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1938 Cadillac Town Sedan

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1938 Cadillac Town Sedan V16


One of 302 Cadillac V16 models made in 1938 and one of 20 Town Sedans made that year
Long term Texas Cadillac and believed to be owned by a previous Texas governor
Rated by Classic Car Club of America as CCCA Full Classic, a designation reserved for only the finest vehicles from 19251948
Complete bodyoff frame restoration; only driven 4,000 miles since restoration
Undercarriageisextremelytidy, especially for a large car of this vintage
Permanently mounted battery tender for longterm storage
Dark blue exterior with tan interior and Fleetwood Coachwork
Rebuilt, numbers matching 431 CID Lhead 135 V16 engine
Rebuilt original threespeed synchromesh manual transmission with 4.31 gearing
Independent front suspension and Bendix hydraulic brakes

In an attempt to outcylinder and outsmooth the competition, particularly Packard, Cadillac created something rare in the 1930s, an engine with 16 cylinders. Here at MotoeXotica Classic Cars, it is wrapped within the form of a 1938 Town Sedan coach worked by Fleetwood, rated by the Classic Car Club of America as a CCCA Full Classic, a designation reserved for only the finest vehicles from 19251948. After being treated a complete bodyoff frame restoration, the car has been driven approximately 4,000 miles since restoration. Cadillac only produced 20 of these V16 town sedans and only a very few still exist today.

The meticulous comprehensive nut and bolt professional restoration included all aspects of this rarely seen big V16 time machine. Everything was restored from the tidy powder coated frame and underbody to exhaust, brakes, and brake lines. The exterior has a show winning paint job and fresh chrome, the rebuilt V16 motor and components run very smooth. The newly correct reupholsteredinterior is very handsome and luxurious and the dash is laid out as you should find in a 30's big Cadillac sedan. Cruising in this V16 flagship makes you feel like real royalty

Cadillac believed customers demanded a car powered by an engine simultaneously more powerful and smoother than any other available. Development proceeded in great secrecy over the next few years while Cadillac chief Larry Fisher and GM's stylistHarley Earltoured Europe in search of inspiration from Europe's finest coachbuilders. Unlike many luxury car builders, who sold bare chassis to be clothed by outside coachbuilding firms, General Motors had purchasedFleetwood Metal BodyandFisher Bodyto keep all the business inhouse.

In 2008 or 2009, the thencurrent owner brought the car, which was still in good overall condition, to Black Knight Restoration in Houston, Texas for rehabilitation as a executive driver. Professional technicians disassembled the vehicle, fixed what did not work then put everything back together in a correct manner.

Finished in a dark blue, the cars paint and trim, including the elegant goddess hood ornament, are in excellent overall condition. The windows are clear and crackfree and the cars lights, including the foglights perched over the front bumper, are in very good order. The car rides on 7.5016 wide whitewalls, surrounding factory wheel covers and look great. The cars bumpers shine brilliantly, the engine bay is very tidy and there is a permanently mounted battery tender for longterm storage. Extras include a spotlight on the drivers side and a pair of sidemounted spare tires with bodymatching covers.

Under that hood ornament is a rebuilt, numbersmatching 431 CID Lhead 135 V16 engine with twin carburetors, twin fuel pumps, twin distributors, twin water pumps, and a nine main bearing crankshaft (compared to the OHV V16's five bearing crank) and produced the same power as earlier versions of the original V16 with even greater smoothness and gave the '38'40 Sixteens the swiftest acceleration of any factory production car in the world at the time, regardless of weight, as well as slightly improved fuel economy over the OHV V16 cars. This engine was nearly silent at idle and turbinesmooth in operation.

The car has a positiveground starting system with two batteries; a sixvolt unit under the front passenger seat with another 12volt unit under the hood for the starter only. It is easier to get the engine to crank with 12 volts, especially after periods of nonuse.

The 19381940 431 CID Cadillac V16 was one of the last new American auto engine designs prior to World War Two. Luxury car drivers of the time valued smoothness and silence more than highspeed power. Hydraulic valve lifters promoted silent running and an absence of periodic adjustment. Unlike most cars of the era, an external oil filter safeguarded the precision valve lifters. Despite the use of side valves, the engine produced as much power as the prior 45degree V16, and with much less complexity. The earliest engines produced featured an innovative friction wheel drive to the generator. This was soon replaced by a conventional V belt drive. Cadillac claimed that the 1938, 1939 and 1940 Series 90 Sixteen had the best performance of any production car in the world at the time and would accelerate 1060 in high gear in only 16 seconds, rapid for the time. Mated to the engine is a rebuilt threespeed synchromesh manual transmission and backed by a 4.31 rear end.

Inside, the cars Fleetwood Coachwork tan interior is in overall gorgeous condition. The seats, which look more like divans or davenports, are in excellent shape, as is the matching fitted carpet. In the rear are a centermounted armrest divider, armrestmounted ashtrays, footrests and a wide folddown tray to dash off a postcard or have a quick nosh. There are also hooks and rods on which to hang coats, scarves and other outerwear. The headliner is in likewise shape. The metal instrument panel, painted a dark salmon shade, is quite eyecatching and contrasts brilliantly with the tan surroundings. The cars brown metal dash offers full instrumentation and the original, threespoke steering wheel is present and looks fantastic. The inner door panels, with their beautiful wooden windowsills, present quite well and the mirror glass is in good order, as is the shift lever.

Competition to this Cadillac in 1938 included V12 models from Lincoln, Packard, PierceArrow and RollsRoyce. The only other American manufacturers to field V16 engines in the 1930s were Marmon and Peerless.

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 4,022 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE

VIN: 5270283

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Specifications
  • VIN:
  • Exterior: Dark Blue


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MotoeXotica

Location: St Louis, MO, United States

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