A unique iconic TV car will make its inaugural British appearance at Lymm Historic Transport Day 2016 on Sunday, June 26.
The 1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, owned by Don Draper in hit US drama ‘Mad Men’, will be on public display for the first time since arriving in the UK last year.
A local businessman and fan of the critically acclaimed and wildly successful show, bid for the car in an auction of memorabilia.
This Cadillac was driven by lead character Don Draper in the final series and embodied the sheer confidence and style of it owner: metallic silver with a blood red leather interior.
Re-designed all-new for 1965, the Coupe DeVille came with a sharper, more angular body style with creased, arrow-straight sheet metal that emphasized its miles-long length. The hardtop features a 340-horsepower 429-cubic-inch 7 litre V-8 engine and a – decent by modern comparison – torque rating of 480 lb.-ft. The car stretches eighteen and a half feet in length and is 79.9 inches wide.
Mad Men has been nominated for over a hundred awards and much of its appeal was its aesthetic dedication to historical accuracy. Set in the late ’50s and ‘60s, in and around New York City, Mad Men championed costumes and set props that told an authentic story of a time and of a place. Last August, hundreds of props from the seven-season series were auctioned off. Most of the items on offer were small things — ashtrays, magazines, furniture and clothing that made the show feel authentically mid-century. The 1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille was the star of the auction and the highest-valued item. The new owner paid just under $50,000 for the privilege of owning a piece of screen history.
The classic Coupe DeVille will be just one of around 350 cars on show at an event that will also feature for the first time a full size aircraft – a replica spitfire with original cockpit. A Lego Transport Exhibition will be another first for the show which will also feature all the regular favourites including dozens of historic working boats, traction engines and model railways. In fact Lymm is fast turning into the region’s “go-to” event for historic transport enthusiasts.
The event is run entirely by local volunteers for the benefit of the community with 50% of this year’s profits being passed on to help set up the new Lymm Heritage Centre. The core team need over 100 helpers on the day – each doing a three hour stint. If you could give a little time to be part of a great community team email [email protected] or call Trish Cockayne on 01925-751646. More info at [email protected]
