[ last update: 01.06.2015 ]

The (new) Cadillac Database©

The Cadillac V16

Part 5c
Roster of Survivors

Series 38-90, 39-90, 40-90
1938-1940

Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or to the "V-16" index page
or to the second part of this page

 
 

 

V5270133.jpg (9030 bytes)
This is 1938 V-16 #5270133

5270133b.jpg (6628 bytes)     5270133c.jpg (5058 bytes)
It was offered for sale on the Internet in May, 2004

v6spare.jpg (5355 bytes)
Detail of metal spare tire cover, apparently on a 1938 car
[ I believe the "V-16" emblem was not used until 1939 ]

 

 

 

v638hardwr2.jpg (8947 bytes)     v638hardwr3.jpg (11764 bytes)     v638hardwr5.jpg (8509 bytes)     v638hardwr1.jpg (7367 bytes)
Details of  interior and dashboard hardware of 1938 Sixteen

 

 

For many years I have been a keen admirer of the bespoke sixteen-cylinder Cadillac models built from 1930 through 1940. Only 4076 cars powered by the mighty sixteen-cylinder engine were built in that eleven-year period, that is an average of just 370 cars a year.  In fact, however, three quarters of them were built during the first year of production, in 1930].

Fortunately for we admirers of beautiful classic automobiles, many of them have survived. Listed in these pages is information about these survivors that I have gleaned over the last 40 years. If any users of The (New) Cadillac Database© have additional or more recent information on any of these cars, I will gladly include it in this section. Due credit will be given to the person(s) providing complementary facts about these cars.

Information about surviving sixteens of both the first and second generations comes to me from a variety of sources and it is quite possible that some of these entries may duplicate each other. The only way to be sure if a specific car has survived is to get its engine and body tag numbers. But bear in mind the popular adage, caveat emptor [buyer, beware !]; things are not always what they appear on the surface; unless you have access to a copy of the factory build sheet for a particular V-16 engine number [fortunately we all do, thanks to Cadillac's Historical Services ably headed by Greg Wallace], you may be looking at a car that has been converted from a sedan, limousine or enclosed coupe ...to a more desirable (in $$$) convertible sedan or convertible coupe. A Sixteen may also turn up with a body numbered in the Series 75 sequence. These "situations": are OK if the cars are properly identified as having a swapped engine or body.

Let's keep the hobby "clean", guys !

Cadillac buff and long-time CLC member, Doug Houston informed my in early 2003 that the last V-16 ever built [1940 chassis #5320061] has survived and is located in southeast Michigan. It is owned by Diane Tite, the widow of the late Bill Tite. Doug says: That car and my coupe were bought from the same used car dealer in California in 1961 and transported here in a big van. The car is a 40-9019 ...and, as I remember, no divider window, so no "F" suffix [Doug was writing in reply to a query about my own 1942 Fleetwood, style #7519-F]. The car's original color is Luzon Green;  it's sort of an apple green metallic. It had been delivered to Hawaii originally and found its way back to the mainland.

Many entries on these pages were added or amended and updated in Fall, 2003, by V-16 enthusiast and expert, Terry Wenger of the CLC and CCCA.  Terry has published his own findings in the CCCA "Bulletin" [#2, February, 2004]. Of the 497 sixteens cars built in the period 1938-1940, he says that some 199 units [40% of total production] have been accounted for. Of that total, he says he has received or found only 109 serial numbers, although he actually lists 111 of them.   My own listing comprises 133 serial numbers so I'm assuming that a score of them may be inaccurate. Any serious researcher should rely on Terry's list rather than mine.

My sincere thanks go out to both Doug and Terry. This is the kind of information we need in order to be able to keep the Database up-to-date. With your valued help and that of other, current or former V-16 owners, we may gradually be able to eliminate errors and duplicate entries and end up, eventually, with a precise and up-to-date listing.

In the Self Starter for February , 1963, was featured a 5-page article by CLC member the late William "Bill" Tite.   He listed there some 35 survivors with which he was familiar. It will be interesting to see if any of these turn up in the survivor listing below.

 

I am looking for more photos of surviving sixteens of 1938-1940
[ if possible,
please always include the engine/chassis and body numbers ]

 

 

Regular Production Models
[in ascending numerical order of styles]

[ from "9002" through "9033F" ]
click here for rest of production

 

Body
Style
Body Number Engine
Number
Latest available information
Job #9002 Exp. 5

5270305

(1938) This special fastback sedan was made for GM President William "Bunkie" Knudsen. It remained in unrestored condition for many years. Only in the early nineties was it brought back to its original glory. Pictures were taken at at the Gilmore Museum's Cadillac-LaSalle Experience  in Kalamazoo, MI, in June 1993 [below]. For more information on this car, click here. V-16 enthusiast and expert, Terry Wenger of the CLC pointed out a possible error in the engine number for this job ( I have shown it in italics, even though that is the number provided by the owner); according to factory records scoured by V-16 sleuth, Carl Steig, also of the CLC, the correct engine number for this car is 5270305 [Carl adds that engine #5270306 was used in another experimental V-16 sedan built for GM President Alfred P. Sloan]. The car was sold at auction in 2005. Since about 1990 and until it was sold recently, the car was owned by a Mr. Zerth who registered it with the CCCA each year as a limousine.

 

V69002f.jpg (11768 bytes)     v638knud.jpg (13247 bytes)
[ Photo:  courtesy my dear friend Katie Robbins ]

V69002X.JPG (7611 bytes)     v638_02x.jpg (21814 bytes)
Left: The Knudsen car was a show winner at Pebble Beach
Right:  the car was reported old at Pebble Beach for $297,000
[ http://www.goodingco.com/pb2005/lot23.html ]

v638_02in.jpg (18657 bytes)     v638_02in2.jpg (9261 bytes)
These rare interior shots are original factory photos
[ © 1938, GM/Cadillac ]

9002a.jpg (12184 bytes)     9002c.jpg (12018 bytes)     9002b.jpg (12861 bytes)     9002d.jpg (19380 bytes)
The car was shown at Pebble Beach in 2009

   

Job #9006 #1 5270063*

* The original V-16 engine was replaced by a V-8, after WW2
(1938) On account of their imposing size, this and an identical car (body #2) were nicknamed respectively the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, after the two renowned Cunard ocean liners.  Terry Wenger found that this car was offered for sale in Hemmings Motor News or October, 1968, by a Paul Wallace, M.D.,  of St. Petersburg.  It appears to have been acquired around that time by the late Charly De Pauw, a collector from Belgium. When he died, the car was acquired by another well-known Belgian collector, Mr. G. Mahy.  It was exhibited for a few years at the Belgian National Auto Museum in Brussels, where I photographed it [see photos, below] in the mid-eighties. In 1999 it was reported to have been sold at auction (together with a 1956, stretched White House security car) for $1.6 million. It may be currently [Feb. 2000] part of the Imperial Palace collection in Las Vegas. For more information on this car, click here  [art. SS, 9/2005, pp.18-19 et seq.].

 

v638Pres4a.jpg (8471 bytes)     v638Pres4b.jpg (6904 bytes)     v638Roos.jpg (6531 bytes)

9006aa.jpg (7212 bytes)     9006ab.jpg (5093 bytes)
These two stills are from a 1974 documentary about WW2 entitled The World at War

dr56whhs.jpg (10294 bytes)
This photo was taken of at the time one of the two cars
was ready for delivery to the White House

 

Car #1

V69006i.jpg (11022 bytes)     v638prs2.jpg (10181 bytes)
One of the two surviving cars (#1 - Queen Elizabeth) was located for many years in
Belgium's National Auto Museum, under the care of Ghislain Mahy
[ Photos: © 1984, Yann Saunders ]

9006_1g.jpg (8414 bytes)     v638_06q.jpg (17649 bytes)     v638_06x.jpg (21726 bytes)
[ the car currently is painted dark blue ("Antoinette Blue"?), although this may not have been the original color ]

v638_06w.jpg (14526 bytes)     v638_06v.jpg (19402 bytes)     9006_2i.jpg (7019 bytes)

    9006_2j.jpg (5977 bytes)     9006_2b.jpg (5350 bytes)
These  photos [above 3 rows)], are © 2004 and courtesy Howland Blackiston and the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, Inc.;
car #1 is easily recognizable by its fine-mesh  grille, which is typical of "Series 75" and not "Series 90" Cadillacs

389006_1.jpg (7116 bytes)
Car #1, the Queen Elizabeth,  is now in a private collection in Florida (2003/04)
On this
snapshot of the body ID tag, it will be seen that this was "Special Order" (SO) #2643; 
that indication is shown in error, on the tag, in the place where the trim code should be;

the paint code (blurred, at far right of this image) appears to be #10, i.e. black)

   

Job #9006 #2 5270075*

* The original V-16 engine was replaced by a V-8, after WW2. It is reported to still exist in Paris, IL.
(1938)  This is the second of the two units built.   It is nicknamed the
Queen Mary. It too has survived. This one was owned for many years by my friend Jack Tallman, a Cadillac dealer of Decatur, IL.
I got to drive it on my first trip to the USA, back in 1978. Jack later sold the car for $275,000 at the Kruse auction in Auburn, IN, in May 1999.  For more information on this car, click here. I have it from Russian enthusiast, Andy Chrisanfov of Moscow's Auto Review newspaper, that the former Tallman car may be the one he saw on display (in 2003) at Classic Corvettes and Collectibles, 304 S.Pinelas Ave., Tarpon Springs, FL. Also on display was one of  5-6 custom 1958 Eldorado Biarritz convertibles from Fisher/Fleetwood with a rain-activated power top,  as well as a 1958 Eldorado Brougham. All three cars are referred to in the display as being a part of Al Wiseman's collection [art. SS, 9/2005, pp.1819 et seq.]. Both the Queen Elizabeth (car #1) and Queen Mary (car #2) carried some armor-plating, but not bulletproof glass, the were fully equipped for Secret Service personnel, with special running boards, grab handles and communication equipment, hidden compartments and warning lights and sirens. They remained in White House service until 1956, by which time they had served presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower. President Harry Truman had taken delivery of two new Lincoln Cosmopolitan “bubble top” limos in 1950, but both Queens remained in the official fleet. Both cars were re-powered with new engines in 1946, and again in 1952. Although this car  has the replacement V8 engine (a 331 cubic inch overhead valve unit), it still wears its V16 emblems. Partially restored three or four decades ago, this Queen has aged gracefully but looks her age. It was for a trime in the ownership of famed Texas attorney, John O'Quinn; sadly, he was killed in an automobile accident in 2009 and RM auctioneers were chosen to part out his fabled collection of around 800 cars. The car has a few imperfections, owing to its age. There are cracks and chips in the paint, including the dashboard and interior trim, and some pitting is evident in the paint. The boot cover is stained and soiled. The seats, however, appear to have been recently done in brown vinyl. The undercarriage looks totally original, and the body has clearly never been off the frame. The car has a number of remnants of its presidential service: two ROTC training rifles, two telephones and holsters built into the front kick panels. In 2002, this car was awarded the RM Restoration Award for the best original unrestored automobile at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elégance. It carries that special cachet reserved for vehicles of extraordinary provenance, and a new owner will have to decide whether to preserve all its prior history by conserving it in its present condition or to embark on a restoration to some earlier time in its history. Regardless, this is a very rare and special automobile, and it presents a unique opportunity for a new owner. Late Extra (Mar., 2010): The car sold at the RM auction in Fort Lauderdale, in March 2010, for $185,000.

