SOLD: 1939 Cadillac V16 Coupe

Specifications: Series 39-90. 185bhp, 431 cu. in. 135 degree side valve L-head V16 engine with twin down draught carburetors, three-speed column shift manual transmission, coil spring independent front suspension and leaf spring and live axle rear suspension, servo-assisted four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 141.25"

For years, automotive writers have struggled to find suitable superlatives with which to describe Cadillac´s majestic 16-cylinder motor cars - and for good reason. At a time when the competition offered eight-cylinders, and a few were considering a twelve, Cadillac offered its 16-cylinder masterpiece. The car put everyone else back on the bench - where they could better gaze up at the new bar set by Cadillac.

Aside from simply looking to outdo the competition, the idea, of course, was twofold - smoothness and torque. Engineers have long known that the more power pulses in a revolution, the smoother an engine can be. And in the days before automatic transmissions, the best way to provide silky acceleration was to maximize torque. The best cars allowed the driver to select high gear at minimal speed, and then proceed without the fuss and discomfort of gear changes.

And thus, the idea for a 16-cylinder engine was born. As Cadillac's (and GM's) flagship, it was offered with only the best coachwork - mostly custom crafted by Fleetwood. As the company's in-house coachbuilder, Fleetwood allowed Cadillac complete control over the quality and engineering of its bodies - not to mention keeping the profits in-house.

The first series of V16s, built from 1930 through 1937, was a tremendous success as the standard bearer for the world´s largest carmaker. They were whisper quiet, supremely powerful, and utterly unmatched by the competition. Their only downfall was profitability; it is widely believed that GM lost money on every one built. This is not hard to imagine, given that the market dropped from thousands of units annually in the beginning, to less than fifty cars per year for the last four years. The Great Depression was well underway, and even the well-heeled felt the need to curtail their spending on such ostentatious automobiles.

The solution came in 1938, with the introduction of the second series V16. Far more conventional, it dispensed with the original engine´s complicated and trouble-prone hydraulically compensated valve lash adjustment system in favor of a much simpler side valve configuration, packaged in an unusual 135 degree bank angle - nearly horizontally opposed. It offered comparable horsepower and torque, in a package that weighed 250 lbs less and must have been far less expensive to build.

Styling was both imposing and appealing. GM Chief of Design, Bill Mitchell, crafted a new front ensemble that combined a handsome vertical egg crate grille with a pair of streamlined headlight pods, which were both set back into the fenders, and painted to match them. Very stylish triple "vents"; accented modern style pontoon fenders with unique one-piece lift up sidemount covers. One of the industry's first alligator style hoods gave unprecedented access to the engine, which was a good thing as it was set both low and rearwards in the chassis, making it a long reach down from either side.

Coachwork costs were also reduced as the wheelbase for all models was standardized at 141 inches. Furthermore, all the Fleetwood V16 bodies were also available on the much less expensive V8 chassis, a move that increased sales volumes and lowered unit costs.

By the late 1930s, only Cadillac, Packard, and Lincoln continued to offer a traditional multi-cylinder, top of the line luxury car. All the other great American marques, including Duesenberg, Pierce-Arrow, Franklin, Auburn, Marmon, Stutz, and DuPont were gone. Ultimately, the new generation of sixteens befell the same fate as the first - bad timing. While 1936 and 1937 had been strong years for new car sales, 1938 ushered in another major recession. Once again, promising early sales petered out, and just 60 cars were sold in 1940, after which the mighty V16 was allowed to slip quietly away.

Cadillac built 315 V16s in 1938, 138 in 1939, and just 61 cars in 1940. With just 514 examples in twelve body styles over three years, these second series V16s are one of the most rare production models of the classic era.

The example offered here is a Style 39-9067 Fleetwood Convertible Coupe. It is body number six of seven examples built, and one of just two known survivors. According to a copy of the original Cadillac Shipping Order, the car was shipped on June 9, 1939 to dealer Claude Nolan Cadillac, in Jacksonville, Florida. The firewall still bears the original body tag - which has never been removed - and which confirms that the car is in fact, body number six.

While the early history of this example is not known, it was part of the collection of "Carpet King" Ed Weaver of Dalton, Georgia at the time of his death. The current owner acquired the car at the auction of the Weaver Collection, and has maintained and upgraded it ever since.

Most recently, it has benefited from a concours quality bare metal strip and repaint in its original black. A new top was fitted at the same time, piped in rich dark red leather to match the interior. The car is well equipped, with a set of Trippe driving lights, radio, clock and heater.

Collectors interested in American classics long ago identified Cadillac's V16 as a pivotal car, and one every serious collector aspires to own. The second series V16 offers an unparalleled driving experience, combining smoothness and sophistication with rarity and appeal. Of these, few would argue that the convertible coupe is the sportiest and most desirable of all.

In 1939, Cadillac built just seven of them, and just four survive. In the last ten years, only one has come to market - and this is that car.