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1935 V12 town Cabriolet?

Started by pstoth, November 02, 2011, 11:12:38 AM

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pstoth

I recently picked-up what looks to be a 1935 V12 town Cabriolet with a wheel base of 156". Most of the wood is eaten up or gone and the back portion has collapsed with missing rear doors, misc sheet metal and interior components. My question Is it worth finding a donor car to fix-up the body or should I go ahead and "Rat Rod" this thing into a open car roadster?

Thx,

Pat

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

That is an extremely rare car. Wheel base is actually 154", same as the V16.  What does the body tag say? I'll try to help with your tough decision.
Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

pstoth

Hi Bob,

Thanks for replying. I only have one tag and its the generic Cadillac product tag. The guy I purchase the car from could not find the tag yet, but I was told this car came from south of the border several decades ago. The engine # is: 4100626.

Most of the wood framing is gone, no front or rear seats, no rear doors, no front windows/regulators ect..

Is it posible to get the original Fleetwood wood frame drawings? or is there a '34/'35 donor car that may have the same rear section of the car?

Regards,

Pat

k8096

Look at the body right behind the front door.  I don't think this was towncar that was modified.  I think it was originally a hearse. 

J Gehring
J Gehring

pstoth

J,

I thought this thing was a hearse also, because the divider is a fixed piece of sheet metal painted black. Did Fleetwood build V12 hearses? If so, does someone out there have some info and pictures of this thing?

Thx,

Pat

Terry Wenger

Pat:

The wheelbase of this car is a puzzle.  !934-1935 V12's had a standard 146" wheelbase. The 154" wheelbase was used only for the V16's(Same body but 8 " longer wheelbase for the longer engine.)

There was a commercial chassis listed that did have the 154" wheelbase. If it is a 154" wheelbase V12, then I would say that it was a commercial chassis.  According to the CLC directory only two of these 154" V12 commercial chassis were made.

Terry Wenger
Terry Wenger CLC #1800
tewv16@sbcglobal.net
1932 355B TSD
1939 7557
1940 60S
1941 60S
1947 6267 Conv.
1949 6207X Coupe
1963 60S

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Guys,
INTERESTING points.  So... this would have been a town car V-12 hearse??? No glass division as the guy in the back wouldn't be talking to the driver. See if the PCS, Professional Car Society might have some pictures. A V8 car might have the same body. Keep us posted.
Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

pstoth

Guys,

I attached some more pics of the car and I will accurately measure the wheel base. My initial measurement looked like 156", but I will verify this tommorrow.

Thx,

Pat

bcroe

I think a lot of it hinges on if that V12 can be restored to operational condition.  If
not, you just have a collection of early V12 car spare parts.  Check it out.  Bruce Roe

pstoth

Bruce,

Basically, I purchased this for its drive train. The motor is pretty much complete, but someone removed the exhaused and intake manifolds sometime back so that may have caused some issues with moisture migration into the cylinders. Currently, I am treating this problem before I have to pull the heads.

Pat

Jim Stamper

     As to "Did Cadillac make a V-12 hearse" I can't say, but I did definitely about a 1931 V-16 hearse or ambulance in California in 1968. In the central valley somewhere, possibly around Stockton. The sign on it I think identified it as a hearse, but I seem to remember it being painted white. Seems like a hopeful color for a hearse.

                                                       Jim Stamper CLC#13470

pstoth

Well I measured the wheel base and it measures 154.875" plus or minus a sixteenth of an inch. I guess I will wait for what the PCS, Professional Car Society might have on this thing.

harvey b

Hi Patrick, when i was in Las Vegas in 2008 there was a car similar to yours at the Imperial Palace Car Museum,it was a V12 open drivers compartment limo?,it was a very nice car,it was for sale i think it was in the 150,000 range,i had a poor picture of it,i have attached it.I am not even sure if it is a 35,i think it is. Harvey b

Harvey Bowness
Frenchfort PEI
Harvey Bowness

Terry Wenger

Pat:

If you have a copy of Walter McCall's "Eighty Years of Cadillac LaSalle" You will see a picture of a '33 open front, carved panel Eureka Town Car Hearse on page 180. This could be similar to what your V12 was when it was whole.

Terry Wenger
Terry Wenger CLC #1800
tewv16@sbcglobal.net
1932 355B TSD
1939 7557
1940 60S
1941 60S
1947 6267 Conv.
1949 6207X Coupe
1963 60S

Ross Morgan #22943

Here is the link to the Imperial Palace (Las Vegas) Auto collection 1935 V-12 Town Cabriolet.  I know it's not a hearse but it does show some very nice photos.

http://autocollections.com/index.cfm?id=3497&action=details&tab=sold

Regards, Ross.

Tom Hall 7485

You may be able to find a body tag under the hood, in a door sill, jamb, etc. that says "A. J. Miller," or "Sayers & Scovill," or another hearse body maker.  Could easily be a one-of-a-kind car.  This car probably had carved sides, as seen from the small amount of arch corner remaining at the lower part of the roof.  It must have belonged to a fancy funeral home.  If you can restore this car, it will be a very rare prewar hearse worth somewhere in the mid-to-high five digits.
Tom Hall, CLC Member 7485, Lifetime member since the mid-1990s.

pstoth

Tom,

Right now I think I am going to store this thing in a corner of my barn and do some more research. I wonder if original information (I.E. drawings/pictures) can be obtained from archives from "A. J. Miller," or "Sayers & Scovill," or another hearse body maker?

Pat