2008 Member's Picture Gallery

 January 2008:  Leigh J W Spivey

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My car is a 1954 Cadillac Eldorado and I have had it for 40 years. It was sold new by Lendrum and Hartman in London to one Denis Ziam De Ferranti - who I believe was head of Ferranti Electronics now I believe part of British Aerospace specializing in radar etc. After then passing through a couple of London dealers it arrived in the north of England, having been bought by a farmer / horse dealer in a village near where I live in 1959. Apparently he only went out of the village in it to the livestock market once a week. He would carry bales of straw in it and take some of the village children to the local fish and chip shop often with a baby lamb on the back seat for them to feed. I am told he never taxed it and it ran without an exhaust for years. The first time I saw it it was covered in chicken muck and mud but he still ran it regularly. After weeks of haggling my father bought it for about $400 plus a clapped out Austin Sheerline limousine in May 1967. When we eventually got it clean it was still in very good condition but the original black paint was badly scratched. Seeing as my father always wanted a white Cadillac convertible it was re-sprayed in Old English White - just a quick re-spray - not a bare metal everything off job -the trims were just masked up.

As for the rest of the car, in the interior only the front seat squabs and cushions have been replaced with the correct embossing of the leather courtesy of Jenkins, When we were importing the leather kit someone from our Customs Office rang up and asked if the cows were dead. My wife replied `I hope so they are dyed red `. It still has the original Orlon hood and carpets although the hood does need re-stitching around the edges as some of the stitches have rotted I have recently had a new rear window. It is the only Eldorado I have seen that has still got the original Dinoc finish on the dashboard and door cappings although there is some rust now showing underneath. I believe replacement 'transfers' are now available - perhaps someone can let me know who it is as I lost the telephone number I took out of Hemmings but have never seen it since. Mechanically it still runs all its original components although I think the brake servo is off a 70`s English Hillman .

The only chrome work that has been done are two new rear bumper ends and one of the front trims on the wing (fender) at the front was replaced - cast in brass, as at the time we didn't know were to get one from. Two of the wire wheels are reasonably new but the others are original re-chromed ones. Over the years it has won many trophies but those days are now rare. I am a big believer in originality unless it really needs doing. Unlike me who is going downhill fast the Caddy is maturing well with age and I still get a buzz just walking in the garage and looking at it -even after 40 years. I know some owners who have had their car longer than that but very few can have had the fun and enjoyment out of them as I have had out of mine over the years. I never tired of talking about talking about it and will probably never sell it at least while we are still able to drive it and work on it.

To read Leigh's complete write-up, click here

February 2008:  Jimmy Dorsey

1963 Cadillac 6 Window Sedan Model 62

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This car was originally delivered in Los Angles California. The grandson of the original owner inherited the car and brought it to Atlanta in 1976. 

I purchased the car in 1980 for $700. I have it insured for $5,000. This is the only car that I have purchased that has appreciated. When I received the car the odometer read 49,000 miles. It could have been 149,000 miles because there were only 5 wheels on the odometer in that era. The car now has 17,000 or 117.000 miles I removed the engine from the car and ordered all of the parts. NAPA installed all of the parts for $100. I reinstalled the engine. The parts that have been rebuilt or replaced are transmission, two-piece drive shaft, most of the front end, foam in seats and carpet. All other upholstery is original. The upholstery is nylon so has lasted. The more costly Cadillacs had cloth seats that did not fare as well. The car was painted after I did the preparation for $300, five years ago. 

The engine develops 325 HP @ 4800 RPM. The accessories are Power Steering., Power Brakes, Power windows and antenna, automatic brake release, town and country horn J (not original), AM – FM radio (not original) with rear speaker, air conditioned (last year for manual controls), hydramatic 4 forward speeds (last year). I am told that the 4 speeds are more economical than the later 3 speeds. I am certain Cadillac was not concerned about economy at that time. The engine gets 13 MPG city and 17 MPG country.

March 2008: Forrest Ward

1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

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I have always driven old cars as my daily drivers. In fact I have never owned a "new" car (any built after 1972) and likely never will. 

In summer 2001, I was in the market for a "new" old car. I had been driving my 1972 Monte Carlo for 6 or 7 years but didn't have the time to do what was necessary to make it presentable. I also had 2 or 3 other vehicles that needed restoring but was in the middle of a home renovation project and realized that I would never get any of them finished. I decided to get rid of all of them and use the money to buy one nice, presentable auto that I could use as my main form of transportation. 

