What My 1930 Cadillac Club Sedan Means to Me
More than just an ambitious restoration, this 1930 Cadillac V8 club sedan carries precious memories for a young classic car enthusiast.
I’ve grown up around vintage cars. My grandfather, Gordon Boyd, brought home our 1930 Cadillac V8 club sedan in May 1980, 18 years before I was born. At the time of purchase, all he took with him was the partial wood frame and the rear tire; everything else was taken apart and later brought home in boxes and baskets. The amount of work that’s gone into the car is unimaginable—it wasn’t road worthy until I was about 12 years old. I loved the car from my first ride in it and it has been a passion ever since.
My grandfather was a member of many different car clubs, but it was Antique Classic Car Club of Canada events that we frequented most. Even though I was just a kid, club members expected me to be there, and they’d hound my grandfather if I wasn’t! I was made an honourary member at 14, and an official member at 18. I always loved attending events with my grandfather, but it was nice to be acknowledged as a car lover in my own right.
My grandfather passed away on May 21, 2017, after a five-year battle with cancer, making it all the more important to remain involved with the second family I had found within the car community. I had my first tour without him on June 3, 2017, and everything about that day brought me to tears. The best and worst parts of that day happened when we returned to the tour’s starting point, which was situated at a club member’s house‚ the very place where a family friend had taught me how to drive his 1930 Cadillac V8 Victoria two-door coach after my grandfather’s passing. Not having my grandfather there to see me complete the tour was heartbreaking, but the memories of all the time spent together doing something we loved had the opposite effect.
Keeping my passion alive will be easy, with the help of the community, as well as the comfort of the Cadillac club sedan, which my grandfather bequeathed to me. It will be with me for the long haul, as will my memories of my grandfather.
Don’t miss this impressive restoration of a 1931 Model A Ford.
