Guest Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 I was in south america over the holidays and was looking for that Auburn roaster that was being used for a chick coop. My plan was to "carpet bag-it" down there with $200 bucks and walk away with some V-16 or convertible.To my surpise, I found this http://www.museodelautomovilnicolini.com/ which has a nice selection original imported american cars.These cars are actually "X" labled on the vin number "for export" and have been in Peru since the 1920's and up.The Auburns, Stutz, and 1955 Cadillac, which Richard Nixion brought down with him on his tour of south America would be nice addition to any collection. This guy's shop is restoring those "cira 1950 Cuba type cars" back to original. He's got his own wood worker, welding shop, and chroming tanks. Below are some of the cars in his museum and shop. The web link above has more details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Neat find! But why would a car supposedly from 1955 have headlights that weren't available/legal here until 1957? Couldn't this be a locally assembled later model Caddy based on the 1955? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 No, quad-headlights were not legal before 1957 however, I do remember the design department coming up with some special models that had the quads in 1955. We won't know without the VIN but it is possible this was a gift to Richard Nixon which was shipped to South America. And I do believe cars sold in foriegn countries did have quads as an option...but I will have to check on that. More as I dig it up. Great pictures, Tommy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 A lawyer friend of mine from Lima, Peru, sent me lots of photos of cars in the Nicolini collection, including the one reported as "Nixon's" Cadillac that he used when he toured Latin America. Mr. Nicolini also sent me a couple more.You can see these photos of that odd '56 model with the quads on my Web site:www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/drm56.htmI never did get the information off the body tag so I'm not sure if this was an "SO" (special order car) or a local conversion in Peru. The owner is sure, however, that it came from USA like this. On the same Web page there is a B&W factory photo of the front clip of a similar 1956 model. These may have been prototypes for later production models.I remember seeing in 1978 (in the utmost secrecy, and thanks to a close friendship with then GM-Cadillac design chief, Chuck Jordan)a full scale mock-up of what later became the new, bustle-back Seville for 1980. So it is definitely not uncommon for GM to build "would be" cars, 2-5 year before they actually go into production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 while at the CLC grand national for the 100th year, I took these photo's of a concept cadillac which look very close to the car in Peru.The car is Peru was not "home made". I remember that Nixion did go to south america and Cuba, and almost got his Cadillac limo rolled over from an unrulely mob with him in it. Not sure of the country... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 Tommy ~ That is one beautiful Cadillac in your picture from the CLC meet.You mention Nixon's limo. If Nixon had a car in South America, and if it was a limo as you mentioned, which is most likely, then the convertible in the SA pictures probably had no connection with Nixon. Maybe it belonged to Al Capone? Every exotic car that someone tries to sell is a "Former Al Capone Car." Someone would probably even try that line for a car built 10 years after Big Al died. hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 With the wonders of email I have made some verifications:Hello,I'm a member of the AACA, Antique automotive club of America, and while in Peru, South America over the holiday's I found a Auto Museum in Lima, Peru which states it has "Richard Nixon's Cadillac".If I'm correct, Nixon was in South America in the late 1950's for a good will tour. This Cadillac he brought with him was a "X" experimental or a "concept car" of it's day. The car is rare since it has 1958 styling on a 1955 model. Top of the line, convertible.We were wondering if you had any photo's to confirm this to be true. The Cadillac LaSalle Club (CLC), would also, like to verify this also.Thank you,Dear Sirs,Thank you for your recent email regarding the vehicle used by then VicePresident Richard Nixon on his trip to Peru, May 7 and 8, 1958.The photos we have found do not match the one you sent. The vehicle used inour photos was a light colored convertible with a completely differentfront.If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.Sincerely,Greg CummingDirector of Archives ProgramsRichard Nixon Library and Birthplace(714) 993-5075 ext. 308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 It would be great to see the Nixon Library's photos of the car actually used during the goodwill tour. The information suggests that the Lima, Peru car was not the one used during the tour, but it leaves open the possibility that the car has some other connection to Nixon. Did he personally own the car at some point? Did he present the car as a gift?On the subject of the Lima, Peru Cadillac -- it has been referred to several times as a 1955 model. The grille and bumper design appear to me to be 1956 vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 When this topic first appeared, I thought immediately of a 1957 Pontiac Bonneville that had undergone similar treatment. Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of this car? Here's a link to some additional information. If the Pontiac story is "for real", then it may add some credibility to the idea that Cadillac itself was responsible for the quad headlamps on the Lima, Peru '56 convertible.http://pontiacserver.freeservers.com/hpp575bon1.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Tommy, if memory serves, that is the LeMans concept car Cadillac produced for the 1954 Motorama. That and the LeSabre were concepts designed by Harley Earl and his design team, along with the Eldorado Park Avenue in 1955 which would become the basis for the 1957 Eldorado Brougham. The LeMans is a gorgeous car. Thanks for the wonderful pictures of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Randall,it's no problem running out to my garage and snapping a few pictures of my old beaters.... I'm going to get the two painted Elvis Pink... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Pink with black and white interiors! What a combo! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />Are you a member of the CLC too? I'd love to see some pictures of your Caddys. Oh by the way...have you see this on eBay?http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...p;category=6146 Some Cadillac lover. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 randall,I only have one cadillac, and it's in the CLC 2004 calander for the month of August... (That's another story) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Really!!! I will be getting mine soon! What a gem it must be. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Here is the photo of the car. I hope this helps.Sincerely,Greg CummingDirector of Archives ProgramsRichard Nixon Library and Birthplace(714) 993-5075 ext. 308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Yep! That's a completely different front end from that of the blue Eldorado convertible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 AACA --- Antique AUTOMOBILE Club of America Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Oh my...an Edsel. Hmmmmmm. I doubt anyone could confuse that with a Cadillac but...you never know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 the funny thing about the picture is there are three guys in the front seat, and Nixion looks like he running for president of Peru! The crowd could careless from the photo, but he is putting on the full show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 Two observations:1. That's a crowd? 2. Check out the compression of those (air?) springs! Just how heavy are five people? Who's in the trunk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48LCCOUPE Posted January 7, 2004 Share Posted January 7, 2004 The poor Edsel. The grille does look like a urinal. never had a chance what with bathroom humour and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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