Cadillac Stories

1911 Cadillac Finds a New Home in Australia

This week I got an interesting email from Malcolm in Australia. I will let him explain why his English Riley is on a Cadillac site.

Hi Vinny,

I am a new member to your Cadillac Country Club and read your emails and attached articles with great interest – there’s nothing like a car club that relates to a special make of car to get members talking about their ‘pride and joy’! Congratulations on getting the Club up and running – well done!

I live in a regional city called Townsville which is located on the north-eastern coast of Australia, 1100 kms north of Brisbane and 340 kms south of Cairns. I have just finished restoring an English Riley and although your members might think of me as a heretic in hallowed halls of Cadillac I just have to include a photo because I love her long classy body and sexy curves.

Riley car in Australia — Malcolm and His Restored Riley

But enough of the English. In three weeks time I will be driving to Melbourne (a 6,000 km round trip) to bring home my next restoration project – a 1911 Cadillac 30. It was ‘love at first sight’ even though I will be starting off with just the chassis, engine, drive shaft, wheels and fenders – a challenge, that’s for sure (see attached photos). But somewhere in my besotted brain I thought ‘if I can restore her to her former glory I will die a happy and contented man’. This thought has been strengthened even more by the most beautiful photo I’ve ever seen of a fully restored 1911 Cadillac 30, which I purchased on Ebay as well as an original maintenance manual.

Before Restoration of a 1911 Cadillac — Beautiful 1911 Cadillac Awaiting Restoration.

Historically, the Cadillac was a popular car with wealthy property owners (graziers) running sheep or cattle, because the cars were strong and reliable, and able to withstand the rugged conditions of the Australian ‘outback’ (or what you would call ‘frontierland’). So, a significant number were imported from America. So far, I know of a 1911 or 1912 in Cairns, Canberra and Melbourne. Hopefully I will locate more as a source of parts, information and advice!

1911 Cadillac cockpit — 1911 Cadillac Body

Naturally, I would love to hear from any of your members that have, or know where I can buy, spare parts for a 1911 Cadillac 30.

Cheers, and keep up the good work

Mal

1911 Cadillac frame — 1911 Cadillac Frame and Drive Shaft

I hope you enjoyed Malcolm’s email. It absolutely makes my day when someone half way around the world sends me pictures and a Cadillac story. I am sure we will be hearing from Malcolm as he rebuilds his vintage Cadillac. If you want to help him out feel free to leave advice in the comments if you know where he can get parts. I have sent him to a nice Cadillac club that I am sure will be a big help to him. If you want to see what it is going to look like when it is finished visit our 1911 Cadillac page.

1968 Cadillac Coupe Deville

By Vinny O'Hare

Got a few stories this week from members that wanted to tell their story so here they are.

Bruce from Victoria British Columbia sent is a sweet picture of his 1968 Cadillac Coupe De Ville.

1968 black Cadillac in Victoria British Columbia

In the fall of 1968 my Grandfather purchased a new 68 Coupe De Ville trading in his 61. He had always driven Cadillacs as far back as I can remember. The car unfortunately was too long for the garage. However the family rallied together and the situation was rectified by building a nose cone for the garage. Around the late 70s when my grandfather could no longer drive he signed it over to my mother to get him and my grandmother around town.

After his passing in 1980 the car saw very limited use and upon my grandmother’s passing a few years later the car was virtually put into hibernation. Fast forward to the year 2009 when my mother decided to let the car go. A buyer was found, a deal struck but at the last minute she backed out saying the car was meant to stay in the family. The perpected buyer understood this and he just asked that we keep in touch. That Christmas Mom surprised me by handing me the keys and asking me to take it home. I was thrilled over the prospects of owning such a car but bewildered as to where I would put it. I already had a garage full of classic Mopars.

A 1965 Valiant convertible and a 1965 Barracuda. Well it was decided That I would have to enlarge my stable. That following spring I set to work and all was done by the end of May. On July 2nd 2010 a friend of mine and I journeyed over to the mainland with the intent of driving the Caddy home. With a new battery and a few anticipated spare parts we arrived mid morning. The car started up with no problem and after a few safety checks /trip around the block we were on the road. Considering the car had not seen the light of day since the mid 80s and was running on all its original equipment including the bias ply tires it drove flawlessly.
I have spent most over 1010-11 going over it mechanically and giving it a cosmetic face lift.. Repainting it and replating any deteriorated chrome work. the interior remains untouched with its factory installed power bucket seats.

This fall after all work was completed I journeyed back to see Mom with the car. The visit was a total surprise to her and a few tears were shed as she looked over my handy-work a reminisced the day her Dad brought it home. The icing on the cake was when she spotted the metal Dealer Script on the trunk. the original one had gone missing years back and through the Internet I was able to locate a pristine replacement. Mileage to date on the car is just over 33k. The last 2 thousand I put on it since bringing it home.

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Another cool story we got this week was from Sylvester Collins from Alabama who owns a 1999 Cadillac Deville Concourse. Here is his story.

Well in 2009 I was living in Phoenix,Arizona I went to buy a Chrysler 300 but the sale person told me that he thought I would look good in a Cadillac so I bought a Cadillac instead. Man what a choice I then drove my Cadillac across country 1800 plus miles all alone to Alabama where I later became the president & founder of the first legal and register Cadillac club in the state of Alabama. Visit my web-site at Alabama Cadillac Club we are a non-profit charitable organization.

1998 Cadillac DeVille DeElegance in Texas

By Vinny O'Hare

Just received a cool email from Larry in Texas who just signed up for our club. He just became a Cadillac owner and you will be surprised at how he did it.

I had a 1995 Chevrolet Camaro that was eating me out of house and home in gas, (V6), in beautiful near perfect condition. 145,000 orig. miles on it. I went to a dealership nearby, looking for a Cadillac, and I was low on cash, so I asked if they had a nice Cadillac “in the back”, he said that one of the other sales persons traded for a Mercedes Benz the day before and traded this 1998 Caddy in.

We went to look at it and it wouldn’t start (battery cell out), got it started, and I drove it. It was near perfect itself with 96,000 miles on it. I fell in love! We started talking trade, he told me $777.00 cash and I could drive it home. I told him all I had was the title and car, NO MONEY, he said let me check on something, (went to talk to sales manager), came back and asked if I had $200.00.

I said I told you no, he went back to the manager, came back said Larry do you have $100.00 on you? I said no, I told him if it’s honest money you want, I have $21.00 on me I’ll give it to you, He went to talk again, came back, and said give me the $21.00 and handed me the keys! I am sooooo pleased with BOTH the car and the deal! I didn’t even pay lic. and tax. I got BLESSED!

I’ve had it 3 weeks now. All I have replaced on it was the battery, and the windshield wipers. Everything else is perfect! Oh yeah, when he took my $21.00 I asked him how was I going to get gas to get home? He went and put 9 gals. in it. GOD IS GOOD!

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Thanks for sharing your story Larry and congrats on buying a Cadillac and for finding our club. I am looking forward to your post on our Cadillac forum. I wish you the best of luck with your new car.

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