Old cars, especially substantial old cars that have a story, are always interesting. And this 1937 Cadillac Series 75 limousine is no exception. I have seen many from this generation (’36-’37) but I believe that this is the first that I have encountered that has an open chauffeur compartment and yes, a story. Claimed as a barn find, this Cadillac is located in Templeton, Massachusetts and is available, here on eBay for $35,100, reserve not yet met.
Purchased new in 1937 for $7,800, this Cadillac was owned by the wealthy CEO of the 1/2 mile Bel Air Race Track (horses) in Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland. The owner sold the car in 1950, and the racecourse in 1957 – it’s now the location of a shopping mall. The buyer was the original owner’s chauffeur and he, in turn, sold it to a physician from North Carolina in 1963. The physician passed in 2021 and his widow sold the Caddy to the current owner and he, and the car, reside in Massachusetts. I’m not sure where the barn find business comes into play, a throw-away term maybe, but 85 years of life has generated 73K miles on this limo and it is well documented.
It is claimed to be one of approximately 4K assembled and it is in survivor condition with all of the small shortcomings that entail an automobile of this age. The most obvious issues are the wrinkled fabric landau top covering and the badly delaminated glass. Note the removable fabric top over the chauffeur compartment, I think this is the first time that I have noticed that feature on a chauffeur-driven limousine. The seller adds, “The paint still shines which is mostly original and has chips and flaking as seen with oxidation and is by no means concourse condition but still a rust-free incredible rare survivor“. That seems like a fair assessment. Good to see is that prominent Cadillac grille which has avoided a contusion.
Power is provided by a 135 HP, 346 CI, flathead V8 engine connected to a three-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, ’37 was the last year for the floor shift as it moved to the steering column in ’38. The seller mentions that it was rebuilt a few years ago and “runs great”. Other mechanical improvements include, “Four brand new wheel cylinders, new master cylinder, electric fuel pump, brake shoes, original 1937 radiator with new copper recore, all fluids flushed, new exhaust system, carburetor full rebuild, and more, over $7000 in receipts“. Of note, the electrical system has been upgraded to an alternator.
Typical for a chauffeur-driven limousine is a leather-clad chauffeur’s compartment and a mohair fabric passenger compartment. It is said that the back seat upholstery, and headliner, are original, so that makes me think the Chauffeur’s compartment isn’t. The instrument panel isn’t as ostentatious as some that came later but its stately simplicity provides plenty of refined functionality. The entire interior environment is impressive!
So the 2020 appraisal puts the value of this Cadillac Series 75 at $102,000 but the bidding is pretty far removed from that number – and it gives you an idea of where the reserve is set. A car like this would have appealed to the previous owner, Dr. Don Temple, especially when acquired in 1963. As substantial as this automobile is, I can’t imagine that it will have a large following today. That’s not to say there will be no buyers for a value closer to the appraised value, but there are probably not many. Here’s a video that you can review and see what you think. There are several other videos, and many, many images too – you can access them via the listing. So based on the appraisal, what do you think, priced right or not quite?
This is a great looking antique! Thought it was a Lasalle at first – close cousin.
Have doubts about 4,000 Series 75’s being built in 1937, though. Sure the end of the depression was near, but that’s a lot of limousines…
🎶 🎸
..Well there she sits buddy just a-gleaming in the sun
There to greet a working man when his day is done
I’m gonna pack my pa and I’m gonna pack my aunt
I’m gonna take them down to the Cadillac ranch
Eldorado fins, whitewalls and skirts
Rides just like a little bit of heaven here on earth
Well buddy when I die throw my body in the back
And drive me to the junkyard in my Cadillac
Cadillac, Cadillac
Long and dark shiny and black
Open up your engines let ’em roar
Tearing up the highway like a big old dinosaur 🎶 🎵
Love the Springsteen song reference
Nice and a car not seen frequently but not my cup of tea. I think the market for these shrinks as older collectors drop out of the market
Sadly, a drug addict punk in a beat 90s Civic would plow into this beauty, which could barely survive in today’s Daytona 500 like speed traffic. Oh, and they are driving with their hands on a cell phone and crappy, burnt Starbucks $9 latte. Sad world we live in.
Yeah, that happens all the time when you own an old car….Why do you even look at this site ? All you ever do is complain ; either its a Mopar thats too expensive , or its an old car that cant keep up with todays cars and you’ll die if you try to drive one…
I was expecting a V12 or V16 under that giant hood! Rarely is a mere V8 a letdown.
This is a wonderful old car. That said, this body style hasn’t aged well and I have to think it will keep the price down, as will the lower-spec engine.
I should have said “this body configuration.” The actual styling is quite nice.
I think the styling is beautiful, until we get to the cover for the drivers compartment, then it looks like it was an add-on after the car was built. The rest of the car is very graceful but the soft top spoils the whole car for me. It looks like the top should have been connected to the steel bodywork in line with the roof and not an inch or so below it.
