From old-fashioned high society, to modern muscle, this Cadillac come a long way from its roots. The 60 Special originally sat three inches lower than other Cadillacs due to a different frame design, but now with Corvette suspension in the front and custom suspension in the rear the car sits even lower than the original “low” stance. The mix of dark grey and black gives the car a very menacing look and even in broad daylight looks like a shadow in the night. With just a few finishing touches to the interior and some glass work, the Cadillac will head down the road again but in an entirely different way than anyone in 1940 could have ever imagined.

454ci Chevy Big Block Engine 1984 Corvette C4 Front Clip Ford Explorer 8.8
LSD Differential Custom Ceramic Coated Dual Exhaust Modern Cadillac Satin Steel Grey Metallic Paint
Steel Smoothie Wheels Powdercoated Black Power Windows Power Seats
Custom Tinted Glass Custom Rear Fenders Vintage Air AC
Power Steering Conversion Modern Cadillac Cts Interior

When most people hear the term “resto mod” or “street rod” they don’t think of a 1940 Cadillac Sixty Special, which is one of many reasons this car is so unique. Pre-war Cadillacs, especially the top of the line 60 Special, are rarely chosen for modification when they are restored – they are usually the subject of factory spec and period correct restorations that bring the car back to the way it was when it was new. This car consisted of parts from one 1939 and two 1940 Cadillacs, and with only a few thousand built each year, one can imagine that after almost one hundred years they have become quite scarce. So, with all that being said, the fuel injected 454, corvette suspension, and thundering exhaust are far from the norm among classic Cadillac enthusiasts.

This Cadillac came in as a partially built project wearing a thick coat of epoxy primer and needed quite a bit of metalwork and finishing touches to smooth out the previous repairs. The process would be a detailed collaboration with the owner to merge our work with his and take the car through the final steps to being road ready. The original 135 horsepower 5.678 liter V8 and entire drive line was long gone replaced with a Chevy truck sourced big block 454 with added Holley Terminator EFI, 4L80E four speed automatic transmission, and a Ford Explorer rear axle. The rear suspension features QA1 shocks, new custom made leaf springs, and an added rear sway bar. Welded onto the front the car is a 1984 C4 Corvette front end complete with independent suspension, aluminum control arms, disc brakes, and a power steering rack. Since no one makes an exhaust for 1940 Cadillacs with 454s, we started fabricating and designed a ceramic coated 2.5 inch true dual system complete with H pipe, Flowmaster Super HP-2 mufflers, and tailpipes dumping right after the rear axle.  Even the old fashion oak wood floor supports would be eliminated for modern rubber mounts. Power windows were then fabricated into the eighty year old doors. The interior consists of a brand new wiring harness, flaming river steering column, modern power seats, and a Dakota Digital dash. To finish off the complete modernization inside and out, the Cadillac’s owner chose the late model Cadillac ATS’s satin steel gray metallic paint. After years of building the base of a unique hot rod we were able to finish off the project and get the car from bare steel and primer to flawless paint and blacked out trim.