Hello From Scotland !

[Glaswegian]

Hello fellow Cadillac aficionados, just joined the club  Been a fan of Cadillacs since I was in my teens but never quite got around to buying one due to life passing me by. Now in my late 50's I need to get one soon before I kick the bucket or spend the cash on something else ! oh and I think I will shortly have a garage big enough to hold one.

I live in Glasgow Scotland and Classic Cad's just do not come up for sale here, most are in southern England and seem to be crazy money or poor condition. I'd much rather buy from USA and ship it over, but its very difficult to buy from a private sale rather than a dealer unless you happen to be in the area on a visit. Costs to ship and import taxes are quite hefty so I need to get a bargain ! Don't we all ! Quality repairs/refurb to interiors are also difficult to nigh on impossible so that is probably the most important aspect for me when looking at a car.

I have friends I visit in the Boston area, but don't see many cars for sale there when I'm around or on the net for that matter, maybe the salt gets them?

I'm looking for a sedan not a coupe, preferably a fleetwood and any year between 1955 and 1964 bar 57, 58, 59 and 60. Which year would be the best to buy for ease of maintaining availability of spares etc, given I'd need to import everything?

Any help advice would be much appreciated and I'll keep visiting the forum for tips.

Cheers 

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

Here's a '54 , very similar to '55 that looks like it only needs gas and love:

https://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=149057.0

[gary griffin]

Hello, you have found the best place to get assistance. I suggest you join the club as soon as possible to get a directory which will have contact information for about 7000 members. Many of us are available to assist you and willing to do so. As an example I got a call from a member who found a Cadillac Mirage pick up on Craigslist, and he asked me to look at it for him since it was in my neighborhood.. A couple of hours later I told him it was  apiece of junk and I would take it off of his hands but I was jesting.

I look through Craigslist often to see what is for sale and suggest you do the same in addition to the For Sale section of this Forum.  As an example I live South of Seattle in the Pacific Northwest and gladly look at cars for members as I am certain others would. 

[metalblessing]

Also heres how I bought my Cadillac:

https://searchtempest.com

It basically searches every region of craigslist in one shot

[Glaswegian]

Thanks for the replies guys and I did look at the 54 for sale ! looks like a great car externally and mechanically but zero pics of interior only dash. No idea where the car is located which makes a big difference. If close to NYC then it wont cost much to transport to the docks, but if in South Dakota will cost me much more. The taxes mods for road use and transport costs are running at around $6k after the purchase of the car

I look at Craigs List a lot, plus all the other sites and have seen quite a few cars which look good, but so difficult to buy privately. I think there is more chance to get a good car from a club like this and members who know the score.

I dont mind if a car has been modified mechanically to be more reliable with alternator rather than generator and disc brakes etc, but it must look like the original inside and out. Maybe thats a big no no here? but I wont have access to spares as easy as you guys will.

This is an example of what seems ok to me from pics, hate the footwell dials and stereo addon thing though...

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/1962-cadillac-series-62/6494578581.html

Cars do come up for sale in other European countries too, but its as much hassle to get them to the UK as it is from USA. Some nice cars appear in Canada on Kijiji, Nova Scotia would be handy as Halifax has a container port which ships to Scotland I believe, but cant seem to find out much about exporting from there, only importing to.

So will keep checking in here and thanks again for replies and future help

[gary griffin]

I agree that shipping from middle America is a costly item but consider West Coast cars also.  I purchased  a 1937 Lanchester 14HP in England and had it shipped to Tacoma Washington for what seemed like a reasonable price as I recall.  Not much salt used on the west coast so less chance of getting a rust bucket also.