner, believed to have been Richard Arlen. The car came equipped with a disappearing tonneau windshield and a second set of instruments for the rear-seat passengers. The original color scheme was Pastel and Talina Brown.

During the late 1930s, the car was sold to Mr. Brinkerhof of Bishop, California, who largely garaged it except for occasional appearances in the Fourth of July parade. James Brucker Sr. acquired it around twenty years later and had it customized for a role in the 1964 film The Carpetbagger, in which it is driven by Alan Ladd in his last film appearance. For the role, the car was painted bright white and decorated with calfskin seat covers, six guns as door handles, and a pair of longhorns atop the radiator.

Its role earned it the nickname, the 'Bull,' and the Cadillac would remain with the Bruckers at Movieworld until the museum closed, and then was acquired by Don Westerdale. The car was later briefly owned by Jim Pearson, then by Rick Carroll and finally by Donald Mayoras, then of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. While in Mr. Mayoras care, the car was given a restoration by Stone Barn of Vienna, New Jersey, completed in May 1990.

The current owners have cared for the car for nearly two decades. The car has many original components, the correct V-16 instrumentation, engine splash pans, rear-view mirror, and badging, with the interior upholstered to the proper pattern. It has a Satin Red finish and a tan leather interior. The original Fleetwood body-stamping '55' is still visible in the floorboards. It has an original and correct 'low boy' trunk, with three pieces of fitted luggage. Other accessories include a radiator stone shield, metal side-mount covers with mirrors, Pilot Ray driving lights, and dual cowl-mounted spotlights.

This Cadillac has won a Classic Car Club of America National Senior First Prize, and Antique Automobile Club of America Senior First and Preservation honors. It was a class award winner at the Meadowbrook Concours and the Pebble Beach Concours after it had been restored. More recently, it has been shown twice at the Boca Raton Concours.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood

Widely considered the most beautiful body on the Cadillac 16 chassis, the two-passenger roadster by Fleetwood, style no. 4302 achieved a remarkable sporty appearance for such a large powerful automobile.

On January 4, 1930, Cadillac stunned the world at the New York Auto Show with the introduction of its V-16. Cadillac instantly catapulted itself to the head of the luxury car class. Until then, only Bugatti had produced a 16-cylinder engine. Cadillac's V-16 was the first true 16-cylinder engine built from scratch. It was a project that was led by Owen Milton Nacker under conditions of the utmost secrecy.

Cadillac's V-16 was the first automotive engine ever to be 'styled,' as the wiring was hidden and the engine compartment was dressed up with gleaming polished aluminum, porcelain, and a pair of beautiful valve covers featuring the Cadillac emblem.

All Weather Phaeton Coupe by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702515

This Cadillac's V-16 Sport Phaeton, style 4260, features a windshield mounted directly behind the front seat and is lowered and raised via a hand crank. A total of eighty-five examples of the Sport Phaetons were built for the V-16 chassis in 1930 and 1931 and it is believed that 17 authentic examples remain in modern times, including the one that resides in General Motors' corporate Heritage Collection.

This particular example was delivered by the Towell Cadillac Company of Cleveland to Perry Williams Harvey, a multimillionaire leader in Cleveland business and political circles. His ownership of this Cadillac was brief as he passed away in 1932. The car's next owner was Bennett Hammond of Brandy Flip Farm in Nicasio, California, from whom Joseph Runyan of Pasadena purchased it in 1952 for $25. The car had been abandoned on the Hammond property, so the seller was thrilled to have it gone.

After entering the care of Mr. Runyan, a restoration began and cost approximately $2,500. After completion, the car won numerous prizes in West Coast competition. The Cadillac remained with Mr. Runyan for the remainder of his life, and a fresh restoration began in the early 1990s and was completed shortly before his passing in 1995. When it was completed, it wore a new color scheme - a subtle shade of Bottle Green.

The car's next owner was Otis Chandler who completed a careful refreshing of the restoration, resulting in a 95.25 score and 2nd in Class at the Classic Car Club of America Grand Classic in July 1997. The following year, it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won 3rd in Class. The car returned to Pebble Beach in 2009 under different ownership.

