I don’t know much about cars but I even I could tell this one parked out front of the Pan Pacific Auditorium on Beverly Blvd was something special. I sent this photo to a friend of mine who works at the Petersen Automotive Museum and he told me that it was one of four experimental 1953 Cadillac Le Mans built for the auto show circuit. This particular one was modified by George Barris, who created the Batmobile. What a shame it isn’t in color because it looks pretty spectacular to me.
Four of these “Dream Cars” were made. One disappeared…
“One of the Cadillac Le Mans show cars was one of the stars of the Oil Progress Exhibition at the Oklahoma City airport in 1953, along with two other Motorama show cars: the Wildcat I and the Starfire. Then the Cadillac went on exhibit at Greenhouse-Moore Cadillac Chevrolet for two days during the first week of November. After Nov. 8 the car disappeared.”
Barris was good at working sheet metal and paint. He was not an automotive designer at all, proven by this overdone cartoon car. I did go to many shows there and may have even seen this one.
I don’t know much about cars but I even I could tell this one parked out front of the Pan Pacific Auditorium on Beverly Blvd was something special. I sent this photo to a friend of mine who works at the Petersen Automotive Museum and he told me that it was one of four experimental 1953 Cadillac Le Mans built for the auto show circuit. This particular one was modified by George Barris, who created the Batmobile. What a shame it isn’t in color because it looks pretty spectacular to me.
In the 1950’s and 60’s, the Auto Show which is now held in the Convention Center, was held at the Pan Pacific. I attended several then.
Four of these “Dream Cars” were made. One disappeared…
“One of the Cadillac Le Mans show cars was one of the stars of the Oil Progress Exhibition at the Oklahoma City airport in 1953, along with two other Motorama show cars: the Wildcat I and the Starfire. Then the Cadillac went on exhibit at Greenhouse-Moore Cadillac Chevrolet for two days during the first week of November. After Nov. 8 the car disappeared.”
https://autoweek.com/article/car-life/mystery-missing-1953-cadillac-le-mans-concept
Barris was good at working sheet metal and paint. He was not an automotive designer at all, proven by this overdone cartoon car. I did go to many shows there and may have even seen this one.
another angle on this one of a kind creation.
https://a.d-cd.net/25d6478s-960.jpg
Thanks J Yuma – I’m glad this car got photographed a fair bit before it was lost in the fire.