I was looking for a muscle car. I had already owned a '66 Mustang and a '68 Camaro. While I searched for my muscle car, I kept passing this 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Villesitting on a residential street about 1 mile from my house in downtown Atlanta. 

I thought it looked like a really nice car in reasonably good shape but since it was sitting out on the street and rarely moved, I figured it must have some major problems. When the owner finally posted a "For Sale" sign on it I figured I'd stop in and take a look. 

The car was complete and had never been molested. The original engine ran very smoothly and the interior was in decent shape. The exterior looked exactly as it does today. 

I decided right then that the long sought after muscle car was out and that this would be my new car. The car was really just in need of some TLC. 

I fixed the electric windows, wipers, seat, etc. The brakes were shot as was the exhaust system. I rebuilt both to original specs. I then decided to have the suspension and steering linkage completely rebuilt as well. 

A friend of mine dubbed it "The Bismarck" because it was as big as the battleship. It was also the same color as one. I take the Bismarck on trips of over 1000 miles every year. It is the most comfortable and easy to drive car I have ever owned. It can cruise at 80mph all day long on the highway and still get a decent 18mpg. I am currently planning a 3-4 month cross country trip in this car while towing a vintage Airstream trailer. 

Every time I get behind the wheel, I feel a great sense of joy and satisfaction. This feeling has never worn off since I've owned it. I can also say that this car has made me a better and safer driver. I don't feel obligated to burn rubber at stop lights as I did in my previous cars. I also don't make any sudden lane changes, jack rabbit starts or sudden stops. It's altogether a much more relaxed experience (for my passengers as well). 

The engine is a 365ci V8 with a 4bbl carb rated at 285hp. This engine is based on the 331ci overhead cam, high compression engine introduced in 1949, considered to be the first "modern" V8. It works through an extremely smooth and fast 4 speed Hydromatic transmission. 

The exterior is Camelot Grey (metallic) and Alpine White. The interior is Sonic Blue.

April 2008: Danny Ryder

1970 Cadillac Funeral Limo

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This 1970 Cadillac started life at the Almon Funeral Home in Carrollton, Ga. The Almon Funeral Home traded it in for new one and the Chapman Funeral Home in Jasper, Ga. got it in 1976. I started working at Chapman's in June of 1979 and drove this car almost daily for Convalescent Ambulance work until we quit that in 1992. 

We didn't use the car much after that and I started trying to buy it from the funeral home around 1995. Owner wouldn't sell though. But in January 2001, the funeral home sold out to new guy who I didn't go to work for but I still tried to buy the car. I called him every few months from 2001 until August 2005. That’s when I called and offered him a 1993 caddy six door funeral limo in trade. Within one hour I was driving home with “Old Blue” (as we called her in the old days). I mainly wanted the car because I put most of the miles on her (136,000) and she had carried most of my family to their final resting place, including my father in 2000. 

The car has only had the usual maintenance, one new windshield in mid 1980s, and one paint job around 1995 when acid rain messed up original paint. The car has always been kept inside except for short time when the last owner left her out when he decided he didn't want her anymore. The interior is still very good and front and rear heat and air work as they should with R-12 system still in place. 

Last summer I called Almon Funeral home to see if anyone still worked there that remembered the car and if they would like to see it. They had several who knew the car although the original owner of funeral home had passed on a few years ago. I took the car down and they went wild over it looking as it was back then. They took at least 100 pictures standing by it. They told me they worked commercial aircraft crash in Dallas, Ga. in mid 1970s with this car which was interesting to know. I have used this car for several funerals when the family wanted an older car like grandpa or grandma would be able to relate to.

1949 Cadillac Series 61 2-door Club Coupe

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My 1949 Cadillac Series 61 2-door Club Coupe, Model 6107, “The Green Queen”, was sold new by Rickenbaugh Motors, Denver CO. Kept by the original owner until 1974, when it was sold to a woman in Laramie WY. She sold it to a collector in the Chicago area in 1976 from whom I bought it in 1984. 

Originally equipped with Hydra-matic, I converted it to a Synchromesh (manual) transmission that year, rebuilt the motor in1985, had it repainted dark green in 1986 and had it re-upholstered in 1987. I drive it regularly, including extended trips to more than 10 CLC Grand Nationals and Driving Tours. The car is totally stock (except for a modern radio) with its original 331 cu. in., 160 HP, OHV V8. She runs beautifully, easily cruises at interstate speeds and has never been on a trailer. In 1988 the Queen appeared in the film “Driving Miss Daisy” as the car of Miss Daisy’s son, Boolie, played by Dan Akroyd.