1938 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 Fleetwood Limousine
edited by David Barth, 5 December 2008.
Courtesy "The Auto Collections" showroom at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las, Vegas, Nevada, USA. Photos were
taken 18 November 2008.
Chassis number: 5270092
By 1937, many marques were gone, including Duesemberg, Cord and Auburn, Marmon, and Peerless. Cadillac president,
Lawrence P. Fisher, was replaced by former Cadillac general manager of parts and service, Nicholas Dreystadt,
prior to 1937. He realized that the complicated V16 engine, which had 3,300 parts, needed to be simplified for
easier manufacturing and maintenance. The 1936 V16 was changed, giving the 1938 Cadillac the following characteristics:
- Crankcase and cylinder block were cast as a single unit
- Eliminate separate intake manifolds and carburetors by spreading the cylinder banks
- Cylinder banks were spread from 45 to 135 degrees
- Stroke was reduced to 3.3 inches
- Bore was enlarged to 3.3 inches
- Changes to the bore and stroke reduced the displacement from 452 to 431 cubic inches (7.1 liters)
- Weight was reduced by 250 pounds
- Output was 185 bhp at 3,800 rpm
- The 1938 Cadillacs with the new engine went on sale in October 1937
- The car had a 141 inch wheelbase
- Base price was $5,100, and could go up to $7,200 with options
This car was built for legendary comedian W.C. Fields. It was often seen at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood,
California, USA where W. C. Fields, his girlfriend, Carlotta Monti, and Field's secretary, Magda, talked. Magda also
doubled as Field's chauffeur. The car had an electric martini mixer installed.
When W. C. Fields died in 1946, he willed the car to Carlotta. She kept the car in her garage in West Los Angeles until
she sold it to the Imperial Palace Auto Collection on 8 August 1984 to help pay for her niece's college education.
In 1985 the Imperial Palace performed a complete restoration of the car, less the martini mixer.
The price of the car at the time these photos were taken was $195,000.
