Denis Bulloch became a Cadillac man in the 1960s when he admired the photos he saw at the school library in National Geographic magazines, and at a local bookshop in issues of The Saturday Evening Post. The pages of his brother’s Popular Mechanics were also good for finding pictures of his favourite car.

Unlike many young men who once wished for a Cadillac, Denis has made his dream a reality by owning 10 different models since joining the Cadillac club in 1993. In the last 31 years he has owned a total of 18 American cars — but not all at once. His current Caddies are a 1960 Series 62 flat-top roof and a 1996 Fleetwood Brougham.

“They are both nice to drive, but the ’60 has character, like all American cars of that era,” Denis says. He usually takes this car on runs with the Cadillac club, although he occasionally uses the Brougham on these drives. But the Brougham is his first choice when he drives off on personal trips or holidays.

The 1960 Series 62 is a four-door, four-window pillarless sedan from the fifth generation of the Series 62, as models produced between 1959 and 1964 were known. Of these sedans, 9964 were produced in 1960.

Although purists may insist on calling the fifth generation models the Series 6200, to Cadillac enthusiasts like Denis they are known as Series 62s.

For 1960 Cadillac gave the 1959 styling a more refined look. Changes included lower tail-fins, front fenders with mounted directional indicator lamps, and the removal of the pointed front bumper guards.

Series 62 models were powered by 6391cc (390ci) engines producing 242kW (325bhp) at 4800 rpm. The bodywork had plain fender skirts, Cadillac lettering and crests mounted just behind the headlights, and thin body side spears running three quarters of the length. Power steering, power brakes, automatic transmission and dual speed windscreen wipers were among the standard fittings.

Route 66

Denis is the car’s second New Zealand owner; the first, Steve Barnett, imported the vehicle from Oregon. Decals (transfers) affixed to the side of the rear window would suggest the car has travelled Route 66 and been driven by someone serving in the navy while it was in US ownership.

Steve restored the car, keeping the left hand drive and repainting the exterior in the original colour. Napier Auto Upholstery did an A1 job with the reupholstering, which is as original as possible.

But this was not the Cadillac Denis originally planned to buy on a trip to Napier in early 2005: his intention was to purchase a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. The soft top turned out to be “a pig.”

Before he saw the Eldorado, a fellow club member told him about the 62, which got a “That’s me” reaction as soon as Denis saw the rear end in Steve’s garage. He paid the deposit straight away, and returned by bus the next weekend to collect his purchase and enjoy the drive home. In his ownership, wide whitewall tyres suiting the 1960 spirit have been fitted to give a smoother ride.

Travelling in the car, the large wraparound glass areas of the cockpit gave the impression of being in a scenic observation coach. The ride was smooth, as predicted, and the seats comfortable with plenty of leg room. Although the car was marketed as a six-seater, the bench-type front and rear seats would quite comfortably seat eight, as Denis confirms. Perhaps the biggest surprise came with how heavy those pillarless doors are.

Denis is careful about who drives his cars, preferring to do so himself, although a trusted Cadillac club member has been known to drive one when they have been hired on rare occasions for weddings.

His long-time pal Peter Makan drove the 1996 Fleetwood Brougham to our photograph session. When asked what his first experience behind its wheel was like, he said: “Oh, very nice — smooth.”

The ride was the same for the passengers, with the back door access easier for getting in and out of than with the 1960 Series 62.

When photographer, Grant Campbell, saw the Brougham’s and the 62’s engines side by side, he said you only had to look at the motors together to see how much cars have changed in the 36 years between the two.

With a length of 5717mm, Cadillac’s Fleetwood and companion Fleetwood Brougham were the longest passenger saloons made in the USA during 1996. They were powered by a 5.7-litre V8 motor with its 194kW (260hp) making 447Nm of torque in what would be the last year of production for both models. Denis says low production numbers during this final year make the Brougham a collectable car now, especially when they’re specimens with low odo tallies as this one is, with little over 49,230km on the odometer.

Full History

While the Brougham’s appearance might lack the wow impact of the 1960 Series 62, the styling is pleasing elegance aimed at discerning buyers demanding the conservative, upright look favoured by politicians, executives and diplomats They would not be disappointed by what they find in the way of comfort inside the Prestwick blue interior.

Denis knows the Brougham’s history from the final assembly at Arlington, Texas, to delivery to Beverly Hills Cadillac, and then on to New Zealand by ship. He is the car’s second owner.
The first owner bought the sedan new in the USA, with the conversion to right hand drive carried out at McLaren Motor Sports, Auckland. Before freight, customs duty and other landing charges were added, the US purchase price was $39,970. Included in the cost were automatic transmission with overdrive, a full-size spare tyre, power astroroof (sun roof), padded vinyl roof, an AM/FM radio with CD and cassette players, and the universal three-channel garage door opener. Despite a low exchange rate for the Kiwi dollar against the greenback at the time, the Brougham worked out cheaper with all the costs added than buying a BMW 7 Series. But not by much, though, Denis says.

