Unfortunately for owners of large pre-war cars, interest in these land yachts is waning – with a few exceptions including examples from our European friends, the Brass Era, and maybe Ford Model As. Our seller has either changed his mind about this 1929 Cadillac 2/4 passenger convertible – aka a Series 341 – or is attempting to make a profit: he has listed it here on craigslist for $50,000, but it was purchased from RM Sotheby’s in 2020 for $38,000. It has covered two miles since then – most likely on the trailer, off the trailer, and into the garage at Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. The photo of its “face” shows the auction stickers still affixed to the windshield. Thanks to T.J. for spotting this majestic vehicle for us!
The Cadillac Series 341 followed the 314, both numbers referring to the displacement of the respective V8 engines. The big upgrade occurred in 1928 – the same year Harley Earl joined GM. The new engine made 90 hp; by 1929, the engine’s internals were refined to produce about 95 hp. Other technological advancements included synchromeshed gears in the three-speed transmission and double-action shocks. The big car could reach 70 mph, not quite a match for its 80 mph Packard competitor. The seller says this car runs and drives great, but I’m skeptical given the low mileage since its last sale. The car has a toggle-start, a new battery, and an electrical fuel pump.
The leather seats present well, while the instrument panel shows pinpricks of rust where the finish is decaying. The gauge set includes a clock, and Cadillac thoughtfully supplied a heater for its luxury buyers. The car is equipped with a driver-controlled spotlight. The convertible top is said to be new. Both Fisher and Fleetwood made bodies for Cadillac; this one is a Fisher.
Once Harley Earl arrived at GM, he organized the Art and Colour Department. The LaSalle was his first design assignment – and it marked a dramatic departure from the severe lines of everything that had come before it. A raked windshield, flowing lines around the cockpit, a tidy, rounded rear, a low-slung appearance – these simple changes were sensational for the day. Earl’s influence gave the 341 convertible coupe a lower and longer stance than its predecessor, though other body styles benefited more from his touch, including the elegant sport phaeton. This car’s paint is wearing thin in places, the chrome bumpers have seen better days, the tires probably need replacing by now. Meanwhile, very nice examples change hands for around the asking price of this one; fifteen years ago, these cars sold for twice as much. My hunch is the seller will need to offer a discount to move this big Caddy along; what do you think?
I think he paid too much for it 4 years ago, the paint is weak, the wheels, bumpers and the entire undercarriage is worse. Can’t imagine that he can get more now. Nice top though. Please don’t get me wrong, it looks like a wonderful driver, just not a 50 grand show car.
I would think if a person were selling something for that kind of money they would wash it:-)
I think he is showing us the “patina” that it has gained by sitting for many years.
Hey, it’s a Cadillac, a 95 year old Cadillac, it’s a convertible, it’s got a V8 and it runs – logic tells me it should be worth $50,000 but it’s not logic but emotion that controls classic cars sells. Seller should be lucky if he’s offered even $35,000.
I like everything about this well preserved classic except the price. What the owner paid in 2020 is more like it.
Looked up this old girl in Kimes and Clark, “Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1805-1942, Third Edition” (1996). Condition 5 (restoreable). Value listed: $12,000. So – 28 years ago the value was $12,000. The market for pre-war cars was largely WWII guys, who were 70+/- then. 28 years later……. read the obituary page. If this guy gets an offer of $8000, should take it. Don’t get me wrong: great car, personally love the pre-war stuff (of course, I’m 110 years old). (JK). But the market is what the market is.
If this car were $12k, it might find itself in my garage – I like its originality, I like all the picky weird things about pre-war cars – the starting ritual, the selectors, the rumble seats, the cabinets and pockets, sometimes you get a window shade! That spotlight is nice – I haven’t had a car with a spotlight yet. Synchros on the gearbox are a big plus.
Oh, and I wouldn’t restore it. Not worth it.
Nice job, Michelle, on sleuthing out the Southeby backstory, I guess the seller is a proponent of the “greater fool” theory. Having said that, this is quite an impressive car, I would love to take it for a spin.
Buying antique cars is a great investment . . . for the person who is selling them ???
