The Self-Starter - March 2026

The Stars and Stripes Waves for Cadillac in the Bicentennial Year

March 2026

Ronnie Hux »

President’s Message

Spring is just around the corner

March brings college basketball finals, plus it signals that spring is fast approaching. Spring means car shows are drawing near, as well as cars-and-coffee meetups, plus many more activities. I hope that your classic Cadillac or LaSalle is ready to show!

The Winter Reunion & Board Meetings was held in early January in Orlando, Florida. This was the best-attended event of its kind, with 66 members and 94 attendees overall enjoying the many activities. Members were bused to Mecum’s Kissimmee auction on Thursday to see over 4,500 cars. Then, on Friday evening, everyone went to Dezerland Park for dinner and to see another 2,000 cars! Our great National Chief Judge, Fred Butalla III, hosted a Judging Workshop on Friday, attended by 36 participants. He plans to continue this workshop in Birmingham and San Antonio in the coming years.

The board approved a new Region, the Metro New York Region, covering all five boroughs. Welcome to our Club! The board also approved merging the Central Pennsylvania Region into the Valley Forge Region.

The board also approved a modest dues increase, effective April 1. Postage continues to increase regularly, and this is a significant expense. You can renew now at the old rate and add on to your existing membership, no matter when it expires. Contact the CLC Office by Tuesday, March 31, to renew or extend your membership.

The board also approved subscribing to a new online site to store issues of the self-starter and other Club documents safely and at minimal cost. Executive VP Jason Edge is working with Office Manager Mark Wheeler to complete this transition. More to come once completed.

Registration for the Concord, North Carolina, Grand National is well under-way. There are many options for your enjoyment, including car collections, a day at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and, of course, the cars in the show field. Our host hotel has gone through a complete renovation and will be ready for our arrival. It is a beautiful property, conveniently located close to so much.

A ballot for the upcoming CLC board elections is included with this issue. You can mail in your ballot or vote electronically at vote.cadillaclasalleclub.org. Please vote today. If you want to vote for someone other than who is on the ballot, please write in their name.

Lastly, as a reminder, our outstanding national treasurer, Jack McClow, is retiring after dedicating his time and talents over the past years. We are seeking applicants for this position. You must be familiar with basic accounting principles and QuickBooks. Apply ASAP to Lars Kneller at cadtbird@aol.com , or to me at cadiman59@aol.com now to be considered. Until next time, stay safe and safe travels!

Ronnie

CLC PRESIDENT RONNIE

HUX is all set to bust some ghosts at the host hotel for the 2027 Grand National in Sparks, Nevada.

EDITOR

Jeffrey D. “Jeff” Shively

ART DIRECTOR ADVERTISING

Tim Coy Dave Leash

The international magazine of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club Inc. SUBMIT A STORY, DISCUSS A SUBMISSION, COMMENT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

Jeff Shively 323 Laramie Ln., Kokomo, IN 46901-4047 CLCeditor@yahoo.com 765-721-1659

FIND OUT GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING PHOTOS/IMAGES

Tim Coy 1681 Nita Ct., Cheyenne, WY 82009–9829 tim.coy@adtypeanddesign.com 720-254-7184

A guide may also be viewed on the Publications page at cadillaclasalleclub.org

PLACE DISPLAY AND/OR CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING, CLC STORE ITEMS

Dave Leash 58757 Van Dyke Rd., Unit 131 Washington, MI 48094–9407 bravemarcon@gmail.com 877-393-1110, fax 720-368-5058

JOIN THE CLUB, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DISCUSS DAMAGED/ MISSING ISSUES, CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, DIRECTORY CORRECTIONS Cadillac & LaSalle Club c/o Cornerstone Registration Ltd. PO Box 1715, Maple Grove, MN 55311-6715 CLC@cornerstonereg.com 763-420-7829

ORDER BACK ISSUES

Lars Kneller Indiana Region CLC Inc., 3018 W. Small Rd., La Porte, IN 46350-7929 No phone calls, please Back issues and Annual issues $6 each, subject to availability. See display ad in current Membership Directory or occasional issues.

MISSION The official voice of The Cadillac & LaSalle Club, THE SELF-STARTER strives to serve the membership, providing avenues of communication pertaining to the preservation of Cadillacs and LaSalles and to foster camaraderie among its members.

PUBLISHER THE SELF-STARTER (USPS 004-798) is published monthly, except December, by the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, c/o Cornerstone Registration Ltd., PO Box 1715, Maple Grove, MN 55311-6715. Periodicals postage paid at Maple Grove, MN, and additional offices.

THE SELF-STARTER is copyright ©2026 by the Cadillac & LaSalle Club Inc., all rights reserved. Written permission must be granted by the editor to use or reproduce any part of this magazine, except for brief quotations.

POSTMASTER/CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Please send all change-of-address informationto the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, c/o Cornerstone Registration Ltd., PO Box 1715, Maple Grove, MN 55311-6715, email CLC@ cornerstonereg.com, phone 763-420-7829.

Cadillac and LaSalle trademarks used with permission of General Motors LLC.

VISIT THE WEB 

Je Shively » Life at 50 Miles Per Hour

Tricennium

Three decades. It is hard to imagine, but as of this month, I have owned a 1941 Cadillac for 30 years. I was 23 when I bought my first one, which is young to own any collector car, much less one that was 55 years old.

I saw my first 1941 Cadillac, a two-tone green Series 6319D Sedan, when a vintage car tour stopped in Greencastle, Indiana, in September 1990. It was love at first sight, not unlike my introduction to the 1965 Cadillac 19 months earlier. My affection for the ’41 Cadillac kicked into overdrive when I saw three convertibles competing in the Great American Race in 1993.

The search began in earnest in the fall of 1995, when I was a year out of college and deep into the restoration of my 1965 DeVille Convertible. I recall in particular answering an ad in Hemmings Motor News for a Series 6319D Sedan. It was literally a junkyard refugee, just a few steps ahead of the crusher. I have written in the self-starter about an ill-fated trip into Illinois on a very snowy day in January 1996 to look at a Series 6219 Sedan that was missing more than a few key components.

The car that I eventually purchased, a Series 6227D Four-Passenger Deluxe Coupe, had spent 15 years in a tiny garage in Westerville, Ohio, just north of Columbus. If someone had told me on that March day in 1996 that I wouldn’t drive the car until 2012, I would have purchased something else. A sedan would have been just as nice. I recall passing over several Series 62 and 63 cars that would have been much less expensive in the long run than the coupe’s restoration turned out to be, minus the frustrating years getting it back on the road. I held onto the coupe for just six months shy of 20 years. When I saw it leave the parking lot of the Kokomo (Indiana) Automotive Museum in September 2015, I realized that I had done something I’d sworn something

that I’d never do—sell that car. I’d enjoyed driving it for nearly four years, so, for most of the time I owned it, the ’41 was a nonrunning project.

Perhaps the sale was inevitable. In 2011, a friend of mine, Andy Wolf, let me drive his Series 6267D Convertible Coupe to the Carmel (Indiana) Artomobilia concours. I had the chance to buy this car around 2001, but was well short of the funds needed.

Two things became abundantly clear at this point. First, I knew I had to own a ’41 convertible. That made me happy, as I always enjoyed the hunt. At the same time, I also knew that a second thing was also true. To buy a convertible, I’d have to sell the coupe. I fought this logic for several years, but by 2015, it was clear that, due to space and financial considerations, I had no choice but to break the vow I had made to myself and sell my first ’41.

As I watched the truck pull away that warm September morning, I realized that, for the time being, the only old car I had was my very first car, the 1965 Sedan de Ville I’d owned since 1989. In effect, I was back to the same place I had been as a

teenager, quite a depressing state of affairs. It took about six weeks, but one rainy November evening, a truck dropped my new ’41 ragtop off at the museum. The next chapter of my 1941 Cadillac adventure had begun. But there are times I miss my first ’41. The engine was so silent, and the interior, redone in 2011 in correct fabric, was so comfortable compared to black Naugahyde seat covers in the hot Indiana sun.

A decade later, my time with the convertible has been mostly positive. Due to several mechanical faux pas, I have had to put off cosmetic improvements, primarily replacing the interior. This work is still in the future, as my priorities for this year involve finally getting my ’65 back on the road and finishing the interior of my house.

Thirty years is a long time, and I have seen so many changes in my life that I never would have imagined as a 23-yearold kid. The one constant through all this has been my love for the 1941 Cadillac. If you have yet to own a ’41, make this the year that changes it. You’ll not regret it.

Jeff Shively, the self-starter editor, is at CLCeditor@yahoo.com.

JEFF

THE AUTHOR’S 1941 Series 6227D Deluxe Coupe at the Cataract General Store in Cataract, Indiana, during a Classic Car Club of America driving tour in 2012.

Cadillac or LaSalle wedding

photos and stories needed by April 15

For most people, their wedding day is the single most memorable day of their lives. One thing that always makes that special day even better is the use of a vintage automobile, either in the pre-wedding photographs, or on the big day itself.

If your Cadillac or LaSalle has been used in a wedding, last year or even 50 years ago, please consider sending in some photos and a short story for the June issue by April 15 to CLCeditor@ yahoo.com. Be sure to include the professional photographer’s written permission to reprint the images.

Jeff Shively

» Letter to the Editor

Hi Jeff, Reading Lars Kneller’s Tech Tips article in the January 2026 issue of the self-starter made me smile, as it brought back memories. I had to perform the same process to repair the broken window tape in my 1985 Eldorado Biarritz. What the article doesn’t mention is that there is a very specific way to insert the window assembly back into the car’s body opening. It must have been designed by the same person who made the Rubik’s Cube. As these convertibles were aftermarket installations by American Sunroof Corp., I think that some engineer with great fourdimensional skills figured out this puzzle in the design phase. It must have taken me an hour to guide them back in.

doug

heins Howell, Michigan

Looking at LaSalle’s centennial in 2027

BY JEFF SHIVELY

2027 will be a momentous year. A century earlier, General Motors launched the LaSalle, Cadillac’s companion car. It was stylish in an era when engineers and practicality still reigned at most automobile firms. For 14 seasons, from 1927 to 1940, the LaSalle stood at Cadillac’s side, giving Buick owners who aspired for a little more just what they needed to stay in the GM family on their way to the pinnacle, Cadillac.

The LaSalle was always a handsome car. But there was more to these machines than just good looks. Mechanically, they were on par with, if not superior to, the best cars of the day. After all, LaSalle got hydraulic brakes in 1934. Matched with the stunning, years-ahead styling, there was nothing quite like the 1934 LaSalle.

DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, the LaSalle was the ideal choice for a buyer who wanted the rare combination of style, luxury, and economy.

The LaSalle helped Cadillac weather the Great Depression, just as the Junior Packards and Lincoln-Zephyrs ensured their more expensive brethren survived the economic turmoil, even as many rivals did not. The LaSalle nameplate went out on top in 1940, with two series. The new LaSalle Special Series 52 sported the same aerodynamic body as the new Series 62 Cadillac.

If you are one of the fortunate members of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club who own a LaSalle or two or three, 2027 is your year to shine. Please send your articles and high-resolution photographs to the editor at CLCeditor@ yahoo.com

Your 2001 Cadillac photos wanted!

Do you own a 2001 Cadillac? Photos of members’ cars are needed for the 2001 25th anniversary issue of the self-starter, to be published in May. Please send the best high-res shots of your car by Sunday, March 15, to

tim.coy@adtypeanddesign.com for inclusion. Vertically oriented photos are considered for the front cover. Interior, exterior, and engine photos welcome. Please limit your submission to 15 photos.

Tim Coy

» Cadillac & LaSalle Club Regions, A liates, and Chapters

International Calendar

APRIL 14–19

Australian National Meet, Echuca, Victoria, Australia. More info: Peter Ratcliff, CLC liaison, at peteratcliff@ netspace.net.au; or Steve Ashman, Victoria president, at steveashman@bigpond.com

APRIL 18

CLC Judging Workshop, Resorts World Catskills Hotel & Casino, Monticello, New York. To be led by National Chief Judge Fred Butalla III. Preregistration required at nyctclc.org. Info: Larry Savino, Larryvsa@aol.com or 845-721-6768.

JUNE 1–6

CLC Grand National, Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa, Concord, North Carolina. Room rate $149/night plus taxes. Book your room(s) at tinyurl .com/CLCGN2026V2 or call 704-455-8200. Event registration is open at gn.cadillaclasalleclub.org. Info: Cynthia Rutledge, registrar, cyndiann1@hotmail.com or 727-742-9649.

SEPT. 25–26

Cadillac Fall Festival, Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, Michigan. More information to come later.

OCT. 13–17

CLC National Driving Tour, Alabama and Tennessee, hosted by the Peach State Region. Info: Doug Bailey, jdouglasbailey@bellsouth.net or 404-786-6077.

Northeastern Regions

Jeff Montgomery, Regional VP 732-406-9120 monty5131@gmail.com

LONG ISLAND (New York) Howie Schneider, director 917-699-6693 howardmri@aol.com

METROPOLITAN NEW YORK (Provisional)

Nick Vaglica, director 718-938-0861 CLCmetro@gmail.com

NEW ENGLAND

Robert Ricci, director 401-529-7249 ricci5883@aol.com nerclc.com

NORTH JERSEY

Anthony Vanacore, director 551-404-3307 cadclubnj@gmail.com cadillacclubnj.org

NY CAPITAL DISTRICT (Albany) Dr. Joe Roglieri, director 518-859-7209 joeroglieri@yahoo.com

NY-CT TWO RIVERS

Frank Nicodemus Jr., director 845-742-8208 fnicodemusjr@gmail.com nyctclc.com

RARITAN RIVER (Central New Jersey)

Ted Mandalakis, director 732-547-5525 tedmandalakis@comcast.net rrrclc.org

UPPER SUSQUEHANNA (Northeast Pennsylvania)

Alan Harris, director 570-655-6366 alvivharris@gmail.com usrclc.webs.com

VALLEY FORGE (Philadelphia) Michael Stinson, director 267-251-8588 michael.c.stinson46@gmail.com vfrclc.org

WESTERN NEW YORK

Adam J. Szeluga, director 585-590-0490 funeralcar13@gmail.com wnycadillaclasalleclub.com

Southeastern Regions

Grady Davis, Regional VP 252-903-4246 grady@dms-systems.com

CAROLINA (Charlotte) Travis Dowell Jr., director 704-804-0806 travisdowelljr@gmail.com crclc.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA (Richmond) Ron Threadgill, director 804-270-5861 redcad59@pipeline.com

FLORIDA SUNCOAST (Tampa Bay) Mark Demyan, director 412-523-5472 eldemya@yahoo.com cadillaclasalleclubflorida.com

HAMPTON ROADS (SE Virginia) Michael Rankin, director 757-506-1354 cadillacclubhrr@gmail.com clchamptonroadsregion.org

NORTH CAROLINA EASTERN ( Raleigh/Durham ) Grady Davis, director 252-903-4246 grady@dms-systems.com

PEACH STATE (Atlanta) Mark Nichols, director 770-945-6301 mrnichols07@att.net peachstateclc.org PITTSBURGH Joe Kress, co-director 724-869-5972 jakress21@yahoo.com

Steve Ehrin, co-director 412-251-6104 steve.ehrin@gmail.com clcpgh.org

POTOMAC (Maryland/northern Virginia/Washington, D.C.) Larry Good, director 301-538-1544 Lgood@goodLLc.com clcpotomacregion.org

SOUTH FLORIDA (Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach) Len Constance Jr., director 954-789-0966 Laconstance50@gmail.com

VOLUNTEER STATE (Tennessee, southern Kentucky, northern Georgia, Provisional) Alan Nowaczyk, director 708-839-2933 ancollisioncraft@aol.com

Central Regions

Kevin Williams, Regional VP 314-258-0574 stLwc1@yathoo.com

BADGER (Wisconsin) Dan Kasdorf, director 414-216-1848 dfkaz016@gmail.com badgerclc.com