He keeps in regular contact with the car’s original owner; they live in the same town. They have quite a history, because Denis has bought four other Cadillacs the guy has owned.

When out in the Series 62 or the Fleetwood Brougham, he gets a lot of compliments. Someone will occasionally comment: “That must cost heaps to run.” His answer is always, “You wouldn’t own one if it worried you. They are only weekend cars.”

He gets a few rubber-neckers looking at them, too. But he really doesn’t mind their stares. “I am a bit of a rubber-necker myself with other yank tanks, as I guess most of us are.”

Words and Photos: Christopher Moor

We spotted this art deco gem while visiting 2009’s Kumeu Festival — and couldn’t resist finding out more about the stunning Cadillac

Wandering around the Kumeu Festival every summer is usually a very rewarding time for me. Why? Easy — it’s because every year so many new cars seem to simply appear from out of the woodwork. Now, there could be a very good reason for this. Maybe it’s because little over a year ago, before all this recession stuff, one kiwi dollar could buy you US$0.82 — the highest exchange rate in many years. Couple this with the economic optimism of the time and bingo, you have a major shopping spree, US-style. I know this to be the case, because moseying around such shows gives you a fair indication of just how much Yankee iron poured into the country over the previous 18 months or so. It’s not just muscle cars (my favourites) that catch my attention either, it’s all the unusual ’40s, ’50s and ’60s cars. As an example, at Kumeu I also spotted a 1960 Chrysler Imperial Le Baron and a 1956 Buick two-door Special. However, in particular I also ‘discovered’ this magnificent 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe. A car which I found increasingly difficult to just walk past without stopping and saying to myself — WOW!

In my opinion the popularity of these types of cars is mostly due to the rising cost of American muscle cars. Over recent years they have escalated to such a point that many buyers are looking for more practical automotive solutions — ones that still provide fun driving and, more importantly, can open up to include the whole family as well as looking completely different to anything else on the road. You only have to look at the enormous success of events like Beach Hop and Americana, and the simple fact that occasions such as these are featuring more and more of these big cruisers every year.

Beginning of a Era

At the end of the Second World War literally millions of Americans were in the market for new cars. Unfortunately for US manufacturers, production lines could only manage a trickle of new cars due to a shortage of materials — particularly of sheet steel — and rolling strikes. These factors were major industry-wide problems during the ’46 production year. Such was the problem that some Cadillacs went through the assembly line with only brackets to hold temporary wooden bumpers, while the real ones had to be installed by dealers as they became available later.

This was hardly surprising, as Cadillac had spent the war years — well, those after Pearl Harbour — producing military units such as the M-24 tank. To give you an idea of how quickly Cadillac reverted to civilian production, the last M-24 rolled off the Cadillac assembly line on August 24, 1945, and remarkably, the first 1946 model-year Cadillac was produced on October 7, 1945.

By necessity, this first post-war car was quickly thrown together, and was essentially a rehashed version of Cadillac’s 1942 model. Initially the ’46 cars were only available as Series 62 four-door sedans. Cadillac dined out on the fact that its ‘battle-proved’ engines and transmissions were the only automotive components continually produced and improved without interruption during the war years.

Noticeable styling changes for the 1946 Cadillac line-up were minimal in comparison to the 1942 models — but changes did include rectangular parking lights positioned beneath the single round headlights and on the upper portion of the slightly modified grille, which also featured fewer vertical bars. The front of the bonnet and boot lid received the regal Cadillac crest nestled in a ‘V’, and the ‘Cadillac’ block lettering was moved to the lower portion of the front guards. Nicely proportioned wrap-around bumpers were adopted front and rear to finish off the exterior package.

Cadillac’s model offerings were trimmed to just 11 for 1946. The Series 63 and 67 models disappeared completely, while the 60 Special lost its division-window model. The Series 61 and 62 continued with the coupe and sedan models. Additionally, the Series 62 also included a convertible — the first in Cadillac’s line-up since 1941. The Series 75 was also trimmed back to just five models, down three, whilst the five, seven, and nine-passenger models were still listed along with the Imperial models with divider windows.

By 1947 the pressure on Cadillac to produce passenger vehicles was intense, to say the least, and with almost 100,000 unfilled orders dealerships were desperate for cars. People knew Cadillac’s value and prestige and that was what they wanted. However, due to early post-war difficulties only 29,214 customers got to drive a ’46 Caddy home. Those lucky enough paid handsomely for the privilege — the Series 61 fastback was priced at US$2052; an incredible 41.5 per cent rise over the pre-war 1942 model. Not surprisingly, pricing was going to be an issue for all car manufacturers in the inflationary days following WWII.

The Queen Street Scene

To say that Colin Sandbrook has owned his fair share of American classics over the years is one heck of an understatement. As a youngster one of his hobbies was obtaining the US Saturday Evening Post just so he could collect the double page spreads and advertisements from virtually every car manufacturer featured in every issue. Colin was keen as mustard to get his hands on every publication, and looked forward every month to getting his copy.

