Cadillac : Fleetwood Brougham

I have for sale. the Cadillac that was Mr. Clair's personal car and was purchased by me at the estate auction in 2007 where over 100 of his collectible cars were sold. The auction items can still be viewed online if you google Ernie Clair and click on the Keenan Auction link.

James Ernie Clair Sr. was a prolific and driven man who started from nothing and built an empire of new car dealerships. 19 in all. in the Northeast of the U. S. which brought great American and Imported automobiles into our culture. He was awarded the Italian Cross of War from the Italian government while serving in the U. S. Army during WWII. He was later appointed Brigadier General in the Massachusetts State Guard. He also held Commanding posts in other military clubs. He and his wife Theresa were generous humanitarians and contributed to numerous charities.

Included in the auction sale and with this sale are the documents. bill of sale. and multi-year registrations in Mr. Clair's name. The owners manual and the windshield tag of number 71. which was its place in the auction. The mileage is described in a few of these papers. And as an added caveat. Ernie Clair Jr. . his son. told me that this Caddy was his fathers personal car and that the mileage is original. This car was one of the very few that was driven across the block that day.

For instance. in the auction was a 1967 Lincoln Continental convertible that sold for $550. and a rare 1963 356 Porsche notchback coupe with 19. 57 miles that sold for $8. 00.

Mr. Clair personalized his car by having it repainted in the color that he wanted (beige). and adding a higher grade than original vinyl top. and having his initials painted on the drivers door as was done in the day.

When I purchased it. the tires were seriously dry rotted and one went flat returning from adding some gas on my first drive. So I stored it inside. and after a few years my daughter wanted it as her limo in her wedding. I dug it out and decided to have a quality two stage paint job done. and then took it to my favorite garage to have it checked over and A/C changed to 134a. new Michelins. and they fluidfilmed the frame. It runs and drives as the 9 thousand mile car that is. And. with the Michelins-- better than it did when new-- I bet. The original spare-- and jack are in the trunk. and yes. the car was a great attraction at the wedding and performed flawlessly.

I have included pictures of the old paint and when all the old paint was stripped off. And of Mr. Clair's initials on the door.

Along with the great new paint. are some blemishes of age and a chaffed area in the vinyl roof where the sunroof mechanism rubbed it. I always meant to put an edging on it. but that can be addressed by the new owner. There is a small crack in the front passenger door's armrest and some of the chrome has lost its sheen on the top edges. The engine compartment hasn't had any detailing and some paint has flaked off on a few spots. like the valve covers.

There was no rust. before the new paint. save for a few surface blisters from a couple of nicks. just started. and a minor dent in the drivers side rear door. See pics.

As you can see in the pictures. with the new paint. the car shows beautifully. but has places where it shows it's age. after all it's 45 years old--- and if you do the math. that's 198 miles per year!

They didn't have many options for such a luxurious car in this year. but it does have leather interior and a rear window defroster that blows actual air!

Maine does not issue titles for cars older than 1995. but uses the Maine State registration in lieu of a proper title. I have a document from the state that provides the process to acquire a title in title bearing states. It works in all states. I will provide my registration and a copy of the letter to aid in securing your title.

I have the ability to provide information on shipping to other countries. It is usually done by container. Buyer pays for all shipping and any preparation for shipping and/or expenses will be paid by the buyer. Otherwise local pickup will be no charge. and preferred. Down payment by PayPal and payment by cash or bankwire. All funds to be cleared before taking possession of the car.

Also published at eBay.ca

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