In 2006 the Cadillac was purchased by Keith Crain and in 2020 it entered new ownership. The new owner gave the Cadillac a mechanical service, a new top, and six new tires. A professional engine and exterior detailing were performed before it was shown in 2021 at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. After the show, it was purchased by its current caretaker.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 701990
Engine number: 701990

Cadillac introduced its mighty V-16-powered model on December 10th of 1929. This particular restored 1930 Cadillac V1-6 wears a Roadster body by Fleetwood to style number 4302. Beneath the long and graceful bonnet is a sixteen-cylinder 452 cubic-inch engine (number 701990) delivering 165 horsepower and powering the 148-inch wheelbase chassis. It is suspended by semi-elliptic parallel leaf springs front and rear supported by 19–inch, chrome-plated, steel-spoke wheels and 7.50-19 wide whitewall tires. There is a synchronized 3-speed manual transmission and a torque-tube driveshaft.

The Fleetwood Roadster body and fenders are finished in slate and gray with bright pinstriping. A total of 105 examples of the body style were mounted on the 1930 and 1931 V-16 chassis. There is an accessory Flying Goddess radiator mascot on the radiator cap, dual accessory Pilot-Ray driving lamps mounted on the frame, dual side-mounted spares with bright accessory mirrors, a chrome-plated radiator shell with a stone guard, and chrome-plated headlights. Rare accessory dual Sportlites are mounted on either side of the windshield. Behind the rear deck and rumble seat is a painted steel trunk on the rear rack. The interior is trimmed in black leather.

In 1988, this Cadillac was exported to Paris and in 1994 it was acquired by the Paul Thanry Collection. While in Thanry's care, the car won First Prize at the concours d'elegance at the 48 Heures de Troyes.

by Dan Vaughan

All Weather Phaeton Coupe by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702515

Cadillac was the first to market a multi-cylinder car at the height of the 'classic era' with the 1930 introduction of its 452 cubic-inch V-16 series. The car was a huge success despite perilous economic times, with over 3,200 V-16s sold in the first production run. This Special Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood is one of the more elegant open examples.

One of the most beautiful bodies mated to the Cadillac V-16 chassis is the Sport Phaeton, body style 4260. An update of the traditional 'dual cowl' phaeton, it has a windshield mounted directly behind the front seat. This windshield could be raised and lowered by means of a small hand crank, eliminating the bulky second cowl. It also has excellent proportions thanks to a very long hood and low beltline.

Only 85 Sport Phaetons were built for the V-16 chassis in 1930 and 1931. Cadillac historians record the existence of seventeen authentic survivors.

This car was originally delivered by the Towell Cadillac Company of Cleveland with the notation 'Tag P.W. Harvey.' Perry Williams Harvey was a multimillionaire leader in Cleveland business and political circles. He died in 1932. As a result, his ownership was unfortunately brief.

The next owner was Bennett Hammond of Brandy Flip Farm in Nicasio, California, who sold it in 1952 to Joseph Runyan (for $25) of Pasadena. Under Mr. Runyan's care, the car received a restoration which reportedly cost $2,500. The car remained with Mr. Runyan for the remainder of his life. A fresh restoration began in the early 1990s, completed shortly before his passing in 1995, with the color changed to the shade of Bottle Green. The car was sold by Mr. Runyan's estate to Classic collector Otis Chandler, and a complete restoration soon followed. Upon completion, the car earned a 95.25 score and 2nd in Class at the Classic Car Club of America Grand Classic in July 1997. It was later invited to be shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, appearing in 1998 and receiving 3rd in Class.

After Mr. Chandler's passing, the car was purchased by Keith Crain in 2006, with whom it remained for 14 years.

Transformable Town Cabriolet by Fleetwood
Engine number: 700492

A Supremely Elegant Town Car

This town car has a standard Fleetwood body, style number 4312, of which only 24 were produced. Designated as a chauffeur-driven five-passenger car, it has a pair of folding opera seats in the forward tonneau. The elegant lines are set off by the rare slanted, split 'V' windshield. Typically, cars of this period had vertical windshields, which looked much more slaid. The original price was $7,0000.

