When it came to exclusivity and automobile bragging rights, Cadillac buyers who got behind the wheel of a Series 90 in 1938 had plenty to boast about, as they could tell all their friends that it was the only car brand made in America to offer V16 power at the time.  Whoever ends up with this 1938 Cadillac Series 90 sedan here on eBay will have even more to vaunt, as it comes with some impressive history, including a couple of prominent past owners.  This beauty is in Bremerton, Washington. If you want it, check it out in person; bidding is already up to $16,600.

For a vehicle not far from becoming a centenarian, it’s a treat that so much of its past is known, including being delivered to a Hollywood film studio when new.  It’s thought to have been driven by none other than Darryl Zanuck, a noted film producer and co-founder of 20th Century Fox.  The Cadillac also spent time in the collection of Roy Warshewsky, the creator of the J.C. Whitney automobile catalog, and was later purchased by Estee Lauder heir Ronald Lauder.

This one’s not only beautiful but also quite rare, as only 514 Series 90s were built during its three years of production, from 1938 to 1940.  According to the seller, of that number, just 18 were of the seven-passenger town car design like this car, known as style #9053.  One of my favorite features is the removable roof section up front, but that’s only one of the many fine attributes here, with others including the suicide doors, fender-mounted spare tire covers, and the Winged Goddess hood ornament, which also serves as a latch.

The back seat looks more like a padded couch, and with the additional jump seats, there’s room for five occupants in the rear compartment.  The chauffeur’s quarters are separated by a roll-up glass partition, trimmed in beautiful wood on all sides.  Up front, the driver enjoys black leather seating, with the steering wheel and left door panel showing some wear.  However, both the front and rear areas look quite good overall.

Equally impressive is the powerplant, a 431 cubic-inch V16 engine which includes a pair of carburetors.  185 horsepower may not sound high for modern cars, but it was a lot back then, providing plenty of smooth pep to move the heavy Cadillac around nicely.  Although this one’s not quite immaculate, it appears very well preserved for the most part, and I’d probably focus on continuing to provide this 1938 Cadillac Series 90 with a high-level of care instead of making any improvements immediately.  Any thoughts to share here, or ideas on how much this beauty might sell for?