1940 Cadillac Series 75/Fleetwood

This 1940 Cadillac Series 75 is said to be one of 45 five-place, Fleetwood-bodied convertible sedans produced for the model year and was reportedly purchased new by cosmetics company founder Elizabeth Arden. The car is finished in gray with a tan soft top, and power comes from a 346ci L-head V8 paired with a three-speed manual transmission. The cabin is partitioned and features a rear bench trimmed in brown leather along with wood trim, a hand-cranked center partition window, a clock, and heater vents, while the front cabin is equipped with gray leather upholstery, heater controls, and an AM radio. Additional equipment includes Trippe driving lights, turn signals, a goddess hood ornament, dual side-mount spare wheel covers, and detachable B-pillars. This Series 75 was purchased by the selling dealer in 2023, and it is now offered in West Springfield, Massachusetts, with a gray leather rear seat cover, a tan top boot, a period suitcase containing Elizabeth Arden products, and a clean Florida title. The Fleetwood-built body was repainted in its current gray under previous ownership and features chrome bumpers with overriders, Trippe driving lights, turn signals, a goddess hood ornament, running boards, and rear-hinged rear doors. The body-color steel wheels wear chrome hubcaps and trim rings, and they are mounted with 7.50R16 Vanderbilt Power King LT Radial Highway whitewall radial tires. Dual side-mount spare wheel covers are fitted on the fenders, and a matching spare wheel is stowed in the trunk. The tan soft top can be seen raised above along with the included detachable B-pillars. The Series 75 rode on a 141″ wheelbase and features a coil-sprung independent front suspension along with a live rear axle and semi-elliptical leaf springs. Stopping power is provided by hydraulic drums at all four corners. The rear cabin features a bench seat trimmed in brown leather along with gray panels and carpets. Equipment includes a center partition with a roll-down window as well as a Fleetwood-branded clock, a robe cord, heater vents, and wood door-top and rear-partition trim. A snap-on gray leather seat cover is fitted, and cracks in the brown seat upholstery and robe cord can be seen in the gallery along with discoloration on the interior panels and scratches on the wood trim. The front cabin features a split bench trimmed in gray leather along with matching door panels and carpets. The ivory-color three-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames a painted woodgrain steel dash housing heater controls, an AM radio, a clock, a locking glovebox door, a 100-mph sweep speedometer, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 88k miles, 100 of which were added by the selling dealer. The 346ci L-head V8 features three main bearings and was factory fitted with a Stromberg carburetor for a rated output of 140 horsepower when new. An oil change was performed in preparation for the sale. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission.