1922 Cadillac Victoria - good buy?

[hidden_hunter]

Hi guys,

 

Currently a 26 Buick guy but looking at getting a Cadillac and came across this 1922 Victoria Coupe. Looking for an original(ish) car - not really interested in something that has been "updated & improved" but I'm ok with minor things that aren't quite original to the car (due to availability etc)

 

http://www.motoexotica.com/inventory/listing/1922-cadillac-victoria/

 

Just a couple quick questions.

What are the important things to know about this year? Does this particular car look like it would be a good buy? What would a realistic cruising speed be for it?

[alsancle]

I like it a lot but can't really help you with your questions. 

[hidden_hunter]

9 minutes ago, alsancle said:

I like it a lot but can't really help you with your questions. 

 

Ha, that's the predicament I'm in at the moment!

[Matt Harwood]

I've had some experience with a 1916 Cadillac and a 1919 Cadillac, and this one isn't all that different. It's closer to the 1916 Cadillac than it is to my 1929 Cadillac and I'll say that it'll feel primitive unless you're familiar with other nickel-era cars. However, it's also surprisingly powerful and tractable and the engine is indestructible. That big knob is to pressurize the fuel system before you start it and once it's running, there's an air pump to keep it pressurized. No vacuum tank, no fuel pump, but that pressure system can be fussy, especially if you don't remember to knock the cap loose and de-pressurize it when you store it, which can cause fuel leaks at the carburetor when you're not around. The transmission is a crashbox 3-speed and if it's anything like the 1916 and 1919 models I've driven, the clutch is an on-off switch, not meant to be slipped to any large degree. Comfortable cruising speed is probably 40-45 MPH, but not much more. Both the 1916 and 1919 cars I drove were happiest at about 35. Brakes are going to be terrible, as I believe they are rear wheels only and maybe external contracting. The hardware is robust and the equipment inside is simple so these are reliable cars overall. I kind of like the opera coupe body style, but it's really neither fish nor foul--not big enough for the whole family but not really cozy or sporting like a true coupe.

 

I like the car and I think these nickel-era Cadillacs are criminally under-appreciated. They're great machines that have better road manners than most of their contemporaries. And they've just been made Full Classics in the CCCA, although I see that you're in Australia, so that may not mean much to you. Up here, it means the car probably got about 20% more valuable overnight. Hopefully they'll have more slow-speed tours for these early cars.

 

As a guide, I sold this yellow 1919 5-passenger phaeton for $37,000 and the blue 1924 Buick Master Six opera coupe similar to this Cadillac for $10,500. This Cadillac should be priced somewhere in-between. The green 1916 Cadillac is not for sale.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[C Carl]

I also like this car a lot. It is a very "lovable" car , and we old car lovers know how important that is ! I can help you in great detail , but I am old and it is way past my bedtime. I also hope to be quite busy for the next several days. To extrapolate from Matt : yes, this car may very well be a very good deal. Late 'teens through mid '20s as we know , give a great amount of satisfaction for the money. Important things to know : very rugged cars. No Achilles heels. Extremely solid comfortable ride. Good power , wonderful flexibility with the 5 1/8" stroke. 2 wheel brakes are something to be factored in to your driving technique , of that , more later. For now , your driving will have to integrate some factors which you will already have a good insight on. Do understand the single plane crankshaft , and the harmonic vibration inherent to it. This "buzz" coincides with the torque band , 1800 - 2200 rpm. Equivalent , depending on gearing , to 40 something mph. As would have been usual almost 100 years ago , the 30s mph range would be the most comfortable , with the fewer of those , the better.  I have info for you regarding the multiple-plate clutch pak , use of the advance/retard control , the advisability and reason for lowering  the intake temp , and more. Do you have Skype , or some intercontinental phone service which could provide a gracious info dump tailored to your exact needs ? I am West Coast USA. 206-790-6912 , and sometimes keep unusual , irregular hours. Get this car. I see you are one of the energetic young old car guys here , if your birthday is not a typo. Get and enjoy this car for years to come. Not many like it , and just look at those incredible wheels ! The car is very well sorted , and seems to be tour ready. No small thing in terms of time , and/or money. There may be some 1915 - 1923 Cadillacs within reasonable distance to you. Maybe someone will see this and advise , I can check the Cadillac LaSalle Club register later. Drive one or two. Or , come on up ! I'll get back to you. In 1971 , my friend Steve Christensen hung a handle on me :  -  Cadillac Carl 

