A vehicle which is believed to have belonged to pianist and vocalist Liberace is set to go to auction today (September 17th).
The 1931 Cadillac 355 Drop Head Coupe by Fleetwood is a rare example of the vehicle, but has been made even more valuable due to its historical, celebrity connections, and one other small factor…It’s completely plated in gold.
Amazingly, the car is covered in 23.75-karat gold-leaf bodywork, exterior door handles plated in silver and an interior covered in 24-karat gold.
The inside of the vehicle also features white leather, while the front headlights pivot with the steering wheel. It’s all powered by a 5.7-liter V8 engine, attached to a three-speed automatic transmission.
It’s all rather lavish, much like its owner was during the height of his fame. If you want to own this elaborate, spectacular and decadent vehicle, a opening bid in the region of £85,000 will have to be tabled.
However, expect the price to rise substantially, as the vehicle is expected to generate a lot of interest.
According to the auctioneers Barons, the car had spent up to 12 years in a German museum, labelled as Liberace’s Cadillac. When the museum was closed, it was moved to a storage unit in the UK, where it remained for another 14 years.
When it surfaced in June 2011, the car underwent a massive repair and restoration programme, with worked carried out on the engine especially.
While the vehicle is not quite in pristine condition, it still looks pretty incredible. Barons has revealed that precious stones can still be found in the hub caps, but one of the rubies in the vehicles mascot has been lost.
Despite this, the car should still achieve the top end of its estimate and could even go far beyond that.
The stunning specimen has a wide and varied appeal, with fans of Cadillacs, historical vehicles and Liberace all expected to put forward their interest and battle it out for the incredible machine. However, with all that gold being flashed around, it’s likely that some lovers of bling will also be present at the auction.
However, it won’t simply just be an expensive paper weight! The vehicle is still fully functioning, and is said to start every time the key enters the ignition. For an 82-year-old vehicle, that’s very impressive.
Other notable vehicles in the lot include a 1963 Alvis TD21 S2 Saloon, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427, and a 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena. However, none have quite as unique a tale to tell than the Cadillac.
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