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1959 Cadillac Limousine identification plate mystery

Started by bongo7777, January 15, 2010, 01:55:17 AM

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bongo7777

I have a 59 Limousine with an ID plate that someone may be able to explain for me.  It is located to the left of the standard ID plate on the drivers side cowl. It is a small plate with
SO. 90627 and under that is stamped the date 5-7-59.
Can anyone help?
Graham.
Melbourne, Australia.
Graham Waddingham.
1941 Cadillac Sedanette, 1942 Sedanette, 1955 Fleetwood, 1955 Meteor Hearse,
1956 Sedan DeVille, 1956 Fleetwood 75, 1956 Eldorado,
1957 Fleetwood, 1957 Eldorado, 1958 Fleetwood 75 series, 1959 75 Limousine, 1960 Flat Top, 1960 Limousine, 1960 Fleetwood, 1960 convertible. 1953 Cadillac 75 Imperial Derham, 1949 Cadillac Imperial,

59califun

Topi Hynynen, North Hollywood, California
WANTED: 1959 Cpe

veesixteen

It is definitely a "Special Order" car.  Can you tell us what is "special" about it (color, trim, accessories ?)  Some pics would be nice too.
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

bongo7777

Quote from: veesixteen on January 15, 2010, 09:18:07 AM
It is definitely a "Special Order" car.  Can you tell us what is "special" about it (color, trim, accessories ?)  Some pics would be nice too.
Hi Yann,
I don't know that there is anything all that different with it. It does have cruise control and the interior is different to most I have seen. It is a grey cord very much like my 1960 Limousine rear seat.
This car has both front and rear seats the same instead of the leather front and fabric rear seat. It looks to be original and in very good condition. It has the divider window also.
I purchased it from a woman in Texas.  It was part of a marriage split up, it only arrived here last week.  It has been rose pink at some stage a long time ago. The original color was black as indicated on the ID plate, 10.  The pink paint was a really good job and was complete, even inside the doors and door jambs.  I guess there is a possability the pink may have been a facory "redo". It may have been finnised in black and then changed at the factory.  I think the black paint on it now is the third paint job.
Thanks for your help.
Graham.
Graham Waddingham.
1941 Cadillac Sedanette, 1942 Sedanette, 1955 Fleetwood, 1955 Meteor Hearse,
1956 Sedan DeVille, 1956 Fleetwood 75, 1956 Eldorado,
1957 Fleetwood, 1957 Eldorado, 1958 Fleetwood 75 series, 1959 75 Limousine, 1960 Flat Top, 1960 Limousine, 1960 Fleetwood, 1960 convertible. 1953 Cadillac 75 Imperial Derham, 1949 Cadillac Imperial,

Barry Norman

Wonder if the Fleetwood/Eldorado wheelcovers and powered vents were special order ? Never saw a limo with those options !
Barry Norman

Misfit

It could be that the car was ordered by him with a few extras, and ridden in by her. Only he was the driver and she sat in the back with the divider up !!!   :D

Gorgeous car though. Could I be so nosy as to what you paid for it?

Fins

TonyZappone #2624

Perhaps the division window is the special order item.  The car is  a 6723, which I thought was a seven passenger sedan without division.   Maybe not.
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

veesixteen

You have answered my question.  What is "special" about he car is that it was built as a sedan (style 6723) but is fitted with the division glass of the imperial (style 6733).  I guess if you got a hold of the factory build sheet, that fact would be shown, as well as the optional electric ventipanes.  Lovely car, BTW.
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

veesixteen

Note also that the stock 1959 "Series 67" cars (called the Seventy-Five Sedan and Limousine) had the regular '59 wheel covers and the regular rear grille with a single row of "bullets".
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

bongo7777

Thank you all for opening my eyes!  I have been calling it a Limousine when in fact it is a 75 series sedan.  I should have known this from the VIN 59R88860  the "R" of course indicating it is a sedan.  If it was an "S" it would be a Limousine.  I just assumed it was a Limo as it has the divider window. I was unaware of the S.O. tag until it arrived this week and had not noticed the tag on any other car here in Australia.
I have requested a vehicle invoice and build sheet from GM Media Archive. I will post the results when it is available.
I have been searching the net for body tag accessories decoding, can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks again,
Graham.
Graham Waddingham.
1941 Cadillac Sedanette, 1942 Sedanette, 1955 Fleetwood, 1955 Meteor Hearse,
1956 Sedan DeVille, 1956 Fleetwood 75, 1956 Eldorado,
1957 Fleetwood, 1957 Eldorado, 1958 Fleetwood 75 series, 1959 75 Limousine, 1960 Flat Top, 1960 Limousine, 1960 Fleetwood, 1960 convertible. 1953 Cadillac 75 Imperial Derham, 1949 Cadillac Imperial,

