Lot Number: 66

1919 Cadillac Type 57 Victoria Coupe

Estimate: (£) 16,000 - 20,000

Reg Number:

DS 9106

Chassis Number:

X-57-906

Engine Number:

X-57-906

Cc:

5153

Body Colour:

Blue / Black

Trim Colour:

Brown

MOT ExpiryDate:

Sept 2012

A large, luxurious motorcar, the Cadillac Type 51 was unveiled in 1914 as a replacement for the four-cylinder Model 30. It will be remembered as one of the first production cars to be powered by a mass-produced V8 engine - a technological advance that created invaluable kudos for the Cadillac marque. The similar model Types 53, 55, 57, 59 and 61 between them carried the design through to 1923, when it was considerably updated to create the Type V 63. The 51 and all related versions were powered by the new 90-deg V8 of 5154cc that featured L-heads and produced some 31bhp. The unit was allied to a three-speed manual transmission. The type 57 variant was in production between 1917 and 1919.

The vendor purchased this Type 57 Victoria while on a business trip to New Orleans in 1988, acquiring it from a Mr. Dodge who had discovered the Caddy in the basement of a Montana Cadillac dealer some sixteen years earlier. Based in Brazil at the time, but owning a home in the south of England, the seller opted to have the car shipped to England and displayed in the late Paul Foulkes-Halbard's motor museum at Filching Manor, Sussex, where it remained until his return to the UK during 1992. Subsequently UK registered and brought up to good running order, the car was then regularly used for the next ten years - achieving trips of 80 miles at a time, during which it was cruised at up to 50mph. More recently it has been subjected to less action, though has evidently always been dry stored and run from time to time. Now this remarkably solid and original early Caddy is seeking a new home and is expected to have renewed road tax and a fresh MOT by the time of the sale.