Cadillac surprised the car-buying public in 1938 when it introduced a new and innovative 16 cylinder engine. It featured side valve heads and was lighter and more powerful than its V16 predecessor, plus it was shorter and fit into a standard V8 chassis. In spite of all the good things the new V16 had going for it, Cadillac produced only a very small number of cars equipped with this engine, and in 1939 only made 4 cars with the body style of the vehicle being offered for sale here. If you’d like to own one of these 4 examples with the V16, this 1939 Cadillac Convertible Sedan might be your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality. Located in Kissimmee, Florida, it can be seen here on Hemmings and will be up for auction between January 6-16, 2022. Barn Finds would like to thank reader Larry D. for yet another great tip.
Of the 4 sedans produced in 1939 with the V16, this car is the third car, which is said to have been previously owned by an Air Force Colonel who drove it to the space center in Cocoa Beach. The stickers documenting this are still affixed to the glass. The first 2 cars purportedly went to the White House in Washington and were used by President Roosevelt, with documentation said to be provided.
The 431 cubic inch V16 fits nicely under the hood, and the car is stated to have only traveled 9,300 miles since it rolled off the assembly line. The car has new brakes and has had a new gas tank installed, although no mention of how well it runs or drives or if any other recent mechanical work has been performed. The paint is definitely showing its age, however, the body looks to be solid and the convertible top appears to be in surprisingly good condition.
Things are looking pretty good on the inside as well, and there is a roll-up glass divider to offer privacy between the front and rear passengers if desired. The car appears to be near if not all complete, and I can appreciate its originality and unrestored state especially given the rarity. It’s only original once as they say, although I certainly couldn’t blame the next owner if they chose to do a restoration.
Given this Cadillac’s rarity, low mileage, and originality, I find it hard to even speculate what this vehicle may end up selling for. What are your thoughts on this 1939 Cadillac V16 Convertible Sedan? Any ideas about what you think an interested buyer may be willing to invest for what you are getting here?
Wow. Lovin’ me some Cadillac dreams. A convertible with the proper ratio of doors to cylinders!
It’s a project for sure, but what a beauty this could be when fully restored.
Wow! What an awesome ’39 V16 Caddy with its own inscribed front and rear bumper. I love how the designers made sure that hardly no one could have missed the “V16” grill emblem and rightly so. I hope the old girl gets the restoration that she deserves.
Wow what a piece of history. Interesting that an Air Force Col used it. 1939 Florida was rife with “mob” influence and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this car was some big Don’s ride back in the day
They said space center so 1960s Florida!
Well gosh, I know that. I can read the write up just like you.
I’m talking about what the car was doing between 1939 and the Colonel’s using it
How about a genuine 318 Christmas Poly Swap???
Lincoln couldn’t make a V12 work, while GM has two V-16s.
2 V16s AND a V12!
The problem with the Lincoln V 12 is the motor it was based on, V8 60. Not one Ford’s better ideas.
The rear right cylinder wall was cast to thin. Over heating made alot to be replaced with a bolt in 8.
I have a ’39 V16,tho’ not a ragtop.Serious cars!
I just don’t understand how an incredible car like this can be left to rust away as it has. One would think a car with such a fine pedigree would have been passed from one caring owner to the next. Someone along the line has failed in their responsibility to honor this fine classic. I only hope that someone else will buy this and reverse the neglect of time.
I am not sure what was meant by the innovative description of the engine, other than it was shorter than the previous V16 that it replaced and this allowed it to fit in a V8 engine compartment. It was a time to cut cost and Cadillac quit making one of the most beautiful engines to come out of that time period. The preceding V16 was basically two Buick straight eight engines cast together and with their finned valve covers just beautiful. I realize the flat head made more power but the beauty of the OHV engine is monumental. Can you imagine adjusting valves on a flat head V16. But all in all I would love to have this car with no complaints about anything.
The second V16 used a very wide angle, 120 degrees or more. possibly 135. Adusting the valves might not be that much trouble as they are at an almost flat angle. However, it depends of course, how many other items have to be removed to remove the valve covers and if you can lean over those tall mud guards. Possibly one of those persons who own one can tell us how they do it.
This is a flathead engine, the valves are in the block and you must remove the intake manifold etc. to get to the adjustment on 32 valves. No valve cover. Not sure about the block angle, would love to know if that is true. I know most “V” blocks were 90 degrees but there was some that were not like the original Cadillac V16 which was 60 degrees and I think the Cord V8 was more than 90 degrees.
I don’t know if this reply will come before or after BimmerBill’s comment, nevertheless this is a reply to Bill:
I know this engine is a side-valve especially since it is written in the text. I own a side valve car built in 1932. I was trying to be carefull in my choice of words. The covers I was referring to is the plate or whatever, that covers the valves which has to be removed to adjust the valve clearances. Please let me know what word is used in the US so I dont make the same mistake again.
I searched the net about the cylinder angle and I was correct. It is 135 degress. It used to be the case for a V-engine to divide the number of cylinders into 360 to get an angle but the designers had other design issues such as space to fit everyting in or one including the engine into the engine bay. They tended to be to be another division or multiplication of two or three or more into that angle. 60 & 90 being common, however, we see angles like 15 degrees in the Audi/VW so it can use the one flat cylinder head on a v-engine to refudce the block length; and the unusual 65 degree angle used by the Ferrari & Aston Martin, which is, as I understand it, a sort of secret but thought to be about limproving induction tracts. Subaru uses a flat engine and advertises one advantage is a lower centre of gravity and BMW boxer motorcylces use similar advertising.