Here are excerpts from the RM auction catalog for this car: The story of this remarkable and extraordinary Cadillac begins in 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was halfway through his second of four presidential terms, and the turmoil in continental Europe was on the verge of escalating into World War. Much of FDR’s first six years in office were characterized by his New Deal recovery programs following the Great Depression and the isolationist policy that would eventually have to be abandoned in favor of full-scale involvement in the Allied war effort. It was in this climate that Cadillac and its coachworks Fleetwood were charged in 1938 with special order 9006: two virtually identical 16-cylinder open limousines to be constructed on a massive, stretched 165-inch wheelbase (11 inches longer than a standard V-16 Cadillac!) and delivered to the White House for use by President Roosevelt ... Both the 9006 cars built for use by the White House, chassis 5270064 and 5270075 (the car presented here), were reportedly built with armor-plating and weighed in at a massive 8,000 lbs. Furthermore, they were equipped with special running boards, grab handles, communication equipment, special compartments for firearm storage, sirens and lights to accommodate their Presidential duties ...Leased by Cadillac to the U.S. government, both cars were used through 1956 as part of the White House fleet to carry Secret Service agents or directly chauffeur the President. One was nicknamed the “Queen Mary” (this car, chassis 5720075) and the other “Queen Elizabeth,” a lighthearted reference to the large cruise ships of the same name. Period photos clearly show President Roosevelt being chauffeured in one of the two cars ...  the “Queens” were instrumental in transporting agents in his motorcade ... Following FDR’s death, the “Queens” were enlisted for use by the Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower administrations as well. ... Over the course of their use by the government, they were returned to Cadillac from time to time to be updated and rebuilt as necessary. In 1946, following the end of WWII, the V-16 engines were replaced with L-head V-8s, which in turn were replaced by 331-cubic inch OHV V-8s in 1952. The Queen Mary still retains its OHV V-8 that was installed in the early 1950s ... the Queen Mary was purchased directly from Cadillac by Mr. Jack Tallman, a third-generation Cadillac dealer from Decatur, Illinois ... The Tallman family owned the car for over four decades, putting about 30,000 to 40,000 miles on the odometer. It was driven to various meetings and events and participated in many VMCCA, AACA and CCCA tours, the badges of which are still visible in the passenger compartment and on the front bumper. By this time ... The badly deteriorated leather upholstery was replaced with vinyl to replicate the original and was originally intended to complement the Midnight Blue finish of the car, a color combination that reflected the Presidential Seal. Since that time, the car has been refinished in limousine-appropriate black and is distinguishable from its sister car by virtue of this color change.

 

Car #2

V69006k.jpg (15800 bytes)     9006jack.jpg (11296 bytes)
Fleetwood V-16 style #9006, car #2 - Queen Mary
[ Photos:  courtesy Katie Robbins ]

Dr56prs6.jpg (10682 bytes)     v6_9006.jpg (8754 bytes)     9006d.JPG (11316 bytes)
Left: behind the 1956 White House security car, while in Jack's collection [ photo:  Jack Tallman ]
Center: Close-up of previous image
 

389006_2.jpg (11597 bytes)     389006_3.jpg (6045 bytes)
As may be seen from this snapshot of the body ID tag, car #2 was "Special Order" (SO) #2644; that
indication is shown on the tag under "Trim No"; the paint code appears to be #10 (black)

9006_2e.jpg (8168 bytes)     9006_2d.jpg (7742 bytes)     v638_06z.jpg (24458 bytes)

9006aaa.jpg (25820 bytes)     9006aab.jpg (27954 bytes)

    

    
 

              

    

$v638_06y.jpg (16438 bytes)
The car was on sale in 2012 from the collection of the late John O'Quinn

   

9019 #1 5270011

(1938) Reported to have survived; details needed.  This car was located in Massachusetts in February 1963 (CLC Self-Starter).  It was mentioned again in the Self-Starter for October 1965. In the Fall of 2001, this car was sold to a man in Cincinnati [information from Cadillac Database user, Ted Nagel]. This one was included in the late Bill Tite's listing in 1963. At that time it was owned by  C.M. Tolson, Sr. of Southampton, MA.

9019 #10 5270026

(1938) Only the engine is reported to survive

9019 #15 5270087

(1938) Originally delivered to Tabor Cadillac in Hartford, CT, this fine survivor was listed for sale on the Hemmings' Internet site in February, 2002. In  2003 it resided in Florida. Paint, chrome and upholstery were reported to be as new. The former owner, Jerry Wilhelm, of Vero Beach (FL), had the car up for sale in the Classic Car magazine of the CCCA in April, 2004 and in the CLCs Self Starter magazine the same month, for $52,500; he said: I have a model 9019 five passenger with built-in compartment in back seat as shown in photo in the Fleetwood book [the one by Jim Schild? - I have that book but did not find the photo to which Jerry refers; I believe the "compartment" in question is for packages; I had the same one in my 1942 Fleetwood limousine, style 7519F]. The car passed into the hands of  another aficionado, Donald Sabourin, in 2004 and was relocated to Michigan.  It is believed to be the lowest production number known to still exist with her original engine, which turns over easily and runs smoothly. All the mechanics work properly including the twin carburetors, twin fuel pumps, twin distributors, twin water pumps and a nine main bearing crankshaft. The three-speed manual transmission shifts easily. The steering is surprisingly responsive and the brakes provide good performance for such a large vehicle. This powertrain provided the best acceleration of any car in the world in 1938. Her odometer shows about 58,000 miles, which is consistent with her condition but are undocumented. The interior is in excellent condition, with dove gray cloth throughout. The seats, carpet, and headliner show almost no wear. The wood accents around the windows are beautiful. The (custom?) bar, located behind the driver seat, is empty but used to hold glasses and all manner of goodies (I think the writer has a regular Fleetwood "package compartment" confused with a "bar", although I do agree that said compartment could readily double as a "bar", as it did my own 1942 Fleetwood, style 7519F, formal sedan). Late Extra [3/2009]:  the car was advertised for sale on Ebay by the Bay City Motor Company in Michigan with a "Buy-it-Now" price just $100 short of $90K. I believe no sale ensued. Later [3/2010]: this V-16 turned up for sale again, this time by Platinum Classics of Macedon, NY. No price was mentioned. Much of the vendor's description appears to have been copied, verbatim, from this survivors' roster.  Latest: The car appears to have been sold at Gooding Co.'s auction at Amelia Island, in March 2010, for a reported $61,600 (Gooding website). Thanks for the update, Chris.

 

9019_15a.jpg (9682 bytes)     9019_15b.jpg (7347 bytes)     v6_9019-15A.jpg (19653 bytes)
Photos: Courtesy of O.H. Stark, former owner

9019_0087.jpg (10836 bytes)     v6_9019-15B.jpg (20036 bytes)     v6_9019-15C.jpg (17656 bytes)   

v6_9019-15E.jpg (17619 bytes)     v6_9019-15F.jpg (15831 bytes)     v6_9019-15G.jpg (15314 bytes)     v6_9019-15H.jpg (16261 bytes)     v6_9019-15i.jpg (15373 bytes)
The "bar" compartment at far left appears to have been customized and fitted with a square access hatch; I have not seen this before in any sixteen

 

9019 #19 5270022

(1938) Only the engine has survived and now powers the car with former engine #5270129

9019? #23 5270127

(1938)  I guessed the style was Fleetwood #9019. This car was not previously included in the roster of survivors, by March 2012, when it was offered for sale at aucion by Worldwide Auctions. My friend, Chris Cummings inquired about the car in due course.  Late Extra (May, 2012): Terry Wenger says about this car: 5270127 is a 9019 body #23 that was owned by B. Schaffner in PA. That is all the information I have on it”.  Late Extra (July, 2012): Chris found the car being offered for sale at auction by the Hyman company. The photos below are from the auction catalog. It features the auxiliary foglamps. The interior is all original but the car has had new paint and chrome. Estimated sale price is $85K. Even later (May, 2013): Chris  believes this is the same car that was being offered for sale at the annual Leake auction in Tulsa, OK, from 7-9 July, 2013. Later still  (June, 2013): Chris reported that the car did not sell, despite a high bid of $49,000. Latest (July, 2013): Chris reported that the car is again offered for sale, this time by Auction America, at their Fall 2013 venue in Auburn, IN.

 

    

    

    
[ These photos: Hyman auction catalog - 2012 ]

    
[ These photos: Leake auction catalog - 2013 ]

 

9019 #22 5270129

(1938) The original motor has been replaced with #5270022 

9019 #30 5270193

(1938) According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned by W. J. Nolan of Norco, CA.

9019 #36 5270247

(1938) J. Stork (information through the Cadillac Mailing List [CML]). Jeff wrote: A CCCA friend provided a lead to an estate in San Diego looking to dispose of Cadillacs. A very nice widow named Lola had six cars to sell ranging from a 67 Eldorado back to cars of the thirties. Five have been sold already and only her husband's favorite remained. A very nice solid car, subject of a restoration in the mid-seventies and well preserved since. A 1938 Cadillac 9019, V-16 , Five Passenger Sedan by Fleetwood. Number 36 of the 43 built. I placed a deposit and then spent several long nights wondering what might go wrong. The night was possibly the longest night I can remember, like five Christmas Eves strung together. We finally rolled it onto a flatbed and off to a new life. Lola waved goodbye to her longtime companion (and namesake) and the proud girl began the trek up to Los Angeles. She's resting comfortably at a local dealer [May, 2003] awaiting some mechanical freshening. With Jeff's permission, I will add some photos of Lola, here, later. Jeff informs me he has the car's full history ...so look forward to reading more about it!

 

389019k.jpg (7755 bytes)     389019h.jpg (6527 bytes)

389019d.jpg (5380 bytes)     389019m.jpg (3416 bytes)

 

9019 #37 5270265

(1938) (NEW) from Chris Cummings, in Feb. 2014; VIN and body numbers confirmed by Terry Wenger (photos are from eBay): The car runs, is complete and shows around 34,000  miles on the odometer.This car was in a private collection in Maryland since around 1994. Prior to being stored in Maryland, it was stored in Pennsylvania.  The car was offered  for sale at auction  in Auburn Indiana, in August 2013, then later on eBay for $29,000. It will need restoring, inside and out.  

 

9019 #40 [5270287]

(1938) The VIN has been included in square brackets owing to the fact that the original engine was replaced first with a Buick straight-eight, then with a Chevy 350.  Here are the comments I got from the current owner [2008]: It was an extremely rough car before my friend bought it (for $5000 in that condition no less!) and began its restoration.  It is nearly complete, although it will never be a show car.  That is the nice thing about this V16, we can actually drive it to car shows!  This car was owned by Mr. Sheets in Newbury Park, CA.   He was at least the second owner and had it in his family for quite a while.   He was a farmer with a large family and he used to buy old limousines to carry his family around.  Although he knew the rarity and value of this car, he never had the money to maintain it correctly.  Because my friend and I are restoring it on a tight budget as well I have dubbed this car the “Poor Man’s V16” because all its owners besides the first have been on a tight budget.  The biggest tragedy in this car, and this goes back to the budget nature of its owner, is the original engine is missing.  It was replaced with a straight 8 Buick motor, probably in the 1940s when that was a common motor.  More recently the Buick straight 8 was replaced by a 350 Chevy.  I am looking for an original motor, but until that time, we have a good motor to move it around.  As bad as this car looks, the hard-to-find parts all were still there.   The original grille was salvageable, the brass fender spears were saved, the grille trunk and sidemount V16 emblems are still on the car.  My friend was able to find a V16 horn button on Ebay and V16 hubcap emblems at the Pomona Swap Meet.  The long pot-metal beltline along the side of the body was badly pitted and in storage at this time.  We found a stainless steel beltline strip from a Chevy truck; it looks similar and will work until we decide how to restore the original beltline strips.   The badly dented fenders were able to be repaired. The window frame wood was able to be salvaged with careful and creative repair. We hope to have the car ready for shows by summer 2009.  I will update you when we have it back together. Latest [June 2009]: This from the owner:   We have painted the car and put it back together.   Just the interior is left to finish.  There are a million little details to attend to, but judging by how far this car has come, we are very proud to have it back on the road.  Tom Magdaleno, Southern California. Tom added a couple more images that I have included below.

 

38_9019_40c.jpg (7794 bytes)     38_9019_40d.jpg (6517 bytes)     38_9019_40e.jpg (7283 bytes)
The new owners have taken on quite a project...

38_9019-40a.jpg (14017 bytes)     38_9019_40b.jpg (11837 bytes)
...but the car is coming along just fine !

9033_33AA.jpg (21337 bytes)     9033_33BB.jpg (16755 bytes)     9033_33CC.jpg (15887 bytes)

9033_33DD.jpg (12198 bytes)     9033_33EE.jpg (5744 bytes)
Note that the lettering and emblem on the spare tire cover do not belong on this model
[ Images in above two rows, from Ebay web site, courtesy of the owner ]

9033_33c.jpg (8503 bytes)

 

9019 ? ?

