Ok guys, I'm watching the Buddy Holly movie and in this scene, Buddy and the band are sitting in a Cadillac in a dealer showroom. The Caddy is a 2 seater. Never seen or even heard of such a Caddy. Looks like a '56. Anyone know what I am talking about? What model it is. I have a friend who's a Caddy nut (loves them, not an expert) and he knows nothing.
I used to know the model. That car was/is in Frank Coranetti's (or something like that) showroom out in L.A. They only made a few of them.
Mazdaslam, that's the one. Coolest Caddy I've ever seen! My friend, Jeff, didn't know what it was and that surprised me. I looked on the net but came up with nothing. Thanks!
I saw that movie yesterday too. I was going to ask the same question about that Cadi!! At first, I thought it was just a hard toneau type cover over the back seat of a convertible, then I saw the whole car.
That wasn't it. Very similar, but different side treatment. The year was supposed to be 1957 or 1958 if that helps.
Maybe the Caddy LeMans that Barris customized. (fins removed large chrome trim at taillights) TwoChops
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was the El Dorado Biarritz for the 58' production year. It was a really high dollar special order from Detroit. I'm not sure whether or not Buddy Holly actually owned one of those, but it sure made an interesting scene in the film didn't it? BTW, the Danbury Mint just released a die-cast very similar to that car in 1/24th scale!
I noticed while watching the movie, and that photo confirms it, that for a supposed new car, that front fender looks pretty bad.
'53 LeMans is in my top 5 of factory concepts- love the original- hope to hell to be able to see one someday. 4 were built, all originally metallic blue. #1 became the 'Barris' car- destroyed in a fire in '85. #2 was Earl's personal ride for a few years, was repainted black in '53. Current whereabouts unknown. #3 is owned in the D.C. area by an owner who wishes to remain anonymous. In the mid-'80s it was white and owned by a Cadillac dealer. #4 was built well after the first (sequential) 3, this is the one in the Buddy Holly movie and it currently owned by the GM Historical Collection.
We just saw that car on Friday at the GM Heritage Center when we were there with the group tour arranged by our very own Bob K. Vicki took some pictures but we just arrived home from Detroit. I'll see if she will post them soon.
Funny. I just finished watching the movie and sat down a few minutes ago to check the HAMB. And yes, I had never seen one of these and I had backed the movie up several times to check it out. How about the little coupe with the bad ass cam that rumbles by the front of the theatre towards the end of the movie?!?!
I just finished reading "Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue". Its Peggy Sue Gerron's memoirs. My wife went to a book signing here in Lubbock and got Peggy Sue to sign a copy for her. It has lots of facts in it about Buddy. Like his last name is actually spelled Holley. Decca records mispelled in on one of their labels once and he just went with it. A pale blue Lincoln Continental was mentioned in the book that belonged to Buddy.
Regarding Buddy's name. Interesting. Found this to confirm Lobucrod's comment... "Buddy was born Charles Hardin Holley, and his family, like many of his place and time, gave him a nickname as a child. As for his last name, Holley was offered a contract with Decca Records in January of 1956. When the contract was sent to him to sign, be noticed that the document had accidentally dropped the "e" from "Holley." Buddy decided it looked better that way, anyway, and he kept it."
Here are some pics that I took at the GM Tour on Friday. It was one of the coolest cars there and the Holly History made it even neater. BB
1953 Lemans Cadillac. I had the pleasure of driving one of the 53 Caddies (black)(in 1956) while being employed as an engineer at Cadillac. I used it for several months as my company car. I also knew of one other that was purchaced by the owner of Capital Cadillac in Washinton D.C. at that time. It was a neat car as I was stopped by Police and others just to look at it. I never saw the revised one posted.
That'll be the Day by the late great Buddy Holly, on the Wolfman Jack Show...One of the best Rock n' Roll singers there ever was. He was my favorite...even though I am only 31. He owned my favorite car too which his producer bought him. 1958 Chevy Impala SC in Cay Coral and white.
This is intriguing. The black Le Mans was #2 of 4 built. This car was titled to GM styling chief, Harley Earl, for a while. He is probably the one who ordered it repainted black. Originally it matched the #1 show car (silver-blue). In fact, all four were originally the same color. George Barris customized Le Mans #1 for his client Harry Karl; Karl acquired the car from Clarence Dixon Cadillac after GM evidently sold it to them. He had it customized for his bride-to-be, actress Marie "The Body" MacDonald. This car was destroyed in a building fire in Pleasanton, CA in May 1985. The engine and other miscellaneous pieces from it still exist. Le Mans #2 was last known to have been displayed at Greenlease-Moore Cadillac-Chevrolet in Oklahoma City in early November 1953. Whether or not this one still exists is not known. Le Mans #3 was sold in 1955 to Floyd Akers, a Washington, D.C. area Cadillac distributor. This one still exists. Car #4 was built for Fisher Body president, J.E. Goodman. This car had a detachable hardtop. When #4 was modified to 1959 specs, the top was probably discarded at that time because it probably no longer fit. Le Mans #4 is the car seen in the Buddy Holly movie and is currently part of the GM Heritage Collection. Here is a picture of Le Mans #2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ef8eFzQgXCg/TdA0QbkmyII/AAAAAAAAAGE/0iPS6L3H7N4/s1600/01.jpg
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