1930 LaSalle 7-Passenger Touring

[Matt Harwood]

As is my custom, here's a car that won't hit our website and other venues for a few days, and I wanted to give you guys first crack at it: A 1930 LaSalle 340 7-passenger touring. It has been in the same ownership since 1972, which is also about when the restoration was performed. The owner recently passed away and we are marketing it for his widow. According to Yann Saunders and the Cadillac Database, only 239 of these Fleetwood-bodied cars were built in 1930.

Cosmetics are excellent, especially considering the age of the restoration, and I would compare it favorably to my own 1929 Cadillac's condition. Paint, chrome, and rubber are excellent, and I would call this car a solid 3 or even a 3+ cosmetically. The turquoise color may not be authentic, but it looks sporty on the big Fleetwood touring body, and the paint remains excellent with no checking or cracking or other signs of age. The chrome is similarly well preserved with no trouble spots and only light wear. The restoration honestly looks 10 years old, not 40.

The black leather interior is impressive, with virtually no wear visible on any of the seating surfaces. The black carpets are also very good, with the only issue being some separation in one of the jump seat wells. The tan canvas top is good, with some light stains on the rear from a leaky roof some years ago. I don't know if this will clean up, but I don't think I'd replace the top because of it. No side curtains, but irons are included if you want to have some made, and there is a brand new top boot that has never been used. The passenger side rear door does not open from the outside for some reason, but in a car with no windows, does it matter?

The engine fires up easily, and my visit with the car was the first time in several weeks it had been started. Without priming, it started quickly and runs off the vacuum tank. The transmission shifts as it should with synchros on 2nd and 3rd, although the throwout bearing is a little noisy when the clutch is depressed (I suspect this will correct itself with use, as my own Cadillac did the same thing when I first started it after 7 years in storage). Pulls confidently to 45-50 MPH, brakes are surprisingly good, and it tracks straight, but the tires are probably old, despite their good appearance. The engine bay is tidy, but not detailed for show, and still has all the correct, hard-to-find parts like the distributor cap, carburetor cover, and spark plug conduits. A leaky temperature sender in the passenger-side cylinder head removed some paint, which is the most notable flaw.

Everything works except the clock (of course), it drives extremely well, and looks great, even up close. Includes Trippe lights, sidemount mirrors, a metal trunk, side curtain irons, boot, some tools and a jack, and an unrestored original grille guard.

1930 LaSalles are registered CCCA Full Classics, and this big, impressive machine would make a fantastic tour car. I like this one a lot, and it drives as well as my own Cadillac, which is a wonderful driver that I put almost 2000 miles on this summer without incident. Drop me a line with questions or if you'd like to see more photos--I have about 200 hi-res shots of all the important details.

Available for $79,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers.

Thanks!