Both the big engines and the open chauffeur’s compartment came at a significant premium (a factor of several Chevys) over a “base” Cadillac Fleetwood V8 7-passenger touring sedan (no divider). Enough to make me wonder how often they were ordered on the same car.
Here’s a 1939 price list, a couple years later so by that time the V12 was gone but the V16 held on another year. Only those who absolutely had to have the most expensive thing would order it with anything but owner-driven bodywork;
http://www.oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/GM%20Corporate%20and%20Concepts/GM-Presents-for-1939/slides/GM_Presents_for_1939_Foldout-02.html
Great link. Thanks.
I believe the official model name for this amazing machine would be “Fleetwood 75 Town Cabriolet.”
From the GM Heritage Center: “Production of Cadillac Series 75 models totaled 4,232 for 1937. Total Cadillac production was 14,164.”
CCFisher,
This is the Fleetwood 75 Town Car, based on the chart mentioned above.
These were built to order, either for a specific purchaser, or a Cadillac dealership in a wealthy area, expecting to have a buyer once it is in stock. Based on research I’ve done on Packard, Cadillac, Lincoln and Imperial cars in that time frame, I would suggest Cadillac likely made only about 12, perhaps 15 examples that year. It’s certainly one of the rarest 1937 V8 Cadillacs.
At a time when the Buick 40 sedan retailed for under $1,000, and the LaSalle sedan was about $1,300, or the base Cadillac series 61 sedan at under $1,700, this car listed out at a whopping $5,100! But the same body in the Cadillac V-16 was almost $7,200 [The difference of TWO Buick series 40 sedans], or a total cost of TEN Chevy Master Deluxe 4 passenger Coupes!]
This is a gorgeous car. Won’t fit in the garage, but would be a heck of a hauler for the grandkids.
These are surprisingly short for a limo. My former boss had a 1947 Cadillac series 75 limo, it fit in my garage (barely).
I had a 1979 Mercury Cougar I had to sell because it was a couple inches too long to fit.
Beautiful limo but if I were a buyer I would be a little worried about the oil pressure guage as even on the open road the pressure doesn’t register very high according to the video.
I’m not surprised that the chauffer’s seat is leather while the passengers sit on mohair or broadcloth. Every Packard limousine from the 1930s that I have seen used leather upholstery in the chauffer’s compartment and broadcloth in the passenger compartment. I was told that this is because the chauffer’s seat gets much more use, and leather wears better than broadcloth.
This a great old car apparently in great survivor shape. I’d love it except for one thing. I’d be scared to death to drive a car this big. I’m not worried about it be underpowered. I’m worried about keeping track of where it all is.
The best part of the back story is the chauffer was able to buy the car from the original owner and drive it for 13 years.
370zpp,
Having grown up in the fairly well-off northwestern suburbs of Washington DC back in the 1960s and later, and as someone with a major interest in vintage luxury cars, I’m not surprised the chauffeur ended up with the car. Over and over again I heard about the family chauffeur either being given, or allowed to buy a beloved family car, on the cheap.
What I came to realize was that the chauffeur was the employee most likely to be treated almost as a family member, often entrusted with the safe transport of the family children, and tasked with obtaining special items in secret, for family member surprises.
Let’s take this ’37 Cadillac as an example. By 1950, that car was worth probably only $50, but not more than $100. I know of a man in Kensington, MD who bought a 1938 Cadillac 75 division window 7 passenger convertible sedan with a 3-position top. It had been a genuine White House car for FDR, and my friend bought it, again in 1950 [in near perfect condition] for $300. When it began overheating in 1953 he visited Capitol Cadillac and bought a new Eldorado, but the dealership said they didn’t want the old 1938 Caddy as a trade-in!
Back to the 1937 Town Car; The original owner probably knew by letting the chauffeur buy it cheap, he could rely on the chauffeur continuing to be a loyal driver for many years to come. In cases of the chauffeur working for a very wealthy employer, chances are the driver lived in an apartment above the garage, as he would be expected to be available on an almost 24/7 basis. And if he owned the older limo, should the replacement car be needed elsewhere or require a trip into the dealership for service, the old limo could be pressed into service!
My grandfather had a sedan version of this. I remember riding in it. Wish he’d kept it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9swzSrPQgQ
While I understand the enclosed cabin for the owners, why would the chauffeur, who is responsible for their safety and getting them to their destination be forced to ride out in the open exposed to the elements. Think of a big rainstorm. Owners would be protected but the guy driving could be pelted with hail causing him to possibly lose control and crash? Doesnt seem to make any sense.
Someone enlighten me if these is some rationale for this.
Hi Brad460,
I’ve been told (or read somewhere) that the practice goes back to the horse and buggy days when the coachman (driver) sat up front, up high out in the weather. This goes back to when servants where cheap and one had an image to keep up. I agree that it makes no sense on any level to have the driver and the car exposed like that.