Vinny O'Hare

Pictures From Barrett-Jackson Auction

Last night I had the honor of going to the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale Arizona. It is the second time going for me and first time bringing a camera. Last year their website said no cameras so I only had my IPad with me. A few hours before going I hit them up on Twitter and they gave me permission to bring a camera. I guess they eased up on the rule of no cameras. Below is the new Cadillac ELR which my girlfriend Debbie and her daughter Liz liked. You can see them showing me where it plugs in.

Of course they had the new 2014 Cadillac CTS VSport Twin Turbo on hand. If you have never been to a Barrett-Jackson auction it isn’t all about the older cars that are being auctioned off. Most car companies have their new models to show off.

As I got closer to the stage there was a charity car that was being sold that went for around 200k. The next car up was a 1937 Cadillac V12 Formal Sedan that only went for 40k or so. It was easily a steal at that price but everyone was so caught up in the charity excitement this one got a new home for a great price.

There were some beauties at the auction like this 1947 Cadillac

My favorite Cadillac was also represented. I don’t know why the 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible appeals to me so much. This one was white with a black top and such a delight.

There were also some custom ones like this 1956 Cadillac. Check out the huge engine in it. I can say I was liking the color but not the engine.

After going through the main tent I went outside where they have 4 or 5 other tents that don’t have sides. This 1960 was getting dusty.

1963 Cadillac – Not as nice as the 63 that comes to the Resorts show back in NY but still nice.

Don’t know what year this is. I want to say a 1956? If anyone can figure it out leave it in the comments.

Of course there were a few pro cars like this custom Cadillac Hearse. It had a huge wrap around sofa in the back.

You can see the rest of the photos on our Cadillac Flickr account. While you are at it ad me as a friend over there so you get to se what I upload right away.

Over the next few days I will be sending a few more emails than usual. I was at the Auto collection show at the Quad casino (Formerly the Imperial Palace) and took some pictures. I am also working on figuring out a misfire in Liz’s 2008 Saturn Astra that has me going crazy since I am not use to working on the new cars. I also don’t have many tools out here in Arizona. I am also going to give you an update on our NY house. It is 99% rebuilt but now we have a bigger battle with Flood insurance. I may do that update as a podcast too because typing it out I am sure I will miss something.

An Escalade as a Christmas Decoration?

By Vinny O'Hare

While I couldn’t be in NYC for the big announcement that Saks Fifth ave was including the 2015 Cadillac Escalade as a display. I was able to get my friend Bruce from Photoznyc to go an take some shots of it. I am forever grateful to Bruce for this. Go give his Facebook page a “Like” if you like looking at cool car photos.

Cadillac Escalade in Window

As you can tell it wasn’t your ordinary display. Saks Fifth Ave really knows how to do a window display around Christmas time. Here is a video on how they put it all together.

Cadillacs at Scottsdale Good Guys Car Show

By Vinny O'Hare

Our friend Joe Fortuna sent in some pictures from the Scottsdale Good Guys car show held in the Scottsdale Pavilion. This show was on December 7th and the guys did their annual Ronald McDonald house fundraiser.

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Thanks Joe for sending them in. They sure are beauties, I like the silver one on top the best. Joe also told me he is looking for a hard copy of the May issue of the Self Starter CLC magazine. If anyone has a copy and they are willing to get it in Joe’s hands let me know and I will forward the contact info. I look forward to seeing Joe at Barrett-Jackson again this year.

From the Mailbag!

This weeks letter comes from Kristen up in New York. Unfortunately she didn’t send any pictures so it is hard to give her a price.

My ’75 Cadillac DeVille was a beauty, indigo blue with blue brocade interior, big chrome bumpers, nice whitewalls, 19 and a half feet long. It rode like a dream. I felt like I was riding in a sailboat. Idling at a light I sometimes wondered if the engine was still running — it was so quiet and smooth. The sound of the radio was mellow and rich. The horn blast announced itself unmistakably as Cadillac! I loved it.

It’s still somewhat of a beauty, though aged. Sadly, it is no longer on the road due to much rust on the body and undercarriage from winter salt. I took it off the road in 2002, on the urging of others who said it wasn’t safe. They may have been right. An estimate for restoration almost 20 years ago was $5,000: to sandblast and get it in perfect shape, guaranteed to last — only if not driven in winter and stored in a heated garage. I couldn’t do that. My mechanic suggested I get another one from the south, similar vintage, and keep mine for parts, since the engine was so good. I couldn’t do that either. I just kept it in the garage.

Why do I still have it? Not only did I really enjoy the car, I’ve found it hard to part with because it was my father’s. Letting it go means letting go of another part of him. He loved his Cadillacs, and this was his best. He changed his motor oil (himself) every 1,000 miles (since his first car in 1919). I continued a similar schedule, and drove it with a gentle foot. Now that it’s time to sell, I wish I could know the engine — 68k — would go into another great old Caddie. How do I find a buyer for this car who will see its value, not regard it as a heap of metal?

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