Just found this a few days ago, I was very very surprised to find this less than 2 miles from my home.... You just never know what will turn up... It's a 1905 Cadillac may be a Model M ? The fellow that owns it can't drive it and doesn't know how to start it ... So being the nice guy I am I volunteered to help anyway I can heck I may get the first drive...? wink... Wink.
Enjoy.....
Steve,
Great find! Good luck getting it going, keep us posted.
Enjoy,
Rob
Wow, that's a beauty. I used to help an old friend start his early, 1907, one cyl Cadillac. I was surprised at how hard it was to crank. Once it was primed though, another pull usually got it going. It ran well and was on many tours with us over the years. He's gone now and his daughter still owns the car.
Ken
Hi Steve,
I think the Cadillac is a Model F. I don't think they made a Model M in 1905.I think that 1906 was the first year for the Model M.If I am wrong about this ,someone will correct me.
I am restoring a 1906 Cadillac Model M.
Scott
It is surprising how close the Caddy looks like the Ford Model F, A friend of mine is restoring one right now and the body sure looks the same.
So is this an F Ford or F Cadillac?
It' a 1905 model F cadillac touring. In 1905 the runabout was a model E. The model M came in 1906 to the end of production of the single cylinder car. I own an unrestored 1905 m0del E
Thanks for the model correction.... If I remember right seems that Cadillac and Ford got into a big law suite over a car design at one point and time....? Not sure if it's the two mentioned above or not, good question for Rod Heyen , Hap.... Or Royce.
I know years ago it came up in conversation with someone I was talking too and they was schooling me on it, only problem I have is the retention factor issue my memory bank is weak these days... Who knows if it's something the new owner doesn't like and can't drive and enjoy I may have a shot in the dark at acquiring it one day.... Maybe I'll be as lucky as you Dale I sure would like to see it sitting in my basement.
It's for sure is the earliest car I know of in our small town, as far as I know right now we have a 1909 T roadster, an original 1912 T touring, and a 1912 T roadster. So the 05 Caddy is the oldest. There's supposed to be a 1907 Ford as well but it's a pile of pieced up strange looking parts, it's stuck in the back of a garage.
What's the back story on someone owning such a vehicle and not being able to start or drive it? Sounds like they inherited it?
Here is more information on a restored Cadillac. There is a 1905(?) in the museum in Goldthwaite, Texas. I understand that it is owned by someone who lives in Abilene, Texas. If it is important, I can have my wife's relatives in Goldthwaite run down more info.
Bill Harris
I have a 1907 Model K. It usually starts on one or two pulls through compression if it has been primed. It helps to open the compression release when you're cranking.
These are neat, neat cars. My wife and I drove mine 383 miles in 5-1/2 days on the HCCA 1-and 2-cylinder tour out of Hamilton, NY this year. That's 65 miles a day, and we had serious hills up to 22%.
There's an excellent Early Cadillac group on yahoo that you can join. There's also an HCCA Cadillac Single-Cylinder Touring Register that used to have a good newsletter. It's almost inactive now, but the newsletters were packed with really worthwhile information on how to keep these little beauties running well. Back copies should be available.
That Model F is a beauty!
We had what I believe was a 1906 Tulip bodied Cadillac here in Abilene owned by H.B. Carrol, a long time collector now deceased. I think it went to his son-in-law Jim Hall of Chapparral (sp) race car fame. Do not know if this is the same car or not, for I think Jim lives in Midland.
The early Cadillac and Ford had bodies made by the same company, Wilson Body company, in Detroit. Henry Leland was brought into pick up the pieces of the cadillac company after Henry Ford left ( fired ) in 1902. That was Henry Ford's second failure in the automobile business. Cadillac outproduced Ford until 1907 when the miracle of the model N series took root. Ford never looked back.
In response to Joe Bell, above, i know of several 1905 Ford's and Cadillac's which have the competitors body on their chassis. There are some very subtle differences, if you know what to look for. They will interchange, and that is why they probably are where they are now.
Here's the back story....The new owner got the car up in Maine 2-3 weeks ago he now has it stored at a friends garage, he stated he hasn't even told his wife he bought the car yet...!
As far as I know this is his first antique car. My thoughts are he made a pretty hefty purchase for a first car so unless he did his home work he'll either love it or be very disappointed with it when he figures out he can't just jump in and drive 60 mph.
I seen a few T's sold after they figure out they can't hit the road and drive the speeds of the more modern 30s 50s model cars. One thing is for sure you better like and enjoy a slow ride or you just won't keep a car of this vintage. Whether it's T, Cadillac , or others.
It looks like it has been well loved. Strikes me a bit odd a car like this would be sold to a first timer. Wonder if the owner died and his family just needed to liquidate it? Please keep us posted on this little beauty.
Of course the new owner may soon be dying.......
This will be a LOT slower than a T. In moderate hills, with occasional stop signs and traffic lights, I average 17 mph with my Cadillac roadster. In my '13 T roadster, similar roads, I average 25. In each case, I'm driving at a comfortable speed that the car seems happy with. I'm in no hurry; if I were in a hurry, I'd drive something else!
"he stated he hasn't even told his wife he bought the car yet...!"
This is what it feels like to really, truly live.