Maybelline is an original 1955 Cadillac Coupe Deville restored with new paint and interior fabrics to match the body plate codes.
Maybelline is rare in that she is equiped with every factory option available. Push button signal seeking radio, EZ Eye Glass, Autonatic Heater, Air conditioning, electric seats, electric windows, power brakes, power steering, washers, Autronic Eye headlight dips.

Enjoy the pictures of Warren’s Maybelline in this album.

Read on and see how a magnificent 55 CDV found it’s way to Warren Hawtin, Sydney…

Having been an owner of a 1986 Cadillac Brougham dÉlegance for 10 years now, I decided it was time to make a change for another Cadillac. There are so many great years and memorable models to choose from but I decided to make a definitive selection and try and hunt one down. I chose a 1968 Cadillac Deville Convertible. The reason was that it was the last year of the vertical twin headlights and the first year of the mighty 472 cubic inch engine free from any pollution control restrictions. My criteria was for an original model with matching numbers and with factory matching colour and interior. Try as I may for over 2 years I failed to find a car to meet these specifications. I must have checked out every 68 convertible on the market in Australia during this time and every one of them either had a different year engine, had been repainted a different colour or had the interior re-upholstered in either a different colour and non standard pattern and material. In May this year we took and 4 week holiday road trip in the south west USA and in Bolder City met members of the local Cadillac LaSalle Club show day. One of the members who sources Cadillac’s for buyers was particularly familiar with the 68 model and offered to look for a model for me as well. Most of the models he found that were for sale also suffered from the same problems as the ones I was looking at in Australia.

Nearly six months later I was browsing the Australian Cadillac LaSalle Club web site message board and there was an ad for a 1955 Cadillac Coupe Deville in Adelaide. Now 1955 is my all time favourite year for Cadillac and the only reason I did not select this year for my original search was that I did not think that I had a chance of finding one that would be both suitable and affordable. This particular 55 CDV was imported from Vancouver Washington State in 2004 as a drivable car which had been garaged and not driven since 1990. The original owner has driven 96,000 miles and this coupe was indeed rare in that it is equipped with every factory option available at the time. Options include E-Z Eye tinted glass, push button radio, Autronic Eye headlight beam dipper, electric windows, electric seats, power steering, power brakes and factory air conditioning which is situated in the rear parcel shelf. The owner Andrew in Adelaide and stripped the car back to bare metal and repainted her and re-upholstered the interior in matching factory colours and material. Andrew had also completely restored the brakes, steering, suspension and installed new shocks and twin exhausts.

Items still requiring attention is the engine heads and a noisy lifter and re-gassing the air-conditioning unit. None of the blower fans were working nor the vacuum wipers. I reached an agreed price with the owner and proceed to make the transport arrangements to truck the car from Adelaide to Sydney. The following Friday my 55 Coupe Deville arrived by truck from Adelaide. The transport company TNT shipped it up on a road freighter and then delivered it to my house from their depot on a large tilt tray. They said that it took them 3 attempts to find a tilt tray large enough to avoid the car scaping at the rear. Of course the battery was dead when it arrived so I had to jump start it and parked it in the garage so I could put the battery on charge over night. The car was unregistered to drive and still had the Washington centennial plates attached so on Saturday it was a few laps around the local neighbourhood. Although the tappets are noisy she is still drivable and will be a rolling restoration and hobby for me once it is registered. She was very dirty after the 1200km overland trip but came up immaculately which a chamois clean. On the Monday morning I took her to the auto electrician for a new battery, leads and total check over in preparation of a registration safety inspection. I need to restore the demister and vacuum wipers to pass the rego test and I installed a McVeys RH side mirror only to find that it does not tilt far enough to the drivers vision line. Once the car is registered I will take her to somewhere beautiful for a photo shoot.

Last Friday my new 55 CDV passed the blue slip inspection for registration so the following day I drove her to the local park for some photos which can be viewed above.

I have decided to call her Maybelline after the famous Chuck Berry song which came out in 56 and was written about a 55 CDV just like mine.

Three of the 4 blowers were restored and the fourth one has a ceased brass bush on the armature shaft. I propped the shaft vertically and sprayed WD40 on the bush a few times over night and this morning the bush came loose enough to be removed. I can see a dull spot on the shaft where it was stuck so I might try and polish it up with some emery paper and reassemble the blower.

I can now drive Maybelline to the mechanic to assess the noisy tappets and lifter. I added a bottle of Nulon Lifter Free additive which did in fact quiet the tappets down noticeably.

Some of the distinguishing features of Maybelline, which set her apart are the huge dagmars on the front bumpers, the rear a/c, rear fins and protruding tail lights, the left one with the hidden fuel filler, twin exhausts through the rear bumper bar, classic sculptured lines and modern comfort features. Maybelline certainly turns a lot of heads in the few short drives I have taken her around my neighbourhood.

Regards

Warren Hawtin