Has there ever been a grander, statelier, more imposing, more Cadillac Cadillac than this 1938 Series 90 V-16 Town Car? We don’t believe so. It is truly at the pinnacle of prewar power, elegance and engineering, and as such it’s fitting that such a rare and special car also has a rather extensive Hollywood pedigree.
Ordered new by a film studio and devoted to the personal use of film giant Darryl F. Zanuck, co-founder of Twentieth Century Fox, this magnificent automobile was too spectacular to stay behind the camera. The car, already a vintage example of beauty and opulence by 1966, is credited as playing a significant role in “Inside Daisy Clover,” with Natalie Wood, Robert Redford and Christopher Plummer. Other appearances may have included “Madame X” with Lana Turner. A later owner was none other than the Automobile Hall of Fame honoree Roy Warshawsky, the heir to the world famous J.C. Whitney catalog. He coveted this rarity.
What a rarity indeed! Cadillac only produced 311 of the Series 90 V-16 cars in 1938, and very few of those were built on the limousine chassis. Even more importantly, the Town Car coachwork by Fleetwood puts it among the rarest of the 12 available body styles. Only 11 of the Style 9053 Series 90 Town Cars with open chauffeur compartments were manufactured, and this may well be the finest surviving example.
Being equipped with the V-16 itself puts the car in a wonderfully select class. As Motor Trend noted, the beautifully engineered V-16, while certainly adding significant power, brought astonishing refinement. Cadillac developed a pioneering hydraulic lash adjuster that significantly decreased valvetrain noise, boasting that the engine was so quiet that at idle you could hear the clicking of the ignition points in the distributor.
Serene, smooth speed put the V-16 cars in a class of their own.
Then Cadillac shocked the automotive world by introducing a new version of the V-16 in 1938. This massive 7.1-liter (431 CID) motor had a 9-main-bearing crankshaft and flatter architecture, easily pushing the massive Series 90 bodies over 100 mph but sacrificing nothing in refinement and quiet running.
The car’s appointments match the spectacular mechanics. More than 20 feet long and weighing over 5,000 pounds, it features sleek chrome accents and gorgeous handcrafted detail inside and out, with jump seats, rear-seat footrests and reading lamps, with black leather in the chauffeur’s compartment and buttery beige cloth in the passenger cabin. The amazing and sumptuous interior is original throughout.
Has there ever been a grander, statelier, more imposing, more Cadillac Cadillac than this 1938 Series 90 V-16 Town Car? We don’t believe so. It is truly at the pinnacle of prewar power, elegance and engineering, and as such it’s fitting that such a rare and special car also has a rather extensive Hollywood pedigree.
Ordered new by a film studio and devoted to the personal use of film giant Darryl F. Zanuck, co-founder of Twentieth Century Fox, this magnificent automobile was too spectacular to stay behind the camera. The car, already a vintage example of beauty and opulence by 1966, is credited as playing a significant role in “Inside Daisy Clover,” with Natalie Wood, Robert Redford and Christopher Plummer. Other appearances may have included “Madame X” with Lana Turner. A later owner was none other than the Automobile Hall of Fame honoree Roy Warshawsky, the heir to the world famous J.C. Whitney catalog. He coveted this rarity.
What a rarity indeed! Cadillac only produced 311 of the Series 90 V-16 cars in 1938, and very few of those were built on the limousine chassis. Even more importantly, the Town Car coachwork by Fleetwood puts it among the rarest of the 12 available body styles. Only 11 of the Style 9053 Series 90 Town Cars with open chauffeur compartments were manufactured, and this may well be the finest surviving example.
Being equipped with the V-16 itself puts the car in a wonderfully select class. As Motor Trend noted, the beautifully engineered V-16, while certainly adding significant power, brought astonishing refinement. Cadillac developed a pioneering hydraulic lash adjuster that significantly decreased valvetrain noise, boasting that the engine was so quiet that at idle you could hear the clicking of the ignition points in the distributor.
Serene, smooth speed put the V-16 cars in a class of their own.
Then Cadillac shocked the automotive world by introducing a new version of the V-16 in 1938. This massive 7.1-liter (431 CID) motor had a 9-main-bearing crankshaft and flatter architecture, easily pushing the massive Series 90 bodies over 100 mph but sacrificing nothing in refinement and quiet running.
The car’s appointments match the spectacular mechanics. More than 20 feet long and weighing over 5,000 pounds, it features sleek chrome accents and gorgeous handcrafted detail inside and out, with jump seats, rear-seat footrests and reading lamps, with black leather in the chauffeur’s compartment and buttery beige cloth in the passenger cabin. The amazing and sumptuous interior is original throughout.
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