Time warp. Now and then. Humble men.

[z3skybolt]

Today I went to visit a distingused member of the CLC.  He is a modest fellow with a history of Classic Cadillac/LaSalle ownership going back nearly 50 years.  In his garage sat a stunning 1951 Cadillac..what we once called a "hardtop convertible" coupe. All original, 80,000 miles since new.

He offered me a ride in his beauty. I was not about to refuse. So we took a :20 minute drive around his local community. Oh my gosh. How smooth. How quiet. How totally modern.  Pure, quality, elegance.  Even 67 years old!!  Made me feel like my 1940 LaSalle was a Model T.  I would have traded on the spot.                                                                                                                                                   

On the return loop to his home we, by shear conincidence, stopped at a red light next to a 2015 + something or other bright red Cadillac. Not sure of the model, but one I have come to sort of admire. Four doors, very sporty looking, kind of sexy, by 21st century standards.

As soon as we pulled up I became aware of the massive difference between the two vehicles.  I mean there was enough 'iron" in the 51 to make 3 or 4 of the little "econo- boxes" sitting next to us. By comparison the "newer Cadillac" looked for all the world like a Korean "cheapie" import.  Physically....although our front bumpers were aligned....the newer Cadillac stretched only to about midway between our front seat and the trunk.  And we were riding in a coupe! I was stunned by the direct comparison.

The owner of the "red thing", a man who appeared in his early 60s, kept looking our way, craning his neck to admire the Cadillac in which I was honored to ride. My owner/driver....ever modest.... kept looking straight ahead. Sort of like walking into a room with the prettiest woman on your arm...and pretending like you don't notice that all the other men are noticing.

I said to him..."your car is embarrassing the guy next to us".  Finally I could avoid the eyes of the man next to us no more and he gave us a big THUMPS UP.  His eyes were filled with embarrassed acknowledgement. The light turned green and we accelerated away in the lead. Our admirer followed a couple lengths behind for a few blocks. Finally he passed us and went on his way.  I could read his mind.  "So that is what a real Cadillac once looked like"?" Gees....why couldn't I have owned one back then"?  " I was born too late".

Folks....there was just no comparison what so ever. What I was riding in reminded me of the Cadillac of my youth. I am 71 so my memories go way back. Sure...everything has changed. I know that. My personal modern cars are of the "tin can" variety also.

But what an honor to have experienced a few miles of traditional elegance. Something I could never have afforded "in the day" and doesn't exist now that I could.

I felt sorry for that  man..."in the Red Thing"....trying to capture the feeling.  A man who thought he "had arrived". Until he realized that he had missed the train.

Bob

[Greg Powers]

I enjoyed your post. I find it so sad that not only Cadillac but the entire automotive industry with very few exceptions have lost the style and individuality that was once so important. When Harley Earl was hired by Cadillac and Larry Fisher put him in charge of designing a new lower priced companion marque for Cadillac a new era was born. Harley Earl and the Art and Colour Section moved automobile styling into a new art form with the birth of the LaSalle. Now except for the name badges it's impossible to tell many cars apart. I am still surprised by the number of people who try to ride beside my Cadillac in daily traffic just to look. I drive a 1994 Fleetwood Brougham on a daily basis.(A car that shares a lot with the Buick Roadmaster and Chevrolet Caprice of the same year) I find it a little humorous when folks seem to stare at the whitewall tires and then give me a "thumbs up" and drive on. It seems a shame but the glory years of automobile styling are now in our rear view mirror. - Greg

[Lexi]

Great posts. People have jumped out of their cars when stopped at a red light to chat about my Caddy in the few seconds of time they have. Others swerve around my car to get a better look and to take pictures while driving on the road. Get the same impression that they missed the train to, as Bob put it. At least the new cars are for the most part quite reliable, but their styling is awful. I am still chuckling over a CLC member's post a ways back (can't remember who it was), who actually said he was "offended" by the sight of new cars. LOL! That one still breaks me up. Clay/Lexi

[Jeepers Creepers]

I had a guy the other day, take a bow and tip his hat as I drove by.
I thought it was pretty cool.

[James Landi]

If you've been around long enough to recall, we all wondered "what and when" downsizing would finally look like and when the final chapter of downsizing would occur.  Who would have guessed that steel chromed bumpers would disappear and that metal grilles would be plastic and that a car's mechanical/electrical systems would be controlled by micro processors, and that a "Rambler, or Falcon, or Chevy II sized car" would pass for full size.   Perhaps we have finally arrived at the "what" a finally downsized car is like, and "when" --- during the arch of our lifetimes' that began when dad first surprised us with the fabulous full-sized luxury Cadillac-- all steel-- soft goods, all of the highest quality--mechanicals --- perfectly engineered for smoothness and ease of operation. SO much has changed, and these AMerican cultural artifacts deserve others' attention, admiration, and curiosity. 

[Lexi]

James as usual great insight and an interesting read! Clay/Lexi

[Big Apple Caddy]

a "Rambler, or Falcon, or Chevy II sized car" would pass for full size.

Come on, now.  Those 1960s cars wouldn't be classified as large or full size today.  The current Buick LaCrosse is a good bit larger than the cars you mentioned and even it's only midsize.

[slowpoke17]

Years ago when I traveled to NY to my projects I ventured on a dealer with an original 1965 white Calais coupe with 27k miles on it. On my next trip I bought the car and picked it up in Buffalo and drove it home to Mass. stopping along the way at my construction sites. The funniest day was when I hit the Rochester site and when I pulled up all I could see were these faces staring out of the job trailer windows as I pulled up with the Caddy. Those old Cadillac's had a certain air about them that has definitely been lost! You don't get that today with your generic lookalike models.