(1938) R. Lewenthal, PA [according to CLC Directory, 2002]

9019 ? ?

(1938) R. Smits, MO [CLC Directory, 2002]

9019 #1

5290015

(1939) I stumbled upon this special order car (SO-4092) in a museum in Murdo, S. Dakota, during our fall tour of the USA in 2006. It is black, with tan interior and has been in the same family since new. Terry Wenger believes he was told about this car by Bob Prudhomme of MN and in Dec. 2007 he supplied the possible engine and body numbers. I now need to go through wads of paper to try to find the name of the current owner in Murdo, so Terry can update his own list of V-16 owners... This 1939 Sixteen has dealer-updated 1940 trim. 
 

v639DDak1S.JPG (33204 bytes)

v639NDakBS.jpg (22868 bytes)     v639DDak4S.JPG (12141 bytes)     v639NDakCS.jpg (24347 bytes)
[ Photos: © 2006, Yann Saunders ]

   

9019 #5 5290046

(1939) Was seen in a Kruse auction lot #423 (what year?); there, it was said to be black and in good/excellent condition. It was later offered for sale gain by Hyman of St. Louis, MO. They were candid in their description: Sixteen-cylinder powering, complete individuality in style – that, in brief, is the story of the Cadillac V16. With the 16-cylinder model Cadillac achieved at once the greatest sensation and the foremost engineering triumph of the era. This is the most individualistic and powerful car ever made for ordinary private use and every care has been taken to ensure that each detail of its construction is worthy of its amazing engine. It is indeed, the supreme achievement in motor car design. This 16-cylinder engine is built on the fundamental principles of design that have created the proud Cadillac record; its power, its efficiency, its flexibility put it in a position far ahead of all possible rivals. For such an engine a super-chassis was essential, and this Cadillac have built - incorporating the well-proved characteristics of Cadillac mechanism and giving perfect ride at even the very highest speeds. The above is the introductory text to an early V16 brochure, and these statements still hold true today. The V16 Cadillac is the zenith of Classic Era engineering. Only 4076 cars powered by the mighty sixteen-cylinder engine were built in the eleven-year period of 1930-1940, that is an average of just 370 cars a year. In fact, however, three quarters of them were built during the first year of production, in 1930. The car on offer is one only thirteen built in 1939. This is a five passenger sedan, Fleetwood body style #9019, body #5. The subject of an older yet comprehensive restoration, this is the perfect tour car. The paint while older is very nice, and the chrome is excellent. The interior is fabulous with tan broadcloth upholstery. This is a non divider window car offering lots of room for the driver as well as a huge compartment for passengers seated in the rear. Mechanically the car is fully sorted, and runs and drives very well. The engine compartment is nicely detailed, as is the trunk, but the car would benefit from a new trunk mat. The V-16 long wheelbase sedan offered is a very pretty car that while showing some minor signs of wear is still very handsome and most importantly, it drives as it should . While not a concours show car, it is a gorgeous and important motorcar, that is a reliable tour car as well. This is a fabulous opportunity to own one of the greatest cars of the Classic Era, and a great investment to boot!  The car was bid up to almost $38,000 but the vendor's reserve was not met. Nota: The listed engine number for the "For Sale" ad does not tie in with that shown on the survivor listing prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite [second number]. A car similar to this one [looking at the odd position of the "V16" badge on the radiator grille] sold for $39,250 at a Kruse auction in Scottsdale, 1/2005 (lot #1030); it was reported to have 75K mi.on the clock.

 

v639_19a.jpg (11555 bytes)     v639_19b.jpg (13823 bytes)

v639_19c.jpg (9699 bytes)     v639_19d.jpg (7109 bytes)     v639_19e.jpg (6651 bytes)
[ Photos:  Internet, 8/2005 ]

[ image to be processed ]

Kruse auction catalog photo

 

9019 #6 5290054

(1939) Last heard of in 1963 

9019 #12 5290131

(1939) Had last been heard of in Ohio, in 1969, until the present owner contacted the compiler of "The Cadillac Database" in December, 2005.  Here is the latest information:   ... I'm the owner of 1939 Cadillac [V-16] 9019 body #12 engine number 5290131, last heard of in Ohio 1969. This is the same car that was sold out of the Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg museum in 1996 were it had spent 11 years. It was sold for $16.000; the car was owned by Mr. Spears from Angola, Indiana from 1976 [maybe earlier] until 1996. Mr. Geuluikens from Belgium bought the car and brought it to Belgium, where I acquired it in 2000 and subsequently brought it to the Netherlands where it has now had a full frame off restoration. The odometer reads 30.475 miles. I hope to have the car ready next year.

9019 ?

?

(1939) On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, one of these was reportedly owned by Owen Crain of San Gabriel, CA.  According to V-16 owner and historian, Chris Cummings, some 3 years later there was an ad in the Self Starter for May 1966, where Mr. Crain offered for $1,600, a 1939 V-16 five passenger sedan in very good condition, metallic deep mulberry lacquer with 67,700 actual miles. “A clean rare specimen built without sidemounts.”
9019 ? ?

(1939) P. Troost, NM [CLC Directory, 2002]

9019 #2 5320061

(1940) Cadillac buff and long-time CLC member, Doug Houston informed me in early 2003 that the last V-16 ever built [this one] had survived and was located in southeast Michigan. It is owned [2011] by Diane Tite, the widow of the late Bill Tite. Doug said: That car and my coupe were bought from the same used car dealer in California in 1961 and transported here in a big van. The car is a 40-9019 ...and, as I remember, no divider window, so no "F" suffix [Doug was writing in reply to a query about my former 1942 Fleetwood, style #7519-F]. The car's original color is Luzon Green;  it's sort of an apple green metallic. It had been delivered to Hawaii originally and later found its way back to the mainland. This car was offered on e-bay, on behalf of Bill Tite’s widow (Oct. 2011).

 

         

              

          
[ Photos:  e-bay ]

 

9019-F #4 5270227

(1938) According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned  in the early sixties by E. W. Massey of Kingston, NC. It was last heard of in 1963.

9019-F ? ?

(1938) N. Cohen, GA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9023 #10 5270028

(1938) Last heard of in UT in 2003; owned there by M. Hadley

9023 #12 5270044

(1938) The owner notified me in May, 2000, that he had this car; it is located in Jacksonville, FL, and is currently red (it was originally Antoinette blue and was owned previously by the late Gary Braman who wrote many V-16 tips in the CLC Self-Starter). Collector Randall Kimberly wrote in November 2005 to say that he now had the car and may be selling it owing to lack of time to restore it.  He said, I retired from GM after 31 years and keeping Bill Warner's collection up is a full time job. Asking price in the April 2006 issue of Self Starter was $27,500.

9023

#20

5270079

(1938) John Brannan of Bellbrook, OH write in April, 2002: I have a 1938 V-16 Series 90 Cadillac 7 passenger sedan. You indicated on your Database you would like to hear of survivors. I have one but need to know more about it - it was my father-in-law's who recently passed away. Any help or referrals to someone who can help would be much appreciated. Thank you.
9023

?

5270101

This one was offered for sale by RM during their Vintage Motor Cars at Meadowbrook Hall venue on Saturday, August 6, 2005.  It was sold for $41,800. The car was said to have benefited from a comprehensive professional restoration completed more than 10 years earlier. Released from one of America’s leading collections in 2005, the car received exceptional care and consequently remains in very good overall condition. While the paintwork shows signs of age, it remains highly presentable. Similarly, while the engine bay and chassis show evidence of careful use; the interior appears as new. Interestingly, and although RM was unable to verify the source, the vendor believed the car to have once been the property of child star, Shirley Temple. This car was included in a subsequent auction of (alleged) celebrity-owned Classic Cars in Boca Raton, FL, in Feb. 2007.

v6temple.jpg (7922 bytes)
Apparently, this is Ms. Temple's former car,
was once  owned by a CLC member

 

9023 ? 5270103

(1938) This example has never been restored, just carefully maintained throughout its life. The original black paint has been touched-up where needed. Chrome has been replaced in certain places. It retains its wide whitewall tires and dual sidemount spares. The interior features wood trim, tan broadcloth material in the passenger compartment, and black leather in the driver's area. The engine was rebuilt by RM Auto Restorations. One of Canada's wealthiest families, the Billes of Canadian Tire fame, once owned this Imperial Sedan. Subsequent owners have preserved the cars patina and kept it in mostly-original condition, a rarity as moth have been restored at least once during their lifetime. In 2008 it was brought to the Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $60,000 - $80,000. It was offered without reserve which worked well for the buyer who purchased this magnificent car for the sum of $46,750 including buyer's premium.

 

5270103d.jpg (7233 bytes)     5270103e.jpg (7098 bytes)     5270103f.jpg (8613 bytes)

5270103g.jpg (14128 bytes)     5270103h.jpg (12965 bytes)     5270103b.jpg (10077 bytes)     5270103a.jpg (9139 bytes)
[ Photos:  RM auction catalog ]

 

9023 #25 5270104

[Not sure if this one has survived - it's story was told first by a former owner, Tom Tau, in Southern California Region CLC’s “Crest & Wings” Newsletter, then reprinted in tne Newsletter of CLC's Potomac region in May 2010].  Mr Tau bought the car for $150  in 1956. Had Tom not bougth it, it would have gone to the crusher. Tom cleaned it up and, he says, "it looked real nice". He later sold it to a man for $100.00 who said he would put a V-8 in it. After joining the CLC, Tom found out a little more about the car.

9023 ? 5270115

(1938) Last heard of in AZ in 2003 

9023 #22 ?

(1938) (NEW, 2/2010): My favorite V16 "sleuth", Chris Cummings, informed me that this car was to be auctioned by RM at their Fort Lauderdale auction on March 26, 27 and 28, 2010. The car is from the fabulous collection of the late John O'Quinn. The estimate was between $40-60K and final sales amount was $49,500.

9023 #26 5270117

(1938) Was offered for sale on e-Bay (Internet) in November, 2003. I got this information from the buyer, in January, 2004; he is the head Archivist of the New Jersey Region AACA and his collection of classic cars is located in Morris County, NJ: This is a one owner unrestored car that spent it's whole life in California and has only 28,000 original miles. It has it's original dark green paint and it's original tan broadcloth interior and they both cleaned up good enough that I think I am going to preserve the car and enter it in the HPOF class at shows. Even all of the brightwork cleaned up a bit.... It has not run in more than 40 years but the engine is free and I'm sure I will have it running over the winter. I hooked up a battery and all the lights work as well as the horn, plus the factory radio and clock are in the car.  The missing headlight glass and the Sixteen horn button were in the trunk so everything is there. The body is in wonderful condition with no dents and very little rust.  The floors as well as all the wood work in the car are also in very good condition. The barn it sat in was dry, so that helped save the car plus the whole car was coated with Cosmolene. This original V16 Cadillac is in better condition then many people thought and I am really pleased to now give it a good home in my collection. I also have some other rare Cadillacs from the 30's and older.

 

902326A.JPG (7746 bytes)     V63826g.JPG (6502 bytes)

V63826e.JPG (6843 bytes)     V63826f.JPG (5547 bytes)
[ Photos :  Internet, 11/2003 ]

9023srv1.jpg (8473 bytes)     9023srv5.jpg (8635 bytes)

9023srv2.jpg (5697 bytes)     9023srv3.jpg (5965 bytes)     9023srv4.jpg (6352 bytes)
[ These five photos: © 2004, courtesy the new owner ]

 

9023 #29 5270126

(1938) owned by P. Thibodeau, ME 

9023 #28 5270130

(1938) owned by G. Cochran, WA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9023 #40 5270198

(1938) Was lot #1002 at a Kruse auction [but what year?]; the color was black and the car said to be on excellent condition. Jean Lebrun, a friend of the owner, contacted me in March, 2000, and said the car was for sale again. The interior is gray; there is no partition. Jean says this is a near 100-point; the only missing item is a radio knob. Jean adds that the car was sold at the beginning of the eighties (1982, in Pennsylvania?) to a Canadian citizen, then seized by Canadian Customs around 1988 and subsequently sold by them, in 1993, to his friend. Since then, it has been in the province of Quebec, Canada, and has run only... 12 miles! The car was exported to France in 2002Terry Wenger visited this car's (former?) owner, in Wisconsin, in the early '80s when the latter was putting the finishing touches to the car.

