[ last update: 12.29.2014 ]   

The (new) Cadillac Database©

Dream Cars
on
Cadillac Chassis

1956

Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or select a year from the list below


Pick one   >

1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942

WW2 years

1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999-up

 

 

1956

Darrin (USA) special Series 60 Special; photo in SSA, 1976, p.34

Derham (USA) special Series 60 Special; this car belongs to James Pittman and is featured in SS, 8/2000, cover and pp. 14-16. Without a doubt, a rare and beautiful specimen of Derham craftsmanship in a post WW2 Cadillac model. It was delivered in initially to San Francisco. James provided kindly a copy of the Cadillac build sheet for his car; it shows trim code #95 (a beige gabardine) but neither he nor I can find that code in any factory literature.   Anybody heard of it ?  The highest code # in the 1956 Data Book is #94 (Brown Bedford cord seat and seat back inserts, with beige broadcloth bolsters and trim (on the Series 75 sedans and limousines).

der56b.jpg (12677 bytes)     der56a.jpg (11671 bytes)

    

    

   56derhb2.jpg (9614 bytes)     der56e.jpg (13093 bytes)     der56d.jpg (12667 bytes)

         
The license tag reads " 1 of 1 " (the tag on my '42  Black Pryncess read " 1 of  65 " !)
[ Photo, right: ©2009 Yann Saunders ]

 

Derham (USA) special Series 75 limousine, originally owned by Martha Baird Rockefeller; owned  [2002] by CLC member Allen Smith in Knoxville, TN. Reported to have 55K miles and to need some work. Late Extra [3/2007]: the car was acquired in 2007 by enthusiasts Jim Jordan and Greg Pruitt of Oklahoma City who kindly supplied the photos, immediately below. Jim says the car he was able to acquire is the one the Rockefellers kept for city use at their home on 740 Park Avenue. The other was their "country" car; it was kept at their estate, "Kykuit" (the "Lookout") in the Hudson Valley. Gita, my better half, was interested to learn about this car as she is the step-sister of the widow of the late Rodman Rockefeller, son of Nelson and great-grandson of John D, the patriarch (in the seventies, Gita's late Dad married the mother of Rod's second wife, Sascha!)

    

 

Derham (USA) special Series 75 limousine; this car was offered for sale on the Internet in December 2003. It was located at that time in Chatham, Ontario, in Canada. It was acquired by a collector in California.   This may be the 2nd of two custom 1956 limousines commissioned from Derham by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.  Anybody know for sure?

56derha.JPG (7664 bytes)     56derhm.jpg (7946 bytes)

56Derh2x.jpg (11151 bytes)     56Derh1x.jpg (9728 bytes)

56derhd.jpg (5711 bytes)     56derhc.jpg (5528 bytes)     56derhb.jpg (5133 bytes)     dr56derhi.jpg (4732 bytes)

56derh1.jpg (10259 bytes)     56derh2.jpg (8853 bytes)

56derh5.jpg (7049 bytes)     56derh8a.jpg (1416 bytes)     56derh8.jpg (12156 bytes)
Photos [above two rows]: © and courtesy of the new owner 

 

Fisher [???] (USA) customized "Solid Gold Cadillac" painted "gold" for the movie of the same name in the mid fifties, starring Paul Douglas and Judy Holliday.  The movie is in black & white, up to the final scene, when the screen flips to full color as we see the principal protagonists driving off to a happy end.

Dr56gold.jpg (6573 bytes)

 

 

Fleetwood [???] (USA) customized 1955 Eldorado (in 1956 Eldorado Biarritz guise), specially ordered by then Cadillac Design Studio chief, Ed Glowacke; the photos were taken in March 8, 1955.

dr5556.JPG (9169 bytes)

55CusEl1.jpg (14606 bytes)     55CusEl2.jpg (11577 bytes)
Car has the name ELDORADO, in block letters, in the center of the hood "V";
twin tail-lights have red lenses; reversing lights are incorporated (clumsily)
between the outer pair of vertical chevrons on the rear skirt

[ Photos:  Dave Holls collection - Self Starter annual, 1998 ]

