Cadillac Model 51 V8

Car phone (!), air conditioning, heating, reversing lights, air shock absorbers, alarm, a refrigerator, swivel seats and a double bed; everything is in this Cadillac, once owned by W.J. Moore, president of the Moore Telephone System in Caro, Michigan.

Car phone (!), air conditioning, reversing lights, air suspension, alarm, a refrigerator, swiveling seats and a double bed; everything is in this Cadillac Model 51 V8, once owned by W.J. Moore, president of the Moore Telephone System in Caro, Michigan. In 1915 he ordered the new Cadillac Model 51 V8 with extended wheelbase. Coachbuilder Kimball from Chicago was commissioned to fit it with a unique body, built according to Moores ideas. This remarkable Cadillac therefore represents the first generation of two typically American automobile traditions: the V8 engine and the car customized to the customers wishes. Under the raised hood there is a tube that directs engine heat into the interior through thirteen openings. In front of the radiator there is a heater that can warm the car when the engine is not running and can also be used as a cooking element. Electric fans provide air circulation. The windows are double glazed. The Cadillac Model 51 V8 seats seven. The seats can swivel in any direction. The middle seats and the rear bench can be folded down into a single or double bed. There is a refrigerator behind the rear seat, from which cold air can be directed into the interior. Naturally, the refrigerator is also used for storing food and drink. The horn is activated via a switchable alarm if a door is forced open, but also if a door is not properly closed and the car is put into gear. There is also a telescope, a pair of binoculars, a camera and a telephone in the Cadillac Model 51 V8. To make a phone call, the car was parked next to a telephone pole, after which Moore connected to the line using the five meter long telescope.