As in other Fleetwood cars, the V-16's open chauffeur's compartment is upholstered in finely-grained leather. All doors on this Fleetwood body open from the front. The fine car market was stunned by Cadillac's introduction of the V-16. The competition scrambled to keep up in the cylinder race, often to their economic detriment, at the height of the Depression.

The V-16 was an engineering tour-de-force. The 45-degree cylinder angle and overhead valves kept the engine very narrow. This was the first 'styled' engine compartment, reputed to be the result of a Harley Earl mandate to match the exterior of the car. It featured hidden wiring and linkages, porcelain-coated manifolds, and brushed, ribbed aluminum valve covers.

First restored in 1992, this elegant car is considered one of the finest examples of a Cadillac V-16 extant. It was recently acquired by the present owner.

All Weather Phaeton Coupe by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 71634

When Cadillac launched its V16 engine in 1930, the automotive community held its collective breath. Previously, the largest production engine was the V8, and as the world plummeted into the Great Depression, it seemed audacious, almost rude, to debut the V16 behemoth. But the V16, particularly when paired with the All Weather Phaeton (body style #4380), defined all cynics. The darling of the well-heeled elite, the remarkable coachwork offers a handsome fully closed car plus a superbly streamlined phaeton, and for the automotive aficionado, the V16 is truly a work of art.

This All Weather Phaeton was delivered to San Francisco in May 1930 and is one of 250 built on the V16 chassis. It now resides in Malta, where it was painstakingly restored to its former glory, as one of only 25 in existence.

Convertible Coupe Style 4335 by Fleetwood by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702686

This 1930 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Convertible Coupe was purchased by John O. Bohmer at an April 1958 classic-vehicle auction in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. A restoration was planned but postponed. Instead, it was maintained and enjoyed by Mr. Bohmer and his family, using it on CCCA CARavan tours. Eventually, the restoration was completed in 1993 to 1994.

This Fleetwood-bodied Cadillac is powered by a 452 cubic-inch overhead valve V-16 engine fitted with twin Updraft single-throat carburetors and delivers 175 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. There is a three-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel mechanical drum brakes, a front beam axle, and a live rear axle.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedan by Fleetwood
Engine number: 701351

John O. Bohmer acquired this 1930 Cadillac 452 V-16 seven-passenger Sedan in 1963 for $1,350 from Orson Dutton of Nevada, Iowa. Mr. Dutton purchased the vehicle new from his local Cadillac dealership on July 28, 1930. At the time of Mr. Bohmer's acquisition, the car had 40,000 miles on its odometer. The Duttons used this Cadillac on over 20 round trips between Iowa and New Orleans.

This Cadillac is in original condition with the exception being the chrome which has been redone. The wheels and fenders have been painted, and the glass is all new.

by Dan Vaughan

Imperial by Fleetwood
Engine number: 702766

This 1930 Cadillac V16 wears a seven-passenger Imperial sedan body with a division window. Fleetwood built 438 examples of this body style between 1930 and 1931, and this particular example was constructed to the order of the Cadillac dealer in Brooklyn, New York, only to be diverted to Philadelphia, where apparently a buyer was waiting. It later moved to the Midwest, and during the 1970s and 1980s, it was under the ownership of Elmer N. DeWitt of Shelbyville, Indiana

In 1990, the car was purchased by Bob Stubenrauch of Canton, Ohio, who later sold it to Dan Hanlon. While in Mr. Hanlon's care, the car was given a restoration by Miles Morstatter of Bath, Ohio, after which it earned the Primary First award at the Classic Car Club of America Michigan Grand Classic in 2014. The current caretaker purchased the Cadillac in 2016.

This car wears its factory color scheme of black and Alpenstock Green, with correct gold leaf striping, black leather, and Weise broadcloth interior, black wire wheels, and dual side-mounted spares with covers and mirrors.

by Dan Vaughan

Henry Martin Leland and his son Wilfred were partly responsible for making Cadillac one of the finest of all American Automobiles. Henry was renowned for his precision engineering and for standardizing manufacturing. He helped make Cadillac into one of the finest of all American Automobiles. Later, he founded Lincoln. Even after the Leland's departed from Cadillac, the marque remained a top-of-the-line figure.