 

Fleetwood (USA) 1956 custom Eldorado Biarritz shown at the auto show in Buffalo, NY

Fleetwood (USA) 1956 prototype of 1958 Eldorado Biarritz

58prot56a.jpg (10836 bytes)     58prot56b.jpg (16083 bytes)
Unrecognizable in the small, low-resolution photo [left] are (from L-R) Bill Mitchell, Dave Holls and Ed Glowacke
[ Photos:  Dave Holls collection - Self Starter annual, 1998 ]

 

Fleetwood (USA) These partial views of future 1956 models (in this case the Sedan de Ville) were intended to show off all or only some parts of proposed new models; this side view of the fours and roof line featuring the "all-new-for-1956" "Florentine Curve" flowing from the rear roof into the horizontal beltline, level with the rear door. The photo is again by Cadillac's staff photographer, Neil Madler and is dated March 7, 1955.

 

Fleetwood (USA) These partial views of fu

     

     
Jan, 10, 1955

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Castilian, was one of four mood cars shown around the Motorama circuit in 1956, based on the standard Eldorado Seville model for that year. On the reverse of the press photo issued at the Motorama is described the Old Spain interior, as follows: "CASTILIAN INTERIOR - The interior of this Series 62 Eldorado Seville Cadillac is styled in black and white calfskin, black leather and tooled silver. These materials are all complimented by the use of silver nylon cloth. A headlining of square perforated white vinyl with silver Mylar backing showing through the perforations produce a star-like effect." Exterior was Starlight silver and a white Vicodec roof was fitted. Photo McC p.317. The remaining three mood cars are described below;   these were (a) the Gala, or Wedding Car, a silver Series 62 Sedan de Ville with pearl white leather upholstery, (b) the Maharani, a specially appointed Series Sixty-Special sedan with built-in kitchen sink (!), and (c) the Palomino, a specially appointed Series 62 convertible with calfskin upholstery, carpets and door and quarter panel inserts.

 

     dr56cas2.JPG (6295 bytes)    

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Eldorado Brougham pre-production prototype, first shown at Paris auto show in October 1955 then during the 1956 Motorama circuit. Lots of photos in JMR collection.  It started off in 1955 with only two headlights but grew two additional ones in 1956. It was a non-runner, used strictly for development of the production prototype and related advertising.

Br56frrh.jpg (8495 bytes)     Br56grl.jpg (7571 bytes)

Br56mds2.jpg (6187 bytes)     Brg11796.jpg (7021 bytes)     56PROBRG.JPG (7164 bytes)

Br56rcl3.jpg (18400 bytes)


Here is the pre-production model, fresh from the Paris Salon in October 1956;
all that remains to be done now is to move the rear-view mirror from the center of
the dashboard to the windshield header and the Autronic-Eye to the LH side of the dash

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town car, XP48 (special order #2491).  This dream car was crafted entirely in fiberglass; the roof of the passenger compartment was covered with polished black landau leather and the rear compartment trimmed in black and beige with gold-colored hardware; the so-called comfort and convenience items included a radio-telephone for communicating with the driver, air-conditioning, a vanity compartment, cigar humidor, thermos bottle and accompanying glasses. Because of the storage compartments built into the partition, a horizontal sliding glass divider was used. fiberglass body.  It was built with no engine and exhibited during the 1956 Motorama circuit.  This one survived and was recovered by Joe Bortz, Chicago.

Brtcrh1.jpg (6518 bytes)


On display at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Ęlégance;
at left, the brille of the 1953 Le Mans production car that was restyled in 1959

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Gala [also known as the Wedding Car], a special, lavishly appointed pearlescent white Sedan de Ville, 4-door hardtop sedan shown at the 1956 Motorama. On the reverse of a 1956 press photo the car's interior interior was described thus: "THE GALA INTERIOR - A strikingly beautiful combination of silver and white sets the decor for this Series 62 Sedan de Ville Cadillac interior. The armrest in the two forward doors [the rear doors ???] contain short umbrellas with silver and rhinestone enriched handles. This interior contains pearl white leather, imported ribbed satin, silver pattern white nylon and white mouton fur. These materials combined with bright silver chrome hardware complete the impression of bridal festivity."

