1941 Cadillac Rat Rod

Description

A well-aged patina presentation of a rare fastback 1941 Cadillac coupe...That's what first attracted you to this one. And to make it a true rat rod kind of cool, they upgraded the V8 power, gave it a five-speed, and updated all the right pieces to make it a great driver.

The first impression is this coupe looks fresh from being found in a long-lost garage or barn. And right now, there's nothing cooler than showing up in a vehicle that looks worn-in not worn-out. By the second glance, you realize that this car is quite exceptional. After all, the sheetmetal is as straight as a six-figure classic. The brightwork is a similar story. It's complete and intricate, right down to the goddess hood ornament. But it also has the right ageing to go with the worn-in paint. So while this whole car has the level of completeness that some may see as a restoration candidate, we all really know this look was work that was done on purpose. So all it may even need is a clearcoat or matte top layer if you really want to lock-in in this unique style.

The interior is pure rat rod cool with some secretly rewarding upgrades. For example, the green carpeting and light green door panels have an old-school style, but they are later updates that feel rather fresh. Some cars of this genre love to replace the front seats with whatever they can find (you may even see some with lawn chairs!) This one upholds the mismatched tradition, but it utilizes late-model GM buckets. So you actually get nice bolstering and shoulder seat belts. The dash keeps the classic art deco look, but upon closer inspection, you'll see the speedo and clock slots in the dash now house a full Hanline readout package. And while the classic Caddy steering wheel is fun, the factory never gave you a floor shifter like that in '41.

When you look under the hood, the bright valve covers may say Cadillac, but that's a bit of a lie. Instead, the powerhouse is from another part of the GM family with a Chevy small block V8. This 305 cubic-inch motor has nice features like a Holley four-barrel carburetor and HEI ignition. Plus, this V8 is smaller and lighter than the old Caddy flathead that was first in here. It makes for a lower center of gravity and places most of the motor behind the front axle. This is no supercar, but we bet you'll love talking about those features with a big grin on your face when you park next to one at Cars & Coffee. And this one was really meant to be driven to your favorite places. The motor fires up nicely; the independent front end was given a comprehensive rebuild; and the five-speed manual transmission is a smooth shifter that gives you highway versatility.

This is one of those fun/amazing builds with a rare classic that rarely cross over into hot rod and rat rod territory. So if you want to get some honest attention, you need an honest caddy like this. Call today!!!