1932 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Coupe by Fisher
- Colour
- Bottle green
One of only fourteen 1932 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Coupes by Fisher ever built, and among just four known survivors, this car retains its original Heron radiator mascot and was delivered new to a Brooklyn dealership. Discovered in 1959 at a sawmill on a Minnesota reservation, it passed through the hands of several serious collectors before a meticulous restoration in Bottle Green by restorer Fran Roxas. It subsequently won Best in Class at the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and received the Claude Nolan Cadillac Award at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,022,500
- 1932 →Factory deliveryBrooklyn dealershippartial documentation
Original delivery point; the build sheet documents the car's initial specifications including stainless wire wheels and rear-mounted spare.
- → 1965Acquisition unknownAmerican Indian reservation sawmill operator, Northern Minnesotapartial documentation
The car sat at a sawmill on a reservation in Northern Minnesota; the owner resisted selling for roughly four years before finally agreeing.
- 1965 →Private saleElmer O. Franzenfull documentation
Minneapolis-based early Full Classic enthusiast who located the car in 1959 but took until late 1965 to complete the purchase; documented the car's intact condition, body and engine numbers in a published 1966 club article.
- → 2017Private saleRonald Benachpartial documentation
Lake Forest, Illinois collector who purchased the car in the early 1990s and commissioned a full restoration by Fran Roxas in Bottle Green with tan leather and khaki top; described the car as the first acquired and last to leave his collection.
- 2017 →Private saleCurrent ownerpartial documentation
Has maintained the car to a high standard, with carburetor rebuilds and fresh exhaust manifold porcelain completed during this ownership.
- Date unknownPrivate saleWayne Merrimanpartial documentation
Shawnee, Kansas collector who acquired the car in a multi-vehicle trade in the late 1960s; kept it untouched and regarded it as a reference-quality original. Held the car until the early 1990s.
Competition
- 19951995 Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceBest in Class
Entered in the American Classic 16 Cylinders 1930–1937 class; shown under Ronald Benach's ownership following Fran Roxas's restoration.
- 20022002 Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceExhibition only
Returned to Pebble Beach with Ronald Benach as a display entrant rather than a judged competitor.
- 20182018 Amelia Island Concours d'EleganceClaude Nolan Cadillac Award — Most Elegant Cadillac
Exhibited under the current owner's tenure after mechanical freshening work was completed.
Maintenance & restoration
- —RestorationFran Roxas
Comprehensive restoration carried out by Fran Roxas following detailed pre-work photography to document the car's originality. Finished in Bottle Green with tan leather upholstery, a khaki cloth hood, and the original rear-mounted spare retained.
Commissioned by Ronald Benach; the first of several restorations Roxas performed for the Benach Collection. Completed prior to the 1995 Pebble Beach entry.
- —Engine rebuild
Carburetors rebuilt as part of a freshening programme under the current owner.
Carried out after the 2017 acquisition; exact date not stated.
- —Mechanical
Exhaust manifolds re-porcelained during the current ownership period.
Carried out after the 2017 acquisition alongside the carburetor work; exact date not stated.
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