         

Model bride extracts silver-handled umbrella
from special compartment in RH front door arm rest

     56gala.jpg (39282 bytes)

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Maharani. The "Maharani" is the wife of the maharajah, ruler of one of India's former native states, or a woman vested with the same powers as the latter.  The Cadillac Maharani is a special Series Sixty Special sedan, more recently nicknamed the Kitchen Sink Cadillac; it is one of four mood cars show during the 1956 Motorama circuit; it featured recessed toaster, folding table, hot-plate, cutlery tray, cooling unit (the compressor is in the trunk), coffee and water dispensers and a flip-out table; in addition the appointments include a small safe and a safety deposit box; outside color is burgundy/maroon , upholstery is snake skin and a satin print, carpeting is mouton fur; currently owned (1995) by Joe Bortz, Chicago. The press release described it as follows: A Series 60 Special Sedan styled in an exciting Far Eastern motif, the Maharani features a rich metallic maroon body with a contrasting soft maroon and gold interior with chased silver and carved ivory ornaments to further enhance the Eastern mood. This model is one of four specially appointed production show cars which are being displayed by the Cadillac Motor Car Division in the 1956 General Motors Motorama. About the Maharani interior the press release said: A specially styled roll-top cabinet occupies the right front compartment of the Maharani. The locker contains such appropriate touring conveniences as a folding table, a hot plate, a recessed toaster, a cutlery tray, a cooling unit and coffee and water dispensers which are supplied from tanks installed under the hood. A built-in combination safe and ladies vanity case are also in included. The car was mentioned in SSA 1979, inside rear cover, and again in OCW special issue, 27.8.92, p.37; good photos appeared in SS 8/91, p.10. Currently [2009] the Maharani is owned by Joshua Modlinger of New York, NY.

     Dr56mah5.jpg (7200 bytes)
From the outside, the Maharani looked like a regular Series Sixty Special sedan, but with
gold-anodized sabre-spoke wheels.  In the trunk, however, was a large compressor for the refrigerator

DR56MHN2.JPG (7234 bytes)     DR56MAH4.JPG (7703 bytes)     kitchcad.jpg (6719 bytes)
Model raises sliding shelf to access the kitchen sink (center)
with plenty of storage space for cutlery, crockery and glassware

    
   
56kitsnk1.jpg (7253 bytes)     56Maha.JPG (9428 bytes)

56maha00a.jpg (9174 bytes)     56maha00b.jpg (8572 bytes)

56kitsnk6.jpg (6115 bytes)     56maha02b.jpg (5369 bytes)     56maha01.jpg (5287 bytes)     56Maha2a.JPG (6135 bytes) 

56maha04.jpg (6836 bytes)     56maha03.jpg (6410 bytes)     56kitsnk2.jpg (5871 bytes)     56kitsnk4.jpg (5095 bytes)     56kitsnk5.jpg (5541 bytes)

    

     56Maha08.JPG (5233 bytes)     56maha07.jpg (6886 bytes)
The Cadillac "Maharani" (or "Kitchen Sink Cadillac") was on display
at the 2008 CLC Grand National

[ Photos:  © 2007 and courtesy of Joe Bortz, former owner, and  © 2008, Louis Commisso, Webmaster of
www.lidreamboats.org
Long Island Metro Cadillac LaSalle Club ]

 

Fleetwood (USA) Cadillac Palomino, another special mood car shown at the 1956 Motorama and based on the Series 62 convertible coupe. The interior was upholstered in a mixture of tan leather and calfskin [McC says Palomino hides]. The press release vaunted this as "A ruggedly-styled convertible with a shimmering beige metallic body that reflects the Western flair of wide-open spaces..." Photo McC p.317.

dr56palo.JPG (9659 bytes)     dr56pal2.JPG (6526 bytes)

 