After leaving school, Colin went to work for an auto windscreen company and decided to decorate the workshop’s mezzanine walls with his collection of prized newspaper pictures. This mosaic was an impressive sight and, years later when the building was finally being demolished, Colin was tracked down and asked if he wanted to remove any of them before demolition commenced. At this point Colin’s life had moved on, so he decided to let them go down with the building.

At the age of 16 Colin bought his first car, a kind of project really, a very large one in the form of a 1931 SS Jaguar. This ‘project’ was fairly original from the front bumper back to the windscreen and after that, well, there wasn’t much left except for the original knock-off wire wheels and a chassis. The upside to all of this, Colin reckons, was the fact it had a Bren Gun Carrier engine which was basically a ’39 Mercury 24-stud flathead V8. Over the ensuing months Colin designed and built a tubular frame which was eventually skinned over and painted.

Colin and his mates, who were referred to as the ‘Queen Street Yanks’, would frequently participate in the Friday and Saturday night Queen Street traffic lights Grand Prix — which generally resulted in a lot of harmless fun and a chance to glimpse any new and interesting cars.

One particularly memorable moment happened when Colin and a mate were going to the movies one Friday night in Queen Street, when they heard a huge screeching of tyres from a ’36 Ford coupe which came to a halt. A well known hot rodder, John Ohlsen, got out of the car. Colin later introduced himself to John and was treated to an exciting ride in the Ford that included some fairly impressive driving skills. As a matter of interest, John Ohlsen later went on to work for Carroll Shelby, and was involved in building the iconic Shelby Mustang and Cobra.

Suffice it to say that Colin’s old Jag was later traded on a 1939 Ford coupe.

Colin’s Caddie

Colin has literally lost count of the number of American classics he has owned over the years — and favourites include several Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, Fords and Buicks.
Then around five years ago Colin decided to buy a 1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, and began searching overseas. Whilst looking at two Cadillacs in Melbourne and one in Queensland, none of which Colin thought were suitable, he noticed an advertisement for a 1946 Cadillac. Colin had always admired the beautiful lines and looks of the Club coupes and, whilst in Australia, he decided to make the 10-hour drive from Brisbane to Narrabri, Queensland, to check out the car.

Literally miles and miles from anywhere, Colin was pleasantly surprised by what he found. This Cadillac had been in the same family since new and restored by its current owners, who took it to Australia with them some years ago.

This 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club coupe was in pristine condition and that, combined with its incredibly good looks and style, meant Colin found it impossible to resist and he bought the Cadillac on the spot.

Transporting the car from Narrabri to Brisbane caused quite a commotion. Colin revealed a conversation with the transporter driver, who said he had received many calls on his radio from other truck drivers asking him to tell them all about his precious cargo. Some even waited at truck stops just to get a look at the magnificent Caddie. Basically, things weren’t that much different this side of the ditch either — with one admirer deciding to get a closer look by following the transporter as it carried the car to Colin’s house. The stalker then proceeded to pump Colin for every last little bit of information about the Cadillac.

You really can’t stop people from admiring this particular Cadillac, its swoopy styling absolutely stopped me dead in my tracks when I spotted the car at Kumeu. While its frontal aspect is typical of the period — upright and brash — the Cadillac’s side and rear profiles are simply magnificent. The car’s elongated, smoothly sloping rear simply takes your breath away when seen in the metal — British enthusiasts coo about the legendary lines of the Bentley Continental R, but this model Cadillac featured a very similar style many years ahead of the Bentley’s first appearance in 1952.

The Cadillac’s swept-back, aerodynamic look is emphasised by tear-drop front and rear fenders — tastefully picked out with chrome strakes — while its gently curved rearward side-windows predict a style that would become fashionable during the latter half of the ’60s and early ’70s. Even the car’s bullet-shaped bumper over-riders show a superb sense of style — a style that US automakers would take to excess during the ’50s.

Walk around this Cadillac and it’s almost like taking a history lesson in automobile styling, as there are so many cues to later trends. And, of course, this car came from an era when US car makers were still largely following the lead set by the best of the European coachbuilders and, as evidenced by this Cadillac, sometimes they even assumed a leading position. However, by the mid ’50s Detroit was following its own stylistic course, and gradually began to branch away from European-inspired designs as the US strove to discover its own individual identity. Whether that divergence was a good or bad thing depends upon your view of American cars. For me, this Cadillac represents an unforgettable era; an era based on pure style rather than over-ornamentation and design excess.

However, this is history that you can enjoy every day if, like Colin, you’re lucky enough to own such a car. And, naturally, Colin drives his Cadillac as often as possible — that’s of course when he’s not driving the 1938 Buick that he has owned for 26 years.

For Colin, the Cadillac has brought back many memories of his youth as he remembers the model cars of this era, which to him at that time looked so futuristic. When I look at this car now it still seems timeless and ahead of it’s time — so it’s hardly surprising this stunning Cadillac still attracts attention wherever it goes.