 

SELAUDOU.JPG (8426 bytes)     V639901c.jpg (7345 bytes)     Frv16.jpg (7320 bytes)
Possibly this one, owned by a Mr. Selaudoux,
member of the American Car Club de France (ACCF)
[ Photos:  ACCF archives ]

 

9023 #41 5270201

(1938) Was for sale for $450 ...in the seventies [C&P ad] At that time it was owned by the late Dave Ficken [see also custom #9053, below]; it was said to be in fair condition with a poor interior despite only 24K miles on the clock. Subsequently, Dave sold the car but retained the engine which he used to replace engine #5270300 in his custom 9053 town car

9023srv.jpg (8392 bytes)

 

9023 #5 5270252

(1938) Last heard of in 1963 ; at that time it was owned by M.B. Belden of Colorado Springs, CO. Late Extra (Dec., 2010): while  going through some old Barrett Jackson auction listings, I found that this car had been offered for sale as lot #655, in 2003.   The description reads: This beautiful 7 passenger limousine is powered by a 431 cid / 185HP V-16 with 3-speed transmission. This classic has dual sidemounts. Older restoration, dark green paint, green [or tan?] leather interior with wood trim, equipped with dual mounted spate tires and turn signals [???]. Vehicle used as a company wedding vehicle and used on a weekly basis, very reliable driver, total production of approximately 315 units. It was sold for $42,120. I wonder where it is "hiding" today.

9023

#14

?

(1938) [NEW, 12/2012] Offered for sale on Hemmings.  Excerpts from the vendor's description suggest that the car would make a good restoration project, being complete and in overall good condition:  It is a true barn find, having been out of circulation for more than 40 years, yet carefully protected in a low-moisture environment away from sunlight ... surface rust on the body in some areas ... no evidence of previous accident or rust repair, and every panel on the car appears in excellent condition. All four doors open and close like the proverbial bank vault, and even things like the sidemount covers fit tightly. The chrome has deteriorated, but shows no damage and all of the trim is there. The interior is 100% original ... it shows age and signs of rodent/moth damage and is probably not salvageable ... All the handles, window cranks, garnish moldings, and light fixtures are in place. The dash is full of original instruments ... instrument faces are good ... The steering wheel has been wrapped in black electrical tape, so the original plastic is long gone, and the center stack’s plastic is badly deteriorated ... The 431 cubic inch V16 has not been operated in decades, but remains completely intact, from the original air cleaners to the exhaust manifolds. Correct Carter carburetors show no signs of leaking, and the porcelain manifolds are still shiny ...the engine turns by hand ...  The chassis is solid and equally complete, showing only surface rust but no badly deteriorated components.
 

 

9023

#58

5270253

(1938) Offered for sale by auction be the Kruse organization as lot #409;  the color was maroon and the car said to be in good condition with approx. 34K miles on the odometer.  After leaving Harrah's collection in Nevada,  it spent some time in California.
9023

#59

5270258

(1938) Former owner: L. Digney, MA [CLC Directory, 2002 - but erroneous entry according to the current owner, Paul Wren, from Maine. Paul says he purchased it at auction at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum in 2001. The car was purchased new, privately, by a woman of means [we don't have her name] and driven by a chauffeur for a period of 7 years, then it was owned by a series of museums, including some in Austria  and elsewhere in Europe, until coming back to a private collection in the U.S. in the late 70's. A private collector acquired it in the early 1970s, then the most recent vendor, Mr. Digney in the 90s (he is a car dealer). Since 2001, every moving part (barring the engine and transmission) was rebuilt or refurbished to proper historical standards, including fuelpumps, lines, fuel tank lined with polymer, complete wiring harness, carburators rebuilt, starter rebuilt, heaters rebuilt, electrical systems checked and components replaced as neccecary, brakes rebuilt and relined, suspension bushings replaced, steeringbox and linkage rebuilt, complete new exhaust system, radiator recored, engine and entire undercarriage cleaned, all rubber parts and hoses replaced, all gauges checked, front end aligned, all new wiring loom, rebuilt fuel system, rebuilt brakes and suspension, radiator, alternators, etc.  The car looked as if it had never been touched; the rubber parts were consistent in condition with ones that had been installed at the factory in 1938. Currently, the car runs as new. The interior appears to be entirely original and in reasonably good condition. Body and frame are in excellent condition and show no signs of damage.  Most of the dark green paint is original, the paint is older but presentable and so is the interior despite some moth holes. Chrome is all decent and the engine bay is very clean. The car is quiet; it is a worthy addition any collection, as well as a great touringcar! It is offered by "Victory Cars" for "only" $69,000! Latest (July 2013): Chris Cummings believes the car has been sold. He cites two web sites that give the same information.
 

9023paul.jpg (8154 bytes)     9023pau2.jpg (7447 bytes)
[ Photos:  © and courtesy of the owner ]

    

         
[ Photos of these three rows:  © and courtesy of  Pre-War Cars &- Hyman Classic Cars ]

 

9023 #57 5270263

(1938) W. Nolan, Jr. (CA) [CLC Directory, 2002]. Interestingly, this car has had the same owner since  the late Bill Tite's survivor listing was prepared in the early sixties.

9023 ? ?

(1938) [Unidentified]  V-16 enthusiast, Rusty Shepherd, wrote this in July 2002: I noticed the 38-9023 (the one pictured in the snow) for which you have lost the photo ID. I saw that car with the same picture a few months ago (I think I found it with a Google search for Cadillac V-16). I don't remember the current owner's name, but I am absolutely certain that the story with it stated that it was originally bought and owned for many years by Canadian Tire which you probably know is still a major tire, auto parts, and appliance retail chain in Canada. It was presently either in Quebec or Ontario, Quebec I think. Considering the Quebec location mentioned, this may be possibly car #40, above;

 

v638srv1.jpg (9686 bytes)     v638srv2.jpg (7236 bytes)
[ have lost the photo IDs ]

 

9023 ? ?

(1938) Was sold by Frank Corrente; listed erroneously on his Web site as a style 9029, he says: This is an exceptionally good auto; one of 65 built; just taken in from a collector; shows excellent care; has won many trophies.

 

9023CorrA.jpg (19738 bytes)     9023CorrB.jpg (16588 bytes)     9023CorrC.jpg (16735 bytes)
[ Photos:  Internet, 3/2006 ]

 

9023 ? ?

(1938) R. Blunt CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9023 ? ?

(1938) G. Finley III, TX [CLC Directory, 2002]

9023* #67 5290012

(1939 - *body now converted to style 9029; the original 9023 body may also have survived). According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned at the time by E.E. Bayowski of Lowellville, OH.

9023 #8 5290040

(1939) According to Self Starter, March 2003, p.4, this one belonged in the sixties to Phillip R. Hurlbut of Scottsdale, AZ [Terry Wenger pointed out that Phillip owned it already in 1963]. I saw it offered at auction by the Kruse organization; it is  black and the interior is said to be original. Mileage was given as 56,000.

9023 #10 5290045

(1939) Formerly owned by Charlie Montano of NY.  Late Extra (Jun., 2014): Always watchful Chris Cummings has notified me that this CCCA car is up for auction (no date shown).  Photos blocked. Later (Jan., 2015): The car was acquired at auction by a German collector from Ingolstadt; he wrote:  ... I´m the new owner of the V16 9023 5290045 that was offered at an auction last year. The car is here in Germany and now we have to do some work on the car to get it on the road here in Germany. We need flashers and a hazard warning system here in Germany, and also some work on the original fabrics has to be done. When the car is ready I´ll send you some pictures. I also will make repros from the ash tray and the lighter mouldings, because they are broken. Congratulations on your purchase. We will be glad to add some photos here, in the Cadillac Database, when the car is ready to be shown.  Should you wish your name to be mentioned as the new owner of the car, we will of course oblige. We will also add any other information you may wish to share, later, with Database readers.

9023 #18 5290135

(1939) According to a listing of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned at that time by C.C. Grier of Seattle, WA.. It was advertised for sale in CCCA Bulletin #3, April 2001, by Coast-to-Coast Classics of Lodi, CA. Very low miles since full, frame off  restoration. Database visitor Frank Aniotzbehere of Fresno, CA, provided this welcome information (he has been asked by the current owner to try to sell the car).  Another earlier owner lived in Belleville, IL (circa 1985). This car was first offered for sale at a Kruse auction in 1990 but the reserve was not met. Trim is #4903 and paint code is #51. Late Extra [5/2007]: Ms. Audrey Barnes, Kruse International Auction Coordinator, confirmed the accuracy of the VIN and body number. The car is listed in the Kruse catalog in error as a "Town Sedan", whereas this model is the larger sedan for 7 passengers. Latest [12/2011]: This car is currently being offered on e-bay by  RK Motors of Charlotte, North Carolina. The car may need electricals as well as adjustment or repairs to the carburetion system. 

 

39_9023A.jpg (57995 bytes)     39_9023C2.jpg (34132 bytes)     39_9023B.jpg (49417 bytes)   

39_9023C.jpg (52026 bytes)     39_9023C3.jpg (41934 bytes)     39_9023E.jpg (43813 bytes)

39_9023F.jpg (8841 bytes)
[ Photos:  Internet: May, 2007 ]

THIS VIDEO CLIP WAS FOUND ON THE INTERNET
(it may not be permanently viewable)
 

 

9023 ? ?

(1939) Seen at Barrett-Jackson annual auction, January 1998; I believe this is the car once owned by a Texas doctor, R.J. Broselow,  who paid $20,000 for it at a Kruse auction in Fort Lauderdale, FL (1997?).   In an article by him he reports that he was never able to get it to run satisfactorily and sold it later for $13,000 after he had invested about $35,000 in the car.

 

9023srv.jpg (7640 bytes)     v638lim4.jpg (8952 bytes)

3990.jpg (7665 bytes)
I believe this poor photo is from the Kruse auction catalog

 

9023 #2 5320021

(1940) [correction] the current owner (for the last 45 years or so) is Miss Lisa Pastor of Painesville, OH. The condition is around #3 and the car has an odometer reading of circa 40K mi. Jim Davis, who contacted me in December, 2001, was shown in error as the owner; in fact he has only helped Miss Pastor keep the car in running order.  The car may be available for sale.

9023 #5 5320034

(1940) Currently (2005) owned by M. Lepak, MN [Terry Wenger correction]

9023 #8 5320047

(1940) Possibly R. Robin, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029 #3 5270037 (1938) Terry Wenger told me that this one was owned in the '50s by CLC member H. Byington.   He subsequently sold it to a Mr. Belden in CO; it is currently owned by his son, M. Belden, of the Canton Auto Museum in Canton, OH.

9029

#2

5270060

(1938) Offered at auction by Kruse a number of times.  Lot  #691 (what year?), lot #701 in 1993 (when it was reportedly sold for $100,000) and  lot #965 in 1994. Color is white and the condition is "very good".  It is said to have been owned by a movie studio and used to transport the great W.C. Fields while he was in Hollywood. Kruse said only two were known to exist; in fact, thirteen were built and fourteen have survived (that is because some collectors have put trimmed up V-8 bodies on V-16 chassis); this one obtained the Imperial Palace excellence award in the summer of 1994. I saw it for sale again as lot #691 where it achieved a high bid of $95,000.  I guess we shall be seeing it again ...frequently. It is (was?) owned by J. Adelstein, NY [CLC Directory, 2002]. I had the pleasure of meeting Joel in Las Vegas, on the occasion of the 2009 "Grand National" meet there. Joel told me he also owned another V16 convertible sedan that had belonged to Franklin D.Roosevelt [or his administration]; he said the body was #1 and the car had 30K miles.
 