Cadillac did not rely on four- or six-cylinder power. Every one of the company's cars was fitted with a V engine of 8, 12, or 16 cylinders. They were smooth and powerful.

During the late 1920s, the cylinder race was in full force. Cadillac's engineer Owen Knacker was tasked with developing a V16 engine that would keep Cadillac at the forefront of the race. Their hopes were to displace Packard at the top of the luxury car market.

From 1930 through 1940 Cadillac produced a monstrous sixteen-cylinder engine. It was first displayed to the automotive community at the Detroit Opera House prior to the Detroit Auto Show. This was the largest number of cylinders to power an automobile of all time. The hood that housed the engine was intimidating, larger, and longer than any other vehicle. Up to this point, there were only a few manufacturers that produced a twelve-cylinder engine, mechanical achievements in their own right. The introduction of the sixteen-cylinder engine was historical and seen as revolutionary at the time.

Up to the 1990's there have only been three manufacturers of a sixteen cylinder engine. The Bugatti Type 47 never made series production while the Marmon Corporation offering was short-lived. In comparison, the Marmon built V-16 was more powerful. By using aluminum, the 491 cubic-inch engine with its overhead values weighed just over 900 pounds. The engine was formed by merging twin-eight cylinder engines at a 45-degree angle, giving the engine an impressive look and an astonishing 200 horsepower. The use of steel cylinder sleeves added to the longevity and durability of the engine. The V-16 engine earned Howard Marmon the Society of Automotive Engineers' annual design award.

The Cadillac V-16 was the first and remained in production for eleven years.

A new sixteen-cylinder engine was introduced by Cadillac in 1938. This was not their first V16 engine; their first had been designed by engineer Owen Nacker of Marmon fame. It had an overhead valve design and mounted at a 45-degree to one another. Each back of the sixteen cylinders had their own exhaust and fuel system. The engine featured hydraulic valve adjusters that helped with the silent valve train operation. The exterior of the engine was equally as impressive, with all the wiring and hoses concealed undercover and finished in chrome, polished aluminum, porcelain, and baked enamel. The result was a 452 cubic-inch engine that was nearly unmatched in the industry at the time.

A V12 version followed shortly after the introduction of the V16; it displaced 368 cubic-inches and was basically three-quarters of a V16. Both of these engines remained in production through 1937. The V12 did not resume production for 1938. A new engine was introduced in 1938 and that very different than its predecessors. It was an L-head design, cast in a 135-degree vee, and featured a monobloc design. The was easier and more economical to manufacture and it weighed 250 pounds less, had 21 fewer cubic-inches, but developed the same power.

The V12 engine was used to power the Series 85 for 1937. The Series 75 and Series 85 were the same vehicles, with the exception of the powerplant. The Series 75 used a V8 engine. In 1938 the V12 was discontinued, and the V16 took its place. The sixteen-cylinder cars were shortened to a length similar to the Series 75, and the chassis and bodies were interchangeable.

There were twelve body styles available, including coupes, convertibles coupes, and sedans, as well as the larger seven-passenger sedans and limousines. These larger vehicles were called Formal Sedans or Imperial sedans depending on whether they had a division partition.

The Series 90 experienced its best year in 1938 with 315 examples built. The five-passenger Touring Sedan was the most popular, with 41 sold.

In 1939, the front of the V8 Cadillacs was mildly updated. The grille was raked back and the headlights were now mounted to the nose and flush with the top of the grille. Chrome moldings were added to the running boards and the fender ornamentation was now fully chromed. The rear license plate was moved from the left fender to the trunk lid.

There were a total of 138 V16 cars produced in 1939. A few changes or modifications to the car followed for 1940. A total of 61 V16 cars were built this would be the final year for their production. A total of 4,400 examples were built over an eleven-year period.

by Dan Vaughan