CENTRAL OHIO (Columbus)

David A. Mayhew, director 740-965-5253 mayhew1965@sbcglobal.net

INDIANA

Warner Young, director 317-842-7990, 317-919-8890 warneryoung@msn.com indianaCLC.org

IOWA CROSSROADS (Des Moines) Steve Fox, director 515-491-2624 foxenterprises@yahoo.com iowacrossroadsregion.org

MOTOR CITY (Detroit) Tim Pawl, director 248-709-9471 pawl@earthlink.net motorcityregionclc.com

NORTHEAST OHIO (Akron) Tom Hutchison, director 606-434-8231 tjh07@me.com

NORTHSTAR (Minnesota) Edward Gunyo, director 612-619-3983 egunyo@msn.com northstarcadillac.org

NORTHWEST OHIO (Toledo) Rance Miller, director 419-464-8085 rancemiller@hotmail.com

ST. LOUIS

Todd Tobiasz, director 314-540-2431 ttobiasz@sbcglobal.net cadillaclasalleclubstl.org

WEST MICHIGAN

Michael Heinz, director 616-837-6928, 616-914-1543 caddyclub1@gmail.com tinyurl.com/3xnwnn63

WEST OF THE LAKE (Chicago) David Schumann, director 847-404-4250 uncledavid@comcast.net westofthelakeclc.com

Southwestern Regions

Tim Coy, Regional VP 720-254-7184 tim.coy@adtypeanddesign.com

CENTRAL PLAINS (Wichita) Joseph Kausse, director 316-734-7883 jkausse@gmail.com

CENTRAL TEXAS ( Austin/San Antonio) Ken Karrer, director 512-626-7268 kenneth.karrer@gmail.com

GULF COAST ( Houston) Bill Golasinski, director 832-439-2940, 281-922-5077 billgolasinski@outlook.com

MISSOURI VALLEY (Kansas City) Randall Penn, co-director 816-523-8053 rw_penn@yahoo.com

Guy Teel, co-director 913-710-8088 bdeblues@hotmail.com kccadillacclub.org

NEW MEXICO (Albuquerque) Nick Manole, director 505-934-4655 nmanole@aol.com

NORTH TEXAS (Dallas/Fort Worth) Bill Levy, director 214-563-1033 Lifer@writeme.com

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ( Denver )

Bob Lyons, director 720-810-8417, 303-337-7319 catmansea@aol.com rmrclc.com

UTAH

Brett Baird, director 801-755-8765 bebaird1@msn.com

Western Regions

Carolyn Dippel, Regional VP 530-497-0867 cadillacrazy@yahoo.com

LAS VEGAS

Gary Weaver, director 702-219-2839 garyL559@cox.net Lasvegascadillacclub.com

MT. HOOD (Oregon) Keith Stone, director 503-203-8401zz, 503-730-9661 kcsmooth59@yahoo.com mthoodregionclc.com

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (Bay Area) Jeff Nielsen, director 650-740-5204 jnielsen2219@gmail.com clcnorcal.com

PACIFIC NORTHWEST (Washington) Robert A. LeCoque, director 206-799-6585 rlecoque@msn.com

PALM SPRINGS Rick Payton, director 512-484-4501 rick@rickpayton.com

SAGUARO (Tucson) Tom and Cheryl Modaff, co-directors 520-940-1120 tomandcherylmodaff@msn.com tucsonclc.org

SAN DIEGO

Ryan Fulton, director 619-788-2283 ryan@dandiegos.com

SNAKE RIVER ( Idaho, Provisional) Bernie Moen, director 208-934-4686 bjorn1230@hotmail.com facebook.com/snakeriver cadillacandlasalleclub

SONORAN DESERT (Phoenix/Scottsdale) Scott Halver, director 480-773-0178 scotthalver@msn.com clcsdr.org

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (Los Angeles) Ryan Dunn, director 562-484-8288 cadillaccoachworks@yahoo.com socalclc.org

International Affiliates

Ron Zahn, International Affiliates VP 541-729-8664 cadillac_ron@comcast.net Europe

Klaus Deisinger, director of European Affiliates +49-7663914460 phone klaus.deisinger@t-online.de Matti Kukkonen, assistant director of Nordic Affiliates +35-840 821 9533 phone kukkonen@hanken.fi

Sigrid Hofmann, assistant director of Western European Affiliates +49 615 291 0935 phone hofmann_family@t-online.de

CADILLAC-CLUB OF SWITZERLAND

Arion M. Scheifele, president +41 79 646 0870 phone Christian Hardegger, liaison +41 79 459 0255 phone ccs-sekretariat@bluewin.ch ars@strad.ch cadillacclub.ch

CADILLAC CLUB DENMARK Carsten Jacobsen, president +45 21669448 phone 52cadillac.jacobsen@gmail.com cadillac-club.dk

CADILLAC CLUB FINLAND

Kim Vuorenpää, president Matti Kukkonen, liaison +35 840 821 9533 kukkonen@hanken.fi cadillacclub.fi

CADILLAC CLUB NEDERLAND Koen Ongkiehong, president +31 62 4804408 phone info@ibuko.com cadillacclub.nl

CADILLAC CLUB OF NORWAY Arne Roger Gleden, president +47 97753271 phone limo57@gmail.com

Runar Hanssen-Rasch, liaison +47 90650010 phone runarha5@online.no cadillacclub.no

CADILLAC CLUB SWEDEN

Lars Melin, president lars.h.melin@comhem.se

Per Allfors, liaison +46-8540-20077 phone per@allfors.se cadillacclub.se

CADILLAC FRIENDS NORWAY

Terje Falstad, president +47 90182034 phone terje@falstad.one Arild Kolnes, liaison +47 95218531 phone arild.kolnes@lyse.net

CADILLAC LaSALLE CLUB BELGIUM

Marc Manesse, president +32 475 31 4160 phone marc.manesse@telnet.be cadillaclasalleclubbelgium.be

CADILLAC LaSALLE CLUB FRANCE

Pierre Gravel, president +33 247 581 864 phone gravel.not@wanadoo.fr cadillac-lasalle-club.fr

CADILLAC OWNERS CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN

Alan Reed, president cocgbchairman@outlook.com

Phil Hole, liaison +44 7756 205467 phone holepl@aol.com cocgb.co.uk

CLASSIC CADILLAC CLUB, DEUTSCHLAND, E.V. Ulrich Volk, president ulrich@cadillac-club.de +49 6113 928220 phone

Dirk Warwel, VP and liaison +49 4102 1258 phone vorstand@cadillac-club.de cadillac-club.de

THE ICELANDIC CADILLAC CLUB

Jöhann Vilhjálmsson, president +354 8941950 phone j.vilhjalmsson@simnet.is icecad.is

Canada

THE CADILLAC CLUB OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAPTER

Dewane Ollech, president 250-889-7521 dewane55@shaw.ca

Facebook page: Cadillac Club of British Columbia Island Chapter

Oceania

CADILLAC LaSALLE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA

Peter Ratcliff, liaison +61 3 9580 1838 phone peteratcliff@netspace.net.au cadillacclublasalle.com.au

THE CADILLAC & LaSALLE CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND Jason Curry, president Ron Melville, liaison +64-2-7290 1100 phone ron.melville@eves.co.nz cadillacclubofnz.org

Chapters

Nick Manole, Chapters VP 505-934-4655 nmanole@aol.com

1941 CADILLAC Jeff Shively, director 765-721-1659 cad19651941@yahoo.com

1959 & 1960 CADILLAC Frank Nicodemus Jr., director 845-742-8208 fnicodemusjr@gmail.com 19591960cadillacs.com

1963/64 CADILLAC Jason Edge, director 919-880-6007 jasonedge64@outlook.com 6364cadillac.com

ALLANTÉ—XLR Dr. Laura Brown, director 708-552-0224 Laurasings@outlook.com allantexlrclub.org

BESPOKE BEAUTIES (Provisional ) Anthony Vanacore, director 551-404-3307 tonyv773@gmail.com

DEVILLE DROP TOPS (1964–1970 convertibles) Jon Nacy, director 734-717-7385 jnacy01@yahoo.com

ELDORADO BROUGHAM David King, director 248-770-6931 dking92747@aol.com

FLEETWOOD AND BROUGHAM Nick Manole, director 505-934-4655 nmanole@aol.com fleetwood.cadillaclasalle.club

LaSALLE APPRECIATION SOCIETY (LAS) Jack Hotz, director 856-429-0641, 856-287-0912 jackscaddy@aol.com Lasalleas.org

MODIFIED CADILLACS & LaSALLES

Greg Surfas, director 210-289-5406 clsalamo@aol.com modifiedcadillac.org

VERTICAL HEADLAMP (1965–1968 except 1967–1968 Eldorado) Jeff Shively, director 765-721-1659 cad19651941@yahoo.com

the CLC family to the CLC family

The Cadillac & LaSalle Club welcomes these members who joined in January 2026. The use of this list for any kind of solicitation is

36382 Lorraine Blackburn 2775 Booksin Ave San Jose CA 95125 lorraineblackburn26@ myyahoo.com

36363 Alan Johnson 1401 Teneighth Way Sacramento CA 95818 alanojohnson9@gmail.com

36375 Bill Murray 8066 Greenridge Dr No. 41 Oakland CA 94605 1929 Cadillac

36379 Arne Ness 48 Scenic Crest Tr Rancho Mirage CA 92270 orneryness@msn.com

36383 Tyler Hastings 162 S Fetzer St Byers CO 80103 thastings92@icloud.com 1926

36380 Orian Hunter 6000 W Floyd Ave Unit 216 Denver CO 80227 orian.hunter2@gmail.com

36352 Jeri Barrett 109 Sport Hill Rd Easton CT 06612 jeri@jdbarrett.com

36341 Gerald Levar 297 Lychee Rd Nokomis FL 34275 glevar1957@gmail.com

36378 John Peters 4606 Castlewood Rd Seffner FL 33584 cadillacjohn6836@hotmail.com

36350 Trent Jurewicz 227 N Lombard Ave Oak Park IL 60302 tjurewicz@gmail.com

36295 Malcolm Brown 4161 Southcrest Dr Shreveport LA 71119 general5120@bellsouth.net

36358 Frank Chamberland 20 Deep Wood Dr Forestdale MA 02644 frankchamberland@yahoo.com 1949

36384 Joseph Palmieri 209 N Main St West Bridgewater MA 02379 hemiman300@yahoo.com

36389 Theodore Huttinger 2238 Lake Drive Pasadena MD 21122 huttinger1@gmail.com

36381 Robert Svoboda 280 Daines St Suite 300 Birmingham MI 48009 robsvoboda@live.com

36348 Jeffrey Goldstein 324 Cooperstown Dr Chesterfield MO 63017 jgoldsteinstl@aol.com

36353 David Bowman 1400 Carolyn Drive Charlotte NC 28205 bowman_d@bellsouth.net

36336 George Karageorge 7940 Docks Landing Wake Forest NC 27587 gkarag@bellsouth.net

36347 Paul Wisnewski 1510 Lawrence Rd Creedmoor NC 27522 caddiman@frontier.com

36357 Robert Laughon 4701 Friars Ln Greensboro NC 27455 laughonb@gmail.com 1992

36376 Dennis McGuire 11770 Farnam St Omaha NE 68154 djmcguire55@yahoo.com

36354 Don Remington 4842 Hillside St Lincoln NE 68506 1992

36387 John Lorio 2 Tierra Monte St NE Albuquerque NM 87122 betseybretton@gmail.com

36333 Brad Merila 6 Barnwell Ln Stony Brook NY 11790 thestadiumguy@msn.com 1956

36344 Eli Brackett 709 Timberline Dr Akron OH 44333 elicbrackett@gmail.com 2015

36374 Mark Brown 4610 Largo Dr Cincinnati OH 45236 stlouislouie@gmail.com

36339 Dolores Bucklen Black 810 Sharon Ave Bowling Green OH 43402

36359 Chris Hoecker 1036 Linwood Pl Mansfield OH 44906 crhoecker@aol.com

36368 David Lowe 604 Koerber Ave Akron OH 44314 david.lowe35@yahoo.com

36351 Jared Aiello 217 Monroe Dr Pittsburgh PA 15237 jaredaiello21@gmail.com

36365 Joseph Marsicano 1341 3rd St, Apt B2 Catasauqua PA 18032 concretejoe2004@yahoo.com 2024

36337 Todd Shaffer 135 Larkspur Way Spring Mills PA 16875 gtx4401968@comcast.net

36346 Patrick Loring 3987 Chapel Woods Blvd Tyler TX 75707 laughter592000@yahoo.com

36373 Jeff Fenner 5180 Andorra Bend Ln Porter TX 77365 jeffbnbr8@gmail.com

36335 Ken Fielding 1902 Sullivan Dr NW Gig Harbor WA 98335 mfield8888@aol.com

36385 John Pickering 1312 Tuckahoe Rd White Sulphur Springs WV 24986 jondoe262003@yahoo.com

36362 Theo Geurts Roggelseweg 77A Helden 5988 BN Netherlands theoelli_geurts@hotmail.com 1979

36334 Hans Kewenter Solla Bjorkbacken 1 Vikingstad S-58392 Sweden cad5670@gmail.com

36349 Chris Cunliffe 8 Garner Drive Salford M55JF United Kingdom dofi21@gmail.com

» Strength from Within

Cadillacs in the Windy City

The West of the Lake Region

BY TOM ORLANDO

Now in our 41st year, the West of the Lake Region in the Chicago area has members in parts of three states and covers the third largest population center in the U.S. By sheer volume, we encounter a lot of Cadillac owners. We are also very close with GM, the Cadillac North Central Region, and local Cadillac dealers, who have given us many opportunities to participate in activities.

We make the most of that large population by creating fun activities such as driving tours, museum visits, and car shows. The geographic center of our Region is at the intersection of Route 66 and U.S. 30, the Lincoln Highway. There are limitless opportunities for unique events within a few hours’ drive. Through both direct outreach and our award-winning monthly newsletter, we invite neighboring Regions and other car clubs to join us for combined activities. You can bet seeing 15 or 20 classic Cadillacs rolling down the highway attracts plenty of attention.

OLD CARS AND VETERANS

a perfect combination. West of the Lake Region member Andrew Derr shares his 1939 Cadillac 6167 Convertible with the late Charles Scallon.

At each of our events, our members walk around, meet spectators, show off our cars, and answer questions. We regularly share mechanical tips and parts recommendations, often leading people to join our Region. We bring folding chairs to our events, but we spend less time sitting and more time on our feet, meeting people.

Our Region hosts a YouTube channel, @WestOfTheLakeCadillacClub, featuring how-to videos for repairing classic Cadillacs. Questions come in from Cadillac owners across the U.S. and around the world. We try to help everyone and always send them a link to both the national CLC and their local Region, encouraging them to join and get even more local help.

Making those YouTube videos requires cars that need repairs, so we regularly get together in small groups to tackle a repair job on a member’s car. There’s nothing like turning wrenches and solving a pesky mechanical problem to bring people together. We make a point of inviting different people to each video shoot so more people feel welcome. Each video brings new knowledge and new friends.

Finally, we are painfully aware of the passage of time; no one is immune. The West of the Lake Region works very hard to attract younger people. We participate in car-related events with local high schools and colleges, and have recently “adopted” a

WEST OF THE LAKE REGION

MEMBER Bill

Bijou’s 1974 Fleetwood Eldorado Coupe.

student group at the University of Illinois Chicago as they restore a 1963 Cadillac. It could also be as simple as letting a youngster sit behind the wheel of our cars and having Mom or Dad take a photo. That photo often leads to a lifelong interest in classic cars.

I recently got a call from a distant CLC member who told me about attending one of our events that “changed his life” a decade ago. It seems he was at one of our shows and saw a member letting a child sit in their car for a photo. The smile on that little one’s face stuck with him, and he started doing that with his car, causing him to meet so many people.