Time Line

First Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1941 until 1942, offered as a two-door club coupe four-door sedan or four-door convertible. Powerplants for this generation included the 5670cc L-head V8 engine that provided 100kW the first year and 112kW by the end of the generation.

Second Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1946 until 1947 and offered again in three body styles; the two-door club coupe and four-door sedan, as well as the four-door convertible. This generation was based on the C body platform and offered the monobloc 5670cc V8 engine. The Series 62 was one of the first cars to enter production after the war, which made it quite prominent at the time.

Third Generation Cadillac Series 62
Commencing in 1948 production and lasting until 1953. Cadillac again offered the same three body styles as previously. This Series 62 was also based on the same C-body, but had a shortened wheelbase. Increased power was offered in 1949 by way of the new 5425cc V8 ohv engine, which produced 120kW. Also on offer was a lot more in the way of trim levels and deluxe options. Cadillac refreshed the Series 62 in 1950, making the cars lower, giving them longer bonnets and one-piece windscreens. By 1952 Cadillac had increased power in the Series 62 to 142kW, respectable for the time.

Fourth Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1954 until 1958, the Series 62 was again offered in the three standard body styles. Cadillac still built the vehicle on the C-body platform and powered it with either a 5667cc or 5982cc V8 engine. Related vehicles by this time included the Cadillac Eldorado, Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville, all powered by the same 172kW V8 engine and with an optional dual four barrel carburettor configuration which would provide a reasonably healthy 201kW. In 1956 the engine was upgraded to 5981cc, providing the car with 212 or 227kW. By 1957 power had jumped again to 242kW, the car was much lower and boasted shark fins in the rear. By 1958, the Deville had become its own series.

Fifth Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1959 until 1964, during this generation the name was changed to the Series 6200. Notwithstanding the name change, the same three body styles were offered and the car was still based on the C-body platform, though the wheelbase had been stretched again. The fifth generation boasted massive tail fins, even larger than seen on previous models, as well as dual bullet taillights that set it apart from other vehicles. The Cadillac De Villes were now known as the Series 6300, and both the 6200 and 6300 series vehicles received the 6390cc V8 engine that had an output of 242kW.

In 1960 Cadillac restyled the Series 6200 and it was changed again in 1961, incorporating a considerably more conservative look that proved to be fairly popular. In 1964 the engine was upgraded to 7039cc, producing 254kW.

In 1965 the Series 62 had shrunk again into the Cadillac Calais, and despite name changes, it managed to thrive from 1941 until 1975 when the Calais was discontinued.

The Series 62 Cadillac has inspired many other models of vehicles that are still sold today by Cadillac.

1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe – Specifications

Engine Cadillac flat-head V8
Capacity 5670cc (346ci)
Bore/stroke 89mm x 114mm
Valves Two per cylinder
C/R 7.25:1
Max power 112kW at 3400rpm
Max torque 352Nm at 1700rpm
Fuel system Carter WCD two barrel
Transmission Four-speed Hydra-Matic
Suspension F/R Coil spring independent/ live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs
Steering Recirculating ball
Brakes Hydraulic drum
Dimensions:
Overall length 5588mm
Width 1980mm
Height 1450mm
Wheelbase 3200mm
Kerb weight 1912kg
Performance:
0-100kph 13 seconds
Top speed 160kph

Words: Ashley Webb Photos: Dan Wakelin

This article is from Classic Car issue 220. Click here to check it out.

According to one small boy, Jim Boag’s 1927 La Salle is fitted with wooden mag wheels

That very original description of the wheels on this car came from a boy spotting this La Salle at a car show. His description is not as silly as we might think, and speaking as an old school teacher it impresses me because clearly he was a lad able to make associations between old and new information, something some adult friends have trouble with.

Jim bought this car off the late Peter MacDonald of Whangarei. Peter had bought the car as a tow truck in about 1962, and drove it around in that form.

Tracey McKenzie, a very well-known and highly competent restorer, wanted the car and he struck a deal with Peter whereby Tracey could have the La Salle and restore it — however, if he decided to sell the car, it first had to be offered to Peter.

Not an unusual arrangement. I remember striking a similar deal with my brother over a BMW bike I couldn’t tell management that I was buying — so I let my brother purchase it on the basis that it would be offered to me downstream at the same money should he want to dispose of it. Bugger’s still got it — probably waiting for me to shuffle off! The La Salle was very well restored by Tracey, and it eventually did go back to Peter. The only failing was to do with the vacuum fuel tank causing rough running, but that was solved by installing an electric fuel pump — and, of course, a modern oil filter, two upgrades that make absolute sense.

Checking originality

Jim’s not sure if the motor fitted to this car is the original. He knows that many years ago another one was picked up, even though the owners, who’d stored it in a shed, said it had done
a million miles and would be worn out. When it was stripped down it was perfect — what else would you expect from one of these giants?

