I own a Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special

A boyhood fantasy has now got Felix living the American dream. By Arvinda Kumar

This 1963 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special is actually the eighth out of eleven generations of the car first penned by Bill Mitchell in 1938. The 1963 model saw a redesign almost the whole car. Unashamed chrome highlights grace the entire front end which is crowned with the famed Caddy crest. The car marked the new Caddy design direction with pronounced twin headlights, which leads on to barrelled front wings.

As with most American offerings, the manufacture year normally dictates visual and technical differences more than the model ranges would describe. The ’63 Fleetwood was unique in that it had entirely new glass-house stretching from thin A-pillars, pillar-less in the centre and stretched wraparound C-pillars. Chrome framed windows are another nifty design detail.

At the back, the vertical tail-lamps are crowned by Caddy’s famed ‘Zap fins’. The fin’s lines continue towards the front to create a low slung silhouette. If you could not find the fuel cap in the pictures, that’s because it resides behind the rear license plate panel.

The car is powered by 390ci (6.4-litre to us) OHV V8 capable of producing 325bhp at 4,800rpm. The ’63 model’s engines were revamped with new internals, to reduce engine weight and increase refinement. The engine is mated to three-speed TH-400 automatic gearbox which drives the rear wheels.

On the inside you get lovely interior bright-work everywhere. From dials surrounds to switches, the radio and the steering wheel column. Note too, almost everything is automated, windows, door locks, seats and even climate control – all this in 1963. Even the front and rear quarter windows swivel outwards automatically – and they still work. This is when you start to ponder the level of the engineering decked out in these cars.

Q. Mr. Felix, when did this love affair with American cars start? A. My earliest memories are watching my favourite Hollywood stars of the swinging sixties such as Marlon Brando and Paul Newman. I loved how these cars accentuated the actor’s suave style. I grew up in a small home but always knew that hard work and talent would one day put me in one of these cars, just like the stars.

Q. Why American cars? A. I don’t only have American classics; I own some British and Italian cars too. The Americans are special to me because of their proportions. I just love big cars; the Caddy has lovely designs details all over. Their intricate grille designs, the chiselled body, and deep dished wheels. The pillar-less windows on the side are among my favourite design details but I love the tail-fins the most.

Q. How about the interior? A. These cars were designed for the open road, therefore the Caddy is very comfortable, and the bench seats put you in a very relaxed position where all you want to do is have one hand on the window sill and cruise. Everything is automated, another cool feature of American cars. Besides that, the interior chrome highlights are lovely; it’s hard to ignore the level of detail inside.

Q. How did you get your hands on this Caddy, a 60 Special no less? A. This caddy was owned by a friend who lived in Missouri. The car was owned by his family from new and they had lovingly cared for it. After a bit of persuasion, I made my payments but requested for him to keep the car until I was ready to ship the car over to Malaysia. I did not worry too much; I knew the car was in good hands.

Q.When did you ship the car over? A. It was shipped over late in 2008.

Q. Two years, that was a long time, before it reached our shores. A. Yes it was, but I needed the time to sort out the logistics for the car. I wanted to take my time to source out a trusted shipping company. In the meantime, I had my friend stateside give the car a once over. He got it serviced and refurbished the carburettor for me. The shipping company I employed were also very helpful, they got a tow truck to pick up the car from my friends home, then put it in a container bound for Malaysia.

Q. Did you face any problems over here? A. Not really, taking it ‘slow and steady’ gave me ample time to get the customs and ownership forms in order. Once I obtained the AP, I could confirm when to bring the car down.

Q. What was it like driving it for the first time? A. It was great, that drive was nearly three years in the making, and after I fitted some new tyres, and to put on the local license plate. The first drive was actually to the grand opening of Shah Alam’s I-City mall. Needless to say, the Caddy was very popular. I have since had it out on drives with friends to P.D. and even Malacca, it has never let me down.