That caller described the member’s car and asked me to thank the owner. I couldn’t believe it when he described my own car! His life was changed by a small act by me! The fact is, it could have been any one of our members. We are just temporary caretakers of our cars, but we can change lives with our actions.

The West of the Lake Region members treasure our cars of the past, but we are always looking to the future: growing our numbers, making new friends, and ensuring that both Cadillac and LaSalle cars and our members remain The Standard of the World.

Tom Orlando of Joliet, Illinois, is the West of the Lake Region’s newsletter editor.

The choice of 1976

By Earl Rutter Jr.

This would be a year of firsts in terms of sales and new options, but mainly a year of lasts. As the economic outlook started to improve and Americans looked forward to celebrating the 200th anniversary of their country, Cadillac sales hit a new record of 309,139 units. The theme was “Cadillac: The Choice of 1976.” The brochure further stated, “Whatever you want in a luxury car…Cadillac has it.”

The new models were introduced Sept. 12, 1975, and arrived in dealerships on Sept. 18. Living up to the brochure advertisement, Cadillac offered 10 models grouped into four types of luxury. Calais and de Ville were family-sized luxury, Seville was international-sized luxury, Eldorado was personal luxury, and Fleetwood was executive-sized luxury.

This would be the last year for the fullsize Cadillacs, except for the Eldorado. It would also be the last year for the Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible. Engines and transmissions were carried over from 1975, with all full-size models featuring the 500-cubic-inch engine rated at 190 horsepower, or 215 when outfitted with fuel injection. Seville was equipped with a 350 cubic-inch engine rated at 180 horsepower.

Cars were available in 15 colors, 13 of which were new. There were also six Firemist colors to choose from and 11 vinyl top colors. A new Delco Freedom battery that never needed water was

1976 OPTION PACKAGES

n Brougham d’Elegance Group

n Coupe de Ville Cabriolet

n de Ville d’Elegance Group

CHASSIS FEATURES— OVERALL LENGTH

n Eldorado Biarritz Luxury Package

n Eldorado Cabriolet Coupe

n Fleetwood Talisman Luxury Package

standard. New options on full-size models included a power passenger-side recliner, a manual driver-side recliner, a weatherband radio, and an automatic door-locking system that would activate when the transmission was shifted into drive. There was also a new wheel cover option for full-size models with a black hub, and an argent-and-chrome turbined vaned disc.

This would be the last year for the innovative Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS) and TrackMaster braking system. ACRS was a dual airbag system introduced in 1974, and TrackMaster was an anti-skid braking system that controlled only the rear wheels. TrackMaster was first offered in 1972.

THE END OF THE FLEETWOOD ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE

The biggest news this year was the discontinuation of the Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible, which was the last convertible in the land. Eldorados received minor changes for 1976, including a Cadillac script on the left side of the hood, standard four-wheel disc brakes, new wheel covers with black centers, revised horizontal taillamps, and amber front parking lenses. Inside was a new “carved gunstock” look to the simulated wood trim on the dash and door panel inserts. The Eldorado Coupe retailed for $10,586, with the Convertible listing for $11,049.

Cadillac anticipated high demand for the last convertible, and production increased 60 percent over 1975 to 14,000 units. Ed Kennard, the general manager of Cadillac, felt that the company could have sold at least 20,000 convertibles if enough top mechanisms could have been produced. As convertible production wound down, independent suppliers stopped manufacturing top mechanisms. Cadillac bought every one they could get in anticipation of strong demand.

1976 marked the end of 60 years of Cadillac convertibles. The Fleetwood Eldorado was the only American convertible built in 1976. Other GM full-size convertibles, such as the Chevrolet Caprice, Oldsmobile Delta, and Buick LeSabre, ended in 1975. Lincoln ended production of its four-door Continental convertible in 1967, and Chrysler’s Imperial convertible was no more after the 1968 model year.

WHILE THE FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM’S Talisman package is usually remembered for the comfort it afforded rear passengers, the driver also enjoyed an astonishingly plush environment.

ACRES OF RED LEATHER, complemented by matching carpets and door panels, drive home the point that the 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado was the ultimate in open-top driving.

CADILLAC WREATH AND CREST— a symbol of quality known the world over.

THE

LYNN W. GARDNER

THE BICENTENNIAL EDITION

The last Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible rolled off the line on April 21, 1976, to tremendous media attention. The final 200 cars had changes that set them apart from the other convertibles. The last 200 cars were all triple white with white wheel covers, and featured red-and-blue accent hood striping. Inside was white leather with red piping to match the red carpets and dashboard.

The final 200 also included a numbered dash plaque. GM kept the very last Eldorado Convertible for historical purposes. It was registered in Michigan with a license plate reading, “LAST.” A running registry of the final 200 is kept by the Potomac Region of

the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, as referenced in the bibliography. As of this writing, 77 of the 200 have been accounted for, with location and mileage.

The Fleetwood Eldorado Coupe received the same styling changes as the convertible. A Custom Biarritz option became available late in the year. It included a thick, padded top; limo-style backlight; thick chrome moldings along the fender line; opera lights; and a leather interior. A total of 35,184 Eldorado coupes were sold.

CALAIS SERIES

The Calais received minor changes for 1976, including a new grille, front cornering lights, rear horizontal taillight trim, and a new vinyl top style, with the top molding continuing from the door molding. This would be the final year for the Calais after 12 years of production. Starting in 1977, the de Ville would be the entry-level Cadillac model. Sales totaled a mere 6,200, split between 4,500 coupes and 1,700 sedans. Pricing was $8,629 for the coupe and $8,825 for the sedan.

de VILLE SERIES

The de Ville received the same styling changes as Calais. Opera lights similar to those on the Fleetwood were now optional, and standard on the d’Elegance package. The d’Elegance option included a new

cloth called Magnan, available in Dark Blue, Black, Light Buckskin, and Dark Blue-Green. Also included were deep-pile carpeting; a standup, see-through hood crest; and accent striping on the trunk, hood, and sides. The Cabriolet option continued to be offered on the Coupe de Ville, and now included a see-through, standup hood crest. The Coupe de Ville once again was the sales leader, with a record-breaking tally of 114,482 units sold, and a starting price of $9,067. Sedan de Ville sales were 67,677, with a starting price of $9,265.

SEVILLE

The Seville was introduced in the spring of 1975, and carried over to the 1976 model year with few changes. It was marketed as a competitor to German imports and was the most expensive car in the lineup, aside from the limo, with a starting price of $12,479. The Seville had a long list of standard features, making it one of the best-equipped cars on the market. Seville continued to be a big success for Cadillac, with total production in 1976 reaching 43,772.

FLEETWOOD SIXTY SPECIAL BROUGHAM

The Fleetwood followed with updates that were similar to the de Ville. The Fleetwood script was now block letters set against a

A COUPE de VILLE fit for a captain of industry. This example, owned by Jim Jordan of Oklahoma City, not only has an AM–FM stereo with an eight-track player, but also a mobile phone.

THE MID-1970s was a time of bold interiors, like the red one in the Coupe de Ville owned by Joe Vanacore of Mahwah, New Jersey.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: The heart of the 1976 Cadillac was the massive 500 CID V-8 engine, as seen in this Fleetwood Eldorado Biarritz Coupe owned by Ed Waite of Camas, Washington. ¶ Scott Blaser of Fort Myers, Florida, is the proud owner of both a 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible and a Coupe de Ville. ¶ Even in 1976, the eggcrate grille, as seen on Joe Maione’s Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible, remained a hallmark of Cadillac design.

SCOTT BLASER

ED WAITE

JOE MAIONE

body-colored background. In addition to 1976 being the last year of the full-size Fleetwood, it would also be the last year of the ultra-luxurious Talisman option. This package continued similarly to the prior year, with a front-locking console complete with a writing pad and pen-and-pencil set. Inside was Medici crushed velour, available in Dark Blue or Black. Outside, there were turbine vaned wheel discs, an Elk Grain vinyl top, and identifying script on the roof panel.

The d’Elegance package was also offered, similar to prior years. It featured pillowed seating in Mansion Knit upholstery, available in Light Gray, Light Buckskin, Dark BlueGreen, Black, and Dark Blue. The package also included deep-pile carpeting, storage pockets in the backs of the front seats, opera lamps, turbine-vaned wheel discs, Elk Grain vinyl top, and brushed-chrome door moldings. Fleetwood sales increased significantly,

just short of a record at 24,500, with a base starting price of $10,935. Talisman production ended at just 1,200 units.

FLEETWOOD SEVENTY-FIVE SERIES

This would be the last year for ultra-large limousine and commercial chassis cars. Limousines rode on a 151.5-inch wheelbase, with an overall length of 252.3 inches. These cars received the same changes as other full-size cars, and production totaled 834 limos and 981 Series SeventyFive Nine-Passenger Sedans. Limos had a starting price of $15,239, with the NinePassenger Sedan starting at $14,889.

COMMERCIAL CHASSIS

Cadillac built about 1,500 commercial chassis for ambulances and funeral coaches. The end of the large chassis would hasten coachbuilders’ move toward van and truck platforms for ambulances.

THE END OF AN ERA

1976 was a successful year for Cadillac. It marked the end of an era of rapid change in customer preferences and governmental intervention.

At the end of the 1976 model year, even greater changes and challenges lay just over the horizon, but in the meantime, Cadillac, with the biggest and best of everything, could enjoy a well-deserved moment in the sun.

Earl Rutter Jr. is a CLC member living in Philadelphia.

HLand Yacht Heaven

Nineteen feet-plus of hard stainless steel.

Cover in vinyl and chrome on the wheel. Would that I tell you the way that I feel

About my lovely sweet red Cadillac.

Seventy-six is the year she was born.

Same as her owner, through life I had torn.

Wasted and downtrodden, head in a storm, I dropped seven K and dragged her on home. To the garage never measured, it hadn’t occurred!

My wife shook her head. “Do not utter a word!”

I fixed every system, worked hard ’til she purred.

Love in the Coupe de Ville Firethorn Red.

Under the hood, 500 cubics to spin.

Cruise control, A/C, electric ignition. Air shocks and three-speed auto transmission. Radio’s playing my favorite song.

REFERENCES

n Cadillac & LaSalle Club Inc. 2026 International Membership Directory Maple Grove, Minnesota: Cadillac & LaSalle Club, 2025.

n Cadillac Motor Car Division. Cadillac: The Choice of 1976. Detroit, Michigan: General Motors Corp., 1975.

n Cadillac Motor Car Division. Seville by Cadillac. Detroit, Michigan: General Motors Corp., 1975.

n Gunnell, John. Standard Catalog of Cadillac 1903–1990, First Edition. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications, 1991.

n Klockau, Thomas. “The 1976 Fleetwood Talisman was the Broughamiest Brougham that ever Broughamed.” Nov. 15, 2020. Retrieved from hagerty.com/media/ opinion/klockau-classics/the1976-fleetwood-talisman-was -the-broughamiest-brougham -that-ever-broughamed/

n McCall, Walter M.P. 80 Years of Cadillac LaSalle. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International Publishers, 1982.

n Newbrough M.D., Robert S. Cadillac 1970–1979: An Era of American Automotive Opulence. Maple Grove, Minnesota: Cadillac & LaSalle Club Inc., 2024.

n Various contributors. “History of the 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Bicentennial Edition Convertible.” Retrieved from clcpotomacregion .org/1976BicentennialEldorado Registry.htm

By Capt. David P. Durkin, USN

Who needs a vacation when you can ride free, In a seventies land yacht like my Caddy?

“The only thing better than this,” declared me, “Is another long-rider to give company!”

So, I started to look. My wife was not gentle. “You already have one, two’s definitely mental. You don’t need a seventy-six white Continental!”

But listen not I, for I proudly now own… Four inches longer, 460 cc, Three-speed transmission, red leather, A/C. New speakers and carpet, headliner make three. Lincoln with Caddy…together with me.

Capt. Durkin is a CLC and Potomac Region member living in Annapolis, Maryland.

CAPT.

DAVID P. DURKIN, USN

WHAT’S A L’ETOILE?

Journey to prove pedigree is full of twists and turns

By Mary M. Brandenburg

Never quit searching for answers if you have questions and no solid documentation to fall back on.”

So said my college history professor regarding dealing with artifacts and the known historical record. Dig, dig, dig, he would say, and you may just find the documented truth. Truer words were never spoken regarding our 1976 Cadillac Calais L’Etoile Coupe.

More on this later. First, a little backstory on this often overlooked, but exceptionally rare automobile. The L’Etoile is rare to the point that countless web searches only return two vehicles: ours and a Fleetwood Brougham L’Etoile Custom. To be honest, it feels strange to say “exceptionally rare” about a Calais from any year, much less 1976, but here goes.

The car started its life, as did most Cadillacs of the mid-1970s, at the Clark Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit. It would wind up at the Rinke Cadillac dealership in Warren, Michigan, where it was sold to its first owner, who also lived in Warren. The gentleman who bought the car in 1976

unfortunately died in 1978. His widow never moved the car for the next 12 years. It stayed right where it was, just like the last time the owner drove it into the garage and parked it, with the windows up and cigar butts in the ashtray.

The widow eventually got tired of having it taking up garage space and gave it to her son. The son, who also lived in Warren, put it in a garage/barn/shed structure and left it there for seven more years, uncovered and subject to all manner of dirt and mystery crud. In 1997, the son, also having grown tired of giving up storage space, pushed it out onto the street, thanks to a dead battery, and put a “For Sale” sign on it.

It was then that it came to be in the possession of Darrell and Charlene Brandenburg from, you guessed it, Warren. Charlene fell in love with the car, even though it wasn’t running and was crusty from being in the barn/shed. She convinced Darrell to buy it, bring it home, and set to cleaning her up. Darrell took two or three years to bring her back to an acceptable, respectable shine and looking like new. Unfortunately, Charlene passed away in 2000, never learning the history of her car.

In 2002, Darrell and I were married, and the Calais was the vehicle my maid of honor and I drove to the ceremony. By 2002, the Cadillac was looking beautiful, as I had caught the fever for shiny chrome, and Darrell took care of the rest. But what was the history of this strange-looking Cadillac? It was not a full-blown ’70s pimpmobile, yet it had some nonfactory stuff going on. We needed to get down to the practical details of finding out the answers.

The first stop on our quest was to visit the folks at Rinke Cadillac to see what we could learn. Roger Rinke, the original owner of the dealership, had passed away in 1991, and his son, Paul, was now the man in charge. Paul let us know that they no longer maintained the files from 1976, so they would not be a source of revelation for us. Paul did tell us what he thought was the story behind the evolution of this singular car.

Paul had told us that, for several years, his dad, famed Warren, Michigan, Cadillac dealer Roger Rinke, made a star out of one of Cadillac’s various models. Each model year during at least part of the 1970s, Rinke special-ordered one

photos by robert schles/valley forge region and courtesy of the author

WHAT BEGAN as a humble Calais Coupe morphed into the exceptionally rare L’Etoile, the “star” of Rinke Cadillac in Michigan.

or more Calais, the least-expensive Cadillac model, and decked them out with options.

Angelo Van Bogart discussed this car in an article in Old Cars from December 2021. Once the loaded Calais was delivered to his dealership, Rinke would go farther to make the Calais shine by commissioning local custom shops to add unique features. In the case of the featured 1976 Calais, Rinke had a special vinyl top mounted to the roof, an extra chrome piece mounted at the front of the hood containing the standard Cadillac crest and V arrangement of the Calais, an additional Cadillac hood ornament (normally reserved for de Ville models), and ample pinstriping added by locally famous pinstriper Frank Galli. Once Rinke had the car christened with “L’Etoile” scripts in place of the original “Calais” scripts on the rear fenders, a star was quite literally born, since L’Etoile, pronounced eh-twal, translates to “star” in French.