Str38fld.jpg (9028 bytes)   9029adel.jpg (4941 bytes)
Photo (right) by my friend Jim Butler at the Concours of the Eastern United States in Bethlehem, PA

 

9029 #9 5270065

(1938) W. La Fronz, NJ [CLC Directory, 2002]. Late Extra [June, 2009]:   I had the pleasure of meeting Joel in Las Vegas, on the occasion of the 2009 "Grand National" meet in Las Vegas. Joel told me he owned this car [which has jump seats], as well as another V16 convertible sedan that once had belonged to Franklin D. Roosevelt [or his administration]; he said that body was #1 and the car had 30K miles.

9029 #6 5270142 (1938) This one is owned by Jack Nethercutt of San Sylmar, CA [Merle Norman collection]
 

v638nether.jpg (16721 bytes)     v6sylmarcv.jpg (14874 bytes)     v638cvsdnether2.JPG (20822 bytes)
Merle Norman collection, San Sylmar, CA
[ license tag reads "V16 CAD" ]

 

9029 #10 5270181

(1938) A former owner was J. Aldrich, NC [CLC Directory, 2002]. Late Extra [June, 2009]: The car turned up for sale at the Houston Classic Car Auction in Texas, in May 2009. The car was formerly part of the Sterling McCall collection. 

 

5270181D.jpg (18655 bytes)     5270181B.jpg (9197 bytes)     5270181C.jpg (15643 bytes)

5270181A.jpg (22310 bytes)     5270181f.jpg (17133 bytes)     5270181e.jpg (25614 bytes)
[ Photos:  Wordwide Group ]

V6395880.jpg (8656 bytes)
Could this be the same car (formerly unidentified in the survivors' roster?)

 

9029 ? 5270204

(1938) Dr. P. Woods, VA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029 #14 5270240

(1938) owned by R. Gates of NJ. The car was last sold (for $170K, without the commission)  durng the Barrett-Jackson auction venue in Scottsdale, AZ, on Jan 22, 2011.  The catalog described it thus:  V16 Convertible with divider window, one of less than 20 produced in 1938, 1939 and 1940. Factory Build Sheet, all matching and correct including 750x16 US Royal super balloon wide whites which have been out of production for decades. 15,000 original miles from new. Always maintained as a collector car. Awarded a Classic Car Club of America National 1st award over 50 years ago in 1960. Recently, anything needed was copleted by the top V16 restorer, Steve Babinsky. Solid and smooth with the 431cid V16 rated at 185hp. One of the lowest mileage, original Cadillac V16 convertibles.

 

v638cvsd4.jpg (32203 bytes)

v638cvsd1.jpg (38408 bytes)     v638cvsd2a.jpg (28080 bytes) 

    v638cvsd3a.jpg (33699 bytes)
[ Photos:  Barrett-Jackson catalog ]

 

9029

#15

5270273

(1938) Was located in Minnesota, per the Self-Starter, March, 1963, p.4; at that time it was owned by John O. Bohmer of  Brooton, MN. According to the CLC directory for 2002, it was still in Minnesota and still registered to a Mr. J. Bohmer.  Terry Wenger points out that only thirteen were made.  The fact that this car has body #15   may be that identical bodies were mounted also on the V-8 chassis (Series 75 cars) and given sequential numbers.
9029 ? ?

(1938) According to a listing by the late William "Bill" Tite, published in the Self Starter in March 1963, one of these was registered to Bob Felber of East Hollywood, FL.

9029 ? ?

(1938) L. Baker, AL [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029 ? ?

(1938) P. Komeskey, Sr. NY [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029 ? ?

(1938?) Shown erroneously as a 1937 model (?), such a car was owned by Joe Mikula; I saw it in the Self-Starter for Nov.-Dec. 1967, p.8

9029 ? ?

(1938?) This one was located in Ohio; seen in the Self-Starter for September 1965

 

v638cvsdunid1a.jpg (12699 bytes)     v638cvsdunid1b.jpg (11931 bytes)     v638cvsdunid1c.jpg (13299 bytes)
[ This car,  with Ohio collectible car tags? ]

 

9029 ?

?

(1938) On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, on of these was reportedly owned by William Turner of North Miami Beach, FL
9029 ? ? (1938) This one was located in Redlands, California; seen in the Self-Starter for January 1967, p.15.  The vendor wanted 60cents ...per pound of car.  Work it out!  It had 59K miles and was still the original maroon color.
9029 ? ? (1938?) This poor photo is apparently excerpted from an auction catalog of the eighties. Does anyone recognize the car or recall the auction ?

V638CVSD.JPG (8667 bytes)

 

9029 ? 5290012 (1939 - replacement body) Owned by S. Brauer, MO [he is the owner of the Hunter Collection]. This body replaced the former style 9023 body mentioned earlier in this listing [in the Hunter Collection]

9029priv.jpg (8288 bytes)
[ Photos: © The Huff Report ]

 

9029

#3

5290060

(1939) Owned by R. Hawkins in FL [got engine and body numbers from Terry Wenger]
9029 ?? 5290064

(1939) L. De Bremont, NY [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029

#4

5290067

(1939) This formerly unidentified convertible sedan, was sold by RM auctions at Amelia Island in 2011 (I mislaid the information about it, in the excitement of my first visit to the annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance and auction. It was subsequently identified correctly  by CLC member and friend, Terry Wenger as the car having previously belonged to General William Lyons. It was offered for sale as lot #656 at the annual Barrett-Jackson auction, January 2002, in Scottsdale, AZ.  It was reported in the catalog as belonging to a private collection. It found a new home at that venue ... after $87,500 changed hands. V-16 enthusiast, Rusty Shepherd found out where this 9029 has gone; he wrote:  I visited the excellent Sterling McCall collection between Houston and Austin and saw a dark green 9029. I thought that it might be the Gen. Wm. Lyons car and now I'm sure as the front fenders lights were missing and I notice they are missing on the car pictured. Mr.McCall has about 80 cars on display including two early V-16 (a Madame X style sedan and a coupe). The very small burgh where the collection is located is called Warrenton, TX.  In December, 2002, the car was offered again for sale by Barrett Jackson at their 2003 venue in Scottsdale. Enthusiast Terry Wenger of the CLC reported in Fall, 2003, that General Lyons still has the car and that it is registered in his name with the CCCA for 2003. Late Extra [July, 2009]:  The car turned up for sale on Ebay and the vendor provided this information (excerpts): One of the jewels of the Old Car Heaven collection is this incredible 1939 Cadillac V-16 Divider Window Convertible Sedan.  The 4th one built in 1939 out of a total run of 11 units produced, it is an outstanding original with unquestioned provenance and ownership history that is among the best. This correct Cavern Green example comes from long term museum ownership.  Owned by the Sterling McCall Cadillac Museum for the several years, it was recently acquired by the Old Car Museum which then almost immediately acquired three mid 1930's Cadillac V-16's including only the 5th 1935 Convertible Sedan to be discovered.  This car (along with the other two V-16's) is being sold to finance the restoration of the 1935 car. Owned for many years by the General William Lyons collection, it is known for what it does NOT have: Fender lights.  The Wm. Lyons car was known for not having the lights on the fenders.  After many years of ownership, the car was then purchased early this decade by the McCall collection. This car has all of its original sheet metal and mechanicals.  The body has never been off the chassis.  It is known by both the CCCA and the Cadillac LaSalle Club and is known without question to be an entirely original and authentic 9029--V-16 divider window Convertible Sedan. The car is in excellent mechanical condition with great care and maintenance performed by both the McCall museum and the Old Car Museum over the last ten years..  The original correct V-16 powerplant runs smoothly and flawlessly.  It does not leak or burn any fluids. It has its original AM radio and original front and rear heaters.  The divider window is perfect and rolls up and down well. Overall, the condition of this car is very nice--ideal for touring.  It is a 30-year-old restoration so if you were going to show the car, paint, detailing and interior work would most likely be needed.  The only modification to the car is the installation of a modern temp gauge to provide and accurate engine temperature at all times.  It is located under the dash so as not to detract from aesthetics of the car. The paint is correct 1939 Cadillac color of Cavern Green and is very shiny and nice.  The chrome and trim is also very nice.  There are some imperfections but overall the exterior presents in a 3+ to 2- condition.  The exterior is excellent but very dated.  The tan is a color used commonly in the 1970's.  It is in very good condition but is CLEARLY not new or recent.  The dash and instrumentation is excellent and I believe all in working order.  The wood is also largely good with the exception of the rear door piece which has a scratch in it from the window crank (a common problem with these cars). The underside is also excellent original and without a hint of rust or rust repair. As I already mentioned, the body is completely original and correct to this chassis and motor.  There are NO stories with this car and a very well known history. I started and drove it recently and the car started with about ten seconds of cranking and ran flawlessly.  It shifts well and handles like a V-16 should.  I brought it to the Memorial Day parade several weeks ago to drive some World War II vets and it drew a crowd whenever I paused.  The engine bay is clean but not detailed at all.  There are no leaks or drips anywhere. Google search the chassis number and you should see plenty of information on this car.  It is a known and trusted original that is ready to be toured for years to come without incident or restored and shown at Pebble Beach or any other major Concours event.
 

3990CVSD.JPG (10950 bytes)     V639902c.jpg (6815 bytes)
This car was formerly (?) owned by Gen. William Lyons

Above (left): the car on display in Scottsdale, January 2002
[ Photo, right: © 2002, Pierre Bongni ]

    

 

9029 ?? ?

(1939) Unidentified; color photo, below, probably taken in someone's private collection; B&W photo presumably taken at a car meet may be of the same V-16

 

v639srv.jpg (9719 bytes)
Note the non-original V-16 badge on the front fenders,
just ahead of the fender spears

 

9029 ? 5270113 (1939)  This one was built in the '60s, possibly using chassis #5270113 as mentioned in an article published in 1963. Currently it is for sale by his son [tip from Terry Wenger]. This ad appeared in the Nov-Dec. 2003 edition of the Self Starter : '39 V-16 Conv. Sedan.   Non-matching #s, older resto., needing cosmetics, eng. turns, photos on request, $39,000 [Tel. (33) 544-0242, in Ohio]
9029
ex
9023
Formerly Series 75
ex
9023-#6
5290025
 

(1939) This car was not previously on the survivors' roster.  It was sold by RM auctions in Feb. 2008 for $170,500 ! The vendor's description reads: Originally a Series 75 convertible sedan, this car was converted some 15 years ago with the installation of the engine and front sheet metal from a 1939 Series 90 V16 Touring Sedan. The conversion was done in a professional manner, and since Series 75 and 90 cars use the same Fleetwood bodies, the result is all but indistinguishable from an authentic V16. One of the nicest of this style, it is painted in rich maroon and has a tan canvas top. The interior is done in matching leather, and magenta carpet is fitted to the floor and lining the trunk. The car has the optional dual sidemount spare tires. These have the one-piece smooth steel covers, which were introduced with the 1938 models. The car has been detailed to concours quality standards. This includes the paint, brightwork, interior, engine compartment and undercarriage. It runs extremely well, and is a pleasure to drive. America’s most powerful automobile engine in 1939, the Cadillac V16 is also one of the most docile, being whisper-quiet at idle and having the smooth torque to propel the 5,350-pound car from ten miles per hour to top speed in high gear. Just four V16 convertible sedans were built in 1939. This car did not begin life as one of them, but it is an faithful re-creation of the rarest production model of that year.  Late Extra (3/2012: Through Terry Wenger and Chris Cummings I learned that the V-16 part of this car is the chassis (and presumably engine) number 5290025 from #9023 7-pass. sedan, body number 6. The body itself  is from a 1939 Series 7529 that had engine number 3290710. The RM auction where this car was featured took place on March 8, 2008 at Amelia Island.

 

    

    
[ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Hyman, Ltd. ]

 

9029 #2 5320050

(1940) A. Edmonds, FL [CLC Directory, 2002]

9029 ? ?

(1940) I have a B&W photo (somewhere!) of this car, supplied kindly by the late Gene Babow (possibly car #2, above ?)

9029 ? ?

(year unknown) Does anyone recognize this one?  Is that a California tag [blue with yellow lettering]?

 

V638cvs5.jpg (9505 bytes)
This car?

v638cvsdunid3b.jpg (24865 bytes)     v638cvsdunid3a.jpg (12654 bytes)     v638cvsdunid3c.jpg (19313 bytes)


...and/or this one?
[ Photos:  Pebble Beach, 2009 ? ]

 

9029

?

