1959 | Cadillac 75 Fleetwood Imperial

This even comes as a surprise to me!!

I've just decided to release this noble and truly rare piece on its further journey.

Cadillac specialists will immediately recognize which model this is.

The exact designation is "1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 LIMOUSINE" - "Body-Style 59 - 6733," of which, according to Cadillac, exactly 690 rolled off the assembly line.

Only this model has the rare divider window to the chauffeur, and it can only be operated electrically from the rear.

Not to be confused with a "1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 SEDAN" with the designation 59-6723 (without divider window).

There were only very few of these models, 710 in total.

What's also very rare is the 1959 color, called "Dunstan Blue Metallic," which was only offered on this model at the time.

I myself bought the Caddy in 1998 from a collector in Ohio-Sandusky, USA, who owned over 100 '59 Cadillacs of all models.

He even had the original, famous Ghostbusters car, and he still owns the unique "Queens Limousine."

This was converted for the Queen in 1959 for her visit to Canada. This limousine, which was unrestored and parked next to mine, also drove with J.F. Kennedy.

While searching for a 1960s Cadillac limousine, as I personally prefer these models, I unexpectedly came across this 1959 model and its seller.

After a quick phone call and receiving original photos in an envelope (there was no internet back then!!), I decided to fly to Ohio for the weekend to see and hear this Cadillac and the questionable story of its seller.

"USA – the land of opportunity," and that's exactly what it was!!

I never saw anything like it again.

After a short test drive, which was more or less bad than good, I decided to go for this limousine, which was practically unrestored at the time.

The brakes and engine allowed for a moderate test drive with a raised heart rate.

Thus, I became the proud owner of one of the most striking Cadillac models ever built.

Thanks to its chauffeur-like qualities, including a partition, power windows, and dedicated air conditioning and heating controls in the rear passenger compartment, this particular Cadillac model was found in many government and royal households at the time.

Please don't forget that this model cost almost three times as much as a "normal" four-door Cadillac sedan and six times more than a Chevrolet at the time!

Importing it wasn't a big deal for me, but obtaining individual approval from the Lower Austrian state government was.

Of course, the Cadillac had to meet all safety standards.

And so began my journey as a master coachbuilder, with the partial restoration to ensure registration without endless back and forth.

Originally, I just wanted to make sure everything was technically correct, but with the replacement of the water pump and the associated disassembly work, a journey into worlds I had never planned before began.

With my curiosity and penchant for perfection, I found myself with a chassis and a body that had been lifted off the ground after just one weekend.

After that, the only way forward was to delve into GM's technology from the 1950s, right down to its core.

In short, I disassembled the engine, carburetor, and transmission, but only resealed them.

I followed the old American saying "Never touch a running system!", and so everything still runs today just as it did back then.

I completely disassembled the frame and took all the add-on parts like axles, struts, sheet metal, chassis, springs, and so on to the Rengshausen company in Vienna's 3rd district for sandblasting and "aluminum-zinc spray sealing."

I took the bolts from everything I had disassembled, including those from the engine and transmission, to the galvanizing plant in Vienna's 21st district, the then Rudisch company, in several organized, individual bins.

The image in my head was as if it happened yesterday...

The ladies at reception explained to me that if I didn't need the screws for another 4-6 months, they would galvanize them individually. If I needed them all at once and within the next 3-4 days... they would put everything together in one bucket!!

The sight of them pouring everything together was like a trauma to me.

Amen... but I had my screws, nuts, washers, and all the other attachments, including struts, hinges, rods, and much more, beautifully yellow-galvanized and delivered by the weekend.

Then a puzzle game began, sorting and matching hundreds of individual parts.

Now the assembly of the chassis, engine, and transmission could begin.

I purchased the joints and bushings from Kanter in NJ, as well as all the gaskets and repair kits for the carburetor, starter motor, servo pump, steering gear, and alternator, as well as all the parts for a new brake system.

The shock absorbers and, as already mentioned, the water pump were also up for replacement.

The frame and all chassis parts were treated with Rust-Oleum 2K epoxy resin, which was new to the market at the time.