Brett Cottel

Quote from: bnorman on January 16, 2010, 12:22:22 AM
Wonder if the Fleetwood/Eldorado wheelcovers and powered vents were special order ? Never saw a limo with those options !
How can you tell the car has powered vents from the pic? what am I missing?
thanks Brett
1955 Cadillac Meteor Combination Coach
CLC #27535
Pic's at http://s981.photobucket.com/albums/ae293/brettcottel/

Barry Norman

Two switches on the passenger front door--power locks and power vents .
Barry Norman

Stewart Homan

I thought the division WAS the difference between a limo and sedan - what else is there?

Chris Conklin

Quote from: Brett Cottel CLC#25735 on January 16, 2010, 08:18:19 PM
How can you tell the car has powered vents from the pic? what am I missing?

It's also what the door is missing... there is no crank under the wind-wing.
Chris Conklin

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Graham,

Beautiful car.
K = Air conditioner
H = Heater
J = Rear radio
E = E-Z Eye Glass
N = Power Vent Regulators

HTH,
Ralph
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

TonyZappone #2624

Stewart:  The limousine has a leather front seat, sometimes not adjustable, or as adjustable.  The backrest is structured to keep the chauffeur sitting up straight.   The front compartment is ususally dark blue or black, or whatever color matches the leather seat.  Moreover, it would not have the woodgrained dash, and other decorations that would more resemble an owner driven sedan, the limousine front compartment would be more austere.
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

Richard Sills - CLC #936

The I.D. plate looks very familiar to me.  I believe the S.O. stands for "shop order".  A very similar plate appears on the cowl of my 1960 Buick Electra 225 convertible, which was built by GM Styling (with unique styling features) for ex-GM President Harlow H. Curtice as his personal car.  In my car, the plate reads "S.O. 90681" and the date is "1-27-60". 

The number sequence of S.O. 90627 being issued eight months earlier is consistent.

To see the sequential "shop order" numbers of some other unique GM cars, take a look at the website "www.carofthecentury.com".

While this I.D. plate clearly indicates that some feature or features of the car are non-stock, it does not tell you what they are.  (I had the good fortune of seeing the car I now own in 1972, and talking to the then-owner, who bought the car in 1962 and knew the entire history.)  You will have some interesting historical research to do.  Good luck!     

Barry Norman

I would be interested to know about your Electra convertible--what are the special features ? I have a 59 Electra convertible.
Barry Norman

Richard Sills - CLC #936

Regarding the special features of my 1960 Buick with the S.O. plate, the unique features include:

1. Fins are different from standard 1960 fins -- they are pointed at the ends like 1959 fins (rather than rounded like 1960 fins), but with no chrome moldings.

2.  Because of the difference in the fins, the entire rear quarter panels are sculptured differently.  The edge of the deck lid is also contoured different than the standard car.

3. Insignia on the deck lid is not a tri-shield -- it is a unique emblem that resembles a modernized version of the Buick crest used in the early '50s.

4. Taillights are also unique -- horizontally mounted (rather than round) but almost pointed on the outer ends.  (Some observers describe them as arrow-shaped.)  The taillights have no part numbers -- they were specially made for this car.  (I have seen pictures of a styling prototype 1960 four-door hardtop that shows a similar rear-end treatment.  So the rear styling of my car resembles one of the alternative designs that was considered but not used for the 1960 model.)

5. Ventiports on front fenders are rectangular rather than the "flattened C" shape used on the standard 1960 Buick.
 
6. Chrome "GM STYLING" rectangular plaque on both front fenders.

7. Unique interior, with narrow pleats on the seat upholstery, door hardware that looks more like a 1962 Cadillac, hidden storage compartments in each front door armrest (the armrests open on concealed hinges), and a red light on the interior of each front door that flashes when the door is open.

Much of the special body work appears to have been done in fiberglass.

I don't mean to take up space on a CLC website with discussion of a Buick, but hopefully this is of interest to readers because it reflects GM practices of a different era when "car guys" were firmly in charge. 

Incidentally, under the leadership of Mr. Curtice (who was GM President from 1953 through 1958), GM became the first U.S. company to record over $1 billion of annual net profits.  So I guess nobody complained about the cost of creating a one-of-a-kind Buick for him to drive.


Barry Norman

Thanks so much for sharing your car's details ! Is there a link with any pictures ?
Barry Norman