The following comment was made on the Forum of The Cadillac & LaSalle Club, Inc. web page in April 2009. It is by David Temple, author of the book "GM's Motorama" [ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-2826-2 and ISBN-10:0-7603-2826-9]: There really should be at least one or two more of these "mood cars" in existence. The possibility exists that over the decades the history of any survivor(s) would have been lost. Someone in this club could have one without knowing it because the car was "restored to stock condition." Imagine the potential condition of any one of these cars after decades - five repaints and worn "J.C. Whitney" seat covers. A "mood car" could be unrecognizable from any other Cadillac of the same vintage. A restorer might not necessarily have performed a data plate restoration. I strongly recommend checking those data plates if you have not done so. Check data plates on Cadillacs found in salvage yards and on cars for sale. An "S.O." number on a separate tag is a major clue. That combined with trim codes not matching standard ones represent another. Those alone would not prove a Motorama history but would indicate a show car history or at least an "executive special." A low body number or serial number is another important piece of information. There were nearly 20 Cadillac "mood cars" plus the Coupe deVille prototype built for the "Transportation Unlimited" (1949), "Mid-Century Motorama" (1950), and "GM Motorama" (1953-1956) shows. (There was also a pearlescent white Cadillac at the 1959 GM Mototama). There are indications of the Coupe deVille prototype [1949] and the Debutante [1950] having survived into the 1970s. The other cars quite possibly did not leave GM with their original finishes; those with pearlescent paint were likely repainted before being transferred into private ownership. My understanding is that pearlescent paint quickly deteriorated so one could not expect to strip the paint to the original color on one of these cars and find for instance pearlescent peacock green (as on the 1954 Coupe deVille show car). Short of something like a TV in the back passenger compartment (1955 Westchester), a kitchen sink (1956 Maharani), or a 133-inch wheelbase Coupe deVille (1949 prototype) the most telling evidence of a show car history will probably be found only on the data plate.

Fleetwood (USA) (???) factory prototype with quad headlights (SS, 1/96). This car may be the one used by Richard Nixon when he visited Latin America in the late fifties [1958 ???].  Such a car has been reported seen in Perú.  More information is awaited.

  56elnix4.jpg (5954 bytes)     56elnix2.jpg (5829 bytes)     56elnix5.jpg (7896 bytes)

56el4lg2.jpg (6446 bytes)     56el4lgh.jpg (7932 bytes)     56elnix3.jpg (5092 bytes)   
Four of the above photos were supplied kindly by Fernando Murga, a lawyer friend and Cadillac enthusiast from
Lima, Perú; the remainder came from the car's current owner (2002).  This dusty, custom '56 Eldorado Biarritz with

quad headlights is said to have been used by Richard Nixon during a state visit to Lima  (before his US presidency
began?); these quad headlights were not legalized in the USA until the following year; according to the owner, the
modification presumably was done in the USA [at the factory?];  indeed, I have another photo (below) of a quad-lighted
'56 Cadillac, found in the factory archives and published in the CLC's  Self Starter magazine

 

Fleetwood (USA) Here's another.

Dr56quad.jpg (3731 bytes)
Factory photo of quad set-up on 1956 model


Unknown survivor

 

Fleetwood (USA) Here's another custom Eldorado Seville with rare quad headlights; these were outlawed in many states until 1957.  According to an ad in Hemmings Motor News [Dec. 2007?], this is "...possibly [the] rarest Cadillac ever produced". It was purchased in 2006 from a Cadillac collector who owned about 20 very rare and special models. The previous owner had it for nearly 30 years; he said the car was originally built for a GM Design Executive [perfectly plausible but not officially documented, to my knowledge]. 1956 was the first year for the Eldorado Hardtop and this car has many unique features not available at the time; for example rubber-tipped "Dagmar" bumper guards did not appear until 1957 and quad headlights until 1958 - except on the bespoke Eldorado Brougham of 1957. Indeed, this car has similar quad headlights to the prototype Cadillac Eldorado Brougham of 1956; the only other car to have had that feature in 1956 is the Eldorado Brougham Town Car concept vehicle, both shown first at the Paris Salon of 1956; the latter Town Car was sold for over $780,000 [commissions included] at the RM auction in Boca Raton, FL, in Feb. 2006. The vendor's ad refers to this page of the Cadillac Database.

