Update on 56 Town Car

[Charles D. Barnette #1465]

I cant contain my excitement any longer! The one of a kind 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car will be on display in my hometown at the Tex. Ark. Antique Auto Museum located at 217 Laurel Street in Texarkana, Arkansas, on Sept. 9 & 10, 2006, during the Texarkana Quadrangle annual festivities. This is the famous Motorama car saved from destruction. The one I saw in 99 in the Detroit area when it was owned by Dick Baruk, the one I helped locate and obtain the chauffeurs phone for, and the one I guarded in 2002 at the Dearborn, Michigan, GN Cadillac Centennial. I must be dreaming; if I am dont wake me up! See the ad in the July 2006 issue of The Self-Starter. Also this show car as well as other Cadillac show cars of the fabulous Motoramas will be featured in a new book due on the store shelves by December 15, 2006, entitled GMs Motorama written by fellow CLC member David W. Temple of Longview, Texas, & published by Motorbooks. It is the one that the CLC message forum helped out with the research. It is edited by the noted writer and author Dennis Adler. It will make a great companion book to fellow member Bruce Berghoffs book. Advanced orders are being taken at Amazon.Com. As we get nearer to September 2006, I will be at liberty to reveal the name of the current owner of the Town Car. Stay tuned to the CLC message forum. Charles D. Barnette

[jenna R]

was engine and power train installed?

[Charles D. Barnette #1465]

Most definitely. The car is now able to operate under its own power. It contains a 1956 Eldorado Seville motor-the motor Mr. Warshawski was going to put in the car before his untimely death. Charles D. Barnette

[Charles D. Barnette]

I am happy to report that the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car is in good hands. I have permission to now publicly reveal the name of the new owner of this Motorama masterpiece since Feb. 2006. His name is Mr. John M. OQuinn, an attorney of Houston, Texas. I am working on him for membership in our club. I sent him the July issue of The Self-Starter. Thus the the automobile resides in the home state of President Bush and in the hometown of our great editor of The Self-Starter, Mr. Steve Stewart. I believe the car to be in safe hands. Dont forget to see it in Texarkana, Arkansas(my hometown), at our museum Sept.9&10, 2006, located at 217 Laurel Street if you happen to be in the area. Further it will be featured in the upcoming Motorama book written by David Temple as stated in this CLC message forum thread. As a book review and as an unpaid volunteer researcher having happily devoted countless hours to the project, let me state that contained and answered in the book are the following: 1. The four stories of the 4 1953 Cadillac LeMans are finally and correctly sorted out, 2. The Akers/Coleman LeMans is properly identified as to which number LeMans it is with admissible evidence in any court to so verify, 3. A picture was located of the factory hardtop in place on LeMans #4 and printed in the book, and 4. the elusive original source for the "Road Test" of LeMans in Motor Trend is located and documented (other major works have cited it but failed to properly identify where to find it). Charles D. Barnette

[Jerry]

Are you a used car salesman or a realtor?

[Bob]

Car is now motorized with engine and drivetrain?  If so, what type of engine and tranny was installed?

Bob

[Charles D. Barnette]

It is my understanding that the car is now equipped with a 1956 V8 Eldorado Seville Motor with 305 horsepower and 365 cubic inches with 2-four barrel carburetors. This was done by RM auctions. This is the same motor I am told that Mr. Roy Warshawski (previous owner) had intended to put in the car, but due to his ill health and eventual untimely death was never able to install. Charles

[Brian Laurance]

Regarding the upcoming book on the Motoramas, will all years of the Motorama be covered, including the final shows from 1959 and 1961?  Am I correct in assuming that the book will show displays for all of the divisions, or does it focus strictly on the Cadillacs?

[Charles D. Barnette]

The book will cover all years of the GM Motoramas including the years 59 and 61. It will also cover all divisions of GM. My contributions were primarily on Cadillac-that is why I only mentioned Cadillac. In short this book will be the "Bible" on GM Motoramas in my opinion. Charles

[Brian Laurance]

Charles, thank you for your reply.  Please remind us when the book becomes available for sale.