[alsancle]

Originally Posted by Dynaflash8

If you have storage, it doesn't cost that much to pick up the cars and save them. If you can afford the restoration, better still. However, if not, it would be a benefit to the hobby and to history to pick the cars up so that no chopper can get them, and place them into good hands when the opportunity comes along. It would be hard to lose money doing that, if you don't have to pay garage rent, or pay it for too long. Whatever might be missing could be extremely difficult to find, if it can't be made. For example, I once knew a man in Baltimore who had owned and stored a 1938 V-16 coupe since 1946, and this was in the late 1970's or early 1980's. All during that time he had been searching for a grill. The grill had been broken out in a fender bender prior to 1946 when he got the car. Sadly, in 1946-47, he might have been able to get a new grill from GM if he had looked into it, but he didn't. Get the cars. It won't take long to find a qualified buyer if you don't want to keep and restore one yourself.

Do you really think that someone would chop up a V16?? The original poster gives no details as to where the cars are and who has them. Also, he gives no details as to his intentions. I think all of us read in to these sorts of posts and then the thread goes off in all kinds of directions. This is why I was abrupt in my first response. Most of the time when the original poster has a low post count and they ask a general question about value (this is basically a what's it worth thread in disguise) they are looking to flip the car.

[West Peterson]

Originally Posted by old car fan

west ,they run almost like the sleeve valve knight moter,no sound to speak of at idle,just super.I could not imagine the cost for a rebuild?

You are right. My dad had a 1938 Sixteen and it was whisper quiet and had a lot of get up and go. In 1970 (roughy), we were in a small-town restaurant in Ontario, with our 1940 Packard parked outside. In walks a man and says there's a guy just down the road who owns a similar looking car, a Cadillac V16, and he thinks it's for sale. We got directions and stopped on our way out of town. We ended up buying the car for $1,200 ($900 U.S.), with the agreement that he finish some more of the restoration and to meet us half way when it was done (we lived in Minnesota at the time). I think we owned the car for about 10 years. We took it on only one tour, and decided that 5.5mpg took a lot of fun out of touring. If you've ever seen the made-for-tv-movie Eleanor and Franklin, the car is prominently featured in the very first seen as it pulls up to the Little White House.

[West Peterson]

Originally Posted by hddennis

To hunt for a V16 grille for 35 years tells me he must have been looking for a free one! They are not THAT scarce. The 75 series Cadillac's used the same grille.
Howard Dennis

Not so, Howard. The 90 series grille is unique.

[Rusty_OToole]

Originally Posted by Dynaflash8

I have to say............I've met quite some number of "amateurs by definition" who can do better restoration work than "professionals of some renown".

Have you ever seen a car that belonged to someone who knew nothing about old cars, but decided to "fix 'er up" on the cheap and sell for a big profit? I have, and it's not pretty. In many cases it would cost twice as much to restore or replace the messed up and missing parts, as it would have cost to do it right in the first place.

One that took place just last year. A 1956 Packard was for sale on Ebay. It had a Buick engine installed. The owner figured, I paid $3500 for the car then spent $4500 having a junkyard engine put in, so it should be worth at least $3500+$4500= $8000. His math was correct. He just didn't know old cars. I had to tell him the car may have been worth $3500 when he started, but with the wrong engine it was worth $2500. He got sore as hell but he put it on Ebay anyway.

Top bid, $2200.

The sad part was for $4500 he could have rebuilt the original engine. But Elmer's Garage told him "you can't get parts for them old things no more" (not true) and "I got a Buick engine that will fit her real good". He didn't know any different so he took the advice of the local "expert".

[Seldenguy]

West---A friend had a '38 75 series and he told me that the sheet metal surrounding the grille on a 16 was only available on the 90 series and the grille was special to the 90 series. I concur on the grille, the sheet metal?- --Bob

[Twunk Rack]

ALL sheet metal on the '75's and the '90's was the same. The grills for the '75 and the '90 will inter-change. Sad to say, those grills were fragile. I was never able to find a decent '90 grill (mine had been changed over to a '75 grill). Even in the mid 1950's "90" grills were simply impossible to come by.

[JustDave]

guys i appreciate all the feed back ive got,when i asked if it was worth getting envolved in i was refering to the car not the value,ive restored antique,muscle cars an many other type cars and know if its not a labor of love stay away from it,because youll have more in time an money than the value of the vehicle,if ive offended anyone i apologize an in the future i think ill keep my questions to myself

[Dynaflash8]

Do you really think that someone would chop up a V16??

I've avoided using the word "street rod" but now I will. The answer is "yes, absolutely." If you lived in south central Florida you'd believe it too. They will street rod absolutely anything if they can afford to buy it. The original poster hasn't said how expensive these cars are, but some of the people who modify have plenty and plenty more money. It's the most depressing thing about living here in this part of Florida.

[Dynaflash8]

Originally Posted by West Peterson

You are right. If you've ever seen the made-for-tv-movie Eleanor and Franklin, the car is prominently featured in the very first seen as it pulls up to the Little White House.

West, my blue 39 Buick had a white wall tire in that movie. All the scenes were were at in Washington, DC were at night. It was a lot different than my Tora, Tora, Tora and The Secret Files of J. Egar Hoover experiences with movie making. And yes ALSANKLE I'm off the subject, I know. Sorry.

[MCHinson]

JustDave,

I know nothing about V16 Cadillacs other than what I have read here. Based on your previous posts, it was clear to me that you were not somebody just trying to buy something to flip. Your previous posts seem to reflect decades of experience with some pretty rare cars.

Don't think you have to keep your questions to yourself. I have enjoyed reading this discussion. I love the look of the V16 Cadillacs and now I know a little bit more about them. Unfortunately, I think that (personally) I would have to stay away from them myself because my pockets are not deep enough (unless one of them was really cheap and in good drivable condition).

Please tell us more about them, keep us in the loop, if you get them, if not, let others here know more about them so that someone may be able to save them. It has been fun reading about them and learning more about them. Thanks.