Lot Ended
Description
1930 Cadillac 353 Town Sedan
Highly original
including paintwork and interior; just 75,000 miles from new; matching numbers;
runs like a Swiss watch; incredible spec; Cadillac
quality
Introduced in 1929, the 'all new Cadillac' hit the
showrooms just a month before the Wall Street crash - perhaps not the
best timing for the well-established Cadillac brand, but its 5.8-litre 90-degree
V8 was considerably more economical and socially acceptable than their V12 and
V16 that were shortly to follow.
Despite the prevailing economic
conditions, Cadillac managed to produce and sell over 14,000 during the
following year, which given their inherent desirability and high survival rate,
is a number which ensures a ready supply of spares and consumables
today.
Cadillac offered a bewildering choice of coachwork, supplied by
Fisher or Fleetwood which could be ordered in over 500 colour and trim
combinations. Much of this was down to the new DuPont paint called Duco - a
fast-drying cellulose, but that's another story.
The factory build sheet
shows it was received into Cadillac's central storage department upon completion
on 18th November 1929. It was obviously built for stock - reflecting the
difficult economic situation at the time. An order from a distributor came in at
the end of April 1930 and the car was funded under the First National Bank
wholesale floorplan scheme.
Built as a Town Sedan, its four-window
coachwork appealed to the owner driver, there being no division or occasional
seats. It was painted Storm brown with Gazelle brown moulding (with Dark
Tan pinstripe) around the middle, the car quite remarkably retaining its
original paint to this day. As can be seen, it has been polished a bit thin on
the bonnet, but originality like this simply cannot be replicated.
The
interior was trimmed in cloth, the car retaining its original seat coverings,
silk blinds, head lining and even its original carpets. The back of the driver's
seat has had a rudimentary repair and is covered by a temporary cloth -
otherwise the interior is in remarkable condition.
It came with twin
side-mounts and a Lloyd Young Overdrive, allowing more relaxed cruising - the
car keeping up with modern traffic with ease as long as the motorway is avoided.
It sits on factory optional wire wheels, giving it a classier look than the
standard Hickory wheels and comes with lovely tool lockers on the running
boards, clever entry lights which shine when the rear doors are open and
open/shut louvres on the radiator, on top of which is mounted an original
Cadillac Goddess, an item worth a small fortune in its own right.
Its
previous owner confirmed that it was returned to Cadillac Service many years
ago, where it was treated to a comprehensive rebuild which included pistons,
rods and a crank regrind, a new clutch, overhauled gearbox, diff and
ancillaries. There is no paperwork to confirm this although there is no reason
to suspect this was not the case - it was clearly some time ago.
The
vendor acquired the car from a gentleman in Sonora in Northern California
and imported it into the UK in 2014 since when he has regularly shown the car
and enjoyed it immensely.
He has just fitted a new six volt Shield
battery of generous proportions, ensuring that this stunningly original V8
Cadillac is up and running and ready to go...
For
more information - contact [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT