Vehicle Description
GM's long-serving president, Alfred P. Sloan was a man of
tremendous vision. He saw the company into its greatest days and in
the process developed many new strategies that still influence the
automobile industry to this day. One of his more influential ideas
was that of the companion brand. In the 1920s, Sloan had seen an
ever growing price gap between the various brands within GM. Buick,
Oldsmobile and Oakland each had their own companion brand to help
bridge the gaps between lines, in the form of Marquette, Viking and
Pontiac, respectively. When looking at Cadillac, Sloan decided that
a new companion line should be offered below the famous brand, one
that would provide "built by Cadillac" prestige at a price point
that was more realistic for upper-middle class buyers. The new
brand was called LaSalle and it offered a full range of attractive
body styles built by Fisher and Fleetwood. The attractive bodies
were penned by a talented young stylist named Harley Earl, in his
first role at General Motors. LaSalle enjoyed a rather successful
run in its first few years, beginning in 1927. The Harley Earl
styling was fresh and very attractive and LaSalle's influence began
to trickle down across the rest of the GM line. Fitment of
Cadillac's V8 engine meant the LaSalle was quite rapid and sporty
thanks to the smaller and lighter chassis in comparison to its big
brother. The onset of the Great Depression did put a damper on
sales, however. Marquette and Viking had been killed off by 1930,
but LaSalle was allowed to soldier on until the plug was pulled in
1941. In spite of consistently outselling Cadillac, LaSalle was
shuttered to protect Cadillac's reputation as a leader in the
market against the likes of cross-town rivals at Packard. Our
featured 1930 LaSalle Model 4060 Phaeton is a handsome older
restoration and a very usable example of this classic marque. The
very desirable Fleetwood-built Phaeton body is finished in cream
over brown fenders, chassis and coach lines with orange pinstripes
and cream wheels providing the accents. While the restoration was
completed some years ago, it was a proper full-nut-and-bolt affair
that still presents nicely today. The paint is lovely, with a nice
gloss and crisp body lines. A myriad of accessories are fitted such
as dual sidemount spares, chrome spare-mounted mirrors, radiator
stone guard, twin Trippelights, goddess radiator mascot and wind
wings. Much of the chrome has been refreshed, though the bumpers do
appear a bit careworn, though otherwise straight and solid. The tan
leather interior is tidy and attractive with a moderate patina on
the front seats and carpet, while the rear seat doesn't show too
many signs of use. The driver's seat shows some heavy creasing
though is intact and still quite attractive. Original instruments
grace the simple and clean dash, with dials to indicate water temp,
oil pressure, amps, fuel level, speed as well as a lovely Jaeger
clock. The large tan canvas top is in very good condition, showing
no staining or excessive wear. Likewise, the top frame operates
smoothly and is straight and free of damage. A matching tan canvas
cover is fitted over the trunk, which is held in place with bridle
leather straps. Cadillac's famous V8 engine is found under the hood
and is well presented. The engine is clean and presents in period
appropriate finishes, though it is not fussy or overdetailed. The
presentation is in keeping with approachable and usable nature of
this car. The V8 runs strong, smooth and the car performs simply
beautifully on the road. As a recognized CCCA Full Classic, it
would make an excellent tour car and would be superb for taking the
family on ice cream runs or weekend getaways. It is easy to operate
and a delight to drive, particularly when the large top is folded
and everyone can enjoy the open air and the spacious cabin. ils.