Cadillac Model 51 V8
A car telephone(!), air-conditioning, a heater, reversing lights, pneumatic shock absorbers, an alarm, a refrigerator, swivel seats and a double bed; this Cadillac, once owned by W.J. Moore, President of Moore Telephone System in Caro, Michigan, had everything.
In 1915 Moore ordered the new Cadillac V8 with a long wheelbase. Coachbuilder Kimball from Chicago was then commissioned to create a unique body to Moore’s specifications. Therefore, this remarkable Cadillac represents the first generation of two great American automotive traditions: the V8 engine and the customized car.
Beneath the bulge on the hood is a tube that funnels warm air from the radiator into the interior of the car via thirteen vents. A stove is situated in front of the radiator, to heat the car when the engine is switched off and which can also double-up as a cooking element. Electric fans provide the air circulation. The windows are double-glazed.
The Cadillac is a seven-seater. The seats swivel and the middle and rear seats can be folded up to create a single or double bed. There is a refrigerator behind the rear seats to store drinks and food, but it can also be used to blow cold air into the interior of the car. An alarm can be set to activate the horn when a door is forced or not shut properly when the car is put in gear.
In addition, the Cadillac has a telescopic tube, binoculars, a camera and a telephone. In order to use the latter, the car was parked next to a telephone pole so that Moore could connect to a line using the five-metre long tube.