[C Carl]

h_h , CC continuing : the most important thing to thoroughly understand is the difference between the single plane crankshaft Cadillac V8s , 1915 - 1923 , and the inherently balanced , 2 plane crankshaft Cadillac V8s , 1924 and thereafter. Sandy and I fell deeply in love with a 1916 7 passenger touring 30 years ago. Not for sale , but started a search. For my purposes , it became obvious the balanced engine was essential. 4 wheel brakes made their debut for Cadillac in 1924 also. 3 years later I became the owner of a very well preserved 1924 7 passenger touring. Decided to compliment it with a closed Cadillac in at least equal condition , also from the mid '20s. 20 years later my extraordinary 1927 5 pass sedan entered and changed my life , a true late in life love affair. ( Have you seen the pics of these cars I occasionally post on AACA ? ). I would like to talk about some technical aspects , and the evolution of my relevant thoughts which will give you a valuable perspective. This may encourage you to cut a check for the subject car , or stimulate further search in slightly more modern turf. I am traveling , and have to hurry to make check out. TBC , CC

 

P.S. : call anytime , if you have affordable means to do so. You can not wake me at unusual hours , as I turn off my phone when I finally take my sleep. I can be awake at any given time. Give it a try.

[hidden_hunter]

Hi Carl and Matt, thanks for all the great information - yes the information in my profile is correct. I probably should have mentioned in my previous message that I would be looking to import into Australia mostly due to the fact that local cars are far more expensive (admittedly LHD cars are harder to sell and are cheaper in Aus). I suspect we're also in for a bit of a spike with Australian cars that have Holden bodies on them (which is most locally delivered cars is my understanding) due to Holden closing down manufacturing in Australia this year. 

 

I didn't realise how much of a difference the 2 plane crankshaft would make to the overall drivability of the car. I'm guessing that and the addition of the front wheel brakes is why there seems to be a fairly significant price jump on the cars 24 and newer - for instance there is a  local (RHD)1927 7 passenger coupe that has no interior with the motor out asking US$34k. Someone has been trying to sell a LHD 1926 coupe that needs paint, full interior and a lot of "minor" things for about US$35k.  

 

The speeds that you guys are talking about should mean that it's more than able to keep up with the 1926 Buick. Would you expect the brakes to be much worse than what the Buick has or about the same (it does have front brakes though)? I assume there is also a very real possibility the brakes are still asbestos lined? Given where you've taken your car Carl, I assume they wouldn't have any real trouble with the 50f-100f we get here in Melbourne. Even though the car is 4 years older than the buick, it seems that the motor is quite a bit more advanced in design - are there any parts in particular to be wary of? e.g in the Buick they used a lot of pot metal for things like the distributor base that tended to disintegrate. 

 

When I was doing some research on the different models cadillac made that year, I came across the different variants with pictures that they built. For the life of me I can't seem to see much of a difference between the 5 passenger coupe and the 2 door victoria. Is it just the jump seat in the front that's different or is there something more to it that I'm missing? 

 

I'm certainly not wed to that particular car either, if there are others that you guys think are worth having a look at let me know. I don't mind a bit of work but unfortunately don't quite have the luxury of taking on a total basket case. I like the caddie's because there seems to be good documentation around for them and decent parts availability however are there any other marques that would offer a similar experience to the caddies that are worth considering (blasphemy on a cadillac forum I know!) 

 

You have a fantastic looking car Carl, I saw your photos on one of other pages - some amazing places you've taken your car! have to admit I haven't traveled up that side of the states very much, mostly east coast

[C Carl]