In the case of the Cadillac in this article, 360 divided bt 16 is 22.5. Multiply that by 6 and you get 135.
Also, I found the following description on the net:
“This was a completely different engine with a 135-degree angle between the cylinder banks, so wide that the engine looked more like a flat-16 than a V-16. Bore and stroke were both 3.25 inches, resulting in a displacement of 7.1 liters (431 cid). The crankshaft now had nine main bearings, and instead of overhead valves it used a flathead arrangement. The new engine was 250 lb lighter, six inches shorter front-to-back, and a whopping 13 inches lower from top to bottom, a boon to the lower hood lines then coming into vogue. Though its maximum engine speed was lower, it produced the same 185 horsepower as its predecessor and featured the same silent, smooth operation.
If I recall correctly, both Cadillac v-16’s used hydraulic cam followers (lifters if you prefer) so no need for adjustment. In fact I think the 45 degree OHV version introduced in 1930 one was the first engine to use hydraulic followers.
The second design was a 135 degree V. The switch to the very wide angle was due to the styling trend for lowered body styles. And the switch to a flathead design allowed for all 4 manifolds, 2 intake and 2 exhaust to be positioned inside the V, which packaged well with the independent front suspension.
I dunno, I kinda like it as is, immaculately restored cars are a dime a dozen.
There were eleven model 9029 Sixteen Cylinder convertible sedans for 1939, not four.
And the two Presidential cars, both 1938 models on an extended chassis, were given their own model designation of 9006 and are not among the eleven.
An excellent registry of the known surviving 1938-40 Sixteens of all body styles is here:
https://www.newcadillacdatabase.org/static/CDB/Dbas_txt/V6srv38.htm
A great history overview of the White House cars is here:
https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az12/arizona/lots/r230-1938-cadillac-v-16-presidential-convertible-parade-limousine-by-fleetwood/280407
Jeff-I posted this below but want to make sure you read it: My father actually owned a 1938 Cadillac limousine convertible in the mid 60’s. I have a picture of me and my sister sitting on the running board. It was a magnificent car. It looked just like this car. Here’s some very interesting history: my father bought it from the Woolworth 5&dime estate in Palm Beach Florida. He was told when he bought that the car was sent to England several times for the Woolworths’ use and that the Queen of England rode in it. BTW, this estate is next to the Merriweather Post (cereal) estate which is now owned by Donald Trump, Mar-a-lago. I wonder if this is the same car. I see the Cocoa Beach sticker on it.
Hi Mark. I read your post with great interest, having purchased this 1939 V16 Convertible Sedan earlier this year. I’m attempting to determine it’s history, and your description is intriguing. Might you still have a copy of the photo described that you could send me? Any other recollections would be greatly appreciated. We’re located in Ohio. I’ll very much look forward to your response.
The problem with the Lincoln V 12 is the motor it was based on, V8 60. Not one Ford’s better ideas.
The V-12 Lincoln was not based on the V8-60. The Lincoln V12 used a 75 degree bank angle, the 60, like most V8’s was a 90 degree, so no opportunity to use the same production tooling. Those two engines share no parts whatsoever.
If that roof is original, they could have done better.
Around 1978 A friend who liked to poke his head into private property [today it’s called Urbex, short for urban exploration], told me about a huge Cadillac in an old barn behind a Victorian mansion in my small town of Kensington, MD. So off we went to find this Cadillac. The side door to the barn was wide open, so we walked right on in. And there, among the trash and detritus of life, was a 1938 Cadillac convertible limousine. It was an extra long version, with about a foot between the front and rear doors. It had a 3-position convertible top, with division window.
The car belonged to a very eccentric guy named Red, who owned the local hobby shop; Red’s Hobby Shop! in a strip shopping center on University Blvd. I visited Red and asked about the Cadillac. He flatly said it wasn’t for sale, and I said I didn’t ask if it was for sale, I asked about it from a historical point.
All of a sudden it was like he and I were long time friends. He said to grab a couple of folding chairs and sit down. He had one of his employees take 2 dimes out of a can and bring us a couple of cold Cokes from the Coke machine.
Red said he bought the Cadillac in 1953, from a government auction in Washington, DC, and drove it until the thermostat stuck closed and it overheated. He parked it in the barn and never drove it again. Red always claimed his car was one of the 2 1938 Cadillac V-16 White House parade cars, but I know this is not correct, as his car was a Cadillac series 75 with the V-8 engine. I did see the original paperwork from when Red bought the car at the auction [for $100], and the papers were marked as having been assigned to the White House. It’s likely his Cadillac and a matching version were the “follow behind” cars for the Secret Service, and sometimes used to transport dignitaries to and from the White House.
Now fast forward a couple of decades, and while in the Kensington area, I looked around and finally found the Victorian home, But the barn was long gone. An elderly neighbor said the old car inside was hauled off for junk after the barn collapsed around it. Red’s Hobby Shop was long gone too.
I Grew up in wheaton and I remember Reds hobby shop awsome story , But sad the good ole days john
A sad ending to a great story.
The rear right cylinder wall was cast to thin. Over heating made alot to be replaced with a bolt in 8.
Forget the particulars, that is one awesome automobile!
David Gano- can you text me please- (229) 834-9440
i have a 1936 v16 caddy with 37,000 original mis. on it it has no real rust , faded paint , interior head liner is hanging down, yet no accidents or body damage. really needs some wd 40 on the door hinges . other than that it has been sitting here for 35 years and remains all original. im in san diego. the interior smells like the mob days.i have all the pics you want. ive no idea its value but would be good to see it gone.
We can auction it for you!