Our next adventure was to the Internet and to the folks at the CLC Museum & Research Center (CLCMRC). The web yielded little information on this specific car, but did provide some leads on “houses” in southeast Michigan that could have been responsible for the roof treatment and the added chrome accents. The custom shops that we found referenced had long since gone out of business.

From the CLCMRC, we learned that we would never be able to get any help from Cadillac for any records. GM Media Archives states that the records for 1974–1979 are missing. As a side note, we were growing frustrated as the CLC Grand National judging crew was having a “point deduction field day” over all the supposed aftermarket changes made pre-first title. We are pretty sure that I gave former National Chief Judge Bill Anderson nightmares about how to judge this one-off vehicle.

We would not be deterred, however, and continued our journey. At many local car shows in southeast Michigan, we would have folks of an appropriate age stop at our car to tell us they (1) worked on the Cadillac assembly line that put our car together in 1976, (2) worked for the company that did the vinyl top, (3) worked for the company that put the extra chrome on the car, or, (4) knew the man that did the pinstriping.

Only the last point is/was verifiable, as Frank Galli’s signature is in the pinstriping at the tip of the engine hood. The rest remains a mystery as to which company/ companies did the special treatments.

Years went by, and we continued to search for answers—always checking the Internet sporadically to see if anything new had come to light. Then, one day, a fellow CLC member, David Smith, sent me the most wonderful information: actual newspaper ads from 1976 for the L’Etoile! It was the most incredible piece of our puzzle. We then contacted a couple of highly knowledgeable and respected CLC members regarding the ads: Tim Pawl and Anderson. Both confirmed that we would now be able to prove the car’s legitimacy as a “factory-recognized special package.”

No longer would our Caddy be considered an aftermarket build, but rather a build approved and acknowledged by the factory, pre-first title. With this information in hand, we could now be in the Specialty & Unique class for judging.

But our journey is not over. The judging team wants to know more. We now need to find out exactly which options/ changes are covered, or, more importantly, not covered, by this “special package” that Cadillac recognized and Rinke created.

MORE PHOTOS

Point your smartphone at this QR code to go to the CLC website’s Photo Gallery. Once there, look for this month’s photos in the list.

While there are some standard items covered in the ads, such as the L’Etoile script, the Elk Grain custom vinyl roof, the Rolls-Royce-flavored grillework etc., we will continue to search for answers and realize that we may never end our quest. There is some thought that the CLCMRC may have some catalogs from various coach houses that can help us out. Should there be any learned members of the CLC who can help us, please contact us at kinjano76@gmail.com.

ADDITIONAL TIDBITS

The 1976 Cadillac “L’Etoile” (The Star) was a special nameplate given to a limited number of custom-built or unique versions of Cadillac models, most notably the Cadillac Calais. These were a celebration of Cadillac’s luxury status, with one well-known example being the Calais L’Etoile, described as a symbol of star status within the Cadillac lineup. The L’Etoile nameplate could also be found on other models, like the Fleetwood L’Etoile Custom. On the Fleetwood, the L’Etoile is on the sail panel below the landau bar, with wire wheels, a sunroof, and the vinyl half doesn’t have pinstripes or front chrome like our car. It will take a lot of research. In the mid- to late ’70s, it was not uncommon for some major Cadillac dealers like Potamkin in New York or Center City Cadillac in Philadelphia to dress up basic Cadillac models like the bottom-line Calais (adding some special trim items like a Cabriolet padded roof, a grille cap, ID badges) and to sell them as custom jobs with such fancy, French-sounding names like Régent, L’Etoile, d’Marchand, etc.

Originally published in the JanuaryFebruary 2026 issue of the Valley Forge Region’s The Goddess. Mary M. Brandenburg, still living in Warren, Michigan, is the newsletter editor of the Motor City Region. Robert Schles of Wilmington, Delaware, is the deputy director and newsletter editor of the Valley Forge Region. He is also in charge of the show field at the CLC Grand National.

REFERENCE

n Bogart, Angelo. “Car of the Week: 1976 Cadillac Calais L’Etoile.” Old Cars bit.ly/4sZ8pp7

THE L’ETOILE SCRIPT replaces the Calais script on the rear quarter.

Luck of the draw

Obtaining 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado Bicentennial Edition No. 169

Story and photos by John Werner

ABOVE: This simple plaque attests to the special nature of this and the other 199 Bicentennial Edition Fleetwood Eldorado Convertibles. BELOW: The interior is a striking mix of red and white.

MORE PHOTOS

Ipurchased this 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado Bicentennial Edition near the end of July. I was literally lucky and happened to be at the right place at the right time. My friend, Dave, who owns Orlando Classic Cars, was able to procure this beauty for me from the Klairmont Kollections Auto Museum before the balance of the entire collection went to Mecum Auctions’ private sale.

Before Mr. Klairmont passed away, he funded his museum/car collection with a $7 million endowment. Within a year of his death, the museum board had spent half of the foundation’s money. As a result, his widow ordered the remaining 300 cars in the collection sold, along with the real estate. She was upset about the mismanagement of the museum’s funds. She then decided to place all the proceeds from the sale into an education trust for young people who wanted to become certified mechanics.

Point your smartphone at this QR code to go to the CLC website’s Photo Gallery. Once there, look for this month’s photos in the list.

Mecum Auctions stepped in and handled the sale, but before then, I was able to acquire Bicentennial Eldorado No. 169 of 200. The YouTube video at bit.ly/4q3Mrib is an archive of my car’s history while it was in the museum. I know there are several other great examples of the 1976 Bicentennial Eldorado, but I feel mine is super special because she has been maintained to the highest standards, everything is original and works, and she has only 12,000 miles! I do drive the car regularly to car shows in my immediate area.

This car was at the Winter Reunion & Board Meetings in Orlando and will be at the Concord, North Carolina, Grand National to celebrate its 50th birthday. I believe these cars should be enjoyed and shared within our group and with future enthusiasts.

John Werner is a CLC member living in Bonita Springs, Florida.

JOHN WERNER is the proud owner of Bicentennial Edition No. 169.

Have you always wanted one of the last full-size Fleetwood Eldorado Convertibles? Perhaps back in 1976, you were either too young, couldn’t afford one, or just weren’t interested. But now you are, and, as Ferris Bueller once said, “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

If a real full-size Eldorado Convertible is not feasible, you’re in luck. The miniature world offers several options for fans of the Eldorado, from 1:87 HO scale to large 1:18 scale and many variations, including Bicentennial models!

Starting with the smallest, Brekina Automodelle offers six 1:87-scale versions of the 1976 Eldorado. There’s Sable Black, Firethorn, Chesterfield Brown, Florentine Gold, Greenbriar Firemist, and Cotillion White. The last one has an eagle over a shield decal on the hood, perhaps an attempt at creating a Bicentennial tribute. The 1:87 scale cars are about 2.5 inches long and about ¾-inch wide, smaller than your average Matchbox car.

All of the Brekinas feature matching parade boots, and, although incorrect for most, matching hubcaps. They’re pretty nicely detailed for their size and relatively inexpensive. I like the variety of colors! These are readily available at your local hobby shop or online diecast sellers.

Moving up, we have four 1:64-scale cars from Greenlight. These are 3.5 inches long and about 1.25 inches wide, slightly larger than most modern Matchbox or Hot Wheels cars. They offer two versions of the Bicentennial Edition, a top-up and a top-down car. Both are good representations for that scale. However, neither

We all can have one

Story and photos by Joseph Kausse

model shows the red piping on the seats, and all of the top-up versions I’ve seen are missing the blue pinstripe. Greenlight offers two other 1976 Eldorados, a black modified version and another Cotillion White car with steer horns on the front. In my area, this is known as the Devore option. These models are usually reasonably priced and are available at toy stores or online diecast sellers.

Next, we have a couple of 1:43 scale cars. These larger models are about 5.25 inches long and about two inches wide. The details do improve significantly as the scale gets larger. Colored light lenses, chrome lettering, and visible dash gauges are some of the better features. First is one by DeAgostini, a UK diecast maker. Aside from the incorrect hubcap color, this version is pretty accurate. It’s found online, and often the seller is overseas, so shipping costs are high.

Premium X, an Asian company, offers three 1:43 scale Eldorados. Here, we

BREKINA AUTOMODELLE offers a sextet of 1:87-scale ’76s in six color combinations.

have its Bicentennial offering, a very nice piece and pretty accurate with more visible details than the DeAgostini. It is in a Firethorn-and-blue version, both of which are difficult to find. I found mine on eBay. While DeAgostini cars are moderately priced, the Premium X cars can be premium priced!

Now, for the largest. We have the 1:18 scale Eldorado from Model Car Group. At over a foot long and 4.5 inches wide mirror to

A BEVY of tiny Fleetwood Eldorados for 1976.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Greenlight offers a Cotillion White Eldorado with steer horns and a modified black convertible in addition to a pair of Bicentennial Editions, all in 1:64 scale. ¶ Hailing from the UK, DeAgostini offers models in 1:43 scale that are remarkably accurate. ¶ Premium X offers three versions: a Bicentennial Edition, one in Firethorn, and another in blue, all in 1:43 scale, for a premium price. ¶ For those who like their model cars large, the Premium Model Group has four Fleetwood Eldorados in gigantic 1:18 scale.

mirror, this truly is a large barge in the model car world! This is a very detailed model with chrome-and-wood accents on the interior and double pinstripes and chrome trim on the exterior. The steering wheel has a wood center with the Fleetwood crest. Included are two display options: a parade boot or a raised top with side windows. They offer it in four colors: Firethorn, blue, the white Bicentennial Edition, and Sable Black with a red interior. These are fairly recent to the market and readily available online. I found

mine in the United States, which saves some shipping and reduces the waiting period! Although larger than 1:43 scale, they can be found for less than the Premium X models.

So, there you have it. If you want a 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible in miniature, there are lots of options! Bicentennials, several sizes, various colors. Budget? From under $10 to $300. Anyone can get one. I’m sure I missed some other varieties as I’m unaware of them, but like searching for fullscale cars, the thrill is in the hunt!

Joseph Kausse of Wichita, Kansas, is the director of the Central Plains Region and chair of the CLC Awards Committee. He also serves on the CLC and CLC Museum & Research Center boards of directors.

MORE PHOTOS

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Fleetwood Brougham/Talisman

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photos by the clc member unless otherwise noted

1976 6KS69 Seville Sedan

James Woltman • South Bend, Indiana

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan Eddie Bibb • Birmingham, Alabama

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan Larry Clayton • Traverse City, Michigan

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan

Randy Knapp • Lakeland, Fiorida

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan Tim Huffman • Columbus, Ohio

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood

Brougham Sedan

Brougham Talisman Sedan

Scott Blaser • Fort Myers, Florida

Michael Stinson • Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

1976 6KS69 Seville Sedan

Robert Kravitz • Chicago

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood Brougham Sedan

Patrick Carney • New Albany, Indiana

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood

Brougham d’Elegance Sedan

Jeff Montgomery • Edison, New Jersey

1976 6CB69 Fleetwood

Fleetwood Eldorado

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Mark Arden • Henderson, Nevada

6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

John Serio • Cocoa, Florida

Fleetwood Eldorado

Coupe

Lars Wells • Albuquerque, New Mexico

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Kim Beans • Kintnersville, Pennsylvania

6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Joseph Cillo • Pittsburgh

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Lynn W. Gardner • Deltona, Florida

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Joe Maione • Nags Head, North Carolina

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Dave Pugliese • Litchfield, Connecticut

6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Larry Savino • Sloatsburg, New York

6EL67

Coupe

Convertible

Todd ArnoldSimons • Woburn, Massachusetts

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Louis DeMatteo • East Setauket, New York

This car is finished in Galloway Green Firemist. She currently has 87,000 miles and was purchased in 1999. The car has been restored with the factory color finish, but the interior is still original. This is her third convertible top. My wife, Barbara, and I prefer the monochromatic wheel covers, but occasionally I put the factory-correct black ones on.

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Federico Prasthofer • Barcelona, Spain

It is finished in Calumet Cream, with a Buckskin top and Antique Light Buckskin leather interior. This is an excellent driving car: powerful, very smooth, and silent, thanks to good preservation. I always try to keep it as original as possible, using NOS parts when available or high-quality OEM reproductions. Keeping the car like that helps me enjoy it the way it was when it came from the factory.

 1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe

Bernie Shuster • Cherry Hill, New Jersey

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe Jeri Barrett • Easton, Connecticut

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe Mike Colicchio • Brielle, New Jersey

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe Darryl Settles • Redford, Michigan

1976 6EL67 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible Coupe John Meyerhoff • Ellisville, Missouri

Calais Sedan

Fleetwood Eldorado Coupe

Sedan de Ville

Fleetwood Eldorado

Biarritz Coupe

Ed Waite • Camas, Washington

The car has been in our family since new (1976). It is all original and unrestored, with 16,800 miles on the clock.

Fleetwood Series 75

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1976 6CC49 Calais Sedan

1976 6EL47 Fleetwood Eldorado Coupe

1976 6EL47

1976 6CD49 Sedan de Ville Tom Orlando • Joliet, Illinois

1976 6CD49 Sedan de Ville Mike Kerwin • Odenton, Maryland

1976 6DF23 Fleetwood Series 75 Sedan

1976 6DF33 Fleetwood Series 75 Limousine Eddie Bibb • Birmingham, Alabama

Coupe de Ville

1976

1976 6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Tim Huffman • Columbus, Ohio

1976

1976

Dave

1976

1976

This car was ordered with red pinstripes, symbolic of the Bicentennial that year. An organization in Newark, Ohio, bought the car new, and held a raffle throughout the year. The winner of this Cadillac kept it covered up in the garage and barely drove it all those years. When he passed, it was sold to a dealer in Canton, Ohio, with only 2,200 miles on the odometer. I bought it in January 2024, and subsequently took it to the Gettysburg Grand National that year.

1976

1976 6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Ray Stanton • Schenectady, New York



1976 6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Joe Vanacore • Mahwah, New Jersey

6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Ron Burch • Las Vegas

6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Pasquale Bettino • New York, New York

6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Bill Carr • Munroe, Ohio

6CD47 Coupe de Ville d’Elegance

Jim Jordan • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Mike Kerwin • Odenton, Maryland

6CD47 Coupe de Ville

Thoren • Belvidere, Illinois

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Professional Cars

photos courtesy gregg d. merksamer and roger white m.d./ professional car society

1976 Armbruster/Stageway Six-Door Nine-Passenger Limousine

1976 Superior Sovereign Landaulet Hearse

1976 McClain Flower Car

1976 Miller-Meteor Criterion Ambulance

1976 Moloney Seville EM

1976 S&S Centennial Hearse

1976 Moloney Embassy Coach Limousine

1976 Miller-Meteor Lifeliner Ambulance

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WORLD EVENTS

n Harold Wilson resigns as prime minister of the United Kingdom. James Callaghan will replace him 19 days later. March 16.

n With Canada’s admission, the G-6 is renamed the Group of 7. June 27.

n Israeli commandos free 103 passengers from an Air France airliner that Palestinian hijackers had held at Entebbe Airport in Uganda since June 27. July 4.

n The Palace of Westminster’s legendary clock, “Big Ben,” suffers internal damage and will be stopped for repair 26 times over the next several months. Aug. 5.

n Two American soldiers are killed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone in Panmunjom, North Korea, while attempting to cut down a tree that was obscuring their view. Aug. 18.

n The first recorded outbreak of the Ebola virus occurs in Yambuku, Zaire. Aug. 26.

n Soviet Lt. Viktor Belenko defects to the West, landing his Mig-25 “Foxbat” at an airport in Hakodate, Japan, giving American engineers their opportunity to examine the Mach 3-capable fighter. Sept. 6.

n Chair of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong, dies in Beijing. Sept. 9.

