The 1934 Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Town Sedan has been restored to its former glory.
M.S. Rau
After talking to Steve Nannini about the 1934 Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Town Sedan he meticulously restored for many years and for hundreds of thousands of dollars it’s easy to get caught up in his excitement.
Nannini, based in Tucson, Arizona, with his restoration shop, was eager to explain how this one of 206 in total production should garner more attention than anything made today.
“It was exotic and unusual as any EV ever built,” Nannini said in a recent phone call, acknowledging some similarities with Cadillac’s bespoke Celestiq EV which boasts an elusive $350,000 price tag.
Its provenance and story intertwined with England’s Rolls-Royce caught the attention of luxury arts and antiques dealer M.S. Rau out of New Orleans. M.S. Rau’s president Andrew Fields described the “cool story” about Rolls-Royce reverse engineering the V-16 Fleetwood for its British luxury sedans.
The $1,250,000 Sedan
As someone who has spent a lot of time working closely with the vehicle, it’s easy to believe Nannini when he says, “It’s one of the most unusual cars ever built.” He explained how it was stylized for the Art Deco period and flaunted a V-16 engine in a time of six or eight cylinders. Still today, an engine like that is rare.
He claims it was not built for the average, everyday driver, but for the entrepreneurs and Hollywood celebrities of its day. “ It showed they had really made it in the world,” he said.
From both an engineering and style standpoint, the V-16 stood out.
The 1934 model was the sweet spot for the car introduced in 1930 and made for eight model years until 1937. Improvements were made over the years and the Art Deco style and air craft influence is noticeable not just in the body but the hood ornament, dashboard and running boards. It went from boxy to more aerodynamic. It features a waterfall grille and tan mohair interior.
“Of all the Cadillacs built, these were the most desirable,” Nannini said.
A look through the archives for the 1934 Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Town Sedan.
M.S. RauOne of 43
Today there are only 43 “survivors.”
“They have become artwork—no longer transportation to get from point a to point b,” Nannini said. Especially with its modern-day price tag after his careful restoration putting it over $1 million.
As part of the restoration, Nannini had to work with the all-wood body, “an outgrowth of the coach and buggy era.”
“In order to restore an old classic car at this stage,” he said. “You have to be very specialized. You can’t buy the parts.”
The Fleetwood part of the name comes from the the coachwork company that General Motors had bought in Pennsylvania when the Detroit-based company “set out to build the most expensive car in the world.” Fleetwood was folded into the luxury car production that was Cadillac.
The ‘Leno’ Debut
The V-16 and owner Nannini will be featured on Monday’s episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, airing at 9 a.m. ET on the show’s YouTube channel. It will be the first public appearance of the restored vehicle since Nannini finished his 100-point restoration.