Hi , h_h , I have just alerted my friend Mike Barnes to your endeavor. He is the owner of a yahoo group dedicated to early V8 Cadillacs. Some of your countrymen and cousins participate. Join. Also , join Cadillac & LaSalle club. Many fine members relatively near you. You must also obtain what I and others call "The Bible". Maurice Hendry's  " Cadillac , the Complete 70 Year History". This will give you indispensable info on Cadillac's V8 development. Also , you will see severe service these cars were put to. Single plane , 2 wheel brake Caddies in military service. A fleet of 1924 7 pass tourings (see mine below - reading Hendry sealed my decision to get one) , put to extreme use across the Middle East by some of your Kiwi Cousins. No , don't worry. You are on the right track. As the incomparable , wise , Matt corroborates , these are a lot of satisfaction for the money. My guess , in his range , you might even get the '22 for 22 ! Closed car , etc. All that work on a well kept car. Yes , the "buzz" is GREATLY reduced in the 1924+ Cadillacs. BUT : Many years ago CLC , Pacific Northwest Region had a talented and treasured member , Ed LaBelle. Ed had done a very last bolt restoration on a 1920 Cadillac 4-5 pass Tulip Touring. I asked him once about his highway driving speed. He had no fear at 55-60 !!! BUT , he knew EVERY last EVERYTHING about his car. It was meticulously blueprinted and balanced , with some metallurgical and fastener upgrades. Not that these cars NEED all that , but you sure would at the kind of velocities Ed enjoyed. Now , as for myself , if I want to drive fast , I take one of my fast cars. But , I sure enjoy driving slowly . And these cars are sublimely addictive doing just that ! Good thing , as that might be all I am able to do , if at all , shortly. These old cars may feel comfortable , capable , and stable at a certain speed where an emergency  would put them out of control. BE CAREFUL ! No safety engineering in the delightful death traps. Oh , pot metal : no real issue until '26 , mostly distributor , the fix for which is readily available , and automatic timing chain tensioner , more later on that one. Window cranks bind up , a common problem with new castings your solution. For '27 , add the fragile lever controls on the center of the steering wheel , and the gears at the bottom of the column which carry the spark and hand throttle motions. V63 ('24 & '25) and earlier are not pot , so very robust. I just got a notification that Mike Barnes has responded to my plea. Let's see.  -  CC

[C Carl]

Well , Barnes had sent me an email in response to mine. He is alerting some Aussie WIZARD GENIUSES to come to your aid. You will not go wrong here. It is pretty much a buyers market for all but the highest strata of toys. Hmmmmmm , I wonder why?  -  CC

[C Carl]

Oh , yeah : Pedal wear. Although variables play a part , and resolution is low , clutch pedal shows wear typical of perhaps 60,000 miles or so. It seems the brake pedal may be surprisingly worn. 60,000 miles is typical for the level of porcelain erosion on the ex manifolds. - CC

[C Carl]

Relatively easy to plumb in a full flow oil filter on pre-'26 Cadillacs. From that point on , they had bypass filters.  - CC

[C Carl]

I assume you are very proficient at double clutch shifting ?  - CC

[hidden_hunter]

Thanks for all the great information Carl, those gears at the bottom of the steering wheel sound like something GM liked to put on everything around the same period (not interchangeable of course!) and are a common point of failure on Buick's as well.

 

I'm not sure about whether we're allowed to talk price openly on the message boards here, but I do have a cost from the dealer to have it shipped here to Melbourne (excluding GST) A local car would obviously be preferable but there is quite the price premium to pay for one unfortunately (even more for different body styles as well) . Thanks for putting the word out!

 

Is 1924 around the sweet spot for price to car ratio at the moment?

 

I had specifically wondered if people did do that to add an oil filter, from the service manual I found before Cadillac added the filter the replacement distance was something like only 500 miles. The Buick has an oil filter that's impossible to replace, only used for about 18 months and not user serviceable - one up on the screen door filter they put with the pump

 

Thanks again

 

[C Carl]

Firstly , h_h , go to "Technical" , under the banner of "AACA GENERAL DISCUSSIONS".  Read "Vapor Lock Additives.........". Pay particular attention to "Heat Soak". You asked about the driveability issues in 50-100 degrees. There are simple mods to make these cars drive much better on modern gasoline. I might be a bit of an authority on this aspect of early V8 Cadillacs. I can go into detail. 

