Vehicle Description
1918 Cadillac 57 Series Touring
It was 1917, amidst the feral ugliness that was then known as The
Great War, and for the first time, America would cross an ocean to
fight. The American Expeditionary Forces, (AEF), were the American
forces sent to Europe in April of 1917 to help expedite the
conclusion of the French fracas. At that time among the Army brass,
Cadillac was the military marque of choice in those days, offering
a combination of luxuriousness and toughness appealing to those who
ran the wars. The first mechanized American military movements ever
conducted; a cross-country test with a fleet of Cadillacs decorated
for a variety of uses was completed in 1915, and in July 1917,
Cadillac finished first in a grueling 2,000-mile test in Marfa,
Texas, resulting in the wreath-and-crest becoming the preferred
marque of U.S. military officers. In lieu of olive drab, the
military color at the time was blue.
While not proven to be only one of a few military brass owned
Cadillacs, this 1918 Cadillac 57 Series Touring car for consignment
is decked out in the correct military royal blue and black color.
It is fully restored and shows very well in our Hallowed Halls.
Seating for 7, a V8, leather interior, and a useable convertible
top, all from over 105 years ago and looking the part. Who knows
the wonderful "rich" history of those 105 years, but it's here for
the taking.
Exterior
From the side, this is a very large automobile, we see 125-inches
of wheelbase which is rolling on 35-inch wood spoked wheels and
35x5" rubber. Royal blue steel is fashioned into 4 doors, a long
cowled hood, and a high curved back tub. This is framed on either
side with curved front and rear fenders which are painted black. To
add more contrast, a black appointed radiator surround with the
gold crest and shield emblem, and black headlight casings house the
electrics for the round chrome bezel headlights on either side. A
large round searchlight hangs off of the driver's side, and has a
black rear view mirror on top. The front of the car is protected by
a round black steel bar with fire extinguisher styled vertical
adornments which are actually part of the suspension and leads the
way for this car. The similar setup is on the back, however this
also has dual spare tires attached as roads of the day could be a
challenge, and a spare tire change would be nothing unheard of on a
short trip. All steel is rust free, has some patina, crazing and a
few chip offs with minor dents and dings, but considering it is
over 105 years old, it's in amazing condition. A long black canvas
top is stretching from the black framed front windshield to the
rear curved tub and presents in excellent condition with easy
movements if you want to go topless. Solid running boards stretch
from fender to fender and allow easy access to the inside seating
for 7. Small wing glass windows are on either side of the front
glass and small driving lights are mounted in the firewall.
Interior
Let's climb inside this piece of history, and swinging the doors
reveals a padded black leather covered paneled door liner. Sitting
on wood floors which are solid, we have 2 long overstuffed
"couches" if you will in black leather. These are padded wide
rounded tuck and roll tops and bottoms and show some wear, but it's
slight and in the corners of the benches. A big wood steering wheel
is situated atop a shiny adjustable steel column and is mounted to
a black dash which is peppered with various round gauges, levers,
and a few large pulls. The steering wheel has a large throttle
lever in its center and there is a floor shifter and handbrake. In
back of the front bench are also dual briefcase like boxes which
transform into 2 additional jump style seats for the seating for 7.
The floors for the back passengers offer up carpeting and plenty of
space for those jump seat passengers. It's nice to see that over
100 years ago government officials were able to live high off the
hog and they were doing so at the taxpayer's expense and sparing
none of it. So nothing has changed in over 105 years!
Drivetrain
Under the cowled hood is also no expense spared with a large 314.5
l-head V8. It has a 1-barrel carburetor and a 3-speed manual
transmission on the back. The rear axle weighs in at a 4.43 ratio.
Stock exhaust and plenty of cast pieces and add on for this
mechanical wonder.
Undercarriage
The restoration of this car also included the undercarriage which
presents with no rust or even road dirt. It's all black painted
stamped and cast steel and is solid as a rock. Leaf springs provide
the ride, and mechanical drum brakes are on the rear axle only.
Drive-Ability
Since emerging from long term storage we did verifythat the engine
turns by hand, but no attempt was made to start it.
Plenty of preservation going on here and maybe even a bit of
history, but it definitely involved some one of affluence and
social status or they worked for the government. A piece for the
collection, with plenty of historical steel to go with it. All in
very good condition.
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our
showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just
1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The
website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888)
227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come
see the vehicle in person.