Maurice Hendry, a well-known kiwi authority on Americana, has checked out this La Salle and thinks the body is a very faithful rebuild — remember that this car was once a tow-truck. The restorer got a film and the plans from the American La Salle club, so they weren’t short of hard data. Jim has all this stuff with the car, which is probably NZ new and was RHD as standard.

On The Road

These cars are great drivers — you could cruise to Wellington and back without much commitment, although at very low speeds you do need to swing on the wheel a bit. There’s a huge reserve of power, no synchro but a smooth gear change nevertheless.

On the dashboard is a chrome steel fascia grouping the usual drum speedo, plus trip miles and total mileage. The oil gauge, ammeter, fuel, clock and water temperature gauges are all typical of the period. The fully pressurised oil system has stood the motor in good stead. The suspension is a bit primitive by today’s standards, but despite being cart sprung on all four corners with beam axles and no shocks, it works well. The ride is excellent, although I suspect this old girl weighs a couple of tons so absorbs its own shocks easily.

I’m not a Yank Tank afficianado, but I do always concede that if you like your motoring smooth, safe, and reliable, albeit boring, nobody does it better than the Americans.

We climbed into Jim’s king-sized coupe, he pulled the starter button (no ignition key), slipped into first gear and we cruised off with the lovely sound of a large flathead V8 mumbling through the firewall like a guard dog behind a front door. Another click put us into second, and then third followed. At this point we were cruising quietly, so Jim pushed on the loud pedal and the old girl showed me an astonishing change of pace, clearly perfectly at home in Auckland’s traffic, side roads and motorways alike.

Sixty or seventy miles (or 96 to 112 of those piddly European klicks) per hour are easy cruising and in top cog you can hear the firing order, I reckon (would I exaggerate?), and I became aware of the immense potential sitting under the bonnet.

A huge country such as the USA needs cars able to undertake transcontinental trip after trip. Sitting on the sprung wool-trimmed seats with wood-grained trims and other soft wool cloth headlining and door trims we were ready to make a run for it to Christchurch. There’s no doubt this car is made for that kind of journey, and I believe that it wouldn’t be a bad trip at all. On the motorway we cruised at the legally permitted pace, and I felt perfectly at ease.

The Inspiration.

Funnily enough, in a couple of sources I’ve read that Harley Earl — the stylist responsible for the La Salle — went on a European trip prior to the initial design of these cars and fell in love with Hispano-Suiza. In one resource book making this claim, there’s a picture of a mid-’20s Hispano showing the grille bonnet line and high mounted, shapely chrome headlights — sure enough, the likeness to the La Salle is umistakeable. Although that said, I must say that from the windscreen back the Hispano is a much more rakish creation.

Jim’s only dissatisfaction is the paint scheme, and I agree it’s very bland — a porridge-coloured and chocolate two-tone. Jim is actually a painter and panelbeater, so the answer lies in his own hands. However, since the interior colour scheme is a lovely match the problem won’t be easily solved — but this car does deserve something more inspirational.

Incidentally, sitting in Jim’s garage is the Maxwell Beach Racer (ex Jimmy Baird), and Jim is contemplating selling it if anybody is interested.

La salle 1927-1940

Note those years, Jim has one La Salle from each year and today I’m having a look at his example from the marque’s initial year — 1927.

La Salle was a marketting exercise by Cadillac, which put the marque out as a cheaper line, rather defeating that purpose by maintaining Cadillac standards and quality. An interesting departure from the norm was having them designed in totality by Harley J Earl from General Motors (GM was owner of all these marques, of course), and that was an unusual practice then.

These initial cars came with a 5.0-litre side-valve V8 — a classic American motor, probably capable of running reliably for about a 100 years. Between 1927 and 1940 they increased the capacity of these V8s to 5.8 litres. However, they also produced a straight-eight version of 4.2 litres in 1934.

The S8 went on until 1937 before reverting and Jim’s other La Salle, from 1940, has another side-valve V8, very similar-looking to this initial car.

The 1937 replacement V8 was actually a genuine Cadillac — as opposed to a La Salle version. Production that year hit 32,000, but the following year was another depression one and production dropped to 14,675. It took until 1940 for numbers to climb again — to 24,130. Made no difference as it turned out, though, because they were squeezed out of the market by pricing issues, they were too much car for the cheaper market, and people preferred to pay the extra few bucks for a badged Cadillac whilst the non-Cadillac people could buy an Oldsmobile or a Buick — equally well made cars, and of course there were plenty of very fine cheaper makes such as Ford, Chevrolet and so on.

In the American market there wasn’t any room for the faint-hearted, Yanks knew what they wanted and weren’t interested in any car that didn’t match their expectation of how a ‘proper’ car should be — unless it was a cute toy car strictly for playing with.

Words & Photos: Penn McKay

A week behind the wheel of one of these horseless carriages will sort the men from ¨the boys

We’ve met Russell Vincent before, via his superbly desirable 1936 Austin 7 Nippy. He’s a retired mechanic with some excellent skills that only the truly devoted can deploy — and most modern mechanics wouldn’t have. Just as well, because he particularly enjoys his original horseless carriages, with which you could easily find yourself having to fabricate (forge?) a new crankshaft or reproduce faithfully copied castings for steering boxes, all of which he has done, and of course he’s a great believer in alloy pistons.

