1952 Cadillac Series 75 Derham Limousine-Used by Eisenhower-Rare-No RESERVE

Cadillac Fleetwood 1952 Description

TO BE SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER!

1952 Cadillac Series 75

Derham Limo

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY

Extremely Unique Provenance-PurportedlyOwned By Former POTUSDwight D. Eisenhower!(SEE ATTACHED LETTER IN PICTURES)

SURVIOR- Original Leather Interior is Fully Intact!

Rare and UniqueContinental Kit

(only one we know of)

All Original! -

Only 83,750 Miles!

GM Build SheetPresent with Car

Decode:

Vin # 3275 31504

Model # 52 – 7523X

1952 Series 75

4 Door Sedan

Date Shipped: 5 / 13 / 1952

Trim No. 80

Paint No. 1 – Black

Options List:

E: EZ Eye Glass

USW: Royal Whitewall Tires

G3: Accessory Group -

-Windshield Washer

-Fog Lights

-Outside Left Mirror

-Oil Filter

-Vanity Mirror

-Full Wheel Disc Centers

H: Heater and Blower

J: Rear Radio Control

S: Power Steering

T: Hydramatic Transmission

Pedigree Placards:

1. Grand Prix Exposition Internationale Automotrice Paris, France – 14 Juillet, 1953

2. Classic Car Club of America 4thGrand Classic Morristown, New Jersey – July 14, 1956

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Evolve Motors is pleased to presentthis prestigious 1952 Cadillac Derham Limo!

The day; May 13th, 1952.As the story goes......Cadillac had produced thiscar in time to be sent to Derham Body Company (Rosemont, PA) and custom built to be on display at the 1953 Paris Salon Show in France,to help commemorate 50 years of Cadillac. Coach builderswerepayingroughly $500percar to be displayed atone of the fewsalons around the world, which was usually reimbursed by the original chassis manufacturer.Basically, Cadillac would ask Derham for 4 cars to display at each of the 4 salon shows. Derham would build the cars and Cadillac would reimburse them for much of the expense and help get the cars to the shows. This car was on display at the Paris Salon inJuly of1953.

1952 was Cadillac’s 50thanniversary year. While minor styling features commemorated the occasion such as gold cast emblems and a through-the-bumper dual exhaust system, Cadillac also wanted to display special custom styling to really emphasize the milestone. This coach,builtby Derham of Rosemont,was said to bebuilt to order specifically for a ‘special visiting Dignitary General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower,’ and to be on display with Cadillac at the 1953 Paris Salon Show. At the time the car was commissioned to be built, Eisenhower was still the First Supreme Commander of NATO (April 2, 1951 – May 30, 1952). Theproductiondate on the car was actually May 13th, 1952. It wasearlier that yearin January of 1952 that Ike announced he was willing to accept the call to serve as President of the United States. In July of 1953, the car was on display at the Paris Salon (as noted on the dash plaque). On October 19thof that same year the car was shipped back to the United Statesaccompaniedby a letter from Colonel Arnold B. Kessler certifying that this 1952 ‘Custom’ Sedan (as noted on the rear body emblem) was, in fact, a built-to-order car by the now President of the United States, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower.We were told about this letter while initially purchasing this vehicle, however were not able to collect it at the time of purchase. Upon initial inspection of the car back at our shop in Chicago, IL, we discovered a folded up letter on very old paper stock, faded and lost behind the glove box. We were elated to find the letter from Colonel Kessler that the seller had told us about! Scroll down to see the pictures of this car and the letter described above. Derham built two more vehicles for Ike, both were armored presidential cars. While this car was not part of his presidential motorcade, it wassaid to have been usedpersonallyprior to his presidency.We heard it may have been usedduring his campaign.We make no certain claims as to how or exactly where he used it however our info on the car and prior ownership knowledge all supports that it was used by Ike.

The Cadillac Database has record of the car and notes the connection with Eisenhower. There is also a published article on the car when it was owned by its previous owner which provides good information on the car. We went one step further and found the owner who had the car titled in 1968, his family still resides in the samesmalltown in Michigan and we were able to make contact with them to confirm the reports of ownership history.

So, besides the incredible owner history of this gorgeous custom sedan, what makes this Derham limousine unique? Well let’s start with the fact that it’s a post-war Derham.Derham built a very limited number of cars after the war,like many of the smaller outfits of that era.Furthermore, this Series 75 has a very unique and eloquent continental kit on the back. The car is actually stretched to accommodate the rear deck and spare. The quarter panels and fins were extended to meet the decking and extend well beyond the normal termination point of the rear decklid. The lines down the side of the car are so unique and stunning. We know of no other cars that were built this way,further evidence that this was more of a custom build for an anniversary car to be displayed. All work done is seamless and looks absolutely outstanding.To make it even more unique this coach also boasts a chilled freshwater drinking system. It is pressurized and delivers freshwater all the way up to the glove compartment through a soda spout.

Like most all Series 75's done by Derham thiscar was builtwith “blind quarters”, meaning the small rear side windows behind the back doors weredeleted in the build, mostly for added privacy. Another “privacy feature” was the smaller oval rear window.Another rare and odd feature of this classic limousine was the leather interior, which survives in it’s original condition, and shows incredible patina. The overhead ducted air conditioning system was also unique to Derham.The dual A/C units are intact in the trunk as is the (Harley Davidson engine-like) oversized compressor under the hood.

This is the ONLY Series 75 limousine that we have seen with a continental rear end. If you have pictures of another, we’d love to see them!

What makes this car even morespecialis that it’s a mostly original survivor.We do know that it has undergone only 1 respray about 10 years ago, and is still in good condition.

The chrome is all original, and appears to be in good health, aside from some slight discoloration throughout the grill, along with some very light surface rust below each headlight.

The cream-white vinyl top is indicative of the Derham build, and is in fantastic condition. It’s a rust-free car that has only ever been stored inside.

The undercarriage appears to have been undercoated, possibly when built in Pennsylvania, and still looks incredible. We note NO rusted body mount positions or floorboards, and the trunk is very solid. No door rust, and the rockers are solid and dry.

The interior is almost 100% original. The carpets appear to have been replaced at one point. The dash, headliner, seats, etc. all show original and areexceptional,given their age.

The drivetrain is a 331V-8, and is believed to be the original powerplant for this classic limousine. The 331 produces 190 horsepower, and was said to be the most powerful American engine produced that year. The original Hydramatic transmission shifts seamlessly through the gears. What we do know about it mechanically is that it runs, drives, and stops nicely. We did not address any other mechanicals on it, like the AC and water system. The windows are powered hydraulically and all roll up and down without a hitch.The dual spotlights operate smoothly, but we do note that the bulbs appear to be blown, as neither one turns on. The car does drip some oil, and a small amount of transmission fluid, as we remind folks that this is a 65 year old survivor.

All in all this is an extremely rare Derham built limousine, with an extreme amount of history and provenance, that still runs and drives on the original drivetrain, and looks fantastic while doing it. If you’d like to know more, give us a call at Evolve Motors today!