[Big Apple Caddy]

A lot of this is simply a generational thing.  Back in the 1960s as well as decades before and since there have been many people, often older or "dinosaurs" as some have been referring to themselves in another topic on here, commenting that new cars of the 1960s (or pick a decade) were too look-alike compared to cars from decades before.  This sentiment or disdain for new(er) cars among some classic or antique car enthusiasts is really nothing new or unique to today.   So many of these types of comments were or could've been written long ago and vice versa.  The look-alike thing has also long been part of car advertising.   A Mercury ad, as just one 60s example, asked “Have you noticed how many 1966 cars look alike?”  These feelings, comments, etc have been around for ages!

[Bob Schuman]

Bob, Don't sell your LaSalle short. Remember  Archie and Edith in "All In The Family" singing the line "Gee, Our Old LaSalle Ran Great" during each episode's opening credits.

On a slightly related subject, I recently drove a new Ford EcoSport, their smallest SUV with a one liter three cylinder turbocharged engine. It seemed to accelerate about like the very slow 1952 Plymouth I owned in the fifties. Not long afterward, I read a magazine road test of such a car. Its 0-60 mph and quarter mile acceleration times are almost exactly the same as a 1955 Oldsmobile Super 88, a car that could easily outrun most other cars when new in 1955. Styling is not the only thing that has changed drastically since the years of my youth.

[Jim Miller]

Great post. When I drive my '41, people will follow me to ask about it, will drive beside me in the second lane to just watch, and at stops, guys will roll down their window to hear the car run.

[David Greenburg]

For me, it seems like there are some days when everybody is honking, thumbs up, asking questions in parking lots etc., and then other days when there is virtually no acknowledgement that what I am driving is in fact not another Camry, Malibu or other 21st century automotive appliance.

[Lexi]

Yep. That happens as well. Clay/Lexi

[cadillacmike68]

I get the thumbs up all the time, even from m-b & bmw drivers, and my DVc is not as nice as steve's.

Like Steve I can't stand the horn blowing though, too many trips to to the combat zone and a horn behind me or worse a fart can equipped pos revving up and passing is even worse. Then therte are the cases where a group of fools is diving together like a bunch of idiots.

Anyway, it's always a good time in the sky cruiser.

[64\/54Cadillacking]

I loved your post as well!

It seems like men your age either admire the old cars since they grew up around them and knew how beautiful thy once were, or you have the ones that did grow up with the old cars, and couldn’t care less that such a nice classic was cruising on by

It’s interesting how the majority of us here on the forum agree that newer cars (including Cadillacs) simply don’t look as nice or have any of the “Pop” that our old Cadillacs have.

Every time I take my 64 out, I get head turners, smiles and thumbs up 75% of the time, the other times you do have other people not noticing either on purpose or because they’re snobby, because it’s a car that totally outclasses and out styles what the majority of people drive today. And honestly some drivers don’t like knowing how generic, boring and ultra expensive their S-Class Benz looks standing right next to a 60’s Cadillac. It’s shameful.

Let’s be real, modern cars drive great and are safe + very reliable, but theres absolutely nothing special about them.

There also something very satisfying knowing that your surrounded by metal, chrome  beautiful colors with details on the dash that truly made 50’s Cadillacs very cool and exciting to stare at.

New cars don’t feel substantial, including certain new Caddy models compared to the classics.

All the chinzy dull plastic will never ever be as nice as real metal, leather and soft padded vinyl.

In closing, there not making these beautiful works of art anymore, so it’s that ever more important to keep cherishing them as long as you physically can.

[Lexi]

CaddieLacky is right on the money! Clay/Lexi

[Bill Young]

I always enjoy reading others opinions and musings regarding our cars. I must say that opinions aside actual observation of peoples reactions to Cadillac's built prior to 1985 and Broughams built prior to 1996 are evident that those cars elicited an emotional reaction that I for one have never seen regarding later built Cadillac's. Those cars were special in part because they were built when personal expression on the part of the stylist was possible as well as materials and colors. The generic so called Cadillac's of today are simply a more expensive version of a Hundai , personally I cannot figure out why there are so many makes of cars still being made as they are so alike?Personally I could care less if others like my 1972 Eldorado Convertible , I drive it because I Love it.

[cadillacmike68]

Hi Bill, how is everything?

[Big Apple Caddy]

It’s interesting how the majority of us here on the forum agree that newer cars (including Cadillacs) simply don’t look as nice or have any of the “Pop” that our old Cadillacs have.

Interesting?  One would expect that on a forum which primarily focuses on LaSalles and older Cadillacs.  If this were the 1950s or 1960s, participants would largely think older cars/classics from that time were a lot more appealing than the boring, look-alike new 1950s and 1960s models.  As long as classic/antique car clubs have been around, members have often looked more negatively at new cars of the time regardless of what decade it was.

[Big Apple Caddy]

I fully understand how most participants on this forum feel which I why I didn't think it was at all surprising, or "interesting" as you had put it, that many don't find new or newer Cadillacs and other cars appealing.  I don’t know why you or anyone would've found that interesting or surprising.  This is exactly the type of forum where you'd largely expect that opinion and it's how classic enthusiasts have felt about newer cars for ages and ages, not just today.  The way classic enthusiasts feel about today's cars is the way some felt about then new cars from the 1950s, 1960s, etc (pick a decade) yet surprise....surprise....various cars from those time periods eventually became appealing classics decades later.  It's the cycle of the hobby and interest in old things.

Obviously, most people don't come here to praise or talk about new cars as there are much more active and better sites out there for that.  I don't really come here wanting to talk about new Cadillacs either (I'd much rather read and post comments on 1970s, 80s and 90s models myself) but people bring up new cars one way or another and discussions ensue.