He has a stack of such spares carefully put away, and enjoys the challenges inherent in the making of almost any part required. If it can be cast and machined he can do it — and probably has done so.

Clearly he is a natural for the January re-enactment of the Far North Parliamentary Tour, and it’s this 1905 Cadillac single-banger he’ll be taking on the tour. That’s nothing as far as Russell is concerned, he’s taken this car the length of NZ several times, and even driven it from Hastings to Auckland in the one day! It’s been over the Rimutakas and completed plenty of equally challenging trips. He estimates that he has driven close to 48,300km in this car — how’s that for reliability, not to mention passion?

Challenging

The enormity of the challenges involved can only be comprehended when you compare this century-old vehicle with later machines. The mid-mounted under-floor, copper water-jacketed single cylinder propels a very large spoked flywheel with centrally mounted dogs for the crank handle. Access is gained through the boot floorboards or under the seat. It’s quite easy to get at, as there isn’t that much of it anyway!

There’s an involved karakia required to fire it up. Russell set up the spark, and throttle, then turned on the oil and ignition and cranked backwards to set it up on half compression, followed by turning on the gas. Like an aeroplane (he used to be a flyer), you have to go through your checks for the first starting up of the day. Thereafter it’s all in the luck of the draw; you may or may not need to get elaborate. In our case the old Caddie started first crank, and I taped the unmistakeable sound of one cylinder idling at about 50rpm — gdunka! gdunka! gdunka! gdunka!

I was told that it will get up to about 1500rpm, which I thought staggering. On the road we never thought to turn on the stereo, the series of explosions would have drowned anything out, apart from the solid blows in the small of the back I seemed to experience in time with the little hardworking motor. The engine’s work ethic astonished me, you could easily count the explosions, yet there was the solid feeling of real torque in second (top) gear as we bowled along the sealed country road.

We went along this road at what was probably about 50kp but sitting high up with no windscreen, roof or side screens to cushion the rush of air — larded with assorted insects — it seemed as if we were at take-off velocity. My aging eyes, even though protected by my glasses, were streaming with tears — coupled also I suspect with nasal mucous. Like that touch?

I cast a glance at Russell and noted that he had no such problems. But on reflection I think that it was because he shares with his first cousin, Gregory H Vincent, the family characteristic of slitty eyes hidden in the folds of protectively loose skin! That’s why you never know what that lot are thinking, not to mention why their eyes never stream.

However it is clear that a liking for old cars is another shared family trait. Russell has a gorgeously interesting Model T doctor’s coupe, a Packard, a ’20s Studebaker and a couple of early ’30s Austin 7s, and enough bits for another couple of early Cadillacs.

Sound engineering

The single-cylinder Cadillac’s motor is very interesting. The horizontal cylinder has VTEC-style valve timing — the inlet valve is advanced via the throttle increase. There’s also a mechanical form of fuel injection, rack and pinion steering, and an epicyclic transmission similar to the model T — that rules me out for driving — and mid-mounted!

There were two spark plugs, one earthed and one insulated, so what Russell has done is mount two plugs with two separate ignition coils, each firing simultaneously — a very sensible modification. A water pump off the end of the crankshaft pushes the coolant through the circuit of motor, tank and radiator. Kerosene lights complete the ensemble. Russell might just upgrade these invisibly to electrical — safety of course. It’s an original car and he’s the fourth owner, having owned it a little over 10 years.

Rugged and reliable

Following these old girls, as I have been lately, I’ve come to realise that they’re a great deal tougher than we give them credit for. Rugged and reliable; 32,000 to 48,000km a year were common distances for these cars, and doctors found that horse and trap expenses were much greater than the costs of running soundly designed cars — apart from the greatly increased ease of immediate travel. Total loss oil systems in the crankcase, transmission and differential mean you have to keep replenishing the oil tank under the seat, that gravity-feeds (with a little pressurised help from the crankcase) the cylinder and the mains and big-end. The tank has adjustable taps and you can increase or decrease the feed. Another tank feeds the transmission, and Russell commented that if he’s on a long climb — or long trip — he’ll top up with half a cup of oil.

The transmission is similar to the Model T, but the diff is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s a planetary system with two brake drums in and on each side of the diff. As I struggle to describe this I realise that I haven’t really got a handle on it at all. But Russell has and knows exactly how to use it, braking with judicious help from the low gear or reverse (two forward and one reverse) because these two brake drums are the only brakes, and not that flash either. He must have some bad moments from time to time.

This is a remarkably original car faithfully maintained by the four owners, and is the only one in NZ actually running. It’s right hand drive, which is the way all cars came out until Henry Ford built 15 million left-hand-drive Model Ts.

