1955 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 Limousine 28,000 Original Miles

Unheard of 28,000 Original MilesDavid: 303.947.0444

The 1955 and 56 Cadillacs have been recognized as some of the best post war Cadillacs ever built. In 1957, the idea of planned obsolescence was introduced. So what that means, is that this vintage of car was simply built as good as they possibly could with no consideration of eclipsing previous models to sell new models. They simply built the best Cadillac they could possibly build. One of the most distinguishing features of this pre modern construction method is that virtually every component is disassemble and repairable including window motors, fan motors, etc. The time and effort put into building and trimming this car is apparent when you take something off or apart. The series 75s and limousines were special unto themselves. The chassis were removed from the motorized assembly line, dropped onto casters after installation of the front and rear suspensions, and pushed from station to station where only the most experienced, and talented, of the Fleetwood workers were allowed to touch them, That’s right – no motorized assembly line, no time constraint on quality, these cars were finished when they got finished.

I love limousines because they are custom cars from the factory and so few parts fit from a standard Cadillac to a limousine. The interior materials were a step above even the best of the Fleetwood’s and the exterior fit and finish was superior to other Cadillacs I bought this car out of the newspaper in Scottsdale, Arizona while I was there for the Barrett auction. I was immediately impressed with the originality of the interior and the overall condition of the car. This car has a fabulous 27,329 miles and the interior and the overall condition of the vehicle does not betray that. The car was, however, painted at some point in its life (original color) and the paint job is not bad – not perfect but not bad. It appears that the chrome was carefully removed and the car painted with a single stage catalyzed acrylic enamel rather than the original lacquer. I wish they hadn’t painted because as perfect as the rest of the car is, I am sure the paint could have been saved. The car originally came from Chicago, it was a privately held chauffeur driven limousine. The owner of the car owned large dairy and milk processing plants. Underneath the car is still the large hoop and, on the inner fender a radio transmitter that no doubt operated the gates at his business or at his home. The inside of this car and driving this car is an absolute time machine. I have, over the years, left it alone as much as possible but I had to make the air conditioning work and it does extremely well. I repaired the radio and the vacuum antenna. The carburetor has been rebuilt, the engine tuned, and the car starts and runs beautifully. Just last summer, the transmission started to slip so I removed it and had it completely rebuilt. Also an electric fuel pump has been added to cure vapor lock and an electric fan applied to the condenser to make the air conditioning work in stop and go traffic. The master cylinder has been replaced, the power steering and rear axle flushed, and generally, the vehicle has been made completely reliable.

What’s wrong with this car: Once again this car has been painted which is a damn shame. Considering the quality of the rest of the car, it should have never been painted but the paint is NOT BAD, it’s very presentable, it is just not the original paint. The right rear window has a crack in it that I have never replaced because of my respect for the original interior and fear of damage from removing the original trim panel. However, I have a glass and it is an original glass and comes with the car. The engine is not detailed and is just as it came from the factory and it is a bit dowdy but is absolutely untouched original. The car has no rust on it other than a slight amount of surface rust underneath the vehicle. None of the doors are rusted through and there is no evidence of rust on the rocker panels, bottom of the doors, inside the trunk, or underneath the trunk. Just a light coating of Chicago surface rust.

As with all NGDCars, this ‘55 Cadillac is unique because it is capable of daily use. Not only have the mechanicals been seen to and normal and even exceptional maintenance (like changing the brake fluid) has been taken care of. Also, the car has been extensively driven and re-repaired after defects have been found. Anyone who owns a collector call will appreciate this as most collector cars are just shiny things that will barely make it to the car show and back. We already told you about the operational ac (which was an immense undertaking). It has a condensor electric fan to the make the AC operate in real-world conditions. The one year search tune only AM radio (which has a limousine only, rear override control) operates faultlessly to include its presets. The original interior, especially in the back, is fabulous. When you open the rear door, it absolutely pops. The brake service and wheel bearing service is fresh on this vehicle. All fluids are changed. Even the vacuum antenna operates.

Combine all this with the fact this the probably lowest mileage 1955 out there and you have a one of a kind car that you will never find again.

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David: 303.947.0444