U.S. EVENTS

n The two-dollar bill is reintroduced on Thomas Jefferson’s 233rd birthday as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration. April 13.

n The United States celebrates its Bicentennial. July 4.

n The first class of female midshipmen is inducted into the United States Naval Academy. July 6.

n Costco, then known as Price Club, is founded in California. July 12.

n Jimmy Carter wins the Democratic Party’s nomination for president of the United States. July 15.

n The first “Son of Sam” shooting occurs in New York City. A series of attacks by the “Son of Sam” will terrorize the city into 1977. July 29.

n At the Republican Party Convention in Kansas City, incumbent President Gerald R. Ford clinches the nomination for president despite a strong challenge from former California Gov. Ronald W. Reagan. Aug. 19.

n The comedy team of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin is reunited onstage during the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in Las Vegas by Frank Sinatra, the first such meeting in over 20 years. Sept. 6.

n Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter narrowly defeats President Gerald R. Ford 297 to 240 electoral votes to win the U.S. Presidential election. Nov. 2.

Tales of Mystery and Imagination from the Year of the Cat 1976 in Review

ECONOMICS

n U.S. GDP: $1.873 trillion

n Federal spending: $366 billion

n Federal debt: $620 billion

n Unemployment rate: 7.7 percent

n First-class stamp: 13 cents  SPORTS

n The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 21–7 in Super Bowl X. Jan. 18.

n The 1976 Winter Olympics are held in Innsbruck, Austria. Feb. 4–15.

n The Boston Celtics defeat the Phoenix Suns 4–2 to win the National Basketball Association championship. May 23–June 6.

n Johnny Rutherford wins the rain-shortened (102 laps) 60th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. May 30.

n The 1976 Summer Olympics are held in Montreal, Canada. July 17–Aug. 1.

n Bruce Jenner wins the gold medal in the decathlon during the Summer Olympics. July 30.

n The “Big Red Machine” of the Cincinnati Reds wins the 73rd World Series by sweeping the New York Yankees in four games. Oct. 16–21.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS FICTION

n Curtain Agatha Christie

n 1876 Gore Vidal

n Trinity Leon Uris

n Sleeping Murder Agatha Christie NONFICTION

n Bring on the Empty Horses David Niven

n Winning Through Intimidation Robert J. Ringer

n Doris Day: Her Own Story A.E. Hotchner

n World of Our Fathers Irving Howe, with Kenneth Libo

n The Final Days Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

n Passages Gail Sheehy

n Roots Alex Haley 

POPULAR TV PROGRAMS

n Alice

n Ark II

n All in the Family

n American Bandstand

n Baa Baa Black Sheep

n Barney Miller

n Baretta

n The Bionic Woman

n The Bob Newhart Show

n Charlie’s Angels

n CPO Sharkey

n The Gong Show

n Good Times

n Happy Days

n Hawaii Five-O

n The Jeffersons

n Laverne & Shirley

n Little House on the Prairie

n M*A*S*H

n The Mary Tyler Moore Show

n Monday Night Football

n The Muppet Show

n Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom

n One Day at a Time

n Quincy, M.E.

n The Rockford Files

n Sanford and Son

n The Six Million Dollar Man

n Soul Train

MOVIES

n A Star Is Born

n All the President’s Men

n The Bad News Bears

n The Big Bus

n Bugsy Malone

n Car Wash

n Carrie

n The Eagle Has Landed

n The Enforcer

n Gator

n King Kong

n Logan’s Run

n The Tonight Show

n The Waltons

n What’s Happening!!

n Welcome Back, Kotter

n The Man Who Fell to Earth

n Midway

n Network

n Ode to Billy Joe

n The Omen

n The Outlaw Josey Wales

n The Shootist

n Rocky

n Silent Movie

n Silver Streak

n Taxi Driver

n To Fly!

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

n Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple Computer Co. in California. April 1.

n Atari releases the video arcade game “Breakout.” May 13.

n The Viking 1 space probe lands on Mars. July 20.

n The Viking 2 space probe lands at Utopia Planitia on Mars. The images it transmits are the first detailed color photographs of the planet’s surface. Sept. 3.

n The space shuttle orbiter Enterprise is unveiled in Palmdale, California. Sept. 17.

NOBEL PRIZES

n Physics Burton Richter, Samuel Chao Chung Ting

n Chemistry William Nunn Lipscomb Jr.

n Physiology or Medicine Baruch S. Blumberg, D. Carleton Gajdusek

n Literature Saul Bellow

n Peace Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan

n Economics Milton Friedman

DEATHS

n Agatha Christie (English author)

n Busby Berkeley (American director Dames, Golddiggers of 1935)

n Lee J. Cobb (American actor On the Waterfront)

n Mickey Cohen (American gangster)

n Richard J. Daley (mayor of Chicago)

n Percy Faith (Canadian bandleader Theme from a Summer Place)

n Mitsuo Fuchida (Japanese naval aviator who led the raid on Pearl Harbor)

n Paul William Gallico (American novelist The Poseidon Adventure)

n J. Paul Getty (American industrialist Getty Oil)

n Bobby Hackett (American cornetist Glenn Miller Orchestra)

n Howard Hughes (aviation pioneer and film director)

n Fritz Lang (German director Metropolis)

n Mao Zedong (first leader of Red China)

n Wade McClusky (American naval aviator responsible for sinking the Soryu, Kaga, and Akagi at the Battle of Midway)

n Bernard Montgomery (British field marshal)

n Samuel Eliot Morison (American historian History of United States Naval Operations in World War II)

n Joachim Peiper (adjunct to Heinrich Himmler, leader of the SS)

n Keith Relf (British guitarist The Yardbirds)

n Paul Robeson (American actor, singer, writer)

IMPORTANT ALBUMS

n 2112 (Rush)

n A Day at the Races (Queen)

n A New World Record (Electric Light Orchestra)

n A Trick of the Tail (Genesis)

n Agents of Fortune (Blue Öyster Cult)

n Arrival (ABBA)

n Blondie (Blondie)

n Boston (Boston)

n Breezin’ (George Benson)

n Chestnut Street Incident (Johnny Cougar)

n Crystal Ball (Styx)

n Destroyer (Kiss)

n Fly Like an Eagle (Steve Miller Band)

n Frampton Comes Alive! (Peter Frampton)

n Hotel California (Eagles)

n Night Moves (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band)

n Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

n The Pretender (Jackson Browne)

n The Ramones (The Ramones)

n The Royal Scam (Steely Dan)

n Silk Degrees (Boz Scaggs)

n Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder)

n Takin’ it to the Streets (Doobie Brothers)

n Tales of Mystery and Imagination (The Alan Parsons Project)

n Year of the Cat (Al Stewart)

IMPORTANT SINGLES

n 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon)

n A Fifth of Beethoven (Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band)

n Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band)

n Baby, I Love Your Way (Peter Frampton)

n Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

n The Boys Are Back in Town (Thin Lizzy)

n Convoy (C.W. McCall)

n December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) (The Four Seasons)

n Disco Duck (Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots)

n Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Elton John and Kiki Dee)

n Don’t Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston)

n Dream On (Aerosmith)

n Dream Weaver (Gary Wright)

n Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra)

n The Fez (Steely Dan)

n Fooled Around and Fell in Love (Elvin Bishop)

n Fox on the Run (Sweet)

n Golden Years (David Bowie)

n Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel (Tavares)

n I Love Music (The O’Jays)

n I Write the Songs (Barry Manilow)

n I’d Really Love to See You Tonight (England Dan and John Ford Coley)

n I’ll Be Good to You (The Brothers Johnson)

n If You Leave Me Now (Chicago)

n Kid Charlemagne (Steely Dan)

n Love Hangover (Diana Ross)

n Love Machine (The Miracles)

n Lowdown (Boz Scaggs)

n Moonlight Feels Right (Starbuck)

n More, More, More (Andrea True Connection)

n Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry)

n Quicksilver (XTC)

n The Raven (The Alan Parsons Project)

n Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac)

n Rock and Roll All Nite (Live) (Kiss)

n Rock’n Me (Steve Miller Band)

n Sara Smile (Daryl Hall and John Oates)

n Saturday Night (Bay City Rollers)

n Say You Love Me (Fleetwood Mac)

n (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty (KC and the Sunshine Band)

n Shannon (Henry Gross)

n Show Me the Way (Peter Frampton)

n Silly Love Songs (Wings)

n Sing a Song (Earth, Wind & Fire)

n Still the One (Orleans)

n Take It to the Limit (Eagles)

n Take the Money and Run (Steve Miller Band)

n Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going to?) Diana Ross

n Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) Rod Stewart

n Welcome Back (John Sebastian)

n Wham Bam (Silver)

n You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (Lou Rawls)

n You’re My Best Friend (Queen)

n Young Hearts Run Free (Candi Staton) REFERENCES

n udiscovermusic.com/stories/ best-1976-albums/

n albumoftheyear.org/1976/releases/

n wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot _100_singles_of_1976

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American _films_of_1976

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_New _York_Times_number-one_books_of_1976

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_in_film

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_in_television

n en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-rated_United _States_television_programs _of_1976%E2%80%9377

Compiled by Jeff Shively

Nana’s Caddi

Story and photos by Candace Artemenko

NANA’S CADDI, with Candace Artemenko behind the wheel. In the back seat, from left, are the author’s middle daughter, Amy Artemenko; then Ezra Copeland, her grandson; and Ava Copeland, her granddaughter. Joyriding in the Eldorado is a multigenerational event that brings us shared laughter and memories to warm us in the winter months.

My 1976 Eldorado Convertible is Ember Firemist with a red leather interior and a white convertible top. The car has only 35,000 original miles. Her first home was Anchorage, Alaska, where she was garaged and enjoyed.

In 2023, she was for sale in an online auction in southern Oregon. I have no idea how she got from Alaska to Roseburg. My sweetie and I went to see her, and I heard my mom’s voice as clear as a bell say that she was my car. I told my husband she was mine and that was it! He drove the Eldo home with me following. Two tires blew out, so we had her towed home.

Since then, it has been a joy reliving the times my mother enjoyed. This Eldorado has a unique paint color that really glows. She has a parade boot and another set of hubcaps. The paint is all original, with some touchup here and there. The radio and antenna still need to be repaired, but my Cadillac is a headturner.

Our grandkids get a kick out of Nana’s Caddi and enjoy rides. This year, we participated in the Graffiti Night Cruise. There is something special about driving an iconic car, especially with others who love cars. Thank you for inviting me to share my special Cadillac on her 50th birthday!

Candace Artemenko is a CLC member living in Roseburg, Oregon.

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from the Emerald Isle

This 1976 Fleetwood Brougham is white over Crystal Blue with white leather interior and Crystal Blue carpets. I bought it in England and dropped in to see the (then) president of the Cadillac Owner’s Club of Great Britain, Peter Griffith, on the way back home to Ireland. Peter told me it was previously owned by a well-known UK actor who lived locally, Ken Morley.

Peter called Ken up, and, half an hour later, I was driving through some enormous metal gates decorated with musical notes. Ken came out to greet me. He was very pleased to see the 1976 Fleetwood Brougham again, and we had a good chat about it. He showed me a lot of photos of his other cars before I had to head off for the ferry at Liverpool. These included a pink 1959 Coupe de Ville, a 1956 Ford, and a second 1976 Fleetwood Brougham.

I love driving this car. It is so big that the kids and their friends can sit four abreast in the back and still not be squashed. It drives perfectly and is brilliant in the snow, too. The car has a lot of traction on fresh snow with the standard M+S-rated whitewalls.

Nick Stratta is a CLC member living in Dublin, Ireland.

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In 1976, I was 12 years old and visiting my grandparents in Cairo, Illinois. My family consisted mainly of truck drivers and coal miners. But there was one exception. My great-uncle Ab (grandmother’s brother) had been hit by a Coca-Cola truck when he was 10 years old, around 1924. This left him with a bad leg, which prevented him from doing the physical labor that sustained the rest of the family. He went into the bar business and owned a string of honky-tonks along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. There were rumors that his businesses had included gambling and other shady activities, but by the time I came along, these were in the past.

Uncle Ab would come to visit in his 1975 Fleetwood Brougham, in this exact color. It was the first Cadillac I had ever experienced, and I was and remain overwhelmed by the sheer luxury and space that this car offers. My uncle passed away in 1986, and, in the mid-1990s, I started searching for a match to his car. Since it had to be a match, I often wondered if my search would ever be successful.

While I was vacationing in the Catskill Mountains last August, I received an alert from Hagerty that this car had been offered for sale in Newport, Rhode Island, only four hours away. It was a ’76 vs. ’75, but that was an acceptable compromise. I immediately contacted the seller and arranged to meet him in Newport, where he showed me the highlights of the Gilded Age-era cottages in this spectacular luxury cruiser. We quickly reached an agreement, and I had the car shipped home to Savannah, Georgia, where it arrived on my birthday!

A Fleetwood almost like Uncle Ab’s

Story and photos by Richard Lane

MR. LANE’S 1976 Fleetwood Brougham makes a bold statement wherever it goes, just like his Uncle Ab’s similarly outfitted 1975 version.

In my quest for this car, I acquired a series of Cadillacs over the years, ranging from 1960 to 2002 models. Currently, my collection includes just two Cadillacs: the above-referenced Fleetwood, and a 1978 Eldorado Biarritz.

I wonder if I would have purchased and enjoyed all the other Cadillacs if my search for the Fleetwood had been successful years ago. Right now, I feel that I have finally reached my Cadillac goal. But as we all know, the urge to pursue the next one could arise at any time!

Richard Lane is a CLC member still living in Savannah, Georgia.

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Even Big Enos Burdette had one!

My first decent job came after my junior year of college. I did clerical work for a well-known liquor manufacturer in our town.

My desk sat just outside the office of the CEO and other company dignitaries, which gave me access to many publications that arrived daily. We weren’t supposed to read them on company time, but we could bring them home at the end of the day, along with a generous supply of liquor. We had to pay for the latter. Particularly interesting was The Wall Street Journal, which revealed an entire world previously unknown to a student attending a science and engineering college with no stock portfolio and a hand-me-down 1967 Buick.

It was the summer of the Bicentennial. There was a national ringing of the bells at 2 p.m. on July 4, 1976, a wagon trail pilgrimage through all 50 states, and a flotilla of more than 200 ships from 30 nations, all reviewed by President Gerald Ford from the USS Forrestal. We were still recovering from Watergate, the oil embargo,

Story and photos by Joseph O’Connell M.D.

and the deep recession of 1973–1975 with high unemployment and lingering inflation—a period that historians now call “economic malaise.”

It was also the period of automotive malaise, with a 55-mph national speed limit, performance-choking anti-pollution technology that offered no real gains in fuel efficiency, and domestic manufacturers desperately figuring out how to downsize. Muscle cars were extinct, and even the last of the breed, the SD-455 Trans Am, was gone with the rest of the dinosaurs. Disco hadn’t started, the personal luxury car had been reinvented yet again, and we were just getting to know Ricardo Montalban and rich, Corinthian leather.

While reading The Wall Street Journal in our back yard after dinner that summer, it wasn’t the world of high finance, arbitrage, or Wall Street that interested me, but rather, the classified ads. Here, the uninitiated could learn about the latest and most desirable goods, heretofore unknown to those of us in middle-class neighborhoods, like myself and everybody else that I knew. According to these classified ads, the most

coveted object and pinnacle of greatest desire was a creation known as the 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible. As GM’s marketing stated, “today a classic, tomorrow a collector’s item.”

Oddly enough, these mythical creatures seemed to exist only as objects of speculation, as I cannot recall actually seeing one on the road or anywhere else, for that matter. They were extremely handsome cars that drove well and were pure Americana from the start.

Despite the largest production engine of their time, they lumbered down the road with no particular sense of urgency. It was the car you wanted to drive to your high school reunion in those days and give the assistant principal (yep—the same one who gave you the “F” in homeroom) a lift to his 140 CID Chevy Vega. I imagined myself heading down to the polo field in one of these beauties after checking on my oil wells, catching a few rays, and all the while getting an EPA-certified 16 mpg on the highway.