         

         
Thes Eldorado Seville, with quads, at left, was on sale on eBay in May, 2006
It reappeared in Hemmings, in Dec., 2007 [?] with a price tag of $175,000!

56quad1.JPG (14565 bytes)     56quad2.JPG (13312 bytes)
From side and rear, the car looks like a stock 1956 Eldorado...

56quad3.JPG (15114 bytes)     56quad4.JPG (9891 bytes)     dr56svlquad2c.jpg (7803 bytes)
...but from the front, the car features these unusual quad headlights and '57 Cadillac (black rubber) bumper tips

dr56SvlQuad2b.jpg (8351 bytes)     56quadSev.jpg (14405 bytes)     dr56SvlQua2a.jpg (6798 bytes)    


 


Here is another similar car, residing currently (2011) in Sweden


What about this one? Could it be an attempt to duplicate one of the Caddy prototypes?
Tail-light pods are wrong, as is trunk "V", rear fender crest and lower sill chrome

 

Foose, Chip (USA) Well known car customizer, with his own TV show, Chip once worked on this 1956 Eldorado Biarritz for an unsuspecting client!

56Foose.jpg (12707 bytes)
That's Chip in the orange golf shirt

 

GM Styling (USA) Labeled Cadillac Futuristic Design, this is one of two prints prepared in 1956 (the date shown is 05.01.56). The artist/stylist is not identified but I see a resemblance with the work of Bob Scheelk.

56proto.jpg (4634 bytes)
[ Information and photo: courtesy CLC and Steve Wolken ]

 

GM Styling (USA) Unknown prototype (clay model). Note the cut of the "wraparound" windshield and the vent panes;  these appeared on production GM models of 1958-59-60. The front ensemble replicates GM's Buick Le Sabre  prototype - the mother of all Cadillac Dream Cars.


This GM-built clay prototype from 1956 was inspired by the original Le Sabre;
it was photographed by GM-Cadillac's own photographer, Neil Madler on October 22, 1956

 

Hess & Eisenhardt (USA) Custom View-Master station wagon on the 158" wheelbase chassis, with imitation wood paneling on the sides; they could be ordered also without the wood paneling. Twelve units were built in 1956; about half are believed to have survived, including car #4. The latter was delivered originally to the Cadillac Motor Car Division. In my quest for info about this model I came across a few photos and also two "for sale" ads, one by Arizona Classic Cars in Tucson, AZ (early eighties ???), the other from Automobile Fine Art Limited at Pall Mall and St. James in London, England; the latter car was white with blood-red upholstery; it had a special roof rack, whereas the Arizona car had none. Late Extra [1/2005]:   Stewart Homan, who has owned  that one for the past three years, contacted me by eMail to say that the car was in his safe-keeping;  he will be sending more information about it and about other cars in his collection [check out Stewart's Web page: www.dreamcars.co.uk].  Note that I have a photo of a similar car, but with a different type of roof rack (call it style "No. 2") and painted in a dark color (photo McC p.317). More photos CAM {*}, SSA93, p.36, SIA 4/86, pp.40-43. H&E apparently were not alone in shaping station wagon bodies on the Cadillac chassis. I am assuming this is the same car that was claimed to have been sold by "The Car Collections" (Imperial Palace, Las Vegas), per this web site entry.

56wood_fac.jpg (13922 bytes)
Factory Photo

55WAG7.JPG (9398 bytes)     55WAG1.JPG (6162 bytes)
These two photos are from the March 1957 issue of Mechanix Illustrated  
(for more information on H&E wagons, check out the Dream Cars section for 1955)

    

     56WAGXC.JPG (5221 bytes)    

56wagx2.jpg (6642 bytes)     56WAGXE.JPG (7990 bytes)     56WAGXD.JPG (8633 bytes)
These 3 photos are from Internet; the car was offered for sale on eBay (again), in September 2004

dr56wag4.JPG (9682 bytes)
This one, with the wide white-wall tires features a roof rack slighly different to the one on the white Hess & Eisenhardt Custom Viewmaster, below. The above
car belonged in 1983-84 to a Alfred Strati of Baltimore, MD; he mentioned in Cadillac Connoisseur (magazine of the Cadillac Club International of Palm
Springs, CA -  Vol. 24:1) that the car had been acquired new in Rockville, MD.   At that time it had only 37K miles on the odometer;  Mr. Strati was the 2nd owner


This one appeared on Internet in 2013
Owner: Ken Gimelli?