?

Harold Le May collection [Photo:  Internet ?]

V69029.JPG (8939 bytes)

 

9029

?

?

(1940) I found this one while surfing on the Internet.  It appears to be a recent and fine restoration

 

v640cvsdunid9a.jpg (22038 bytes)

 

9033 #1 5270005

(1938) Was owned in 1963 by Stephan Timoszyck, of Michigan (mentioned in the Self-Starter for February, 1963).  This car was delivered to the original owner on October 23, 1937, that is before the New York auto show opened its doors. Per Terry Wenger, this car was located in PA in 2003 and owned by P. Tiffany. This one was included in the late Bill Tite's listing in 1963. Late extra:  a Swiss collector from Lucerne, Switzerland, was interested in this car, which he says is in relatively poor condition.  He says it is still in the USA (PA) and still in the ownership of Mr. Tiffany.  The photos he sent show a car with a near-gutted interior although the outer body panels seem solid. Bumpers also are very  rusty. The asking price of $25K seems out of proportion with the car's visible condition.  One of these, in good-looking and working order, sold in Scottsdale, AZ a few years ago for $20K.  My guess is that the restoration costs for this car will largely exceed its market value after such restoration.

 

9033-5a.jpg (20132 bytes)     9033-5b.jpg (13164 bytes)     9033-5g.jpg (11256 bytes)

9033-5c.jpg (10923 bytes)     9033-5d.jpg (10851 bytes)     9033-5i.jpg (9431 bytes)     9033-5j.jpg (15231 bytes)
[ Photos:  courtesy Olivier Bachmann ]

 

9033 #5 5270007

(1938) Was purchased in 2007 by enthusiast, Harvey Bowness from Prince Edward Island, Canada.   He wrote: we purchased the car in Dartmouth on Saturday September 29, 2007.  It was owned by a Mr. John Sutton who had the car for 40 years; he had acquired it from 2 gentlemen who had joint ownership of it; they supposedly had bought it from an older gentleman a few years earlier. I am not sure where the car was bought new; there is a rumor that the car was owned by the Seagrams (Canadian) Whisky family; another rumor has it that it was used in the Royal Tour (Queen Elizabeth II of UK) in 1939. The color is black and the car is amazingly well preserved, given it had not been used since 1982; the motor turns over and we will be trying to get it running; the brakes still have pedal; we hooked up a battery and the lights even work. It came with a trunk full of extra parts. It does need a total restoration, but my plan is to get it running this winter and drive it as is next summer then start restoration next winter. I think it will be fun to drive as a survivor.  The paint is good from 20 feet; the interior in the back had some rodents living in it and is in very bad shape; the front leather will clean up for the summer next year. I did not even think I would ever be able to find a V16; it was one of those stories that the owner would never sell it; I just called him and we talked a bit and he kept the car until I went to see it; the rest is history. Late extra (Nov. 2013): V-16 owner and researcher, Chris Cummings, just passed on the news  that Mr. Bowness is putting his car up for sale.  We will be hearing about it again soon, I'll wager.  Thanks Chris.

 

v6389033_5a.jpg (9771 bytes)     v69033_5b.jpg (10851 bytes)


[ Photos: courtesy of the owner ]

 

9033 #37 5270074

(1938) R. Hannay, AZ [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #28 5270092

(1938) Former touring sedan style, owned by the late W.C. Fields was for many years part of the Imperial Palace collection, Las Vegas, NV.  It had a bar in the rear compartment. Offered a number of times at auction. e.g. Lot #1086 [venue not known]; the highest bid was $75,000 (vehicle condition: #3). Enthusiast Howland Blackiston saw the car in October 2004; the owner has just completed a re-build of the engine and the car is being offered for sale for $150,000. Terry Wenger informs me that it was sold by Chicago Motor Carriage, LLC., in 2004.  Another V-16 owner and enthusiast, Ron Browne of Tulsa, OK, tells me he photographed the car at Scottsdale, AZ, in January, 2006. The car was offered for sale by the Blackhawk Collection, CA, for $225,000! ): Latest (2009/2010?): The car apparently has found a new home. This was reported by "The Auto Collections" (Imperial Palace, Las Vegas): This car was often seen at the street corner of Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood, Ca. This was the spot that W.C. Fields, Carlotta Monti and secretary, Magna Mitchell would hold court. To keep the threesome busy this car had an electric martini mixer installed, probably an automotive first! The car was often seen with him and Carlotta in the back seat with his secretary, Magda who doubled as a chauffeur. Upon W.C. Fields death in 1946, this car was willed to long time girlfriend, Carlotta Monti. Carlotta kept the car in her 1-car garage in West Los Angeles until 1984. Needing money to put her niece into college, Carlotta sold the car to the original Imperial Palace Auto Collection on August 8, 1984. The Imperial Palace performed a complete restoration to its original glory in 1985, less the martini mixer. 

 

str40fld.JPG (12196 bytes)
Real car, but dummy W.C. Fields and lady friend

fields1.jpg (8659 bytes)

389033c.jpg (7638 bytes)     fields0.jpg (7789 bytes)

38FieldB.jpg (8435 bytes)     38FieldA.jpg (8264 bytes)     38FieldC.jpg (9264 bytes)

389033b.jpg (4254 bytes)     389033d.jpg (4750 bytes)     389033a.jpg (9268 bytes)
[ These photos:  © 2004 and courtesy Howland Blackiston ]

38FieldE.jpg (18982 bytes)

38FieldF.jpg (15602 bytes)     38FieldG.jpg (14000 bytes)

 

9033 ? 5270103

(1938) [not previously listed here] Was sold by RM Auctions at their Amelia Island venue in March, 2008, for $46,750

9033 ? 5270111

(1938) R. Robin, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #41 5270124?

(1938) Formerly owned by Malcolm Willits, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]. The engine for this car is currently [2004] being rebuilt by CLC member, Terry Wenger, for use in his own 1938 V-16 style 9039 (below). He said in March, 2003: I am rebuilding 5270124 engine block to replace the badly cracked one in my 9039, 5270178. This fine V-16 survivor was offered for sale on Ebay in May, 2004. It was described as basically an original car, with over $40,000 recently spent on mechanical and cosmetic refurbishing. The car is located in New Paltz, New York, about 100 miles north of NY City. Interested buyers should contact the current owner, Richard DiFiglia, days, at 1-800-458-4574. For more information, go to www.OldV16.com. Late Extra [December, 2006]: Enthusiast Paul Imrisek pointed out that the car was for sale again by The Vault Classic Cars in Anaheim. CA for $94,500! N.B.: body #44 has been changed to #41 after seeing a photo of the original body tag. Latest [10/2007]: the car is advertised in CCCA (10/2007) as a 38-9023 (is this a mistake?)

 

38903341a.jpg (9078 bytes)     38903341q.jpg (6898 bytes)     38903341r.jpg (6627 bytes)

38903341c.jpg (7671 bytes)     38903341d.jpg (6837 bytes)     389033L8.jpg (7711 bytes)     38903341m.jpg (6262 bytes)

38903341f.jpg (6210 bytes)     38903341j.jpg (6223 bytes)

38903341e.jpg (6472 bytes)     38903341h.jpg (5553 bytes)     38903341i.jpg (5034 bytes)     38903341g.jpg (5919 bytes)

 

9033 #58 5290130

(1939) The motor was replaced , later with a unit from 1938 [VIN #5270076]; thank you, Terry Wenger, for the update.   Terry says the car was owned by Phil Kersch in Fla. in 2002, then by Hardy Hearn in CA. It was offered for sale in Dec. 2010 by Hoekstra Ltd., in Kentwood, MI.  Late Extra: Apr., 2011: Ths just came in from the new owners: Dear Sir:   I’m writing you regarding car #5290130. The car transferred ownership in Feb of 2011 and is now owned by Peter and Charles Yegen of Billings, Montana.  The photos you currently have are perfect. Thanks you for maintaining the Database. Regards, Peter Yegen IV. Thanks for the heads up! 

 

    

    

         

         

 

 

9033 #46 5270162

NEW, 11/2010: (1938) The owner contacted me in November, 2010, indicating that his car might be for sale. He wrote: I own an 1938 Cadillac that has been restored  to its original like new condition. This car is flawless. The style is 38-9033 , Engine# 5270162, Body 46, Trim SO 3006 , Paint 6W. I am considering selling this car and was wondering what a asking price might be. Can you give me some ideas or do you know someone that can help. If anyone is interested, please Email me [yannsaunders-at-gmail.com] and I shall put you in contact with the owner. Late Extra [Nov., 2012]: (info from Chris Cmmings) The car was adverrised for sale at auction by the Barrett Jackson group of Scottsdale, AZ. In the car's description it is stated,  Rare, authentic, matching numbers, with factory build sheet. Always an excellent West Coast Cadillac V16 from a doctor's estate. Expensive professional frame-up restoration with 1,500 miles since complete. Recent service, brakes, etc. (the car was) Delivered new through Don Lee Cadillac Inc. in Los Angeles to Pasadena, CA.

 

    

    
[ Photos: © 2012 and courtesy Barrett Jackson auctions, Scoottsdale ]

 

9033 #67 5270234

(1938) J. Healy, FL [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #63 5270238

(1938) Again, according to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned in 1963 by C. Paul Schaffer of Culver City, CA. Later it went to the Pate Museum in TX and in 2005 it was owned by R. McGowan of CT. Latest [2/2008]: This from the new owner, Chris MacAllister: I purchased the 1938 V16 from Bobby McGowan a couple years ago.  This car is in need of restoration and is partially disassembled.  Complete, pretty much rust free and available.  It came out of the Pate collection in Texas.  It is still titled in their name.  Picture attached [below]. Chris' car has a little over 46K miles on the odometer.

v638pate.JPG (7766 bytes)
[ Photo: © 2007 and courtesy Chris MacAllister ]

 

9033

#84

5270267

(1938) This one was owned in 2002 by Jerry Gray of Brooklyn, NY. It is CLC Senior car #179

9033

#6
or
#86

5270269

(1938) This one was located in Maryland in May, 2000; with only 54K miles showing on the odometer, the car is mostly original, but for paint and upholstery [photos, below, courtesy of the owner, Raymond C. Little. The car as featured in the January 2004 edition of the CLC Self-Starter by its owners, Rita and George Boxley of West River, MD. Numbers kindly supplied by Mr. Boxley, 11/2005.
 

    

     V6389033.JPG (11576 bytes)     9033Boxley.JPG (20164 bytes)

 

9033 #90 5270304

(1938) R. Snyder, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #95 5270308

(1938) G. Kahn, WA [CLC Directory, 2002]; the previous owner, according to a survivor's listing prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, was R. Philips of Delmar, NY.

9033

#65

?

(1938?) This one was admired at the CLC Grand National in Denver, CO, August 2001.

9033

?

?

(1938) Was owned in the mid-seventies by Robert R. Lewis of Blacklick, OH

9033

?

?

(1938) Was owned in 1994 by Kurtis Weess
9033 ? ?

(1938) W. La Fronz, NJ [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 ? ?

(1938) R. Stearns, IA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 ? ?

(1938) Anyone know the VIN and body numbers of this one, in Missouri?

 

Two_v16sA.jpg (26337 bytes)

 

9033 #2 5290002

(1939) On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, one of these was reportedly owned by Carson Bell, Pasadena, CA. This car was owned by Victor Fink; it was featured in an AQ article; body and engine numbers from Terry Wenger; I saw this car in Denver, CO, in August 2001, on the occasion of the CLC Grand National Meet there; the car is still in Colorado. It is mentioned also in SIA #92, April, 1986. Offered for sale at one time by the Kruse auctioneers, this imperial touring sedan was said to be brown (?) and was described as a beautiful restored classic. Terry Wenger tells me it is currently (2005) owned by D. Fitzgerald of North Glen Dodge in CO.Terry Wenger tells me it is currently (2005) owned by D. Fitzgerald of North Glen Dodge in CO and is now painted dark blue - 2002]

 

v639beig.jpg (25295 bytes)     V639SVCO.JPG (8936 bytes)
Photo (left):  Automobile Quarterly; (right) CLC Grand National, Denver, CO [2001]

 

9033

#4

5290003

(1939) In April, 2003, I got an e-Mail from Ron Tinkey, owner of this car; Ron gave me the VIN and said he had just resurrected the seriously cracked engine block and that the car was undergoing restoration. Tom Rawdon [1938 V-16 #5270110, body #8] added this, in October 2003:  This is the car I pulled out of a barn in Detroit and personally towed across the United States.  I took the photo you have on your website [below].  Interesting thing about the car was that it was a special order for Cadillac Motor Car Division of GM.  We speculated weather or not it might have been used for the World's Fair as transport for a dignitary, or the like. I later sold the car to Ron Tinkey. Interestingly enough, the 9033-F I bought from Allan Jones in Byron, CA, is not far from Ron in Stockton, CA.  We were amused that, with the swap, the ratio of V-16s in our areas remained the same.