It was allegedly the last of the convertibles and apparently in short supply,

THE AUTHOR FIRST ENCOUNTERED the 1976 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible in the pages of

The Wall Street Journal all those years ago. Today, he has this red one in addition to a Bicentennial Edition.

despite a seemingly endless parade of listings in the Journal. As the only convertible produced in the U.S. in 1976, the car carried an MSRP of $11,049 before options, and there were options aplenty. You could add a “trumpet horn” for an extra $15, a power-reclining passenger seat for $221, automatic door locks for $100, an outside thermometer for $18, and a theft-deterrent system for $115.

The unpopular and expensive “air cushion restraint system” (driver and passenger airbags) that required deletion of the glove box and shoulder belts (there were still lap belts) for front-seat passengers may or may not have been available on the convertible. About seven percent of the cars came with Bendix electronic fuel injection (EFI), which increased output from the giant 500 cubic inch (8.2-liter) engine from 190 to 215 HP. Standard items, by no means “standard” for the era, included automatic climate control, steel-belted radial tires, automatic level control, four-wheel disc brakes, and leather upholstery.

Exactly 14,000 Fleetwood Eldorado Convertibles were produced in 1976, with production limited by the supply of convertible top components. The final 200 cars were known as Bicentennial Edition Eldorados, finished in No. 11 Cotillion White with red-and-blue pinstriping, matching white wheel covers, white upholstery with red piping, dark Firethorn carpet and dash, and each carrying a commemorative dash plaque. The last vehicle (body No. 14000) is in the GM Heritage Collection. Typical asking prices were around $18,500, with at least one dealer asking as much as $39,500 for a Bicentennial Edition.

One reason for the popularity of the oldcar hobby is that it brings us back to a time in our lives and in history when these cars were produced. My 1963 Corvette takes me to a simpler time before the events of

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WITH JUST 200 PRODUCED, the Bicentennial Edition is, in the opinion of many collectors, the premier 1976 Cadillac.

Nov. 22 of that year changed the world forever. My 1968 Mustang reminds me of the height of the muscle car era, but, more importantly, of the thousands of brave young men who fought so valiantly at the peak of the Vietnam War without receiving the gratitude and respect they earned. My 1985 Eldorado with its HT4100 V-8 reminds me of the excess of the mid-1980s and makes me glad I didn’t have an extra $32,000 kicking around that year.

But the 1976 Eldorado is different. It’s not the least bit representative of its era. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. The car is enormous, at 224.1 inches long, significantly longer than today’s standard Escalade. The 27.5-gallon fuel tank came in handy, as the supplemental window sticker states 12 mpg for city driving. Remember the slogan, “Whip Inflation Now?” Certainly not in this 5,153-pound beast. It was an inflation machine. Federal rollover standards…are you kidding? Ralph Nader was certainly glad this was the “last” convertible.

At the time of its introduction, the ’76 Eldorado was already an obsolete relic of motoring excess. That’s what makes it cool. “License, officer? We don’t need no stinking license. This is a 1976 Bicentennial Convertible.” We’re not told how Big Enos Burdette (of Smokey and the Bandit fame) made his money, but we know he liked his Coors beer, even if he was east of the Mississippi.

Pat McCormick’s Eldorado Convertible was the perfect complement to Burt Reynolds’ Trans Am—a ’76 with a “grafted” ’77 front-end clip and an engine soundtrack from a ’55 Chevy. Nevertheless, at the end

of the movie, Burt and Sally Field drove off in the Caddy, actually a ’74, and the license plate read “MR BIG.”

Today, there seem to be two groups of cars: those that were driven and a dwindling group that were tucked away by speculators—The Wall Street Journal-type cars. As investments go, this was a poor choice—$12,000 in 1976 is worth about $69,000 today, not counting the costs of insuring, housing, and maintaining the car. I’ve owned three of them, including a Bicentennial Edition.

It’s an expensive car to restore, and not all parts are available, so buy the best one you can find. Just because it hasn’t been driven doesn’t mean it’s in perfect condition. As an aside, I personally wouldn’t recommend one that has been stored alongside a working diesel business. Even though it’s the most popular car among members of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, it’s not appreciated by all, particularly by judges at snooty car shows.

As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary, I can’t help but recall that Bicentennial summer from a half century ago and the uniquely American creation known as the 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Convertible. They were as American as apple pie—big, confident, bold, and the Bicentennials were red, white, and blue. I think one would look great in one of those big glass display cases at the National Mall this July. I’d like to volunteer my car for this honor!

Joseph O’Connell M.D. is a CLC member living in Westport, Connecticut.

You can renew/extend or upgrade your CLC membership for up to three years by March 31 and save $$$ now!

Your board of directors recently approved a dues increase effective April 1, 2026. This increase was necessary to sustain operations of your Club.

Rising costs of all aspects, whether preparation and distribution of publications, maintaining the CLC Office support, and general inflation have required this dues increase.

Act now and save! Your renewal by March 31, 2026, will extend your existing CLC membership. To renew or if you have questions, please email CLC@cornerstonereg.com or call the CLC Office at 763-420-7829 Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. You may also fax in your membership renewal to 763-420-7849.

NOMINEES FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CADILLAC & LaSALLE CLUB FOR THE TERM 2026–2028

Use the official ballot postcard inserted into the polybag of this issue or go online at vote.cadillaclasalleclub.org. Please vote for up to twenty (20) candidates. Nominees listed in alphabetical order

MICHAEL CASCIO

Rutherford, New Jersey

Michael has been a member of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club since 2008 and is actively involved in the North Jersey Region, serving on the board. He was instrumental in bringing about the assimilation of the formerly independent Cadillac Club of North Jersey into the CLC as the North Jersey Region, resulting in almost 100 new national members. Mike owns four collector Cadillacs: a 1993 Sixty Special, 1978 Coupe de Ville, 1962 Coupe de Ville, and is currently finishing the restoration on a 1940 Series 62 Convertible. Mike has been and continues to be a strong advocate for the CLC, with a sincere desire to help guide it well into the 21st century. He is employed in the television industry as a broadcast engineer. Currently the North Jersey Region’s national delegate, Mike would be honored to continue to serve on the CLC board of directors.

GRADY DAVIS

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Grady has been a member since 2008 and has served on the CLC board since 2012. He is currently the director of the North Carolina Eastern Region. Grady was appointed Southeastern Regions vice president in 2018. He has also served for several years as a CLC Museum & Research Center board member. Being an avid Cadillac guy, Grady owns multiple cars from 1932 to 2006, and has judged at eight Grand Nationals. His priority

for the NCECLC Region is to grow the active membership and recruit younger members. Grady is also the CEO of a supply chain software business that serves automotive parts distributors.

ERIC DeVIRGILIS

Eynon, Pennsylvania

Eric has been a member of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club since 1991. He has been active in the AACA and the Central Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey CLC Regions for many years, and has judged at several Grand National events. Since being elected to the CLC board of directors in 2024, he has served on the CLC Judging Committee. Eric has experience with a wide range of Cadillacs from the late 1950s through the present, and is self-employed in the family car business that his father founded. Since early childhood, Cadillacs have remained his lifelong passion. He has been a staunch advocate of the CLC’s mission, and has recruited many new members over the years. Eric currently owns six Cadillacs, ranging from 1959 to 1980. He

is looking forward to continuing to serve on the board helping to promote the ideals of the CLC.

TRAVIS DOWELL

Forney, Texas

I have loved Cadillac since I was seven years old. While my early ones were model cars, I was fortunate to own my first “real” Cadillac during college, a 1985 Seville purchased in 1990 from Williamson Cadillac in Miami. From there, it was only to continue. Fast forward to 2025, and I have owned 50 Cadillacs over the last 35 years. Most ranged from “gently used” to “new.” Currently, I have two classic Cadillacs, including a 1956 Sedan de Ville and a 1968 Fleetwood Series 75 Sedan. My newer Cadillacs include a CT4-V Blackwing and a LYRIQ.

To further fuel my passion for Cadillac, I joined the Cadillac & LaSalle Club in 2005 and became the Carolina Region director in 2017. My professional life has included a myriad of roles across accounting and finance, business operations, and sales.

JASON EDGE

Garner, North Carolina

Jason has been a CLC member since 1997 and a Life member since 2010. He is the founder, director, webmaster, and newsletter editor of the 1963/64 Cadillac Chapter. Jason is the webmaster for the Carolina Region, which won the 2013 and 2020 Website Excellence Awards. Other honors include the 2015 Newsletter Excellence Award and the 2019 the selfstarter V-12 Author of the Year Award.

He previously served as the CLC’s VP of Information Technology and is currently serving as the executive vice president. He has judged at nine of the last 12 Grand Nationals and serves on several CLC committees. He is a retired IT manager for the State of North Carolina, the owner of Classic Cadillac Parts, and enjoys restoring his 1964 Coupe de Ville and 1912 Queen Anne home.

DAN GRAZIADEI

Des Plaines, Illinois

Dan has been a member of the CLC and an active member of the West of the Lake Region (WOTLR) since 2004. He served on the WOTLR board as the recording secretary from 2009–2017, and is currently serving as that Region’s treasurer. Dan was a member of the CLC’s 2017 National Driving Tour Committee and a co-chair of the 2022 Grand National, both hosted by the WOTLR. At the national level, Dan is a current director and serves on the National Meets and Tours Committee and the Judging Committee, and is chair of the Judging Administration Committee. He has been appointed as the chief tabulator of our Grand Nationals. He is part owner of a successful machine shop in West Chicago. His lifelong passion for Cadillacs started at a very early age, influenced by both his father and uncle.

MILLARD “SKIP” HALEY

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Cars have always been a love of mine, even before I was old enough to go to school. I bought my first car, a 1964 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible, in 1980, and yes, I still have it. I learned about the Cadillac & LaSalle Club from a fellow member in the Pontiac-Oakland Club and started attending meetings of the CLC NorthStar Region. Less than a year later, I bought my first Cadillac, a 1941 Series 62 Coupe. Much time has passed since I bought that ’41, and I now have many more, my newest being a 1937 Cadillac Series 60 Coupe. I teach welding, construction, and woodworking to high school students. Having been single my whole life, I have been blessed to meet a wonderful woman, Jenifer. She became my wife in 2024, and, not long after that, we attended the 2025 Grand National together as our honeymoon. She has fallen in love with Cadillacs and will be an active member, too.

JIM JORDAN

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Jim has been a CLC member since 1986, when he attended his first Grand National. He is a former director of the Cadil-IKES Chapter and owns 15 Cadillacs, ranging from a 1955 Series 62 Sedan to a 2002 Eldorado Collectors Series. He also has a few Buicks and Oldsmobiles, and collects scale models

and vintage sales literature. Jim graduated from Oklahoma City University in 1995 with a master’s in accounting, and has been employed in the limousine/ livery industry for over 25 years. He enjoys road trips and photography. If you have ever met him, he probably had a camera around his neck.

JOSEPH KAUSSE

Wichita, Kansas

Joseph has been a CLC board member since 2018. He has served as the Central Plains Region director for the past eight years, and has held that post twice after joining the CLC in 1995. He also serves on the CLC Museum & Research Center board. Joseph is the CLC’s Awards Committee chair and also serves on the Membership Promotion/Public Relations Committee and the National Meets and Tours Committee. He enjoys judging at the Grand Nationals and volunteering on the show field and at the Cadillac Fall Festival. An avid collector of miniature Cadillacs, he enjoys seeking out antique and vintage stores for new finds. He has owned Cadillacs from the 1960s through the 2000s, favoring early 1970s models. Joseph is in the retail cabinet industry and spends his free time visiting car museums wherever he goes.

ROBERT “BOBBY” LeCOQUE

Renton, Washington

Our family has owned Cadillacs since 1964. My father purchased his first collector car, a 1941 Series 63 Sedan, shortly

thereafter. I grew up with flathead Cadillacs and have acquired many of my own since 1978. I have been a member of the CLC and the Pacific Northwest Region since 1980. I am currently the Region’s director. I have been involved in national judging for many years and served as assistant national chief judge (ret.) with Carl Steig for over 25 years. I have also served on several committees, including the Long-Range Planning Committee. I am now retired from building marine equipment, so I should have the time to get back into the national CLC fun.

WILLIAM

“BILL” LEVY

Coppell, Texas

William “Bill” Levy is the North Texas Region director, newsletter editor, and Club’s Pate Swap Meet officer. Bill is also a CLC national judge and currently volunteers tabulating judging scoresheets. Bill has been an active CLC member since 2010. From his first Cadillac, a 1941 Series 61, to his current 2001 Eldorado and 2025 CT5, he has been responsible for maintaining and preserving his cars. He has attended most every Grand National since 2010, and has been highly active in participating in activities there. Many of his suggestions and innovations have improved his club’s work at the Pate Swap Meet and in his CLC Region. Bill is also a U.S. Army veteran and is active in veterans’ groups.

RYAN LOCKHART

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

My earliest memories, dating back to the age of two, involve my great-grandparents’ Cadillacs. I am a fifth-generation Cadillac owner, part of a family legacy that began in 1960. Over the years, Cadillacs have carried my family through countless life milestones. We have long been known throughout our small Appalachian resort community as devoted Cadillac owners and enthusiasts. That legacy has been a

consistent source of pride and happiness for us across generations. Today, my wife and I are passing that appreciation on to our five-year-old daughter. Our collection includes a 5,000-mile 2000 DeVille DHS, 1991 Sedan DeVille, 1987 Cimarron, and a 1994 Seville SLS. Professionally, I am employed as a commercial loan officer at a local community bank serving the Allegheny Highlands. Before entering banking, I spent nearly 15 years in the retail automobile business at a GM-franchised dealership.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Nick is currently VP of Chapters, director of the Fleetwood and Brougham Chapter, and a founding member and current director of the New Mexico Region of the CLC. He held a very successful Winter Board Meeting in Albuquerque, which led to the New Mexico Region hosting the 2023 Grand National. He is currently a marketing specialist with the City of Albuquerque ABQ RIDE Transit Department. Nick received his B.A. in political science from the University of New Mexico (UNM), then embarked on a career opening restaurants and working as a revenue manager with the Hertz Rent-A-Car Corp. Most recently, he assisted in formulating the mayor’s plan for the development of Route 66. Nick’s biggest accomplishment and pride are his children, Athanasios, who graduated

with honors as a medical doctor from UNM’s Medical School; and Niki, who graduated also with honors from UNM’s physician assistant program.

JEFF MONTGOMERY

Edison, New Jersey

Jeff has been a CLC member since 2007 and serves as the VP of Northeastern Regions. He also serves as webmaster of the Raritan River Region and belongs to the Potomac and Valley Forge Regions. Jeff has attended all national board meetings, both via Zoom and in person, since he became a board member in 2012. He attends many local and Regional events, including the Raritan River Region’s Gold Coast Show, which he co-chairs. Additionally, he serves on the national Long-Range Planning Committee. He owns a 1976 Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance and a 1955 Coupe de Ville. He contributed to the selfstarter with his article, “HT4100—Love It or Hate It.” Jeff has an extensive model car collection and is an avid automobile enthusiast and historian.

FRANK NICODEMUS JR.

Poughkeepsie, New York

A longtime and active NY-CT Two Rivers Region member, Frank currently serves on the CLC board of directors and the Club’s Judging and Regions and Chapters Committees. He has focused on improving the judging process and increasing opportunities for judge

NICK MANOLE

training to encourage more members to serve as judges. He’s also the director of the 1959 & 1960 Cadillac Chapter. Frank consistently advocates for the CLC and its members. His company, Cadillac Parts & Restoration (CPR), has advertised in the self-starter for decades, and is a steady supporter of Grand Nationals, National Driving Tours, and any effort for which the Club seeks assistance. Frank owns eight Cadillacs from 1954–1964, with a particular devotion to 1959 and 1960 Eldorados. His Cadillac passion began as a young child sweeping the floors of his family’s Cadillac restoration business, and only grew over the years to the point where his expertise and knowledge are now sought out by aficionados worldwide.

