During a long journey, a lady could freshen up on board before arriving at her destination. The arm rest in the rear seating area is outfitted with a vanity case, lipstick holder, and perfume atomizer. GM President (and U.S. Secretary of Defense) Charles Wilson drove the Coupe Deville until his retirement in 1957. He then gave it to his secretary, Mary Chrysler. The license plates she put on the car that year are still with the vehicle. As he has done with so many of his acquisitions, Steve has completed a major restoration of this beautiful car. For fifteen years, Steve Plunkett turned his love of cars into the Fleetwood Country Cruize-In, an even that supported local Charities and raised over $1.7 million. “Taking a passion that I love and creating and 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.
Steve Plunkett’s 1949 Cadillac Coupe de Ville: A Prototype of Power and Luxury
In 1949, the brand new Fleetwood Coupe de Ville was the most powerful Cadillac to date in North America. This jewel in Steve Plunkett’s Cadillac collection is the original prototype for the model that was in production from 1949 until 1993. Boasting a modern V8 engine, it has 160 horsepower and reaches speeds up to 100/MPH. Steve purchased the vehicle — one of only four prototype Cadillacs in private hands — around 2012. He says it was the most famous car in the world in 2014 when he debuted it at the prestigious annual Amelia Concours event in Florida. “Everyone ran the story and pictures on the long-lost Coupe de Ville – The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, L.A. Times, New York Times, and most Canadian media.” It also garnered lots of attention at car shows when it was built. GM staged the General Motors Transportation Unlimited exhibition, later called Motorama, from 1949 to 1961. The inaugural 1949 event at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City was the first show following World War II. More than 300,000 people attended, where the Coupe de Ville was one of seven “special” cars unveiled. The show moved on to Detroit where it drew a similar number of spectators. The car has loads of power, not to mention power steering, brakes, seats, and windows. It also has many luxurious features and a storied history. Although it isn’t a convertible, one of its innovations is a custom hardtop whose design became the standard for future convertibles. The architecture omitted a window door frame, or “b” pillar, which allowed for greater visibility. The four-speed automatic transmission plus a massive 133-inch wheelbase give it a smoother ride, compared to production cars of the time that usually had a 126-inch wheelbase. Among its firsts for North America was the overhead valve V8 engine and its one-piece curved windshield. It also has a phone on board whose receiver looks like any other phone of the time. The two-way, short wave phone was a luxury only available to the wealthy. In 1949, only about six-thousand people in total subscribed to the car-phone service.
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Byron Villager
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