1933 Cadillac V-16 All-Weather Phaeton The word phaeton isn’t used much anymore. It means “open air carriage,” in other words, a vehicle exposed to the weather because it’s without overhead protection. The term originally referred to horse-drawn carriages but easily carried through to motor vehicles without tops. Even after the phaeton itself was mostly phased out, the name stuck. The “all-weather” phaeton refers to the vehicle’s convertible top and full glass windows. This particular Cadillac, in the Steve Plunkett collection, is one of the rarest. It was produced during the Great Depression, a time when car sales overall were down, and Cadillac also needed to scale back its ambitions because of lower demand. It took sixteen weeks to build and cost a whopping USD $8000. The company originally planned to produce 400 sixteen-cylinder cars in 1933 but pulled back to release only 125. Only eight of the luxurious V-16 All Weather Phaetons were made that year. Only four documented models still exist today. According to its factory build sheet, Steve’s car was delivered new to Cadillac’s New York City Branch in August of 1933. It has a rare divider window. Coachwork was done by Fleetwood, with its legacy of superior design dating back to the first phaetons, the ones pulled by horses. The vehicle’s inside is luxuriously finished with an elegant gray cloth interior as a complement to its black body. After New York, the vehicle’s provenance is unknown until the 1980s, when it was part of a stable of cars owned by esteemed collector Clifford Obourne. In 1989, Fred. W. Weber of St. Louis acquired the car and oversaw a total restoration to exact original colours and fabrics. Mr. Weber’s efforts were rewarded when the vehicle won a 1992 First in Class trophy at the prestigious Pebble Beach car show, Concours d’Elegance.
It passed through the collections of several others before coming into Steve Plunkett’s stable, where it underwent more work, this time on the inside, with receipts showing a total price of $100,000. Steve supervised a comprehensive rebuild of the engine and related accessories, added a new clutch and taller differential gears in the three-speed transmission for easier cruising at highway speeds. With its fully skirted fenders, horizontal hood louvers, dual side- mounted spare tires, and lavish chrome, many car experts consider this model the ultimate in Art Deco styling. Some even call it a masterpiece. It’s a top-tier vehicle, deemed a Full Classic by Classic Club Car of America (CCCA). That’s a designation reserved for only the best of the best among classic cars. For fifteen years, Steve Plunkett turned his love of cars into the Fleetwood Country Cruize-In, an event that supported local Charities and raised over $1.7 million. “Taking a passion that I love and creating an event that benefits so many people has been a blessing,” says Steve. The event attracted thousands of people and cars from across North America. When not at home on his estate on the outskirts of Byron, Steve tours invitational car events and shows across North America, showcasing his classic cars.
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Byron Villager Jan/Feb 2026
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