JEFF PAPCIAK

Mountain Top, Pennsylvania

Jeff has been engine-enamored since age eight, when his dad bought a brand-new Craftsman lawnmower. The sight, sound, and smell of its new Tecumseh engine sparked a lifelong passion for anything mechanical and an ongoing obsession with automobiles, old and new. Jeff grew up a Ford guy, but saw the light in 2003 with the purchase of his first Cadillac, a 1972 Coupe de Ville, which the family still enjoys. He got involved with the CLC shortly thereafter, attending his first Grand National in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

His Caddy collection ranges from a 1959 Coupe de Ville to a CT5 daily driver. Jeff’s hobby focus includes preserving interest in prewar cars like the LaSalle, and bringing automotive enthusiasm to new generations. He has conducted auto repair seminars for the Scouts and also a carburetor course for some millennial enthusiasts who bought their first carbureted cars after growing up with fuel injection.

SUE PASHUKEWICH

Plymouth, Michigan

Sue acquired her first vintage car while in high school. Several decades later, she and her husband, Ed, own many vintage vehicles, including fire trucks, GM collector cars, and Cadillacs from 1939–1996. She enjoys driving and helping to maintain, research, and restore their vehicles. Sue joined the CLC in 1987, and has been a CLC national director since 2012. She is a member of the CLC Membership Committee and the Long-Range Planning Committee, and a board member of the Motor City Region. In addition to attending many car club events each year, Sue and Ed enjoy volunteering to assist with the CLC Museum. Sue helps coordinate the Cadillac Fall Festival Garage Sale at the Gilmore each year and the Silent Auction during the Grand Nationals.

LOGAN ROBB

Atlanta, Illinois

I have been an admirer and collector of vintage objects for as long as I can remember—soda bottles, coins, typewriters, fans, oil lamps, appliances, and vintage audio and video equipment. I have loved Cadillacs since long before I was old enough to drive. To me, they were rolling works of art—symbols of

Can’t

make

it to the Grand National?

American design, engineering, and confidence. In 2018, I inherited my first Cadillac, a 2008 CTS with just

HELP WANTED

After many years of dedicated service, our outstanding CLC Treasurer, Jack McClow, is retiring after the 2026 Grand National in Concord, North Carolina. His hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated. We are soliciting candidates to fill this position and be approved by the board of directors in Concord. This is a volunteer position in our Club. The candidate must be familiar with basic accounting principles plus QuickBooks.

If you are interested, please contact via email Ronnie Hux, president, at cadiman59@aol.com; or Lars Kneller, chair, CLC Nominating Committee, cadtbird@aol.com, as soon as possible.

The CLC is making these commemorative license plates available to those who cannot attend. Plates are expected to ship in mid-June. $25 plus sales tax and shipping

Please go to bit.ly/CLCstore or point your smartphone at the QR code. To pay by check, contact bravemarcon@ gmail.com first for sales tax and shipping. Send check payable to GM Club Apparel to: GM Club Apparel, 58757 Van Dyke Rd., Unit 131, Washington, MI 48094-9407.

22,000 miles. That car transformed my appreciation for Cadillac into a lasting passion. In 2022, I had the opportunity to purchase my 1964 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special. That car became the crown jewel of my collection. A highlight of its ownership—and of my life—was our wedding day in October 2023, when my wife and I departed the ceremony in the Fleetwood, dressed in our finest, the car equally adorned, carrying us away in effortless elegance.

DR. JOE ROGLIERI

Schenectady, New York

Dr. Joe’s interest in Cadillacs began at an early age, thanks to his dad, Joe “Rags,” who always had a new Cadillac in the driveway. His dad opened a usedcar dealership in the early 1980s and focused on the Cadillac brand, which only fueled Joe’s desire. At age 10, he would tag along with his dad, learning every aspect of the car business. Over the years, Joe has focused on growing his collection of cars, with a particular interest in the 1959–1960 models, and it now includes Cadillacs from the 1960s through the present. He also has an interest in V-Series Cadillacs. Dr. Joe is a board-certified nephrologist and is a Life member of the CLC. He joined the CLC in 2003 while completing his internal medicine residency/nephrology fellowship in Long Island, New York. He is currently president and CEO of New York Nephrology, PC.

JEFFREY SHIVELY Kokomo, Indiana

Jeff has been a member of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club since 1995. In that time, he has been the director of the Indiana Region, the chairman for the 2006 and 2014 National Driving Tours, and activities chairman for the 2004 Grand National. Mr. Shively is the editor of

the self-starter and the Lincoln & Continental Owners Club’s Lincoln and Continental Comments. In 2010, his

CLC

most recent book, It Came Out Fighting! Cadillac Motor Car Division’s Rise to Dominance of the Luxury Car Market after World War II, won the Maurice Hendry Award. He co-authored the 1965–1966 Authenticity Manual, and has served as a CLC judge for many years. Mr. Shively owns a 1941 Series 62 Convertible Coupe and a 1965 Sedan de Ville.

Mr. Shively holds multiple degrees in history and spent a decade teaching the subject on the college level, as well as managing the Kokomo Automotive Museum.

PRESIDENT AND ACTIVE CLC PAST PRESIDENTS

The current Cadillac & LaSalle Club president and all active CLC past presidents also serve on the CLC board. For this reason, the following persons will serve on the Cadillac & LaSalle Club

board even though their names are not on the ballot: Ronnie Hux, Glenn Brown, Lars Kneller, Bill Edmunds, Richard Sills, Alan Haas, and Barry Wheeler. Dave Ritchie is a retired past president.

VISIT THE CLC MUSEUM

• Learn about the Museum and its cars

• Get information About Your Cadillac or LaSalle

• Your support is needed cadillaclasallemuseum.org

Cadillac LaSalle Club Museum & Research Center, on the Gilmore Car Museum campus, 6865 W. Hickory Rd., Hickory Corners, MI 49060-9788

Alan Haas Barry Wheeler

Dave Ritchie

Bill Edmunds Richard Sills

Lars Kneller

Ronnie Hux

Glenn Brown

Attention 1976 Bicentennial Eldorado owners:

The Cadillac & LaSalle Club is recognizing the 50th anniversary of the iconic, special edition 1976 Bicentennial Eldorado

June 5 & 6, 2026, at the annual Grand National in Concord, NC. There will be Special Class Judging for this Special Car!

More info: Fred Butalla III, National Chief Judge FLbutalla@sbcglobal.net 630-796-1157

Grand National Info: David Rubin, VP National Activities David@DavidBRubin.com 914-980-6776

This limited edition souvenir license plate will be available for sale

Tim Pawl » Tales from the Vault

Interesting stories of recent donations and inquiries to the CLC Museum & Research Center

You are the extended warranty

Irecently received a letter from a company telling me that my three-year-old car was in need of a service contract to cover all the expensive repairs that were going to be needed in the not-too-distant future.

It seems that all of my future troubles would be magically taken care of for a supposed small monthly fee. For some reason, these outfits always compare their monthly fees to skipping a daily dose of caffeine at your local beanery.

In a galaxy long ago and far, far away, there was a time, before the advent of computer finite element-based applications and design models, when cars evolved in rapid fashion and for the most part were “blacksmithed” into existence.

EVEN WITH ALL THE MODERN NICETIES standard on modern automobiles, there is one element that makes it all work as it should a driver well-versed in its operation.

Indeed, Cadillac, which began in 1902, didn’t have the benefit of the General Motors Milford Proving Ground for development and durability work until September 1924.

It was the world’s first dedicated automotive testing facility. The facility now covers over 4,000 acres and has over 150 miles of two-lane roads, including 131 miles of pavement and 16 miles of gravel. GM staff members drive more than 15 million development miles per year at Milford, and they can simulate extreme environmental conditions from –40 degrees Fahrenheit to 130 degrees F. They can also simulate altitude, humidity, and wind speed, and specifically isolate every squeak and noise, and then cancel them out. However, failed sensors, chips, and electrical connections can still prompt the dreaded “Service Soon” light.

I am sure that many of us who have owned cars built from the late 1960s

to the early 1980s (the pre-computer control era) have been asked, as we tool around in our pure mechanical marvels, “How long do you think it will last?” The reply follows: “I dunno. With proper maintenance, it has already been 60-plus years.” We should all wear shirts that say, “I am the extended warranty.”

Further, the term “restomod” has entered the lexicon. These are older cars that have been upgraded with disc brakes and tuned suspensions, electronic ignitions that replace points, and other driving enhancements such as GPS and Bluetooth sound systems. One can only imagine how these blends of the best of the old with the best of the new may further extend the life of our cars.

But is it fair to compare? I have helped more than one driver this winter stuck in

their tracks with four-wheel drive units in traction control mode, not knowing enough to turn it off, put it in four-wheel lock, and just drive out. This is usually followed by, “Who was that masked man?” and “How did he know to do that?”

As CLC members, our cars will most likely outlast us, so why not think about putting a codicil in your will or trust designating your car or a portion of your estate to the benefit of the CLC Museum & Research Center? Your car and the next generation of its caretakers will thank you for having saved them for all to see. Consider making a monthly subscription donation at cadillaclasallemuseum.org. It could be less than a daily cup of coffee.

Tim Pawl is vice president/curator and a past president of the CLC Museum & Research Center.

» Classi eds

Policy

Ads are accepted for just about anything: all vehicles, parts, accessories, merchandise, real estate, and services for sale or wanted from persons not commercially engaged full- or part-time in selling, buying or trading such. Cadillacs and LaSalles are identified in accordance with the Body Style charts listed in the current International Membership Directory. All ads subject to editing for historical accuracy, grammar, and punctuation. The Cadillac & LaSalle Club (CLC) reserves the right to determine which ads qualify as free member ads, which will be published at commercial rates, and to accept or decline any ads. Ads from those so engaged publish in the Commercial Classifieds section. All Cadillacs, LaSalles, and other Cars for Sale ads must include price.

MEMBER NONCOMMERCIAL ADS

CLC members receive up to three free text-only ads of up to nine lines each per calendar year. Each line consists of approximately 40 characters (count all letters, numbers, punctuation and blank spaces between words). Each additional line or fraction thereof is $2/month. Fullcolor photos are $20/column inch per month. If you’d like your photo(s) returned, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with your ad(s) and payment. Any ads beyond three per calendar year, members pay $2 per line. All charges must be paid in advance. Ads placed in different categories (e.g., Cars for Sale, Parts Wanted) are counted individually. Members must supply their CLC membership number (found in the membership directory beside your name or on the mailing label of the self-starter). Any individual or entity advertising in the classified section shall be considered commercial after submittal of the same ads three times in a row.

NONMEMBER AND COMMERCIAL ADS

$2.50 per line, approximately 40 characters (count all letters, numbers, punctuation and blank spaces). Photos are $40 per column inch per month.

REGION/CHAPTER PROJECTS No cost for up to three ads per year, space permitting, for projects approved by the CLC board of directors.

DEADLINE 5 p.m. Eastern time third day of the preceding month of publication. November and December is a combined issue; therefore, there is no deadline on Nov. 3.

DISCLAIMER The CLC does not assume liability, either implied or expressed, as to the accuracy of any ad. All representations in an ad are solely the responsibility of the advertiser, and the CLC does not verify or confirm any of the information provided. No inference should be made that products or services advertised have the approval of the CLC. Misrepresentation may lead to cancellation of advertising/membership privileges. Submit impropriety allegations in writing to the CLC Office.

How to place an ad

EMAIL bravemarcon@gmail.com

This is the preferred method. Please email your ad copy and attach high-resolution photo(s) desired. Send any applicable payment via regular mail. All checks should be made out to CLC.

FAX

Please fax your typed copy, attention Dave Leash, to 720-368-5058

MAIL

Dave Leash, the self-starter, 58757 Van Dyke Rd., Unit 131 Washington, MI 48094-9407 USA

If you do not have email, please send typed ad copy and photos to the above address. Submit ad in upper and lowercase letters please do not use all uppercase characters. Be sure to include your contact information and CLC membership number. Payment(s) must be received by the deadline. Make check or money order out to CLC. This is important if your check is made out to the self-starter, it will be returned and your ad will not be submitted for publication. Credit cards are accepted. Questions? Call 877-393-1110 (Eastern time). No submissions are taken over the phone. All ads and changes must be typed and submitted in one of the above three ways. Revised February 2026

LaSALLES FOR SALE

1938 LaSalle Curbside hearse. Stunning frameup restoration. Full leather interior. New glass all the way around, including half sunrise behind front seat. Car has table in the rear. All new chrome and stainless fully polished. Leather interior. Runs and drives. Can go into service or museum. Oklahoma rust-free car. Fully restored. New brakes and engine rebuilt. $155,000. Anthony Cangelosi, Asbury, NJ, email xpt59@ yahoo.com or 908-581-3844. 3/26

1940 LaSalle 5067 Convertible Coupe. Older restoration with a recently rebuilt 1941 engine. Have lots of spare parts including the original engine. All LaSalles are now AACA Full Classics®. This is your chance to own mine. $39,950. Jack Murray, Marlborough, CT, (860) 543-2050, email Jamurray076@gmail.com. 4/26

CADILLACS FOR SALE

1926 Custom 314 (Seven-Passenger) Touring. In very good condition. Full Classic®. Sidemount. Dual-cowl windshield. Wind wings. Adobe leather seats. Rear trunk. Fully documented. Fast and dependable. A big eye-catching automobile! More detailed photos available. Shipping can be easily arranged. $95,000 USD. Gilbert Bureau, Montreal, QC, Canada, email gbureau@videotron.ca. 3/26

1940 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine. A rare pre-war classic. This stunning 1940 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine is a true piece of American automobile history. Built at the height of Cadillac’s pre-war craftsmanship. The Series 75 was the top-of-the-line chauffeur-driven limousine known for luxury elegance and commanding presence. Has original Cadillac 346 CID V-8 135 HP engine. Three-speed manual. Exterior excellent condition. Interior wood broadcloth restoration. Divider window. Jump seats and full rear-passenger compartment. Designed for formal chauffeur travel. Built in limited numbers, especially preWWII, making this a rare collector’s find. It’s classic Art Deco. Styling and long-wheelbase design embody the golden age of America. Luxurious and excellent for museum display, private collection, or vintage chauffeur services. Asking $75,000 or best offer. Tony Hiller, Compton, CA, 213-703-3291. 4/26

1951 Series 62 “Royal” Convertible. Ordered specifically as “Royal Parade Car” for Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip for 1951 “Canadian Royal Tour.” Photo, video documented in portfolio. Fully restored including exterior, interior, brightwork, mechanics, and tops. Automatic. Power steering, windows, and seat. Signal-seeking radio. Four-barrel carburetor. Leather. Much more. Rarest of rare (one of two!) Historically significant and pristine. Asking $179,950. Norm Cohen, Marietta, GA, 770-883-9115. 4/26

1955 Coupe de Ville. V-8. Body color is Goddess Gold and roof color is Alpine

Joseph Frederick (Fred) Lohr passed away 10/12/2025. One of his greatest sources of pride was his Cadillac. He was the original owner of this fully restored Cadillac. The car won the following awards through the Cadillac & LaSalle Club: Senior Award 6/25/2022. First Place Primary 6/24/2023. Senior Award 6/15/2024. First Place Primary 6/6/2025. Car just appraised for $75,000. Asking price $75,000. Peggy Baugh, Tampa, FL, 321-591-2931, email jfredlohr@gmail.com. 3/26

White.

