A Cadillac lesson from The Self Starter

Terry Wenger knows his stuff. Some folks may say he is known as the ultimate Cadillac man, and I can vouch for that, having known him for many years. So when Wenger’s project car (a 1939 Series Seventy-Five two-four passenger coupe) was featured in a recent edition of The Self Starter, I was drawn to it like a magnet. (Cadillac & La Salle Club, editor Jeffrey D. Shively, 323 Laramie Ln., Kokomo, IN, 469014047, theself-starter@cadillaclasalleclub.org).

Wenger’s five-page story is an in-depth expose of the low-production vehicle initially seen by Wenger in very sad condition. He says a mere four or five exist now, so its salvation was important. After years of waiting and wishing, Wenger obtained the hulk in 2018 and even told this reviewer about it in its early stage of transformation. But now the world can know!

To a significant degree, the car was traced in point-of-sale and ownership, which is what many owners of collector cars like to share. This car was an “Up East” car transplanted in the Midwest when Wenger began its re-awakening.

It’s important to track a car’s revival via sources for parts, material, steps taken, discoveries, outstanding revelations that uncover its construction plus history, and more. Some modification of parts was needed, all within reason of its lineage and status. Wenger created new wiring harness sections by using rough originals as guides. Here-did the wood grain patterned dash then clear coated it. Since a Cadillac option was for leather upholstery, he made the adaptation rather than gray cloth.

Overall, the five-page article serves as incentive for restorers to research their cars before jumping into a project, then seriously track their original and available options for a masterful restoration that can withstand the test of authenticity.