39LIMSRV.JPG (5666 bytes)

 

9033 #1

5290007

(1939)  According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned at that time by C.M. Tolson, Sr., of Northampton, MA  Terry Wenger corrected the body number from 7 to 1; he  tells me it is currently (2005) still owned by a Mr. Tolson.
9033 #17

5290030

(1939)  According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned at that time by J.P. Jackson of Oklahoma City, OK. (body number corrected from 19 to 17 by resident CLC expert, Carl Steig)
9033 ? 5290042

(1939) M. Grau, Spain [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #19

5290043

(1939) formerly J. Deuble, IL [CLC Directory, 2002]; photo in Self-Starter, June, 2003; the car was later sold to a gentleman in Indianapolis. Latest [2/2008]: This from the new owner, Chris MacAllister: I own a 1939 Cadillac V16 Imperial limousine style 38-9033, body # 19, engine # 5290043.  It is in excellent original unrestored condition with about 32,000 miles on the clock.  I have confirmed it was ordered new by Colonel Parmalee Prentice, husband of Alta Rockefeller.  In fact his initials are still visible on the rear doors.  Photo attached.  [Note in passing: Gita's step-sister, Sacha, married Alta's nephew, Rodman who passed on in May, 2000]
 

v639_33x.jpg (30753 bytes)
[ Photo source: unknown ]

v639McAll.JPG (8862 bytes)     v639McAll2.JPG (9327 bytes)
I am wondering what that "thing" is, on the roof above the driver's compartment (right); any ideas, Chris
[ This photo and the enlargement (right): © 2007 and courtesy Chris MacAllister ]

 

9033 #32 5290055

(1939) Attributed to F. Huntington, IL [CLC Directory, 2002].  Later (in 2004) identified by Jeff Hansen of the CLC as belonging to Andy Jacoby of Huntingdon Valley, PA. Jeff recognized the first pic., below, as coming from the Volo Museum (Web site) where Andy got the car around  2002. In Dec. 2007, V-16 aficionado, Terry Wenger, kindly supplied the missing engine and body numbers. Late Extra (Mar., 2010): the photos that accompany this entry may have been wrongly identified.  Chris Cummings has done some detective work and believes this is 1940 car #5320045 (see that entry, below).

 

v639-9033srv.jpg (62819 bytes)

    3990Srv.jpg (9774 bytes)     39IMPRL.JPG (13474 bytes)
[ Photo (right):  CLC Self Starter magazine, 2/2006 ]

 

9033 #33

5290057

[NEW, 2/2009] (1939) In the early sixties, according to a list of survivors prepared by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned by G.T. Timoff of Pontiac, MI.  Carl Steig identified it as a style 9033 [formerly shown as 9033F]. In the same family and both garaged since 1959, this car and its mate (1938, style 9059 formal limo #1) were offered at auction as a pair, on Ebay, in Feb. 2009.  This one has just over 45K miles on the odometer. It was partly restored in the 70s, but apparently not to original factory specs. Its original engine was "on a stand"; it is currently powered by the motor from the formal limo. Neither car has been driven in the last 12 years. The vendor believes both cars to be complete. Late Extra [Feb. 10,2009]:   Bidding topped out at $27,000 without meeting the vendor's reserve.

 

9033_33a.jpg (5279 bytes)     9033_33b.jpg (5466 bytes)

9033_33e.jpg (5416 bytes)     9033_33f.jpg (5042 bytes)     9033_33i.jpg (4445 bytes)     9033_33d.jpg (7084 bytes)

 

9033 #26 5290061

(1939) R. Long, RI [CLC Directory, 2002]. According to Terry Wenger, this engine (formerly a spare engine owned by a friend and V-16 aficionado in RI) is now used in CLC member, Richard Long's 39-9033. Terry said also that it was mounted originally in a 39-9023 with body #15.

9033 #31

5290065

(1939)  This limousine was offered for sale by Kruse at their annual venue in  Scottsdale, AZ, in Jan. 2001.  Formerly owned by the late Bill Harrah of night-club fame, this V-16 has after-market power steering and air-conditioning.  It was bid up to $53,000 but the vendor did not part with it at that price. I saw it again in Hemmings [June, 2004]; it was listed at $79,500. This update was provided kindly by Richard Sills, former President of the CLC, in July 2004: Please note that this car is currently owned by CLC member Jeffrey Gast of Lancaster, PA.  I have had the pleasure of driving this car and it is truly delightful, with amazing power and torque.  Ordinarily I am a purist but anyone who drives this car would have to say thank you to Mr. Harrah for installing the power steering. Late extra [Jan. 2009]: V-16 owner and enthusiast, Chris Cummings, informed me that this car was currently owned by CLC member Richard Maidman of Port Washington, NY
9033 #36 5290072

(1939) Brad Ipsen, NV [CLC Directory, 2002]; this V-16 was acquired by its current owner in November, 1978. It was first sold by the Cadillac dealer in Wilkes-Barre, PA, presumably to a rich coal mine owner. On the order sheet the initials "WWW" (or "MMM") were put on the rear doors. On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, this car was owned by A.E. Marcotte, of Glendive, Montana.

9033 #44

5290101

(1939)   On the roster prepared in the early sixties by CLC member the late Bill Tite, this unidentified style belonged To. C.P. Johnson of McLean, VA.
9033 #45 5290102

(1939) M. Silva, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 #10
or
#54

5290119

(1939) Was owned in the 60s  by long-standing CLC member, Hollis Weihe, of Los Angeles, CA. I have the car listed also as body #10,  acquired by the late Robert Keyaerts, a Belgian industrialist who assembled a fine private collection of older Cadillacs at his home, the Château de Planchoury in Langeais, Touraine, France. To honor their father's memory, his daughters, Magali and Geneviève, opened up the museum collection to the public. This particular car was converted to an open-front limousine (town car) for the late, great French actor, Sacha Guitry (article and photos in V8, #13, pp.22-25).
 

lv6lim7.jpg (8811 bytes)
This may not be that specific car, but the tail lights

identify it most assuredly as a 1939 version

v639keya.jpg (10525 bytes)

 

9033 #58 5290130

(1939) The motor was replaced , later with a unit from 1938 [VIN #5270076]; thank you, Terry Wenger, for the update.   Terry says the car was owned by Phil Kersch in Fla. in 2002, then by Hardy Hearn in CA. It was offered for sale in Dec. 2010 by Hoekstra Ltd., in Kentwood, MI.  Late Extra: Apr., 2011: Ths just came in from the new owners: Dear Sir:   I’m writing you regarding car #5290130. The car transferred ownership in Feb of 2011 and is now owned by Peter and Charles Yegen of Billings, Montana.  The photos you currently have are perfect. Thanks you for maintaining the Database. Regards, Peter Yegen IV. Thanks for the herads up! 

 

9033-5270130a.jpg (12241 bytes)     

9033 #52 ?

(1939) W. La Fronz, NJ [CLC Directory, 2002]. According to the owner, only the body remains.

9033 ? ?

(1939) Carl Moxley, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033 ?

?

(1939) On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, one of these  was reportedly owned by Charles A. Patterson of McKeesport, PA
9033 ?

?

(1939) On the listing prepared by the late William "Bill" Tite in the Self Starter, March 1963, one of these was reportedly owned by Graham Neilson of Toronto, Canada
9033 #10 5320003

(1940) Currently in Norway [in Fall, 2003 and there at least since the mid-eighties]; dual side-mounts, paint #1, Trim #65; carries kappa-sigma fraternity sign in rear window; possibly an Indiana car as the Indy "500" is also mentioned in the rear window.  Terry Wenger supplied the missing engine number and told me in Dec. 2007 that this car was owned, back in 1954, by CLC member Hunter Byington.

v6409033_10.JPG (7701 bytes)
Image from time car was owned by Mr. Byington
[ courtesy Tore Robert Klerud and  Self Starter]

 

9033 ?

5320005

(1940)   (NEW, Apr., 2011) This Series 9033 imperial sedan was brought to my attention, once again by my good friend Chris Cummings of Washington, DC.  It is being offered by Appletree Auctions in Newark, Ohio on May 14. According to the auction company the car was originally owned by Col. Robert McCormick, editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune.  The car is being sold out of the collection of David Harcum (CCCA member) of  Hide-A-Way Hills, Ohio.  He has owned  it since 1989, and he acquired it from Ronald Huey of Centreville, Ohio.  Mr. Harcum does not wish to be contacted.
 

photos?

 

9033

#8

5320008

(1940)   According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, confirmed by enthusiast Terry Wenger, it was owned around that time by N.A. Kath of Davonport, IO [my friend Katie Robbins, who owns a 9053 town car from 1938 said that her car too came from Iowa, where it was owned by a doctor]. I saw this one in the Clive Cussler collection, Denver, CO, in August, 2001; it has been converted to a town car style, with a padded roof, blanked out rear quarters with small, oval windows.

40CUSLR2.JPG (7404 bytes)

 

9033 #11 5320011

(1940) Owned previously by R. Del Vecchio, NJ [CLC Directory, 2002], the car subsequently joined the inventory of Hyman Ltd. (auctioneers). This info from V-16 owner-enthusiast, Chris MacAllister (2/2008).  Latest [4/2008]:  Shawn Dougan of Hyman Ltd. has offered some better pics for this survivors page. I need to get back to him.

 

40_903311a.JPG (9246 bytes)     40_903311b.JPG (8945 bytes)

40_903311c.JPG (6728 bytes)     9033-11c.jpg (18792 bytes)
[ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Hyman, Ltd. ]

 

9033 #21 5320045

(1940)  NEW, 3/2010:  Chris Cummings informed me that this one was being offered for sale on Ebay.  Here are excerpts from the vendor's description:   ...all chrome was restored to very high standards. The grill is absolutely breathtaking. Perfect in every way. Chrome running board end caps, chrome door jambs, chrome fuel lines. Intercom microphones. Cloisonné porcelain emblem badges on hubcap medallions. The engine is poetry carve in steel.  Two carbs, two distributors, two coils.  Engine can hardly be heard when running. Note: the lower photos that accompany this entry may have been wrongly identified (above).  Chris Cummings has done some detective work and believes this is not 1939 car #5290055 (see that entry, above).

 

39IMPRL.JPG (13474 bytes)     5320045h.jpg (14053 bytes)

5320045g.jpg (16733 bytes)     5320045c.jpg (15873 bytes)     5320045e.jpg (12534 bytes)     5320045d.jpg (9195 bytes)     5320045f.jpg (9577 bytes)

5320045a.jpg (14637 bytes)

39_9033.JPG (11239 bytes)     3990Srv.jpg (9774 bytes)
These three photos are believed to be of this car; they may have been identified previously, in error as 1939 car #5320055, above
[ Photo (right):  CLC Self Starter magazine, 2/2006 ]

 

9033 #78 ?

Owned by the Branson Automotive Museum, in Missouri, this car (previously unlisted here was photographed for the Database by V16 owner-enthusiast Dave Armbruster.  Thanks Dave.

9033-78b.jpg (25019 bytes)     9033-78a.jpg (14470 bytes)

 

9033 ? ?

[unknown]

?? 9033srv.jpg (8763 bytes) ??
[ Needs to be identified ]

 

9033F

#4

5270015

(1938) Was owned by G. (Eugene) Fabroni, CA, in 1963. The style number was determined by CLC expert, Carl Steig. According to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned by W. J. Nolan of Norco, CA. Bill had it listed as a 9033.

