Vehicle Description
452ci OHV V-16 Engine
Twin Detroit Carburetors
165bhp at 3,400rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Front and Rear Leaf Spring Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*Elegant and sporting Fleetwood bodywork
*Recently completed concours restoration
*Documented by Factory Build Records
*A CCCA Full Classic®
The V16 Cadillac
Cadillac astonished the world's automotive elite when it introduced a spectacular new ultra-luxury car, powered by an amazing 16-cylinder engine, at the 1930 New York Salon. This new super-sized Cadillac was clearly a General Motors response to the Duesenberg Model J, introduced by E. L. Cord the year before. However, while the snarl of the Duesenberg straight eight flaunted its raw, race-bred power, the Cadillac V16 would set new benchmarks for smooth, silent and superbly impressive performance.
Cadillac created the V16 to compete with and exceed the standards of the best automobiles in the world. GM dispatched a group of the new cars to Europe, where the Continent's most erudite automotive connoisseurs were invited to compare, first-hand, the beauty and substance of the Cadillac V16 against the upper-crust cars of the time—including Isotta-Fraschini, Hispano-Suiza, Mercedes-Benz and, of course, Rolls-Royce. An impressive number of early V16s were exported as a result.
The heart of the Cadillac V-16 was of course its magnificent engine. Displacing 452 cubic inches, it produced up to 185 horsepower. Beautifully detailed and meticulously sculpted, the engine's appearance was just as awe-inspiring as its soon-to-be-legendary smoothness and quietness.
The first Cadillac V16s were enthusiastically received but soon ran into the reality of the Depression. Production ran virtually unchanged through 1931 but Cadillacs were redesigned in 1932 with longer, lower bodies and freestanding headlights among other changes. Cadillac built only 300 V16s during 1932, a huge drop from the nearly 3000 built in the enthusiasm of 1930 and the reality of 1931, making the 1932 Cadillac V16s extremely rare. It was the last year for the classic flat radiator grille and open front fenders style as well, reflecting refinement of the classic look with which Harley Earl had worked for so long and with such success in Los Angeles.
The Motorcar Offered
This Cadillac 452-B was one of only 296 V16 Cadillacs built in 1932. Built in the third week of March, 1932, copies of the original build sheets show that the car was ordered in February of '32 by Cadillac Auto Co. of Boston, Massachusetts. A 5-passenger Sedan body was supplied by Fleetwood for the short wheelbase (143" chassis). Interestingly, the original factory build sheets list the car as a Fleetwood but include the style number as "32-16-209", uniquely listing as a Fleetwood body with a Fisher style number. Finished in Viceroy Maroon Dark paint over brown broadcloth, the elegant custom sedan arrived in Boston just in time for the spring of 1932.
The early history of the car subsequent to its delivery is not as of yet known but by 1988 the car was in Liberty Corners, New Jersey with Tri-Corner Classic Cars. The car was purchased by Terrence Teodori in November of '88 and subsequently acquired by the Canton Classic Car Museum in April 2007. Upon acquisition, a complete and thorough restoration was taken to return the car to the way it would have appeared in that third week of March, 1932. Beginning in 2007 and only recently completed, a file documents all of the restoration work completed. The engine and drive train have been completely rebuilt, including ring and pinion gears.
The Cadillac appears today in its original color scheme and shows very well. The richly hued Viceroy Dark Metallic paint presents very nicely while the prodigious amounts of chrome are freshly done and shiny. Inside, the brown broadcloth remains all original only to display how wonderfully this car has been preserved. The interior invites passengers and driver alike to take a seat in the elegantly trimmed cabin resplendent with stained wood inlay.
Cadillac was at the top of the heap in 1932, and the V16 was the pinnacle of Cadillac's offerings. The legendary V16 has lost none of its respect or authority and still reigns supreme as one of the most well-known Cadillacs ever built. A CCCA Full Classic®, it is eligible for numerous events and in the present condition it is sure to perform well at shows and tours alike.
