Drivetrain
Chassis
Body

1931 Cadillac 355 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood Fully Restored Top Show Level
Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Co when Henry Ford departed along with several of his key partners and the company was dissolved. With the intent of liquidating the firm's assets, Ford's financial backers,called in engineer HEnry Leland to appraise the plant and equipment prior to selling them. Instead, Leland persuaded them to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine. Henry Ford's departure required a new name, and the company reformed as the Cadillac Automobile Company.
The Cadillac automobile was named after the 17th century French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, founder of Detroit in 1701.
Cadillac helped to define advanced engineering, luxury and style early in Automotive History and would come to be known as one of the world's finest made vehicles. Precision manufacturing of truly interchangeable parts was an award-winning industry first in 1908. Cadillac was the first manufacturer to release cars with a fully enclosed cab as factory equipment in 1910. Standard electric engine starting and lighting was another award winner for 1912. Cadillac introduced the first production V8 engine for the 1914 model year. Cadillac was the first manufacturer to utilize the skills of a designer to produce a car's body instead of an engineer (1927). This gave the public a car that looked as good as it performed. Cadillac's engineers were first to design a manual transmission with synchronizers for increased drivability (1929) and were instrumental in the early development of the automatic transmission, beginning in 1932. Cadillac offered a production V16 engine from 1930 through 1940 and introduced the production independent wishbone front suspension in 1934. The marque introduced tailfins for 1948. From the late 1960s onward, Cadillac offered a fiber-optic indication system which alerted the driver of a failed light bulb.
This Spectacular Example is a was the subject of a ground up nut and bolt Restoration completed in 2003. The car has been used sparingly and never shown competitively, so remains as a freshly restored car in every manner. Truly Jewelry like in every respect. Having never been shown, it's eligible for just about any major Concours or other event. With a known history going back many years the car was a very well preserved original car prior to restoration. Under the care of one of the most respected Cadillac Collectors in the country for many years, it is really without peer. This stunning car has all the bells and whistles. The subtle color combination perfectly compliments the flowing lines of this coachbuilt beauty. The car features a Stone Guard, Stork Mascot, Driving Light, Dual Side Mounted Spares, Wire Wheels, Trunk and Trunk Rack.
The 31-33 Cadillac is without a doubt one of the finest driving Cadillacs of the Classic Era, they handle quite a bit lighter and more sportily than their V16 Brethren. If you are looking for a powerful, drivable and very attractive Full Classic, the Cadilac 355 is not one to overlook. It runs quiet and smooth, shifts perfectly and drives like a dream.
This is a very Elegant and Stylish Full Classic Cadillac Convertible. It is arguably one of the finest of its kind.