Fabroni.jpg (7705 bytes)

 

9033F #5 5270089

(1938) E. Toth, OH [CLC Directory, 2002]

 

Photos ?

 

9033F #8 5270110

(1938) This one was in the same ownership for 42 years. It belonged to Allan Jones of CA. There is a story about it in the annual Self-Starter issue for1978 (cover and pp.20-23), as well as the issue for October, 1993, p.21. The car had been converted to  V-8 power but  Allan converted it back to V-16. It is CLC Senior car #309. One of 17 units built, this one was offered for sale on the Internet in March, 2002, by Coast to Coast Classics of Lodi, CA. It was seen again in CCCA Bulletin #3 for April, 2002. It was described as having  an earlier restoration in great condition with additional work done.  In 2003 the car was located in Oregon; it is owned by enthusiast Tom Rawdon. Tom is a fine artist who provided for the Cadillac Database "Art" section a beautiful rendering of a 1934 Cadillac V-12 town car formerly owned by screen star, Mae West. This car was offered for sale at auction on Ebay in April, 2005. The vendor stated: The engine, chassis and interior were redone in 1991 with additional restoration work bringing the car up to its current  lovely condition.  A California car all its life, remaining with the same owner for 42 years.  The car has been driven about 10,000 miles since its complete rebuild of engine in 1991. Originally owned by an important figure of the Hollywood past of the late 30's, history of vehicle is known and documentable. The body style is number 8 of only 17 made further distinguished  by a unique style of padded roof that gives the appearance of a town car. Having undergone extensive restoration except for original paint and padded leatherette that remain in very presentable  original condition.  The car was awarded Senior badge #309 by the Cadillac LaSalle Club National Meet in San Jose, California in 1999.  In 2003 it won  second in class at the Forrest Grove Concours d'Elégance at Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon.  The car has been the subject of numerous magazine articles. Late extra (2007): Terry Wenger told me in 2005 that Mr. Rawdon had sold the car. He said in Dec. 2007 that it was now owned by Thom Wells in FL. Later (2008):  the new owner apparently is CLC member Ron Brown.

 

v638jons.jpg (12819 bytes)     38_33F.JPG (9180 bytes)
Photo (left):  courtesy Allan Jones

a_jones1.jpg (8922 bytes)     a_jones2.jpg (6580 bytes)
Images (above row):  Internet

 

9033F #10 5270147

(1938) was owned, circa January 1970 (SS, 1/70) by Dr. Howard Garvin.  L. Seidell, CA [CLC Directory, 2002]; the former owner (in the early sixties), according to a survivor listing prepared at the time by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, was B.W. Reese of Hayward, CA

v638grvn.jpg (8811 bytes)

 

9033F #13

5270175

(1938-39)  The car has a 1938 VIN although it appears to possess some features from the 1939 model year [updated body work, possibly at the owner's request]. Was featured in an older Self Starter magazine (in the '60s); it was owned at that time by J. Paul "Duke" Schaffer, the band leader.  This one was purchased originally by actress Mae West; she later donated it to a Catholic girls' school. It was then acquired by Duke and, subsequently by my friend and  V16 book author, Roy Schneider.  I have just been informed by the penultimate owner, Jimmy Kinnamon, that from 1992 until now (2006) the car was in his possession  In  March, 2004, he had it on Ebay without a sale resulting. A further attempt was made to sell it in November, 2005 (there were no serious bidders). A sale did finally ensue, outside of the auction circuit and the car currently [2/2006] is in the possession of Ron Browne of Tulsa, OK. Late Extra (2/2010): the car was offered at auction once again by RM this time, with an estimated sale price of $60-80K (info from Chris Cummings). Chris informed me that the car actually sold for $82,500.
 

v6West1.jpg (15321 bytes)
B&W photo courtesy of Ron Browne, the current owner
[ Further photos of Ms. West and her V16 may be seen on this page ]

Str_mwst.jpg (7307 bytes)     v6west2.jpg (9162 bytes)
These two photos show Ms. West's car
[ Photo (left): Rick Lenz collection, courtesy Roy Schneider ]

V6mae1.jpg (8548 bytes)     V6mae3.jpg (7944 bytes)

V6mae4.jpg (9406 bytes)     V6mae2.jpg (4491 bytes)

V6maewst.jpg (9211 bytes)

 

9033F

#9

5270233

(1938) Seen in Melbourne, Australia, 4/2005.  Owned by Ozzie CLC member, John "Kingy" King.  He has many other cars like this one in "unrestored" condition
9033F #15 5270257

(1938) Only the engine has survived and was located in NJ, in 2003 

9033F

?

5270294

(1938) Offered for sale on Ebay in April, 2006. It was described as follows: This very rare Black 1938 Cadillac V-16 ... has been a  California car most of its life and had the same owner (a symphony conductor) for forty two years. It is a designated classic. This car is the only formal 7 passenger sedan listed with the Cadillac/LaSalle Club. The car has been awarded senior badge # 309 by the Cadillac-LaSalle Club. When restored, it received a new gray broadcloth interior with the original type leather front seat and reconditioned wood window frames and interior trim. The original rear seat radio is still in place and it has the hand held intercom with divider window that still works. The V-16 engine was reconditioned 14 thousand miles ago, and runs smooth and quiet. The transmission is a three speed selective Syncro-Mesh with a column gear shift. It has 4 wheel hydraulic brakes. It cruises effortlessly at freeway speeds. The car was purchased new in Pasadena, California, by Dr. Harriman Jones, Physician to the Hollywood stars and remained in California for the next 42 years, during which time it was restored as by the symphony conductor. This is a superb example of one of the seventeen units like it built in 1938.

 

v638flds5.jpg (12780 bytes)     389033fA.jpg (12628 bytes)     389033fB.jpg (13065 bytes)

v638flds2.jpg (8331 bytes)     v638flds3.jpg (8955 bytes)     v638flds4.jpg (10138 bytes)

 

9033F ? ?

(1938) B. Everett, [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033F ? ?

(1938) G. Staley, NY [CLC Directory, 2002]

9033F

#6

5290082

(1939) Was owned in 2002 by Mark Blasinsky of Burr Ridge, IL. This is CLC Senior car #146

9033F

?

?

(1939) Was owned in the mid-seventies by Robert R. Lewis of Blacklick, OH. Mr. Lewis also owned a 1936 V-16 in the mid-seventies [see the survivors roster for 1934-37].

 

?? 9033fsrv.jpg (8271 bytes) ??
Possibly a car belonging formerly to E. Fabroni in Oregon

 

9033F

 

#8

 

5290100

(1939)  NEW, 1/2013:  Chris Cummings brought this one to my attention in January, 2013. The VIN was supplied kindly by Terry Wenger, another keen V16 owner and admirer; Terry added that  the car had been owned by a Mr.W. Beardsley, in NY, and that Higernia had done a top quality restoration of the car. Here are excerpts from the vendor's description of the car: Rich appointments include original intercom, jump seats, vanity mirror in hidden sleeve, divider glass and an informative original oversized dealer brochure. They just don't come any better ... Finished in midnight blue ... This rare example was ordered new by Calumet Farms, the legendary thoroughbred breeding and training farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The buyer was most likely Warren Wright, Sr., the son of the founder W.M. Wright. Calumet Farm's breeding success is world-renowned to this day. Eight Kentucky Derby winners have been produced there, more than any other operation is U.S. racing history ... Hibernia restorations (1983) … National "Best Closed Car" award at Fisher Island in 1992, an AACA Best of Show at Westbury Gardens in 2000. We should be learning more about the car shortly; it is currently offered for sale by Motorland Vintage America for a fraction less than "100K.

 

    

    

         
[ Photos: © 2013, Motorland Vintage America ]

 

9033F

?

?

(1938-39) Photographed on Ebay in 2008, this car could be also Fleetwood style #9059.

v6389059.jpg (6245 bytes)

 

9033F

?

?

(1939) Was owned in the mid-seventies by a friend of the above-named Robert R. Lewis, in Columbia, OH; that car had been once converted to V-8 power but an engine from a 9033-F model that had burned up in South Dakota was found and installed.  Terry Wenger believes the current owner may be Boyd Niederlander of Columbus, OH, although Mr. Niederlander has not been a CLC member since 2000.

9033F

#2

5320019

(1940)   In 2005, Terry Wenger added this new car to the listing and identified the owner as Neil Murray of New Jersey.  He notified me in Dec. 2007 that the car had changed hands and now is owned by J. Wilfong of Athens, GA.  Late Extra (1/2010): The original owner of this car was Ruth Metcalf Roebling, widow of Ferdinand William Roebling, Jr. (president of John Roebling's Sons, best known for their work on the Brooklyn Bridge). In 1962, ownership passed to decorated World War II bomber pilot, industrial executive and classic car buff, Holt Apgar Murray.  He died August 22, 2005 at the age of 86. After Murray’s death in August 2005, it was inherited by his grandson and sold at auction a short time later when it was acquired by the present owner. At an RM auction in February, 2008, ownership changed again for the sum of $82,500 including buyer's premium. It is a remarkably well-preserved original car. Repainted just once, it retains its magnificent original interior, division glass, auxiliary jump seats and padded leather top. The engine was recently rebuilt and runs flawlessly, providing a constant stream of power and torque with whisper-quiet smoothness. The odometer currently reads 65,000 miles, which is thought to be accurate. Total production of V16 Cadillacs in 1940 was 61, just five of them Seven-Passenger Formal Sedans like this one. Three others are known to survive, one of these was owned once by musician Neil Young. As of June, 2012, RM Auctions was offering the car at the July 28, 2012 St. John’s Auction, out of the collection of William Ruger, Jr. (retired owner of the firearms manufacturer).” The sale brought $55.000.

 

    

    

 

9033F

#3

5320022

(1940) One survivor was reported in New Jersey [see 2 cars down, below].  However, according to a list of survivors prepared in the early sixties by CLC member, the late Bill Tite, this one was owned by R.C. Kennedy of Medford, OR.  In 2005, Terry Wenger identified the current owner as  H. Schaevitz of New Jersey. Late Extra [2/2009]:   Mr. Schaevitz confirmed that he owned this car and kindly provided the images below.  He wrote: I have information that goes back to when I bought the car in 1992, and also some information regarding the previous owner who had it in at least occasional use until 1962. In the intervening years it appears that the car was not used but was in storage in the desert portion of eastern Oregon. I believe the man it came from (I bought the car from his widow) had owned it from the late 70's or early 80's and was the second owner.

 

40_9033F2.jpg (21843 bytes)     40_9033F2a.jpg (18021 bytes)
[ Photos: © 2009 and courtesy Howard Schaevitz ]

 

9033F

#4

5320023

(1940) Info received from Cadillac admirer Jeff Hansen; the car is a low-mileage original; it is owned by Grey Pierson who has had it in safe, dry storage in East Texas for over forty years. The trim code is #61 and the paint #1

 

Unsure of Style Number

?
9019F
or
9033
?

?

?

(1938) This survivor was brought to my attention by enthusiast, Paul Imrisek.  It has a division and a black, leather-trimmed driver's compartment. The car is reported to have been used by the White House as a parade vehicle during the Roosevelt administration ; there are flag holders on the front bumpers, auxiliary seating in the passenger compartment and a communication system [passenger to driver?].  Restored 10 years ago, it has apparently not been run in four years [2005]. VIN and body numbers are sought, as well as any other information relating to it.

 

38prad1.jpg (6083 bytes)     38prad2.jpg (5609 bytes)     v6prade3.jpg (7218 bytes)     38prade.jpg (4591 bytes)

 

?
9019F
or
9033
?

?

?

(1938) Unidentified.

 

389033unk.jpg (9614 bytes)
Does anyone recognize the orange turn signals?

 

?

#58

5270076

(1938) Unidentified. This motor was used to restore car #58 of Style #9033 (above); thank you, Terry Wenger, for the update.

1 In the absence of factual information on engine and body numbers, some of the cars
listed here may duplicate each other

 

Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or go back to the V-16 index page
or to the second part of this page


© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.
[
Background image: a 1939 V-16 limousine in France - Internet photo ]