1925 Cadillac V63/314 Piccadilly Roadster

Continuing the theme of giving the customer exactly what they want, we are delighted to be able to offer you this 1925 Cadillac V-63 314 Piccadilly Roadster.

Yes, a Piccadilly Roadster, a bodystyle the factory never offered.

First things first, though. The ‘314’ in the name signifies the engine displacement, which equates to 5153cc in New Money - and that unique coachwork? That’s based on the Phantom-based Piccadilly that was offered by Rolls-Royce-approved coachbuilders in the United States in the same period.

This one though has been hand-crafted by Derek, who used to run Vintage and Classic Car Restorations, a well-respected firm that many of you will be familiar with and who exported the fruits of their labour worldwide.

He’s a coachbuilder and upholstery by training with half-a-century of experience under his belt, so it would be fair to say he knows what he’s doing.

He’s also clearly a fastidious man who was determined to get everything just so because he spent three decades turning a bare Cadillac V-63 chassis into the Piccadilly Roadster you see here.

The original bodywork, which had been made by the Fisher Body Corporation, was long gone, which left him free to painstakingly rebuild a new frame and body to exactly his specification, including what he believes is a unique side-entry dickey seat.

Otherwise said to be “otherwise as original as possible”, sadly the loss of his sight forces Derek to sell his beloved Cadillac before he’s even been able to drive it.

In fact, ‘BF 8954’ is so fresh it hasn’t yet been run-in. 
 

You can see where the hours, days, weeks, years, and decades went, can’t you? Utterly glorious, the coachwork and paintwork are finished to an impeccable standard.

Amazingly, parts of the body were still available, and these were used as a pattern along with dimensions obtained from another car in Portugal; nonetheless, you need a good eye and a steady hand to create panels of this complexity from scratch.

They all fit and align perfectly too, of course, but then when you know you’ve got decades in which to get it finished, there’s no need to rush and compromise on things like shutlines, is there?

And Derek didn’t just create the panels: he also made the ash frame they sit on. As for their construction, he skinned the frame in aluminium, restricting the use of steel to only the front wings.

Lightweight and traditional, we aren’t sure what the ash-frame-and-aluminium equivalent of the Italian term Superleggera is but we’re sure that everyone will appreciate how beautiful Derek’s work is, both on the surface and under the skin.
 
And that’s before we look at the stunning maroon and gold paintwork, which has been flawlessly applied and polished.

All the brightwork was re-chromed too, including the original headlamps and windscreen pillars. It is, as you can see, completely free of blemishes and because the car has never been used on the road, it all looks like new still.

A tonneau cover and a hood were made in red fabric to echo the main colour of the bodywork. As you’d expect, both fit as well as everything else, with the latter rising and falling on a gold-painted frame.

The wooden wheels were the first parts on the car Derek rebuilt. Painted and fitted with 33 x 5 Firestone and B.F. Goodrich tyres, a spare wooden rim is mounted on the rear of the vehicle.

Other notable features include wooden running boards with Cadillac tread plates, the wonderful Boyce Moto-Meter on top of the radiator, and the dickey seat we mentioned earlier.

This has a unique side door and alloy step that will allow your grandchildren to clamber aboard without having to scramble over the upholstery, which is more usually the case with this style of occasional seat.
 

A completely new leather interior was crafted, including the front compartment which comprises seats, door cards, and the dash trim, as well as the wonderful dickey seat.

As for the quality of work, imagine you’d spent half-a-century honing your skills before crafting a bespoke leather interior for a car you’d spent decades working on.

Can you picture it? Well, it really is every bit as good as that.

And it’s never been used in anger so everything – and we do mean everything – is as good now as when Derek gave it a final polish before moving on to the next job.

Its beauty of more than skin-deep too because new wiring looms were also fitted, and the charging circuit was modified to 12V.

The wooden steering wheel is the most wooden steering wheel we’ve ever seen. Glorious to hold, we’re confident you won’t be seeing anything like it this year – unless, of course, you find another Cadillac V-63.

The rim alone is created of new fewer than six individual pieces locked together with neatly cut dove-tail joints, and the fact it survived is testament to the quality of the workmanship that went into building it a century ago.

The basic architecture of the cabin reflects a time when quality and luxury were engineered in, rather than bolted on. The dashboard might be a vast span of (albeit very well painted) metal but the instruments that are set within it are stunning; have you ever seen a nicer odometer, for example?

As for work to do, sadly Derek’s sight had failed towards the end of the project, so there are a few minor items to finish. These include running the engine in, connecting the windscreen wipers and speedometer cable, completing the door tops, and fitting some of the carpet trim.
 

Derek joined the Cadillac Club of America soon after buying it to advertise for the bits he needed. He received a huge amount of support from American enthusiasts and says they “didn’t charge me much” for the parts he needed.

These included a replacement engine, along with many, many other items including a radiator and gearbox. Upon arrival, Derek wasted no time in stripping the engine down but after checking it over discovered it needed nothing other than new bearings and piston rings.

As you’d expect given his meticulous approach, the V8 engine fires into immediate life and settles into a steady and effortless idle. It also shows good oil pressure when it’s ticking over, and this pressure builds nicely when you rev it.

It makes all the right noises too, which is a large part of the car’s appeal, right?

As for the underside, the original ‘long’ chassis that forms the backbone of the car was cleaned and painted before being built on. The brakes and axles were refurbished too, and the centre-hinged bonnet, which pivots courtesy of a long brass hinge, opens to reveal a nicely detailed, but not overly prissy, engine.

Imported into UK before WWII, it was sold new and used here until the outbreak of hostilities, at which point it was partially dismantled and used as a farm trailer in West Sussex. Derek unearthed the rolling chassis in 1989, and the lady who owned it said he could have it on the condition he restored it to its former glory.

No pressure then.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Cadillac is registered here in the UK and the V5 is in the seller’s name as its sole UK keeper.

The Cadillac doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 
 

This is an exceptional restoration and a fitting tribute to a talented man who spent 50 years restoring other people’s cars.

The product of three decades of hard work, he poured his heart and soul into creating his dream car, only to have the prospect of being able to enjoy it snatched away from him before he could finish it.

It’s not too late for you though - and with a guide price of between £25,000 and £30,000, it’s going to sell for a fraction of what it would cost you to commission someone of his talent to build you one.

But then, as Derek said, you don’t build a car like this to make a profit.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.