• Learn about the CLC judging procedures

• Help fellow Club members to improve their vehicles

• Learn how to improve your own vehicle

• Help to serve a critical function for the CLC

• Learn vehicle details from experienced team members

• Earn points for the Recognition System

Sign up using the 2026 Grand National Registration Form Questions—email National Chief Judge Fred Butalla III at FLbutalla@sbcglobal.net or call 815-730-6044

1963 Park Avenue. One of 1,507 made. Royal Maroon with Sandalwood interior. All original. 8,200 miles. In pristine condition. Winner of Past Presidents’ Preservation Award at 2013 CLC Grand National. Third-place winner in the Preservation Division of the Des Moines Concours d’Elegance 2025. $48,000. David Erickson, Des Moines, IA, 515-240-0834, email daveerickson@ davisbrownlaw.com. 3/26

1963 Series 62 Convertible. Original California car. Second owner since 1992. Automatic transmission. Air conditioning. Power steering, brakes, windows, locks, seats, top. Tilt steering wheel. Heater. AM–FM radio. Always garaged. Triple black. Matching numbers. No rust. No Bondo. Runs and drives well. Has original California plates. $42,500. Doug Bowman, Madera, CA, 559-999-2346. 3/26

1976 Eldorado Convertible. Beautiful Firethorn Red. White convertible top. White leather interior. 46,000 miles from new. Maintained to the highest standards. Power steering. Power brakes. Power windows. Power seats. Air conditioning. AM–FM eight-track. Books. Manuals. Outstanding throughout. Asking $42,950. Norm Cohen, Marietta, GA, 770-883-9115. 4/26

1978 Seville. White with white vinyl top. White leather interior with black carpet. 38,000 miles. 5.7L V-8 EFI. Twilight Sentinel. Guide-Matic. Delay wipers. Thermometer mirror. Wire wheel covers. Many more options. Well maintained. A regular at local shows. $8,000 or best offer. Michelle Casey, Bolingbrook, IL, 708-998-2372. 4/26

1983 Eldorado Biarritz Coupe. Original owner. Wife’s car. Never smoked in. Runs well. 79,362 miles. Always garaged or covered. In North Texas since new. Dark blue metallic with blue interior. $15,000/best offer. Phil White, Joshua, TX, email ri63ph118@gmail.com or call 682-970-4739. 5/26

CADILLAC PARTS & PARTS CARS FOR SALE

1930 Cadillac custom Fisher-bodied coupe parts. Hardware brass show-quality repro. Copper nickel show chrome. Items include parking light stanchions, spark plug cover knurled knobs, running board dummy and keyed lock cylinder with plated backing collars. Also, oval slotted 5⁄16" bolts 18 thread-gauge No. 8 bolts, knurled radiator cap, wind wing lower bracket nut dome covers, taillight complete assembly with lens. Also, six 7.00 x 19 Lester 4 7⁄8" whitewall tires and tubes (thread is hardly worn tand whitewalls areas are decent, could be used as display items). Other parts still available including drums and hubs. See January, February, March 2024 the self-starter ads. Armen Roubian, Fairport, NY, 315-271-9455, email armenroubian@gmail.com. 5/26

Series 62

A/C and parade boot. Car is complete but needs restoration. Many valuable mechanical and trim parts. Extra hood, doors, fenders, and trunk lid. Dakota Red steering wheel included. Car in dry storage over 50 years. $8,500. Bill Billado, Shelburne, VT, 802-985-2405. email fwbinvt@ gmail.com. 4/26

1959 engine/transmission. Both completely rebuilt but never installed. All for $2,000. Tom Strickland, Greensboro, NC, 336-648-4428. 3/26

1962 engine and transmission. Hasn’t run in many years. Bring a rollback with a winch. Located about 40 miles south of Kansas City, MO. $1,000. Craig Wood, Lenexa, KS, email 1958biarritz@gmail.com or call 913-706-6267. 3/26

1957

Convertible. Has rare factory

• Definitive account of all Cadillacs of the entire 1970s decade

• Oversized, 12x9-inch coffee table hardcover book with full-color dust jacket

• 384 pages, most in full color

• 105 lb. inside pages, nice and thick to enhance the hundreds of photos

• Case binding assures durability for decades to come

• Limited run; don’t hesitate and be disappointed when the books sell out, and they will!

Registration forms

issue of The Self-Starter

You may also register online (preferred) at gn.cadillaclasalleclub.org

Or, fill out the forms inserted with the January issue and mail your check to the registrar. Everyone must submit the Event Registration form; if you’re also entering a car for judging or display only, you must also register using the Vehicle Entry form. Late deadline is May 15, 2026!

Authenticate your 1903–new Cadillac or LaSalle

GM Heritage Center & Archive has expanded the range of documentation offered for 1903 to current models, to include copies of Salesman’s Data Books, Operation Manuals, Optional Specifications, etc., as available.

A copy of the record sheet showing the as-built configuration, including original destination, paint color code, trim code, accessories and component serial numbers, is available.

PLEASE NOTE: Cadillac was the vehicle wholesaler and did not have records of the original retail purchasers only the dealership maintained retail sales records. Some of the 1954 and earlier special order record sheets list the name of the person who ordered the car; but in general, it is not possible in most cases for the GM Media Archive to determine the name of the original owner of your vehicle. Sorry, 1968 and 1974–1979 records are not available.

Copies of vehicle invoices are available on all Cadillacs from 1980–present. Information includes the receiving dealer, option content, MSRP and dealer invoice cost.

Provide the VIN and vehicle data—year, style number, body number and serial/VIN number (e.g. 1941, Style 6219D, Body 1286, Serial 8342240 for vintage Cadillacs).

For pricing and to order a copy of your car’s invoice/build sheet, call (734) 261-5086 Eastern time or email vehicleinvoice@ gmmediaarchive.com. More information available at: gm.com/ heritage/mediaarchive

CADILLAC PARTS & PARTS CARS FOR SALE

Various 1967 Eldorado parts. Pair of exhaust manifolds (excellent). Black steering wheel. NOS rear bumper plastic (Delco Guide). Two headlight doors. Set stainless steel wheel opening trim pieces. Transmission governor NOS in Delco box, part No. 862685. One pair rear quarter window frames (good glass). Rochester Quadra-Jet carbs. Water pump. Air cleaner. Grille assembly. Transmission on rolling pallet. $300 for all, pick up only. Lewis Cohen, Woodbridge, CT, 203-397-8723. 5/26

CADILLACS WANTED

1954–1956 Limousine with power divider. Prefer one in very good condition but at least in driving condition. Jimmy Steinfeldt, Palm Springs, CA, email steinpix@sbcglobal.net or call 323-828-4651. 3/26

CADILLAC/LaSALLE PARTS WANTED

1929 Cadillac V-8 Roadster. I need the metal frame for both wing windows. Jim Elliott, Yorktown, VA, 757-880-3343 or email jimscars@ cox.net. 5/26

Wanted. I need exact dimensions of the original hubcap removal tool and the brown cloth pouch for 1939–1940 Cadillac/LaSalle. It would be easy enough to reproduce if I had the exact dimensions and maybe a photograph. If anyone can help, please contact Bill Harper Jr., Hendersonville, NC, at 828-674-4326 or email me at billharperjr7@ gmail.com. 3/26

1941 Series 62 Deluxe Coupe. Interior door trim needed. Skip Haley, St. Paul, MN, 651-621-9596. 5/26

1947 Series 62 Club Coupe parts needed! I have managed to lose both front fender dust shields (sheet metal), so I need to buy them. Also need a full set of fender spears. This is a driver, not a show car, so a little surface rust is OK. My goal is to drive cross-country next summer. Pete MacDonald, Vaughn, WA, call 253-230-4880 or email petemac@wamail.net. 3/26

For a 1992 Eldorado. The rear monospring (attaching hardware also if possible). The monospring is a composite made (fiberglass?) piece that is above the rear wheels, positioned laterally. These numbers are embedded in the part: 22111887, but the actual GM part No. is 3531147 (for a FE1 suspension). This monospring is 1992 year specific, I believe. NOS is preferred but any whole example is considered for reproduction purposes. Leads appreciated! Gary Cameron, Silver Spring, MD, 202-607-0994 or email gcphoto1@gmail.com. 3/26

CADILLAC LITERATURE FOR SALE

Flawless 1976 Salesman’s Merchandising Guide. 10-by-10-inch folded binder. Contains samples of all exterior colors and interior upholstery selections covering all 1976 Cadillacs. Includes Eldorado and Fleetwood Limo. $400 plus shipping. Lewis Cohen, Woodbridge, CT, 203-397-8723. 3/26

» Commercial Classi eds

Ads in the commercial classi ed section are placed by companies and individuals, CLC members included, who are engaged full- or part-time in the selling of such. (See advertising policy on rst page of classi ed section)

CADILLACS FOR SALE

1996 Fleetwood Federal Hearse Ghostbusters ECTO-1. 100,000 miles. New items: starter, fuel pump/sending unit, rear shocks, rear springs, battery, tires, transmission. Was $9,500, NOW $7,500. Contact Cory Kulibert, Cory’s Cadillac Parts, Kewaskum, WI, email corykulibert@att.net or call 920-210-2225. 3/26

CADILLAC/LaSALLE PARTS FOR SALE

Engine gaskets, Cadillacs and LaSalles 1909–1976. New old stock and new production gaskets. Contact Olson’s Gaskets, Port Orchard, WA, 360-871-1207 or see olsonsgaskets.com. 11/26

1911–1919 and 1930–1933 Cadillac parts. We have warehouses full of hard-to-find parts available. Specializing in Cadillac V-16 1930–1933. Dick Shappy, Warwick, RI, 401-521-5333, email dshap@cox.net, see us at classiccars.ws. 11/26

Head and manifold copper gaskets from 1917 up. New, USA-made full gasket sets from 1936 up. Please call Al Lambert toll-free at 888-335-4686 for free delivery to car shows, as I cannot bring everything. Gasket City, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 11/26

Cadillac parts. New and used, 1930s–1960s. CLC member many years. Dennis Akerman, Sanbornton, NH, dennis@caddyparts.com, 603-387-5277. 11/25

Intake gaskets with blocked carburetor preheat port. Helps prevent vapor lock. For V-8 Cadillacs/LaSalles 1936–1948, and V-8 Cadillacs 1949–1967. Contact Olson’s Gaskets, Port Orchard, WA, 360-871-1207 or see olsonsgaskets.com. 11/26

1937– 1992 Cadillac and LaSalle. Eldos 1967–1985, Sevilles 1976–1979. Over 75 Cads in my graveyard rusting in peace and thousands of parts warehoused in Boston. Glad to give free info and interchangeability of parts. John Gately, PO Box 190679, Roxbury Station, MA 02119, 617-445-3300, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. gatelyrestoration.com. 11/26

Classic Cadillac parts: NOS, rebuilt, restored, repro and good OEM. Since 1984, your trusted parts source for 1940s–1970s Cadillacs. 1959 and 1960 Cadillac parts a specialty. Cadillac Parts & Restoration (CPR), Poughkeepsie, NY, 845-462-5959, Monday–Friday 9–5 Eastern. 11/26

1960 and up Cadillac parts. Over 500 Cadillacs for parts. Southern sheet metal, fillers. Worldwide shipping since 1985. See us on the web at CadillacHeaven.com. Cary Bilich , Cadillac Heaven, Leland, NC, 800-227-9330. 11/26

1993– 1996 Fleetwood Brougham fender spears. These are to replace inferior factory plastic unit. $650 per set, no single price. Cory Kulibert, 530 Reagan Rd., Kewaskum, WI 53040, 920-210-2225. 11/26

1993–1995 Fleetwood AM-FM/cassette/CD units. Freshly rebuilt, $450 each. Cory Kulibert, Newburg, WI, 920-210-2225. 3/26

CADILLAC PARTS WANTED

NOS New Old Stock parts inventories. CaddyDaddy , Napa, CA, caddydaddy@ caddydaddy.com, phone 707-853-1122. 11/26

1959 parts inventories. CaddyDaddy, Napa, CA, caddydaddy@caddydaddy.com, phone 707-853-1122. 11/26

CADILLAC AND LaSALLE SERVICES

Steering wheel recasting and restorations. Concours quality, all colors, fast turnaround time, lifetime warranty. Cadillac molds from 1935–1966. Quality Restorations Inc., Dennis Crooks, Poway, CA, 858-271-7374. Visit our website at quality restorations.com. 11/26

Classic Radiator Bill Carberry. 49 Carleton Ave., Islip Terrace, NY 11752. 516-293-2175, email bill@acmeradiator.net. 11/26

Custom Made. Banners, Beach Towels, Blankets, Coffee Mugs, Metal Signs & Shower Curtains made with YOUR car photo. Email or upload your photo. Dave Leash, Washington, MI, GMClubapparel.com, 877-393-1110 ext. 2, email GMClub@GMClubapparel.com. 11/26

I’ll rebuild your 1952 through 1965 Rochester four-bbl. carburetor. Member special price $350 plus shipping. Also have 1952–1953 OEM bath air cleaner, $80. Have many cores in stock if needed. Don Monroe, Tacoma, WA, 253-566-8488. 11/26

CADILLACS WANTED

1903–1960 Cadillac, in any condition. We buy one car or complete collection. Top dollar paid. We pick up all over the U.S. Please call Peter Kumar, Long Island City, NY, 1-800-452-9910, email peterkumar@ gullwingmotorcars.com. 11/26

1934–1964 Cadillac hearse, flower car, station wagon, ambulance. Private collector looking for good to restorable cars to complete collection. Anthony Cangelosi, Asbury, NJ, 908-581-3844, email turboman59@yahoo.com. 11/26

1959 Eldorado Convertibles. One of each Eldorados thru 1976. White with red leather interiors. Have 1972 and 1974. Bob Williams, Greenville, SC, 864-246-0318, email bob@ cadillaccreampuffs.com. 3/26

Invites You 20th

Cadillac Through the Years© The All-Cadillac and -LaSalle Show

Sunday, April 26

Town Square, Las Vegas Interested?

Email Lvcadillacclub@gmail.com

We’ll add your name and email to the list and send you all the details.

See you in Fabulous Las Vegas

INSURANCE DRIVER’S CLUB CAR CULTURE MARKETPLACE

OFFICIAL BALLOT

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Inc.

Before voting, please read the biographical sketches of the candidates inside this issue

Candidates for the CLC board of directors

Vote for up to twenty (20)

Michael Cascio

Rutherford, New Jersey

Grady Davis

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Eric DeVirgilis

Eynon, Pennsylvania

Travis Dowell

Forney, Texas

Jason Edge Garner, North Carolina

Dan Graziadei

Des Plaines, Illinois

Millard “Skip” Haley

St. Paul, Minnesota

Jim Jordan

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Joseph Kausse

Wichita, Kansas

Bob LeCoque

Seattle, Washington

William “Bill” Levy Coppell, Texas

Ryan Lockhart

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

Nick Manole

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Jeff Montgomery Edison, New Jersey

Frank Nicodemus Jr.

Poughkeepsie, New York

Jeff Papciak

Mountain Top, Pennsylvania

Sue Pashukewich

Plymouth, Michigan

Logan Robb

Atlanta, Illinois

Dr. Joe Roglieri

Schenectady, New York

Jeffrey Shively

Kokomo, Indiana

SAMPLE NOTVALID

(Write-in candidate]

Online voting

Go to vote.cadillaclasalleclub.org and cast your ballot online. Voting will end at 5 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Or, you may cast your vote by using this paper ballot. Make sure it is received by the CLC Office by the deadline.

Note: CLC President Ronnie Hux, and all past presidents who are active in the Cadillac & LaSalle Club, are board members under the CLC Constitution. Therefore, they will serve on the board of directors even though their names are not included on this ballot.

Returning your ballot

To be valid, all paper ballots must:

(1) Be an original (this postcard) and not a copy; and

(2) Be sent by mail with your return address on it and received by the CLC Office

no later than Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Don’t miss out, as several limited-capacity tours have already sold out or are selling out quickly! A registration form was included with the January issue of the self-starter. For questions concerning registering for this event, please contact

National Events Registrar Cynthia Rutledge at cyndiann1@hotmail.com, or call 727-742-9649. To book your hotel room at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Course & Spa, go online to tinyurl.com/ CLCGNV2, or call 704-455-8200. Room rate is $149/night plus taxes.