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1931 V-16


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The Cadillac V-16 is an incredible car - that being said though it probably not going to find a home quickly at the price and one of the reasons is you either have to dive into it (or dive into it to a point) or you have to use it as is, though the problem is that  it is not very usable "as is" given it's splitting at the seam top issues (aka you cannot even put it out on a show field or ... without being paranoid about rain). As to the rest of the cosmetics - does not bother me a bit and I would guess does not bother anyone else either (all be I sent a guy packing that came to look at a super nice car and then complained right and left that he could not win shows with it - well he missed out as he will never find one better - it may be more shiny but it will not be better), other than a new set of Firestone Double Whitewalls are probably in order (my guess is the car has Lincoln brand tires on it - pre Lester Tire and had them late 1960's or very early 1970's when photographed for Automobile Quarterly - when it still had all its original paint attached to it = aka some collector really let this car go downhill). 

Edited by John_Mereness (see edit history)
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16 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Nice !  Pretty unusual car too. 

OK , car looks very good .A little dust from sitting i guess ..I bought a 1953 Buick 1953 cvt some months ago and its all so very simple ...manual windows , seats , no power steering , manual gearbox , simple choke system , all things that cannot go wrong compared to my 1950 cad cvt that has much more luxury that can all go wrong .

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6 hours ago, daniel boeve said:

OK , car looks very good .A little dust from sitting i guess ..I bought a 1953 Buick 1953 cvt some months ago and its all so very simple ...manual windows , seats , no power steering , manual gearbox , simple choke system , all things that cannot go wrong compared to my 1950 cad cvt that has much more luxury that can all go wrong .

There is an advantage to more simple aka the popularity of such as pre-WWII Fords, all be adjusting V-8 valves does take some time and there are a few other not so quick or easy repairs I have had to do.  

 

My opinion generally is I look for a car that someone had done it really well mechanically and I do the cosmetics or something the cosmetics are very nicely done and mechanically it at least reasonable though needing some attention.  And, when I have to get too far into mechanics I rarely touch the cosmetics.  I have done plenty of needs everything and plenty of things with unobtanium for parts - it is a hard road.

 

In this case, I may look for some dress-em-up accessory full wheel covers/hubcaps, perhaps a more period whitewall after I have put a few miles on the set of tires it currently has (unless they are older), and put the top down.  It looks fine without skirts, though I might be tempted to see how a pair may look as it does streamline the car  - problem though is most cities do not have paint match guy that is stellar (very fortunate we have one here in Cincinnati, though they keep talking of retiring). A nice car to find parts for should it need anything mechanically.  And interesting and unusual.

Edited by John_Mereness (see edit history)
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Sidenote: Dad and I have had enough 1931 Cadillac's matched to helping fiends that this Cadillac would not intimidate me, though if not use to a car like this you have to be willing to either learn it or know how to write checks.  The mileage is low enough that it should prove a very serviceable car.  And, the condition is FABULOUS !!!

 

What I did not like in 31's was the V-8 cars had a "marginal design" carburetor in the V'ee/valley  matched to "heat sink" by engine and by manifold cross-over/pre-heater and  the torque tube suspension was also a little annoying when and service required touching it.  That said, the largest issue is theses cars are just "dripping" in die cast trim and plated goodies.

 

The 1930-1931 V-12 and V-16 cars use to do better on tours as the carburetors hang off to the sides of the engine, though people were having problems with parts deterioration and/or not knowing how to deal with the carbs (which is now solved via reproduction carbs being available https://cad-carbs.com/collections/carburetors).  The 1934 V-16 was not that bad to keep going all be it also a low mileage well maintained car that had a Ned Herman mechanical restoration that was pretty stellar for it time in the 70's and for any time for that matter.  The only thing I really did not like about the  1934 is that there were virtually no parts for it (while 30-31 parts are more plentiful) and I had issues with leaking expansion joins in the exhaust manifolds matched to a few other minor things, though they were mostly around not being able to fit the car in my garage at home  (which made it hard as I had to work on car at various elsewhere's).    

 

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