John and Robyn Dellamura are familiar names on these pages, and in the V8 scene in general. They spend their days doing what most of us can only dream about – sourcing cool old cars from the States, importing them into New Zealand, tidying them up and getting them legal before selling them on.

Of course, while they’ve got those cool cars in their possession, they may as well use them too, right? And they do.

After years of visiting all sorts of American hot rod events and owning numerous cool cars, it takes something pretty special to get the Dellamuras really excited these days, but that was what happened back in 2008 when they saw a photo of a roof-chopped ’49 Cadillac on a workshop wall.

A month after seeing the small photo of what looked to be a well-executed chop on a very rare car, John managed to track the vehicle down. It was in bits in a car sales yard, and no-one seemed to care, the cash-strapped owner included. John did though, and he wasn’t going to let the opportunity to grab such a cool car pass him by, even if it was in bits.

Thanks to some ex-pat Kiwis, John and Robyn were granted use of a workshop to try and mock the car up and work out exactly what was missing, before shipping it home. After all, ’49 Cadi parts are hard to find at the best of times, but the hunt was going to be easiest while they were Stateside. A business card in the boot was the only lead required to track down the interior, which was missing. As it turned out, it had been re-trimmed, paid for and not collected…

Fast-forward to 2010, and a similar situation played out when the pair stumbled upon yet another chopped Cadi, this time a ’47. By this time it was decided that the ’49 was definitely a keeper, despite most of the cars the pair own having some form of price tag on them. The ’47, however, would be the perfect thing for those who were lining up to buy the ’49… or so the pair thought.

In typical American-built fashion, the cars required a fair bit of work to get them up to scratch at this end, both in terms of legality, and to be up to John and Robyn’s standards. Thankfully both cars’ bodywork had been done well, and could be left completely alone, matte black paint and pinstriping included.

The 4-inch chop on the ’49 had involved the rear screen being tilted forward as well as the boot lid reshaped, and the hood being decked. It’s this lower bonnet and boot-line that makes a huge difference to the overall look of the car. Of course, it’s not till you compare the two that you notice just how much the bonnet of the ’47 protrudes.

“That’s why we’ve never had the cars out together, BADKAD (’49) just makes the ’47 look ugly, hence it’s become known as Ugly Cad,” John says. “Yet if you hadn’t seen them together, Ugly Cad is seriously cool on its own.” And we completely agree.

Both cars run Chev Chevelle front clips, the ’49’s was re-engineered in New Zealand by Tony Henwood in Whangarei. As with all cars the couple import, John stripped it back to a bare shell, so the engineering could be taken care of correctly.

“People underestimate how much time and money it takes to get cars like these on the road here. It’s not a quick and easy job,” John says.

Included in the tidy up was sorting out the engine bay. The injected 454 that came with the ’49 is still fitted, but it now runs as it should, and looks a whole lot tidier. With a 700R4 trans it’s a pleasure to drive, even if having a narrow field of vision takes a bit of getting used to. The interior, which was recovered before the car’s purchase, was deemed up to scratch. However, the material used was horrible, and has been re-done locally in bright red, and a tilt/telescopic steering column has been fitted.

After years of importing wheels, generally large, shiny ones, it was a step away from John’s usual style when he decided to add the 15-inch steelies and wide whites. Some custom hubcaps were all that was required to complete the look.

The amount of attention BADKAD gets out on the road is amazing. Not just due to its wild low slung looks and perfectly executed chop, but also because it’s a rare car on its own. The same goes for the ’47, and just like the ’49, getting it completed to a satisfactory standard wasn’t a small job.

Again, the bodywork had been done well (which makes a change), and left untouched, and the engine that came with the car – this time an Oldsmobile 350 – is still fitted. As with the ’49 though, John removed it and re-engineered many aspects of the vehicle for legality, safety and quality reasons. As it is less powerful the stock drum brakes were retained and rebuilt, and like BADKAD, lowering blocks and custom front springs were added to get the ride height down to where it should be.

Inside the flat black cabin you’ll now find an electric bench seat from an Oldsmobile, which John had retrimmed by Abacus Upholstery in Whangarei. Along with this a Lokar shifter and tilt column have been fitted to ensure a comfortable driving position should you ever find yourself at the wheel. And with this car currently being up for sale, that’s a distinct possibility.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to be too much of the shy type, as although the car may have been nick-named the ugly one of the two, it still takes centre stage every time it’s taken out. Assuming its younger sibling isn’t following too closely.

Then again, you could deck the hood, fit some airbags and chances are you’d soon own the baddest Cad in town.

1949 Cadillac Coupe (BADKAD) Specifications

Engine: 454ci big block Chev, carb injected, Hugger headers, alloy radiator, electric fans
Driveline: 700R4 trans, Chev diff, heavy-duty driveshaft
Suspension: Chevelle front clip, lowering block, custom coils
Brakes: Chevelle front, stock rear
Wheels/tyres: 15×7-inch steelies, 225/70R15 Coker wide whites, custom hubcaps
Exterior: 4-inch roof chop, pancaked hood, panned trunk, matte black paint, custom pinstriping
Interior: Stock retrimmed, tilt column, billet steering wheel
Performance: Head turning

1947 Cadillac Coupe Specifications

Engine: 350ci Oldsmobile
Driveline: GM 400 trans
uspension: Chevelle front clip, custom coils, lowering blocks
Brakes: Drum front and rear
Wheels/tyres: 15×7-inch steelies, narrow whites
Exterior: 4-inch roof chop, matte black paint
Interior: Oldsmobile electric seat, full retrim
Performance: Enough, but not too much

John and Robyn Dellamura Profile

Occupation: Importers
Previously owned cars: Too many to list… seriously
Length of Ownership: 2.5 years (BADKAD), 1.5 years Ugly Cad

Words: Todd Wylie  Photos: Adam Croy

Cadillac’s staunch looking ELR Coupe enters production with good news and bad news for badge fans. The good news is it looks fantastic and will offer all the luxuries expected in a Caddy, the bad news for purists is that it uses a range-extending hybrid drivetrain.

