Help on identification: Cadillac ????

[JRA]

Hi All,

 

I have broken my head for months trying to identify this car. I believe it is a Cadillac, is it? The picture was taken in Oct 1930. It is from a Brazilian newpaper, about the deposition of the Brazilian president at that time. The car belonged to Rio de Janeiro´s Cardinal Archbishop, who is beside of the deposed president in the back seat. It is a 7-seat car, chauffeur driven, based on the newspaper text. The hubcap makes me believe it is a Cadillac, maybe with Buffalo wheels? Could be a 1927 model? Probably the custom series...but I am not sure at all.

 

 

PictureCarWL1930.bmp

 

Thanks,

JRA

[West Peterson]

I'm going to guess Duesenberg, possibly a Model A.

[nzcarnerd]

If the car belonged to the president maybe there were other pictures of it in better times for him?  The picture here is not really clear enough.

[JRA]

That is the tricky part. I did this research already. By that time, the presidential car was supposed to be a Lincoln. I believe it is not a Lincoln in the picture. This is not the president's car. It belonged to the Church, as the Cardinal Achbishop went to the Presidential Palace to convince the president to leave the office and resign, instead of trying to resist to the deposition. The text in the newspaper tells that. Unfortunately I was unable to get any reference about the Cardinal's car. The hints in my view are the rear door hinges, the hubcap and wheel, the size of the quarter window, window moulding, parallel body stripes below windows, and the square type appearance of the rear part.

Only this newspaper had the opportunity to take this picture. The other newspapers in that same day had the news but only had archive pictures of the president. This event happened late in that night, and supposed to be in secret, once the deposed president left to exile. This picture was taken by a clever journalist, that put a small tree branch on the car path, so the chauffeur had to reduce the speed to cross over it in its way out of the garage.

So the doubt still exists...and this half car picture is our only source.

Thanks, JRA

[JRA]

Just forgot to mention, the link under the front page image has a better quality picture of the car.

[nzcarnerd]

Thanks for the hint.  I reckon 1927 Cadillac is a good guess.  This one is very much like it  -   http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Cadillac/27-Cadillac-314-Sedan-DV-11-SJ_04.jpg  

 

I don't know whether you could be really positive about it.

 

This Duesenberg Model A Springfield is very similar   -   http://www.duesenbergcars.com/duesenberg-00008.jpg   - but note that the middle door hinge is not in line with the swage (moulding) line.

Edited July 28, 2015 by nzcarnerd (see edit history)

[JRA]

Finally solved the mystery, it is a 1927 Lincoln!

[Guest]

After 5 years?

Now THAT'S dedication. 

[DLynskey]

18 hours ago, JRA said:

Finally solved the mystery, it is a 1927 Lincoln!

 

How did you find out for sure? It sounds like an interesting story.

 

Don

[JRA]

Reading recently some books about history of the events back in 1930, when the president was deposed, I realized the car was not from the cardinal archbishop, it was the presidencial automobile. Searching the illustrated magazines available in 1920s and 1930s, where there was good coverage of official events, gave more information. In a Navy ceremony, late in 1927, a presidencial closed car showed up. The radiator shell, hood and front bumper are quite unique combination for Lincoln. Some picture books of early Lincoln’s helped to define the year. Headlights in 1927 are different from previous years. It was not exactly a specific research. I enjoy history, and 1920s cars, during the years, many pieces of the puzzle were naturally being laid, and yesterday, reading about the local history, I remembered the newspaper picture and all dots connected at once!