 

Yes , it is my opinion that the 1924 Cadillac is PRECISELY the sweet spot. But you have to be a bit flexible. For example , generally '24 uses a painted radiator shell , and painted headlight buckets. '25 were plated. I like the painted look , and wanted as archaic an open Cadillac as possible which incorporated the mechanical refinement I deemed necessary. It only took me 3 years to find just what I wanted , but the right '25 , or even a bit newer would have needed consideration. You don't come across just the right one every year. I got lucky. I have owned that car for 27 years , and have never come across what would have been as good a car for ME. It took me 20 years to find the PERFECT closed counterpart , the "Winter Car"

 

Now as to price discussions : That is the name of a significant portion of the chatter game here , and elsewhere. Let's have at it ! You must know that all of us old grand dads are pulling for you. You are likely to be an expert "Old Bull" long after we pass the checkout counter and search that infinite parts pile in the sky forever. Yeah , where is he at on that rare , well sorted beauty ? Don't worry.

 

Look at the oil filter on the firewall of the '27. Buick is the same. Good news is that filter is an exact repop , with a modern spin on 21 micron element inside. Bob's Automobilia supplys them , and a great source for particularly Buicks. By the way , the custom full flow installation on the '24 is almost invisible from above.

 

Here are a couple more pics. The "Summer Car" is original , even the top and HEADLINER ! Repainted many decades ago , fortunately in original colors. The wheels having been painted also , covering up the original delicate pin striping , I took the liberty of a not quite as original treatment. 

 

How much have you driven your '26 'Bu ?   - CC

[C Carl]

The frontal pic was the only one on Portland , OR craigslist , listing (now) my 1927 Cadillac for $22,500. It only solicited one response. The P.O. sent more pics , including what you see here. Less than 200 miles from me , I was thrilled to see that this might be (was) a museum grade original. P.O. had owned it for 8-9 years , but didn't understand it. I did , and saw that the car needed preparation to bring it to long distance , cross country capability. Having likewise dealt with my '24 , I knew there would be some surprises in accomplishing this. I got a very good deal on the car , most surprises were happy , one or two issues not so , as you must expect if you are going all out to make a multi-thousand mile reliable lone wolf cruiser out of an old car. It sure is now ! You might figure adding the equal valuation of the purchase price to take an old , fairly well maintained parade car to that level. Your subject car ? Honestly , I can not tell. The extreme brake pedal wear would require me to go to a very comprehensive analysis by a qualified local. Lots of cars and parts get overly optimistic presentation. Our Early V8 Cadillac Yahoo group has at least 2 members , Mike Barnes , and Ken Hamilton who have suffered from that syndrome. At least one cars and parts flogger on AACA is less than honest , selling parts in poor condition , delaying shipment , sometimes by over one year ( ! ) , and incomplete when finally the poor quality , overpriced package arrives. Be careful , and guard against sight unseen disappointment. You MUST have a potential purchase expertly checked out. After much more thorough going over the ad , and considering the current  market , you might well get into the high 'teens. If you would like , I can call and grill the sellers for you. I don't think it can hurt. I wonder why the center two primer cups are missing and plugged on each head ? Please join Cadillac & LaSalle Club . Member support for such evaluation , parts , advice , etc. is a huge advantage. Not to mention The Self Starter , our superb monthly magaIne. Also , sign up for our yahoo group. Contact Mike Barnes in Canada for this. His email is   mbenseignant@gmail.com  You know , I think I will post this for the group , perhaps others will help.  - CC

[hidden_hunter]

Hi Carl,

 

Thanks again for all of the great information - sorry I've been a bit slower responding (work will do that!)

 

The cars in the photo's are beautiful, is 24 or 25 the year that the dashboards got a lot more ornate? The earlier cars dashes seem more akin to what you'd see on the buick with a couple of gauges cut into a piece of timber.

 

The dealer is talking early thirties for price and a couple of thousand to have it shipped - I don't know how much of a premium you're paying for a coupe over a full sedan (I prefer the 'sportier' look of the coupes but realise they may cost too much for a 'good' example) I did notice a few details on that car that seemed a bit off upon closer inspection, I wasn't sure with the primer cups if they still had them for all 8 cylinders or if they ever removed some of them along the way. The other thing that looks a bit suspect on it was the top of the radiator, the cap doesn't look right either.