First shown as the Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, rumours have been around ever since that it would enter production. Now, development has been officially confirmed with the new model, named the ELR Coupe, borrowing technology from the Chevrolet Volt.

“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”

No official specs have been released but Cadillac has confirmed its ELR will use a version of the same Voltec drivetrain as the Volt, but possibly a more advanced set up. This will feature a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. (more…)

American tuning firm Hennessey Performance has been responsible for building some of the most terrifying performance machines and has just unveiled a new package for the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.

Called the V1000, this hardcore version of the CTS-V looks the business with a full aerodynamic carbon fibre body kit with huge bonnet vents, a low front splitter, a rear diffuser and aggressive side skirts. Mechanical upgrades include lowered sport suspension and Brembo 15-inch carbon ceramic brakes. In the cockpit there’s a reworked interior with premium leather upholstery and an Alcantara headliner.

But its under the bonnet where the real magic happens, all to reach the 1,000 horsepower mark. Power comes from a twin-turbo 427 LS V8 which has been upgraded with high-flow cylinder heads, forged pistons, rods and crank, a new crankshaft, upgraded fuel injectors, an intercooler and a revised ECU. With these extensive tweaks the engine now pumps out 1,000 hp (746 kW) with 1,286 Nm of torque. Those figures are scary enough but this machine will apparently move from standing to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds, run the quarter mile in 10.9 seconds and go on to reach a top speed of 370 km/h. (more…)

The only thing cooler than a matte black late 1940’s roof-chopped Cadillac, is another one.

John and Robyn Dellamura are familiar names on these pages, and in the V8 scene in general. They spend their days doing what most of us can only dream about – sourcing cool old cars from the States, importing them into New Zealand, tidying them up and getting them legal before selling them on.

Of course, while they’ve got those cool cars in their possession, they may as well use them too, right? And they do.

After years of visiting all sorts of American hot rod events and owning numerous cool cars, it takes something pretty special to get the Dellamuras really excited these days, but that was what happened back in 2008 when they saw a photo of a roof-chopped ’49 Cadillac on a workshop wall.

A month after seeing the small photo of what looked to be a well-executed chop on a very rare car, John managed to track the vehicle down. It was in bits in a car sales yard, and no-one seemed to care, the cash-strapped owner included. John did though, and he wasn’t going to let the opportunity to grab such a cool car pass him by, even if it was in bits. (more…)

This month we look at the huge Cadillacs of the 1970s.

Excess

Except for the tail-finned late 1950s, no era has defined Cadillac as well as the excess and opulence of the 1970s. This was a time in which the luxury automaker continued to build bigger and bigger cars with ever increasing engine capacities, despite rising fuel prices and tightening regulations. Although it was almost Cadillac’s downfall at the time, decades later we can sit back and appreciate the results of that typical American unwillingness to back down.

Sedans, Coupes & Convertibles

At the start of the 1970s, Cadillac enjoyed a good reputation and even better sales. It offered three models of full-size passenger car: the De Ville, the Fleetwood and the El Dorado. All boasted ridiculous dimensions, massive engines and the latest technology available. These cars were some of the first mass-market vehicles to come standard with electric windows and seats, integrated air-conditioning and more. The cars represented the best Yankee iron money could buy, fuel consumption be damned.

Record Holder

Besides the ’70s Cadillac’s physical size, the huge land yachts of the time are also famous for their big block V8 motors. In fact, they hold the record for the largest displacement engine ever fitted to a production car with the 500ci V8. This was standard in the El Dorado from 1970, and replaced the 472ci found in the De Villes and Fleetwoods for the 1975 year. (more…)

Cadillac is officially on the verge of returning to the world of motorsports with its new CTS-V Coupe race car. Following the track-spec Caddy’s world debut at the Detroit Motor Show last week, the race-ready CTS-V Coupe hit the track for the first time on Monday driven by Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim, for testing at Sebring International Raceway.

GM’s luxury car division had already pulled out of racing before the U.S. government bailed out the company in 2009. The last time Cadillac officially competed was in 2007 in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT series. Now the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car will return to the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT series in 2011, with its first appearance taking place at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 25-27.

The CTS-V Coupe race car was built as a collaboration between General Motors and Pratt and Miller. Their goal was to make the race car as close as possible to the production vehicle, but at the same time, make a racer compliant with the SCCA technical rules. Technical details of the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe race car have not been released yet. (more…)

It was around three years ago that GM ceased Cadillac’s involvement in motorsport, but the luxury carmaker is set for a big comeback. Over in the States it was announced yesterday that Cadillac will return to the track in 2011 with the CTS-V Coupe, which will compete in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge [SCCA].

Cadillac knows what the SCCA is all about because it competed there from 2004 to 2007, taking the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007 and the Driver’s Championship in 2005.

Cadillac big man Don Butler, vice president for marketing, talked it up by saying “Returning to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and capability of the CTS-V Coupe. The racecars in this series are production based, which allows us to validate our performance against the best of our competitors on the track, and not just the showroom.”

The Detroit-based company is busy getting two teams ready for the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a track car based on the production CTS-V Coupe. The series is set to kick off on March 25-27, with the first event held in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Pro drivers Johnny O’Connell, a three-time GT1 champion in the America Le Mans Series, and Andy Pilgrim, who won the 2005 SCCA World Challenge GT class in a Cadillac, will be behind the wheel of the CTS-V racecars. (more…)

Drift with the Supercars at the Monticello Club – Preview Trailer