I’ve mixed views on these cars, they’re great taonga, but would I want to drive to Wellington in one? Yes, provided I was under 30 years of age and had a very attractive and interesting woman with me. Me and Russell are a couple of old dogs, and the driver is always going to be too busy to talk to the passenger.

Cadillac

The subject car was built within two years of the establishment of the brand. The founder of Cadillac was Henry Leland, who had been associated with another Henry — Henry Ford. That probably explains why this car is so similar to the early Fords — horizontal under-floor motor (although the Ford had two pots), a two-speed planetary transmission and chain drive via a spur diff drive.
The history of Cadillac will not be attempted here, but one paradoxical story is of interest. In 1908 the Poms set up a standardisation test at Brooklands in which they dismantled three cars, from each of three (single cylinder) contending marques, mixed the parts up within each of the marques then reassembled and drove the cars. Cadillac won hands down, earning the Dewar Trophy.

I guess Cadillac still holds that trophy.

As Ford and Cadillac progressed they went in different directions and became leading manufacturers for totally different reasons — except that both marques were highly thought of and totally reliable. By the ’50s and ’60s Cadillac had become the symbol of wealth and success in the American world — and Ford was recognised as the industry giant.

Why horseless carriages

Russell commented that he owned and drove these old girls because he enjoyed immensely getting back to driving basics with cars from the pioneering age. “There’s a real thrill built into a ride in one of these,” said Russell, “Which you will experience and understand, they’re so different to the later cars of the ’20s and ’30s.”
Very true, in some ways it’s like being mounted in a high speed ride-on mower with inferior brakes. I did enjoy it, but I’m too old to get a charge out of a long trip in anything that’s older than me — mind you, there aren’t many cars that old. However, Russell at a mere seven decades is still young enough to enjoy the challenges of long distance motoring in pioneering cars.
Anyway, as far as history is concerned, 100 years isn’t a long time at all, so this pioneer highlights how very far we’ve come in terms of automotive design and construction. Mark you, we do seem to have done a full circle in one thing — costs. When this Cadillac was built, a new one cost $US750. Today, in the NZ market, there are thousands of good used cars far more driveable that can be bought for that sort of money, and this old girl is very valuable indeed. On reflection that’s probably a good example of advanced sophistry.

Words and Photos, Penn McKay

Okay, I have to admit that they’re not quite my cup of tea, but when I spot something like a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, dripping with enough chrome for 10 cars and with a boot lid half the size of your average tennis court — and almost large enough to be used as a helicopter landing pad — then it’s at least worthy of a lasting gawk.

And that’s precisely what happened to me a few weeks ago when I spotted Graeme and Gwen MacKay’s fabulous ’57 Cadillac Coupe de Ville at an event in Albany. I was standing at the entrance to the venue, watching some 200 or so cars file past, and couldn’t help but notice this magnificent red Caddie in all its full glory — complete with original hub caps and riding on super-large whitewalls. Once all the cars had arrived, I then went looking for the Caddie — it wasn’t too hard to find. A car the size of an aircraft carrier with fins seemingly large enough to grace the tail of a Boeing 747, painted bright red and glittering like Liberace on a bad night could hardly be termed inconspicuous.

The de Ville wasn’t even pretending to blend in with the cars parked around it. This Caddie has a presence all its own, as if to say, ‘look at me, I helped to define advanced engineering, luxury and style early in automotive history, I know I’m one of the world’s finest-made vehicles.’

In actual fact, Cadillac introduced for the first time many modern technologies that, today, we take for granted in our cars. For example, in 1912 Cadillac was the first to introduce a complete electrical system that consisted of cranking, lighting and ignition. In 1915 it was the first to regulate engine cooling by thermostatic means, and in 1922 was the first to introduce thermostatic control of engine carburetion. Cadillac was also, in 1923, the first to build inherent balance into the V8 engine.

Automotive icon

Cadillac introduced the Coupe de Ville late in 1949 as part of the Cadillac Series 62 line-up. It was intended as a prestige model, and was one of the most expensive models in the range. It was a closed, two-door coupe, Cadillac’s first pillar-less hardtop. The Coupe de Ville was luxuriously trimmed, with leather upholstery and chrome ‘bows’ in the headliner to simulate the ribs of a convertible top.

The Coupe de Ville name also followed a tradi­tion; two-door cars with steel roofs were always Coupe de Ville, four-doors were always Sedan de Ville, at least until the elimination of two-door models. Convertibles were always simply de Ville, as they were neither a coupe nor a sedan by design.

Cadillac’s identity as an American automotive icon hit its stride for 1957 and 1958, and it has since become famous through pop culture, with references in popular songs, movies, and other media. These cars celebrated the good life, at least in the US, with ever-more voluptuous styling and striking chrome appoint­ments, backed up with some genuine engineering creativity.

For 1957, the Cadillac division’s 5834cc (356ci) V8 gained an additional 11kW to take it to 224kW (300bhp), mostly thanks to increased compression to 10:1.This engine powered a rebodied 1957 Cadillac line-up. The look wasn’t exactly going to win any prizes for aerodynamics, but was recognisably evolutionary. It was inspired by the Cadillac Orleans, Eldorado Brougham, and Park Avenue show cars of the mid ’50s.