This paint is like an armor layer; it's incredible how robust and durable this chemical can withstand everything to this day.

During assembly, I had ordered the missing chassis bushings from the USA by fax (1998) at the beginning of the week.

It was Thursday, and I couldn't believe my eyes. A UPS delivery truck appeared in front of me with the parts I had ordered (1998)!!

This allowed me to complete the rolling chassis with the engine, transmission, drive shaft, and brake system.

I filled the fuel line into a canister, and the first engine test run was completed successfully.

I had wisely already had the new exhaust system installed in the USA.

Now it was time to work on the body.

While dismantling the interior, I found invoices and notes from the 1950s and 1960s, which led me to believe that this Cadillac originally came from Phoenix, Arizona, which also explained the almost rust-free condition of the floorpan and body.

At that time, I only reworked the floorpan, which had minimal rust.

I degreased and sanded the interior and exterior, and also treated it with a 2K epoxy Rust-Oleum primer tinted in the original factory color.

This was followed by a transparent underbody wax seal, which still does its job very well today.

I still remember replacing the rubber on the windshield, and the sweat dripping from my forehead as I installed the extremely curved windshield.

I got it out pretty quickly with a cutter!

My predecessor had kindly invested in the remaining seals.

The body was reassembled with all the original, but newly yellow-galvanized, screws. The interior was and remains original from 1959 in black leather at the front. The headliner and seats in the rear were reupholstered in gray velour and had already been refinished by my previous owner.

The doors and both jump seats are original from 1959.

The chrome around them is also original, as is the coveted horn ring on the steering wheel.

After that, I had a lot of fun driving to shows, even to the Cadillac Europe Meet in Zurzach, Switzerland.

Not even then was this model available to admire a second time.

A cassette player hidden in the glove compartment accompanies every drive with music from Elvis, Dean Martin, and good old rock & roll from the '50s.

Also the trip to the Elvis Museum to see the King of Hofing (official Elvis fan #1) in Styria, and many other exhibitions.

Then, with him, my career as a rental car entrepreneur began.

To be able to arrive in style, I commissioned a fashion designer to create a matching uniform in the car's color.

Close to the design of the 1950s and unmistakably related to this Fleetwood model, various designs for the future chauffeur's uniform gradually emerged.

The "V" of the hood is also unmistakably reflected in the breast pockets of the top.

I've now had the privilege of chauffeuring many prominent stars, such as Peter Kraus and Maximilian Schell, to galas and various events in Vienna.

Andy Goldberger, as well as many of our super athletes during the Long Night of Sports, were always my passengers at the annual event at the Hofburg.

I also personally chauffeured photo shoots with the Mojo Blues Band and to the main stage at the Donauinsel Festival with Andy Lee Lang, Adel Tawil (Ich und Ich), Roger Cicero, jazz icon Chi Coltrain, and many more.

We also performed at the Amadeus Awards, for example, with the JUZI's, which was always very entertaining.

Filming with Stermann & Grissemann, the first advertising trips for Bob / A1 and Taxi 40100 began, as well as transfers to private jets and helicopters, such as Sonny Barger (Hells Angels) on his 2003 book signing tour through Europe.

Countless wedding trips, airport transfers, honors, and birthday trips, as well as music videos and city tours, were also on the agenda.

The befitting arrival at the Vienna Opera Ball and the various balls, including those at the Hofburg Palace, were then a given.

As well as picking up various celebrities, about which I am still sworn to secrecy.

In retrospect, I can say that here in Vienna alone, this 6.3-meter-long Cadillac, weighing a whopping 2.8 tons, with its 6.4-liter V8 engine, not only moved four wheels, but also wrote its own story of over 27 years in Vienna and on Austria's streets.

But as mentioned at the beginning, its journey continues, and may it be boundless.

The Fleetwood was deregistered in 2020 and has hardly been driven since then.

For all these years, it has been garaged and serviced by me personally, and repaired if necessary.

All of my claims can be substantiated with photos and video footage collected from the very beginning.

The purchase price is €88.500 "as is."

This Cadillac will be delivered in a roadworthy condition, but without a registration certificate, although this may be negotiable.