 

A car that's been part of the club seems like a good approach given it's more likely to be a 'known' quantity, it just adds some complexity with shipping

[C Carl]

Here you see a higher res pic of the one year only inlaid Cadillac instrument panel. A Cadillac patented process. I don't know why they didn't use it more. The radiator looks fine to me. The cap is standard issue. A Motometer would have been extra , they work great , and are not hard to find. Bumpers were also extra , as were the Gabriel Snubbers. Bumpers are a good idea , I don't know how  difficult to find , as my cars came with them. Spring steel , they are extremely effective. Look , this is a very presentable car , with a thorough preparation. Cadillacs like this don't come up that often. I have read the work done , and have one question. They say pan was pulled and rod bearings checked. Did they also check the center main? The harmonic vibration loads the center main. Bright idea to check it. Check = visual inspection and plastigage clearance. 

 

The thirties is too high for this car IMHO. This is a real buyers market for cars of this era. Some very good offerings , substantially under "market" are available in some '20s luxury cars. Right now on AACA forums. 

 

Is is your oil filter like the one I showed you on my '27 ?

 

Pictured here is CLC member Doc Rick Hawkins proudly learning to drive a crash box. This is West of Las Vegas at Red Rock. One of my most able students. He helped teach me how to better teach people how to drive these things. The best way to begin to learn how to double clutch , is to do thousands of double clutched shifts up and down on a synchromesh transmission.

[C Carl]

Go to Buy/Sell under AACA General. Look at : "FS 1929 Pierce Arrow Model 133 ..................." If you are looking to spend in the 30s , this seems to be an unusual deal. Already at major West Coast port. I am in L.A. right now. Would you like me to have a look at it for you ? The Cad is too expensive , these days. - CC

[hidden_hunter]

19 minutes ago, C Carl said:

Go to Buy/Sell under AACA General. Look at : "FS 1929 Pierce Arrow Model 133 ..................." If you are looking to spend in the 30s , this seems to be an unusual deal. Already at major West Coast port. I am in L.A. right now. Would you like me to have a look at it for you ? The Cad is too expensive , these days. - CC

 

 

I hadn't really considered a piece arrow before, so I'll do some checking around

 

Is it just that cad you think is over priced or the sort of car in that range is not going to be a great deal?

[C Carl]

As stated earlier , the middle class around these parts has seen better days. However , for some reason or other , I have a feeling the P.A. will not last long. There was a beautiful 1925 Lincoln Opera Coupe at Branson Museum. ( bransonmuseum.com ). Recently after a long time on the market , the price was dropped to $22,900. Appears to have sold. You are the buyer. You are in the drivers seat in today's market. In the future , I expect you will have many fantastic deals come your way. Trick will be to have the financial resources to snap a few up. - CC

[C Carl]

There are good deals to be had on mid '20s Cads. I may be spoiled by my 2 beauties , however I have seen a couple of guys ( previously mentioned ) who ended up with somewhat problematical misrepresented cars. It is ALWAYS the best deal to get the very best car you can afford. Maybe even just a little more than you can afford. No , mid '20s Cads are quite satisfying. They are a wonderful combination of the archaic , and the magnificent V8 engines. They take you back in time very well , time machines , while constantly reminding you that you are being propelled by an essential step in the evolution towards the future. The ubiquitous V8 engines. The Leland V8 got balanced in '24. '27 was the last of that line. '28 saw the disappearance of fork and blade rods with the Nacker offset (staggered) blocks. The monoblock flatheads , '36-'48  yielded to the high speed OHV V8 in '49. You will have some of these sooner or later !  ( I am not sure I have answered your question ? ) - CC

[Matt Harwood]

The Pierce is a better car in every way. The Cadillacs are great, but a Pierce is almost in a class by itself. The quality is tangible on every single component. If you can afford that $35,000, you should snap it up now. You won't regret it, and it'll be worth more in a few years.

[hidden_hunter]

That pierce is a very very nice motor, but at US$35k + shipping + taxes I think it might be just out of my price range (given it's cheap there probably isn't much movement on the price) which is a shame because it's clearly in much better condition than the caddy and a higher quality. Also reading about the motor it sounds like it would offer a great driving experience.

 

The dealer has listed the 22 cad on fleabay with a reserve, thinking I might put a cheeky bid in towards the end of the auction that would leave enough room to take a gamble and make it right. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the reserve is around what he was offering it at.

[Matt Harwood]

I guarantee the reserve is exactly the asking price.

[mbenseignant@gmail.com]

Dear H-H,

Carl may have mentioned to you here that there is a Yahoo group for the early V8 Cadillacs; he is a member, and I am the moderator. Here is the link:

 

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/EarlyV8Cadillac/info

 

If you wish to join, you will need a Yahoo account (easy and free), click on the Join Group button, and I will approve the rest.

