Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Presidential Convertible Parade Limousine

About this model

The story of this remarkable and extraordinary Cadillac begins in 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was halfway through his second of four presidential terms, and the turmoil in continental Europe was on the verge of escalating into World War. Much of FDR’s first six years in office were characterized by his New Deal recovery programs following the Great Depression and the isolationist policy that would eventually have to be abandoned in favor of full-scale involvement in the Allied war effort.

It was in this climate that Cadillac and its coachworks Fleetwood were charged in 1938 with special order 9006: two virtually identical 16-cylinder open limousines to be constructed on a massive, stretched 165-inch wheelbase (11 inches longer than a standard V-16 Cadillac!) and delivered to the White House for use by President Roosevelt.

Cadillac’s second-generation V-16 had just been introduced. While the first generation 16 and its V-12 stable-mate had been 45-degree overhead valve designs, the new engine was a 135-degree L-head, developing 135 hp from 431 cubic inches. Each bank had its own distributor, carburetor and manifolds. The engine was six inches shorter, 13 inches lower and 250 pounds lighter than its overhead valve predecessor and had significantly fewer parts. Nevertheless, it developed the same power despite its smaller displacement.

Both the 9006 cars built for use by the White House, chassis 5270064 and 5270075, were reportedly built with armor-plating and weighed in at a massive 8,000 lbs. Furthermore, they were equipped with special running boards, grab handles, communication equipment, special compartments for firearm storage, sirens and lights to accommodate their Presidential duties.

Leased by Cadillac to the U.S. government, both cars were used through 1956 as part of the White House fleet to carry Secret Service agents or directly chauffeur the President. One was nicknamed the Queen Mary (5720075) and the other Queen Elizabeth (5270064), a lighthearted reference to the large cruise ships of the same name.

Following FDR’s death, the Queens were enlisted for use by the Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower administrations as well. Truman took delivery of two Lincoln Bubbletop Limousines in 1950, but both Cadillacs remained in the official fleet.

Over the course of their use by the government, they were returned to Cadillac from time to time to be updated and rebuilt as necessary. In 1946, following the end of WWII, the V-16 engines were replaced with L-head V-8s, which in turn were replaced by 331-cubic inch OHV V-8s in 1952.