Vehicle Description
Fifteen years ago, Stephen Barton set out to win the Don Ridler
Award, the custom car world's most prestigious honor. He died in
January 2018, before he could see the CadMad, a 1959 Cadillac
Eldorado Brougham with a body by Pininfarina, on display in
Detroit's Cobo center. The CadMad took 10 craftsmen to build and
Craig Barton hoisted the 2019 Ridler Award trophy overhead in
celebration of a victory that his late brother dreamed of. Judges
named CadMad the best of 800 cars at the 2019 Autorama. This car
was one of 99 built in 1959 with a body and interior by
Pininfarina. It started by chopping 18-inches in length, 4-inches
of width and sectioning 2-inches from the lower body mass to give
the car a more modern profile. After remnants were acid-dipped to
remove the lead Pininfarina added during manufacturing, the altered
steel panels were tack-welded together to serve as a visual model
for the handcrafted custom body to follow. Four doors gave way to
two, and the roof from a Chevrolet Nomad made the Caddy a sport
wagon. This Cadillac's flying hood ornament, head and taillamps,
bumpers, grille, side spears, wheel treatments and steering wheel
all made the leap from the Eldorado Brougham to CadMad with subtle
alterations. Nelson Racing Engines built a 632ci big-block
Chevrolet V8 engine paired to an automatic transmission that is
bolted to a 4L60E C5 Corvette transaxle. Fueled by racing fuel and
boosted by a pair of 88mm turbochargers, the engine makes a
neck-snapping 1025hp and 950 ft/lbs of torque. Tucked away is the
starter, air-conditioning compressor and alternator under the floor
at the back of the car. Everything sits on a space frame with a
backbone and peripheral elements fashioned from 1-5/8-inch-diameter
steel tubing, handcrafted suspension and steering components, Baer
6-piston brake calipers and 14-inch vented rotors with an electric
booster. The car uses coilovers at each corner. It rides on EVOD
Industries machined 18-inch wheels wrapped in Vogue 18-inch radials
that have a thin strip that matches the car's paint. The interior
features an EVOD steering wheel, instrument bezel, Classic
Instruments gauges and leather RECARO bucket seats from a 2012
Cadillac CTS-V. The cargo floor was crafted by Heiden's Woodworking
using striped tigerwood, figured maple and African wenge. A liberal
application of urethane protects the wood and a master pinstriper,
matched the wood grain in hand-painted dash and door surfaces. The
exterior is finished in a two-tone scheme of Fawntana Rose and
Titanium Silver with three Kustom Shop urethane base coats, four
color coats and half a dozen PPG clear coats. Over 4,000 hours were
spent building and finishing the body.