 

Good luck in your car searches. A price in the 30s for a closed Cadillac from the early 20s seems steep to me. These cars do not sell promptly; there are not many prospective buyers. In that price range you might get yourself a touring car some day from a private seller.

 

Regards, Mike Barnes, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

EarlyV8Cadillac@yahoogroups.com moderator

[hidden_hunter]

2 hours ago, mbenseignant@gmail.com said:

Dear H-H,

Carl may have mentioned to you here that there is a Yahoo group for the early V8 Cadillacs; he is a member, and I am the moderator. Here is the link:

 

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/EarlyV8Cadillac/info

 

If you wish to join, you will need a Yahoo account (easy and free), click on the Join Group button, and I will approve the rest.

 

Good luck in your car searches. A price in the 30s for a closed Cadillac from the early 20s seems steep to me. These cars do not sell promptly; there are not many prospective buyers. In that price range you might get yourself a touring car some day from a private seller.

 

Regards, Mike Barnes, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

EarlyV8Cadillac@yahoogroups.com moderator

 

I'll be sure to join up when I get home from work!

 

Thanks for the information - obviously condition and body style would be important but what would expect to see a closed 24/25 car going for? I know once you've hit the late twenties the price goes up considerably

[trimacar]

Prices start to go up in the late 1920's because of styling and performance.

 

Prior to that point, the design of a car more or less was by the engineers, and form followed function.  Sure, there were a few distinctive things on some cars, but overall, there wasn't a lot of time wasted trying to get a sleek, attractive car, just a good functional car.  Also, the roads were poor in the early days, so a cruising speed of 40 mile per hour or so was fine, no need to have a car designed to go much faster.

 

Then, in the late 20's, "art and styling" departments started springing up at automobile design shops.  The overall look of the car, and complimenting color schemes, began to make a big difference in how cars were designed.  Also, roads were getting better, so cars needed to be a little faster, and with the developments of a little faster car it followed that the car was a little nicer to drive.

 

By 1932, it all came together, and styling and performance was excellent pretty much across the board for all automobile makes.  May think that the years 1932, 1933, 1934 were high points in styling, for the classic look of antique cars.

 

Thus, the demand is higher for cars made late 20's and on.....and we all know about how demand drives value.....

 

All that said, there were some wonderful cars made from 1916 to 1928, and if nice originals, or restored correctly (i.e. restore everything, don't leave some mechanical components alone because they're "good enough"), they can be excellent road cars with good manners.

[alsancle]

56 minutes ago, trimacar said:

By 1932, it all came together, and styling and performance was excellent pretty much across the board for all automobile makes.  May think that the years 1932, 1933, 1934 were high points in styling, for the classic look of antique cars.

 

Agreed.  32 is where the upward pointing graph of performance and road-ability meets the downward pointing graph of custom coachwork and classic styling at the best spot for both.

 

I look at Packard & Ford as the two benchmarks for this argument.

[trimacar]

Packard and Ford are good examples, but it's difficult to find ANY marque that had an unattractive 32-34 model.  As you say, it all came together at that point.  Later 30's cars have better road manners, but the classic "old car" look was disappearing by then...

[mbenseignant@gmail.com]

As for values, I really only watch Cadillacs on Ebay. Two V-63s, both closed, both similar to the car under discussion here, sold for under $15,000 (one may not have sold, but that was as high as the offers). They were unrestored cars, driveable. After selling for around $14,000, one of them then showed up repeatedly on Ebay again, and the new owner wanted around $40,000, claiming the car was too good an original to merit restoration. I don't believe he ever sold in that range. He may still have the car, but since he wants to triple his money, I don't know if he is worth approaching.

 

You might want to join an antique car club or two in your part of the world. This hobby is an aging one: bargains do present themselves, and in the mean time you will have a very good time meeting folks with a L-O-N-G perspective on things and irreplaceable knowledge.

 

Thanks for joining the EarlyV8Cadillac forum!