    

dr56wag5.JPG (8487 bytes)     56waf.JPG (9932 bytes)     56wagon1.jpg (4660 bytes)     dr56wag6.jpg (6516 bytes)

Dr56viw4.jpg (10103 bytes)     Dr56viw0.jpg (9022 bytes)    
dr56wag6a.jpg (9041 bytes)

dr56wagi.JPG (5481 bytes)     dr56wa2i.JPG (5670 bytes)     56h&ein.jpg (9062 bytes)
The Homan car (England) is for sale; it is said to have been  built for screen star, Debbie Reynolds;
despite the luxurious exterior appearance, interior accommodations were somewhat spartan

56VIEWMA.JPG (11342 bytes)     dr56wag3.jpg (7712 bytes)
This green one was offered for sale by RM Classics
at the annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elégance in 2001

     
Is this the RM car ?

    

    

    

    

    

56wood_b.jpg (14359 bytes)     56wood_c.jpg (8210 bytes)
One of the two cars in these three rows was offered for sale on EBay in December, 2005;
the other one (on the truck bed) was going to be restored by its owner

56wagx.jpg (6862 bytes)
This one was found in a barn in Maryland and acquired from the "little old lady" owner for $8000;
photo was taken at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum where old car meets are held regularly
[ Photo and info:  Collectible Cars, letter to the editor from Lee Weldon, Baltimore, MD ]

    
Could this be one of the previous cars on this page ... following a restoration? On the right we see it close to the ground;
I'm assuming it is fitted with the optional, factory installed air suspension, showing it in the "low-rider" deflated mode

 

[Unknown, USA] Possibly from Steel Craft come these nicely proportioned continental kits seen here on  1956 Sedan de Ville, Coupe de Ville and Series 62 convertible models.

56conti.jpg (6470 bytes)

         

 

[Unknown, USA] Possibly from Steel Craft, again, comes a Biarritz with continental kit; again the color is Mountain Laurel

56biaconti.jpg (8336 bytes)

 

[Unknown, USA] Another Continental kit success, this time on a Series 62 convertible

 

[Unknown, Finland]  I'm sure our Cadillac friends from Finland won't mind my including this shot of a 1956 lead sled owned by one of their members.

Dr56hot.jpg (8575 bytes)
Photo: © Cadillac Club of Finland

 

[Unknown, USA]  A Cadillac was a reliable power train for a camper; I have seen or heard of a half dozen of them in the last 40 years. A tip from Louis Barlow, a Database user, mentioned in October 1999 a 1956 model that may have been built in Elkhart, IN (home of many RV builders). The one illustrated below [left] belongs to CLC member Warren Rauch;  it was converted from a hearse by a trailer manufacturing company.  Warren says these campers were done by several companies; among them Van Bibber, in Anderson Ind., Twin Oaks of Three Rivers,Mich., and Great Dale Housecar of Denver,Co.  Warren has also a 1957 camper that was custom built on a new Cadillac chassis for a doctor in Connecticut. Its body was built by a ship builder:  Jackson Motor Yachts. Superior Body company also built a New Holland camper (housecar). Neither "campers", below have been identified. I delieve the one on the left resides in Sweden.

     Dr56cmpr.jpg (7506 bytes)    

 

[Unknown, USA]  A similar rig, built on the Cadillac commercial chassis, was offered for sale on Internet in July, 2004.

