The V63 was a continuation of a Cadillac line introduced in October 1924. The updated version came with loads of choices for the buyer, including eight body style options that could seat from two (the Coupe) up to seven people (Sedan or Limousine).
The Chicken Coupe Deville Officially, it’s a 1925 Cadillac V63 Coach but Steve Plunkett calls it the Chicken Coupe Deville.
There were two dozen colour choices in new-to-market, quick-drying DuPont lacquer paint made specifically for car bodies. And the buyer had their choice of ten upholstery designs. Depending on the body style and accessories chosen, retail prices at the time ranged from about $3,000 to $4500 US, which converts to nearly $54,000-$80,000 today. Research shows that Steve’s was shipped on December 5, 1924, to Don Lee Cadillac
This large, luxury car was abandoned in a chicken coop in Orange, California. The farmer who owned the car parked it there in 1941 and it sat until 2005 when he went into long-term care. It’s in remarkably good condition for being left to the elements and chickens for sixty-four years. Steve bought it in 2007 and it’s been the ultimate barn find in his Cadillac Salon since he opened that building in 2009. The vehicle is unrestored
in Los Angeles, the west coast distributor for all Cadillacs, where it cost $3185 US. Its modern and innovative features include an anti-theft gear shift, window blinds, a light under the hood and a cigar lighter on retractable cable. It also has Bausch and Lomb optical headlight lenses. All that, powered by 80 horsepower from a 314 cubic inch V8 engine.
“All they want for Christmas is You” The wood floor is in perfect condition. A Fisher Body stamp is still visible on the front right. (Fisher was the official coach builder for GM, Cadillac’s parent company.) It also has wooden running boards and a steel body frame. This model was outfitted with an onboard compressor for inflating tires because bad roads, wood-spoked wheels, and thin rubber resulted in flat tires being a common problem a hundred years ago. The tool box holds the original tools and fabric covered compressed air hose. The rear lights, emerging from the middle of a spare tire, are unusual, especially the puzzling blue light. and complete, in perfect working order, and has its original fitted trunk and dual exhaust. Cigarette butts predating World War II are still in the ashtray. Steve will start the car for astonished visitors. It’s connected to a ventilation system that removes exhaust gases.
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 Komoka, Steve tours invitational car events and shows across North America, showcasing his classic cars.
London Animal Care Centre • 121 Pine Valley Blvd, London www.accpets.ca • (519)685-1330 “Backup lights were still optional into the 1960s,” says Steve. “Even in 1925, Cadillac was ahead. The clear was the backup light. Red, the tail light. What on earth is the blue light? That’s the earliest brake light colour.”
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KKD Villager May 2025
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