Vehicle Description
The Series 60 Special Cadillacs, including this lovely 1938 sedan,
are considered Full Classics according to the CCCA, making them
eligible for all the best shows and tours in the United States.
They're also wonderful cars to drive, with modern performance and
handsome styling that defined the late 1930s and early 1940s. This
restored example features a lovely Fairhaven Blue livery
surrounding a supremely comfortable gray cloth interior, and a
strong 346 V8 that floats all that refined elegance down the road
like a luxury yacht. Pre-war Cadillacs aren't found on the market
frequently, especially in this condition, so if you've been looking
to purchase the apex of American antique luxury you better act
fast, because this Caddy won't be with us long.
Sleek bodies like this always look great in vivid, dark colors, and
Cadillac's Fairhaven Blue never goes out of style, especially on a
senior-circuit Cadillac. This inaugural year of the 1st generation
Sixty Special showcased trend-setting features including an
integrated coupe-like trunk (which in turn launched the 'three-box'
sedan styling for years to come), deleted running boards,
convertible-style front-hinged doors with bright window frames, and
a steeply-raked windshield up front. Luxury vehicles in this class
were mostly built to be chauffeur-driven prior to the Sixty
Special, but this buxom beauty with its large 'four-window' canopy
glass area was intended to be owner-driven, and with that lofty
purpose it became quite a game-changer. Even Ms. Daisy could have
driven herself to the Piggly Wiggly in one of these if she so
chose. The design remains extremely attractive today with an
expensive look that hasn't changed in the last 80+ years. The
panels on this handsome sedan are in excellent condition, and the
shiny blue, top-driver quality finish is worthy of a Cadillac with
such pedigree, with depth and gloss all out of proportion to the
reasonable asking price. There's also a lot of chrome, from the
massive wind-swept grille to the big chrome bumpers, and the
taillights slightly hint at the tailfins that would arrive in 1948.
Beautifully presented with only minor imperfections to speak of,
this local show-worthy Caddy is an instant hit everywhere it goes,
and that's exactly what this groundbreaking model deserves.
There's more luxury inside, where the original bench seats have
been reupholstered in correct gray broadcloth that looks right for
1938. The soft upholstery is durable and handsome, and shows
incredibly little wear, which is probably because the status of
this car almost demands you to clean yourself up and wear a tuxedo
before you get inside. Beautiful ivory-colored plastic is used for
the banjo steering wheel and accessory knobs, the dashboard was
beautifully painted and polished, and the tall door panels are
ornately finished with original hardware and arm rests. A full
array of factory gauges give a comprehensive view of the engine,
and they're joined in the beautiful dash by multiple switches and a
factory clock that's flanked by chrome-accented speaker grills. The
slender shifter controls a 3-speed manual transmission, which was
the standard transmission in 1938, and there's an AM radio still
installed although it's not currently operable. The carpets are
plush and insulate the cabin nicely, the headliner is
original-style and taut, and the rear seat looks like it's rarely
seen passengers, because even the armrests show no wear. There's
also a rather large trunk with correct upholstery, a full-sized
spare, and a complete jack assembly.
Power comes from Cadillac's famous 346 cubic inch flathead V8,
which was later used extensively in Sherman tanks during World War
II, which speaks to its bulletproof reliability. There's a reason
1938 Sixty Specials outsold every other Cadillac that year,
accounting for 39% of total sales that year. The engine makes 130
factory-rated horsepower and a serious dose of torque, and combined
with excellent gear spacing in the transmission, it's swift and
effortless in traffic, and will cruise all day at 60 MPH, making
late pre-war Cadillacs like this ideal tour cars. Very nicely
finished with correct engine paint and a proper oil bath air
cleaner, the engine bay is fully functional, the engine runs almost
silently, and the transmission shifts properly. The chassis appears
to have been restored with satin black paint, lots of new hardware,
and a sturdy and unique X-frame might be more at home supporting a
bridge somewhere, as it easily supports the 4K plus pounds of this
big body touring car. That double-drop frame allowed for the Sixty
Special to sit 3-inches lower than the rest of the Cadillacs of the
era, and that awesome stance is further enhanced by the
paint-matched steel wheels adorned with correct Cadillac hubcaps
and Firestone Deluxe Champion 7.00-16 whitewall bias-ply tires.
Enthusiasts already know what magnificent road cars these are, and
any grand tour or CCCA Caravan will typically include several 1938
Sixty Special leading the herd. American automotive legend Bill
Mitchell designed this fantastic car and called it 'the first
hardtop', and the industry has been copying its styling cues ever
since. Own a piece of motoring history, call today!