 

Mike Barnes, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

[hidden_hunter]

1 hour ago, mbenseignant@gmail.com said:

As for values, I really only watch Cadillacs on Ebay. Two V-63s, both closed, both similar to the car under discussion here, sold for under $15,000 (one may not have sold, but that was as high as the offers). They were unrestored cars, driveable. After selling for around $14,000, one of them then showed up repeatedly on Ebay again, and the new owner wanted around $40,000, claiming the car was too good an original to merit restoration. I don't believe he ever sold in that range. He may still have the car, but since he wants to triple his money, I don't know if he is worth approaching.

 

You might want to join an antique car club or two in your part of the world. This hobby is an aging one: bargains do present themselves, and in the mean time you will have a very good time meeting folks with a L-O-N-G perspective on things and irreplaceable knowledge.

 

Thanks for joining the EarlyV8Cadillac forum!

 

Mike Barnes, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

 

That is one thing that I have already found from my hunt, there are some people out there that expect way way too much - e.g. there was a late teens car here for sale (RHD) that would have needed $40k+ work on that they still wanted $25k for a non runner.

 

Most of the Cadillac clubs here are focused on the newer models which have no appeal to me, there are a number of good generalist clubs though 

[mbenseignant@gmail.com]

I joined the Vintage Car Club of Canada -- which really only exists in my province; other provinces have their own clubs, despite the national-sounding title. Most members are interested in newer cars — agreed — but our club has an Antique Chapter. I shouldn't really be allowed in with my car, since the cut-off is around 1916 (Horseless Carriage Club of America allows cars made up to the last day of 1915). However, my 1924 car tours well with the brass-era beauties. It is rather slow and low-geared (compared to the cars of the later 20s and onwards). This is where my interest lies; the club is smallish & familial, full of personalities and expertise. Everybody has an opinion, let that much be said!

 

H-H: you might consider looking for an antique chapter also. They will probably be flexible enough to allow a car from the nickel-era. And you will kill the brass-era cars on hills (or if you are carrying passengers). But of course we don't gloat.

 

Happy hunting; happy driving, Mike Barnes, Vancouver

[C Carl]

h_h , 15 bids on eBay stalled at $15,220. I suspect this is well short of a somewhat optimistic reserve. Did you play ? What is your current thinking ? What more can I/we do for you at this time ? Please join Cadillac & LaSalle Club , and place a wanted in The Self Starter our superb monthly. I would be happy to help you write it. You will see very attractive cars offered at realistic prices. Fellow club members are extremely helpful , interesting , and of highest integrity. It appears high 'teens for this car could indeed be a "good buy". Stay active here on this forum. You , still in your 20s , can expect some wonderful old cars to come your way. And just think , you might get to be a 60 year member , the esteemed conservator of institutional knowledge , of some prestigious car clubs. Maybe you will be a "Past President" of CLC , and judge preservation of such cars as this '22 , or the eventually to be old , yet-to-be-built '22 !!!! Keep this thread alive for the benefit of all. Hoping for the very best for you and everyone who reads this posting or not ,  Cadillac Carl

[hidden_hunter]

22 hours ago, C Carl said:

h_h , 15 bids on eBay stalled at $15,220. I suspect this is well short of a somewhat optimistic reserve. Did you play ? What is your current thinking ? What more can I/we do for you at this time ? Please join Cadillac & LaSalle Club , and place a wanted in The Self Starter our superb monthly. I would be happy to help you write it. You will see very attractive cars offered at realistic prices. Fellow club members are extremely helpful , interesting , and of highest integrity. It appears high 'teens for this car could indeed be a "good buy". Stay active here on this forum. You , still in your 20s , can expect some wonderful old cars to come your way. And just think , you might get to be a 60 year member , the esteemed conservator of institutional knowledge , of some prestigious car clubs. Maybe you will be a "Past President" of CLC , and judge preservation of such cars as this '22 , or the eventually to be old , yet-to-be-built '22 !!!! Keep this thread alive for the benefit of all. Hoping for the very best for you and everyone who reads this posting or not ,  Cadillac Carl

 

Yes I did - might post more details in the yahoo group in case the seller comes across this post. The more I think about it the club route makes more sense and might give a bit more flexibility around shipping. I'm pretty active on the buick forum so not planning on going anywhere any time soon

 

The search continues! or the dealer puts a realistic reserve on it!

[hidden_hunter]

Well took your advice and have signed up for the cadillac and lasalle club (the US based one)

 

Will keep an eye out!