Absolutely. I have done very well over the years buying and selling classic cars from Austin Sevens to Lamborghini’s. I just wish I was young enough to start all over again!
Yep…..nice write up M.R….
Couldn’t agree more Charles. As a kid
growing up in the ’60s, I used to hang out with a lot of old car guys– mostly
friends of Dad’s who bought them to
restore and preserve. Seems as though they were successful in their
endeavors as we now have a glut of
pre war and post war cars that today’s young person wouldn’t be caught dead in. And as Michelle said,
things like manual chokes, manual
spark advance, and the dreaded manual transmission are real turn offs for young people today. Hell, they think push button start is something new and exciting. Almost
every old car I saw back then had one. Didn’t start seeing key starting
til the ’50s when Chrysler it on their
entire line of products back then. Wish you guys could’ve seen all the
cars I saw in those days. Packards,
Pearce Arrows, Cords, Deusenbergs,
and so many more all driven with pride by the guys who brought them
back to life once more for their enjoyment and ours. Face it folks,
we’re the last of the line when it comes to the old car hobby today.
Who’s gonna buy ’em after we’re
gone?
30+ years ago when I was in my 30’s, my $$ was going to a mortgage and kids clothes and house stuff and and and…… Couldn’t find the resources (time or $$) to have an antique car to restore. And they were too expensive anyway. Now – have time and $$ to get one, they’re cheaper via the changing market. So it begs the question: if you’re one of the lunatic fringe (like me) that thinks pre-war cars are cool, and you now have the $$ / time to devote to an old car, especially since they’re ‘on sale’ and becoming even more ‘on sale’ all the time, do you do it?? Get a more unusual example; eg, Ford Model N vs Model T; after all, a paint job is a paint job is a paint job; better to put it on a more desirable car. Thoughts?
Would love to have this car (if it was inherited). Just detail the crap out of it and drive. I would worry about the wood wheels though.
Well Charles, I guess it’s just a matter of what floats your boat. After looking at all the pre war stuff showing up on BF, a true car person has a veritable buffet of pre war iron
to choose from. Like you, I myself
Recall the days when a car like this
one would fetch $50-75K but in
PRISTINE CONDITION! And not what
we have here, a tired looking old Caddy that’s gonna take deep pockets
to be made right again. Preservation
Is still an option provided you can the
car below the seller’s price of $50K.
What he did was buy it, get it home,
start pricing out what a full resto of
this car would cost him. And in so doing, he came down with the biggest
case of buyer’s remorse I’ve ever seen. Either that, or his wife told him
either the car goes or she does. All
you can do is make it safe to drive and enjoy it for what it is–a great old
car to have fun with. And yeah, I’d lose the wood spoke rims too. Not safe at any speed. Dad told me a story about the time he was driving his ’33 Chevy coupe when he took a
corner and all the spokes came out of
the driver’s side front rim. Would swap ’em out for a set of period correct wire wheels or disc type rims.
Any one of the two would be safer than what’s on it now.
Agreed. Not everybody in my household is convinced that I need an antique car (imagine that! Or an RV or flight lessons, for that matter. Go figure). Am not 100% certain that I’m ready to pull the lever on a 1919 Pierce Arrow or some such vehicle. Love to see them in museums or at shows. But……
My girls (SIL and niece) aren’t all that
keen on old cars either. They love the
K 5 because of all the stuff it has on it. Stuff like GPS, back up camera,
and some kinda system that lets you
watch movies while driving down the
road. What they don’t realize is that
the maintenance on this car gives me
nightmares. $300 for an oil change,
$200 to change out the wiper blades,
and God only knows the cost of a brake job will be when the time comes. That’s why I like older cars. A
guy like me can open the hood, find his way around, and save piles of cash while he’s at it. You take that ’72
Country Sedan with the 460 in it. Around my place, that car would NEVER run out of uses. From delivering huge orders on Door Dash,
to moving our stuff to a different storage facility, that wagon could save you at least $250 on truck rentals alone. Sometimes, I wish I could see well enough to drive just to
prove my point to them. Older cars are built better to last longer. That’s
Amy story and I’m stickin’ to it.