Eugene, the place where cars and their owners never really get old. It’s due to our miracle healing rains, a proven anti-oxidant equally effective on steel as well as brain cells. The results are everywhere on the streets and sidewalks, but rarely so fully concentrated as on this eternally-young Caddy and its driver. Especially since they are so fully exposed to it.
I was running an errand late Halloween afternoon when I first saw it. I pulled into a parking lot, hoping to get a good shot. They peeled off just as I hit the trigger, and I knew it wasn’t going to be good. So I gave chase.
That turned out to be something from a Keystone Cops movie, as they kept pulling over, then crossing all the lanes of the one-way, several times, and then ducked down an alley. At one point I thought I’d lost them when I saw them pull into the the street behind me! The Merry Tricksters.
I did eventually find them, parked here as one of the trio was heading into the house there. The driver, wearing a colorful hat, was grinning, and more than happy to pose for me.
He explained that Burnt Woodstock was a music festival he had created. Trying to capitalize on two big festival names?
So I walked around his sliced-top Caddy, taking in the colors.
Speaking of colors, he managed to park right across the street from some very colorful characters, sitting conveniently next to the White Bird Free Medical Clinic and Emergency Hotline. One of them was singing/howling very colorful things. Let’s just say some folks handle drugs better than others.
The big Caddy has managed to retain some of its dignity, especially from the front.
The scars of its radical craniectomy are in full evidence.
The errand I headed out for turned out to be a bust, but running into this more than made up for it. Smiling is good medicine, and I got my dose yesterday afternoon.
Good peace, loved both the car and the writing. You have now set me on a quest for my next drop top 🙂
Groovy, mon! Great car to spot on Halloween.
Yeah, but the National Lampoon Animal House “Deathmobile” would be even cooler.
“Ramming speeed!”
This one just leaves me scratching my head and asking “why”? Not a real convertible,its just a sedan that had its roof whacked off,and no provision for a folding top.What happens to it if it rains? Wonder what the ride must be like with some of the structural element gone and a non beefed up chassis to add rigidity? However, there were some Cadillac 4 door convertibles that were purpose built by either Cadillac itself, of other coach builders. Just go to the Cadillac Database ,the best on line Cadillac website and see them. BTW,the Woodstock crowd was not into Caddies, a car that was considered to represent the “establishment” or middle class values. They drove VWs!
At least he choose a beefy BOF hardtop. If it was a 90 D’Ville, a Darwin Award could happen.
You didn’t find anything Googling “Burning Woodstock” because it’s “BurntWoodstock”.
Sometimes I amaze myself….duh! Don’t ask, but it was a bit late last night when I tossed this together.
I partially understand the appeal of this, but that poor old survivor Caddy is now doomed. I have a feeling it doesn’t have a garage.
Harbour Freight should keep the Saw-zils behind the counter, and only agree to sell them after a thorough interrogation of the customer’s plans.
I like the line of retained dignity, that’s what makes Cadillac. They retain dignity even after having been burnt, or submerged in salt water for years. Look at the Cadillac ranch.
Burt Woodstock is a local thing put on by Rusty Truck Brewing on SR 20 .
I’ve seen this chop the top off thing many times before , yes it’s the car’s death knell but how knows , maybe it would have been scrapped anyway ? .
Too bad but hopefully the running gear will be salvaged in a couple years when this rusts out thanx to no top and your rain .
-Nate
It supposed to say ” mag ic ” rain but apparently that’s a prohibited word….
-Nate
I appreciate that the owner is having his fun. But, still hard not to cringe when the car is something I would have liked. It appears to have started as a pretty solid car, and the equipment level is quite high including power vent windows, AC, and telescope. Ouch!
This reminds me of a 1959 Imperial that is always at the Back To The 50’s show in Minneapolis. The poor imperial also had its top chopped off .
Same gaudy interior redo-and requisite steer horns attached to its hood to complete the package. Sad.
These are certainly not car people.
They’re having fun, yes, but at the price of one of Cadillac’s cleanest designs imo.
Some might even call this the high point of Cadillac, but to common for most people to realize it.
This might be a hardtop, not a sedan. I don’t see any evidence of B pillars, but maybe that area is covered over buy hippy cloth.
It’s a sad fact for these Cadillacs: 1966 6 cylinder Mustangs and Bel Aire coupes are worth much more.
Sad fact indeed…in a way.
But for guys like me who like to buy giant ’60s bombs for daily drivers, it’s a god-send! Can’t beat the price/value.
I drive nothing but ’61 to ’71 cars only. every day.
At least until the first snow flake in (hopefully) LATE November!
Wow, you’re awesome- even as a child in the 70s I admired cars of that era, I was puzzled how the older cars were so futuristic, sleek, majestic and solid versus the malaise era brand new ones. I was in love with our elderly neighbors’ 64 Continental, and my young and simple mind knew exactly why they had no plans of trading it in. I washed it, they always insisted on paying me, and treated me to rides- but I would have done it gratis.
gross
Back in the 80s I had a ’67 Impala Sport Sedan that the previous owner had given the same treatment.
Mine had a folding top, built by someone that did them for boats. It leaked.
Structually it wasn’t as bad as you’d think. Doors rattled over railway crossings,
and when you used the bumper jack on the rear bumper, the rear door gaps would almost disapear. They came back when you lowered the car.
No pics, alas.
A kind of a Frankencar … Pontiac in the front (with the stacked headlights), Caddy in the back, lost its top somewhere after ’66.
The decals on it where made and applied by http://www.hippymotorsusa.com