[Unknown, USA] In May 2000 I was contacted by a Mr. John Gates (jgates3370@earthlink.net) who passed on some interesting information about a special 1956  Fleetwood Brougham (?). In the mid-60s John was negotiating to buy this rare sedan; it was a Fleetwood with quarter windows and with an Eldorado rear clip (the taillights were at the base of the fins);  they looked like Olds [tail-lights?] encased in chrome tubes. The car had a.gold anodized grille and sabre-spoke wheels; it was painted white with a red top.  Inside were vacuum cigarette snuffers, front and rear, as well as flower vases in the rear. The last time he saw the car it was painted gunmetal gray.  The owner at that time (Earl Sheib) passed on and his son took the car to Los Angeles. Could it still be out there?

[Unknown, USA] Here is another interesting custom on a 1956/1976 Cadillac base. According to enthusiast, Murray Pfaff, who kindly sent the photos,  this 1956 Sled de Ville is mounted on a 1976 Cadillac drive train (500 ci engine with TH 400, etc.) as seen in the RH photo, it shoots out 12' fuel injected flames. Here's also a You Tube video devoted to the car.

56lowr.jpg (7942 bytes)     50flames.jpg (9519 bytes)
[ Photos:  courtesy Murray Pfaff ]

 

[Unknown, USA] This 4dr convertible was offered for sale on the Internet in November 2002; it was suggested the car might be a factory original 4-door convertible sedan.  I seriously doubt it!

56cv4d2.jpg (5211 bytes)     56cv4dr.jpg (5583 bytes)

 

[Unknown, USA] Cadillac sleuth, Paul Zanetti of the CLC, Australian chapter, found for sale on E-Bay (the Internet auction site) a 1956 Coupe de Ville "Salon Special". The car features retro-fitted tail-fins and tail light units from that years Eldorado Biarritz and Seville models. According to the vendor, nine were built this way [by whom ?].  B&W photos are included in La Cad,  the Australian CLC's club magazine, for Spring 2002. The remains of a similar car to this one, but built apparently on the 1955 Cadillac chassis, may be seen in the Dream Cars section for 1955).

56-58D.JPG (9533 bytes)     56-58C.JPG (6566 bytes)

56-58.JPG (7764 bytes)     56-58B.JPG (8980 bytes)

 

[Unknown, USA] Here's another "mystery" Eldorado Seville (or is it the same car as above?) that appears to have been converted from a Series 62 Coupe de Ville.  It was offered for sale on Ebay in October, 2008. Bidding climbed to $9,500 but no sale ensued owing to thye vendor having a higher reserve on the car.

56CusCp2.jpg (9758 bytes)     56CusCp1.jpg (6916 bytes)

56CusCp3.jpg (5276 bytes)     56cussvl.jpg (5376 bytes)

56CusCp4.jpg (5526 bytes)     56CusCp5.jpg (4260 bytes)

 

[Unknown, USA] Here's another "mystery" Eldorado Seville found on Internet. Note the single, rear tail-light where '56 Eldorado models had twin tail-light nacelles.

 

 

[Unknown, USA] Another Database visitor, "Al" from Montreal in Canada sent this picture of a similar car that he bought in spring 2004. He writes:  The rear end is an extended '55-56 Eldorado clip. The fins look like '58 model because they were raised when installed. (I assume it was because so the two "spears"on each side would not interfere with each other). I recently talked to the guy who sold me the car, and he told me the body was modified by the place GM sends the cars to make hearses, funeral cars, etc. I forgot the name of the company [possibly Hess & Eisenhardt?]. The taillights are aftermarket '59 Cadillac. I installed them myself. The original lights ('56 Eldo) were rusted out and I thought the '59's would enhance the rear end. I also put a '56 Olds' spinner on the continental spare, as the original cover was missing. Aside from that, the car is bone stock.  Note how the original  "through-the-bumper" exhaust ports have been blocked off and how the dual exhaust pipes now are located under the bumper.

el56cust2S.jpg (18213 bytes)
56elsdv1.jpg (10429 bytes)     el56custS.jpg (20683 bytes)    56cuseld.jpg (6561 bytes)56elsdv2.jpg (11129 bytes)
[ These two photos show Al's car without its rear wheel skirts ]

         
Unlike the previous car, this one has add-on
"bullet" tail light lenses from a 1959 Cadillac

[ Most photos:  © "Al", the owner ]

 

[Unknown, USA] This would-be Eldorado Brougham convertible was featured on the cover of Motor Life for October 1956. As you can see from the size of the gentleman at the wheel, it is a much smaller car than the Brougham.  In fact it is built on the chassis of a 1956 Ford Thunderbird.  Still, if you saw it cruising by, you would probably do a double-take !