In 1957 Cadillac incorporated a tubular X-frame chassis, without side rails, on all models, resulting in greater structural rigidity which provided for lower bodylines without loss of use­able space. Rubber bumper guard tips marked new front-end styling and dual, circular parking lamps were set into the lower bumper section. The side trim was revised and a dual taillight theme was used throughout the range. By utilising different centre frame sections the wheelbases and overall lengths of specific body styles were altered.

General Motors styling chief, Harley J Earl, originated many of the styling features that came to be famous with the classic (late 1940s to late 1950s) American car, including tail-fins and wraparound windscreens. Cadillac’s first tail-fins, inspired by the twin rudders of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, appeared in 1948 — although the 1959 Cadillac, which sports the most recognisable and largest tail-fins of any production car, remains as the ultimate expression of US car manufacturers’ obsession with aircraft-like fins.

Enthusiasm and passion

Meeting Graeme and Gwen MacKay, the owners of our featured Cadillac, for the first time was a real pleasure. Their enthusi­asm and passion for all things Cadillac runs through almost their entire married life of over 38 years, and Graeme admits that he’s had a soft spot for them since he was a child as his father, a mechanic, would often talk about them.

Graeme and Gwen’s first encounter with a Cadillac was back in 1982, when they went to view a 1971 hardtop in the showroom of a Takapuna car dealership. Also parked in the showroom was a blue 1961 Coupe de Ville and, you guessed it, they instantly fell in love with the car. So after parting with $7000, they drove their new pride and joy home.

That magnificent Coupe de Ville had travelled a meagre 96,561km (60,000 miles) and had only been used for going to church on Sundays by its previous owner, a Whangerei baker. The car was in pristine, original condition — complete with factory plastic covers on the seats and door trims.

Three years later, in 1985, Graeme and Gwen decided to squeeze another Cadillac into the family garage and purchased a 1973 Coupe de Ville. This bright red Caddie, with white interior, became Gwen’s daily driver whilst the blue ’61 was kept for weekends and special occasions.

Both cars were eventually traded for a later model 1977 Coupe de Ville in 1987. This brown-coloured, immaculate, low mileage Caddie boasted matching brown leather upholstery, and was reserved for driving only when weather permitted and for weekend cruising.

Graeme and Gwen soon decided to trade up to a 1984 Sedan de Ville in 1989. In keeping with their previous carefully selected Caddies, this car was also immaculately finished in blue metallic paint with matching blue velour interior. Within three years the Caddie was placed up for sale and was eventu­ally sold to a fisherman from Invercargill — who was out at sea at the time of the sale and, via ship-to-shore radio, instructed his wife to buy the car sight unseen. The sale left Graeme and Gwen Cadillac-less for the first time in almost 20 years.

Rekindling a love affair

It was another decade before Graeme and Gwen felt the Cadillac itch, and in 2002, when they spotted a teal green 1963 Eldorado convertible, they couldn’t resist the temptation. Their garage had been empty for a long time, apart from the odd Japanese run-around, and Graeme and Gwen knew it was time to rekindle their love affair with big Caddies.

“The Eldorado was used heaps,” Gwen says, they drove it whenever possible until 2004. This time a friend who had admired the car for some time, having offered to buy it on several occasions, finally got his wish.

It just so happened that in 2005, whilst walking around the Kumeu Classic Car Show, Graeme and Gwen spotted a 1992 Fleetwood Special. What a machine! This car had previously been a Taiwanese Embassy vehicle and was, as you can imag­ine, in supreme condition. Breaking the mould shortly after, a fully restored 1962 Buick Invicta convertible was purchased to sit alongside the Fleetwood Special. Graeme and Gwen’s garage was bulging at the seams once again.

Favourite model

Now the story gets interesting. In August 2007, whilst browsing eBay’s Cadillacs for sale section, Graeme noticed their favourite model up for auction — a 1957 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. After some fierce bidding, Graeme and Gwen were eventually out-bid and were disappointed that they had lost out. But as fate would have it, they later received a message from eBay to say that the highest bidder had defaulted on his payment, and the bright red 1957 Cadillac Coupe de Ville was theirs for the asking.

It didn’t take too long for the couple to make up their minds, and Graeme was soon arranging for the car to be shipped from its homeland to New Zealand. It finally arrived here in December 2007, pretty much as you see it in these pages. And it looks absolutely magnificent.

Graeme tells us the car’s history is still pretty much unknown for most of its life, although in later years it was part of a collection in California — during which time it was kept in a temperature-controlled environment. Apart from a repaint some years ago the big Caddie appears to be in completely original condition, a rare find indeed. But the story continues. Yes, Graeme has been at it again, and has now found a 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville on eBay.

By the time you read this story that car will also be in New Zealand. Not surprisingly, Graeme and Gwen are now searching for additional garage (for garage, read ‘aircraft hangar’) space.