56Thunderado.jpg (7831 bytes)
Eldorado Brougham convertible?
No;  it's a "Thunderado" (half Thunderbird and half Eldorado)

 

[Unknown, USA] This one was brought to my attention by Philippe, a French enthusiast and member of the American Car Club de France. It' an interesting pick-up conversion on what appears to have been initially a 2-door coupe model.

    

    
[ Photos: courtesy "Philippe", ACCF ]

 

[Unknown, USA] Another Cadillac pick-up consisting this time of a 1953 Cadillac front and a custom1956 flat-bed rear

5356pkup6.jpg (6689 bytes)     5356pkup1.jpg (4891 bytes)     5356pkup4.jpg (4591 bytes)     5356pkup3.jpg (4629 bytes)

5356pkup2.jpg (4450 bytes)     5356pkup5.jpg (5531 bytes)   

 

[Unknown, USA] Another "wild" custom with an unusual tonneau cover (...for a 1956 Cadillac!)

56Poetry7.jpg (6924 bytes)     56poetry.jpg (6260 bytes)     56Poetry3.jpg (10029 bytes)

56Poetry4.jpg (9289 bytes)     56Poetry6.jpg (9997 bytes)

56poetry2.jpg (6383 bytes)     56Poetry5.jpg (6527 bytes)     56Poetry8.jpg (5547 bytes)
[ Photos:  Internet, 2008 ]

 

[Unknown, USA] "Low Rider"

 

[Unknown, USA] "Two-Way Cadillac"; like me, sometimes it doesn't know whether it's coming or going!

56twofac.jpg (9775 bytes)   


Same car ... restored?

 

[Unknown, USA] Series 75 limousine with imitation landau bars.  Nice ... but nicer still if the quarter windows were blanked out.

 

[Unknown, USA] I can tell it is (or was) a 1956 Cadillac from the chrome trim atop the tail-fins ...but the rest is bizarre, although I bet it runs damn fast!


[ Photo:  Internet, 2014 ]

 

[Unknown, USA] "Fake" Eldorado models of 1956-57; the Chevrolet El Morocco models of 1956-57.


These "near replicas" of the 1956 Eldorado Biarritz (left) and 1957-58 Eldorado Brougham (right)
were marketed in the mid-50s under the label El Morocco, it is quite unusual to encounter TWO of them together!

The Chevrolet El Morocco was nicknamed "the poor man's Cadillac." It was the brainchild of Reuben Allender, a Detroit war surplus dealer. A longtime Cadillac owner, Allender felt that there would be a market for a smaller, easier to maneuver, more affordable Cadillac. After seeing certain design similarities between the Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz and the Chevrolet Bel Air, he believed that an "everyman" Chevy could be easily customized to look like a millionaire's Cadillac. From the rear, The 1956 El Morocco aped the 1956 Eldorado Biarritz; only 20 were made. As for the 1957 El Morocco, it was modeled after the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham; these had a solid steel body rather than a fiberglass custom job. Only sixteen of the 1957 El Morocco were made. This was the last year of production.

         

     
These 2 rows:  1956 Chevrolet El Morocco

    

    
These 2 rows:  1957 Chevrolet El Morocco

 

Van der Stricht, Patrick (Belgium) Patrick is a devoted Cadillac enthusiast.  This is his artist's proposal for a 1938-39-40-41-48-49-51-53-54-55-56-57-58 custom Eldorado coupe (...and I may even have missed a couple of years in my speedy examination of this delightful drawing!

38lesuer.JPG (12420 bytes)
Drawing courtesy of Patrick Van der Stricht

 

 

Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or select a year from the list below

 

Pick one   >

1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942

WW2 years

1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999-up

 

© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club. Inc.
[ Background image: Custom 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville by the late Gordon Glover of Baltimore, MD ]