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Monday, January 3, 2022

Rebuilt 1914 Cadillac Engine - First Start in 65 Years!


If this was recorded in 2020, and if the title is correct, then the last time this engine ran was 1955. From this we may surmise that the engine and the car it was in ran for 41 years, which is pretty remarkable. I remember back when I was a kid, a car could only be expected to last for ten years and 100,000 miles before it was worn out and ready for the scrap heap. Of course, if you spent a gazillion dollars for a Cadillac, you might expect the owner to take very good care of it. Well, one owner took good enough care for this one to last 41 years.

A 1914 Cadillac cost $1975. Supposedly a 1914 dollar would be worth $28 today, which would make the Cadillac's price in today's money about $55K. That would be more than enough to buy most any new Cadillac except an Escalade. Huh. I would have expected the value to more like a gazillion dollars, and I would expect a new Cadillac to cost more like $75K.



4 comments:

Borepatch said...

Price of gold (1914) = $19/oz.

1914 Cadillac = $1975 = 103.95 oz of gold

Price of gold (2016) = $1250.74

Value of 103.95 oz of gold (2016) = $130,011

That will give you ~ $30k change from your Escallade

Chuck Pergiel said...

I wish we had a unit of real value. Barring that, gold is pretty a good benchmark, but your numbers are old and obsolete. Gold has gone up 50% in the last 5 years. Why am I not surprised?

xoxoxoBruce said...

Adjusted for inflation, $1,975 in 1914 is equal to $51,444 in 2021.
$1 in 1914 = $1.32 in 1934 = $2.69 in 1954 = $4.62 in 1974 = $14.58 in 1994 = $23.30 in 2014 = $26.05 in 2021.
https://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=1&year=1914

My uncle in MA had a Caddy engine like that and sold it to someone up north. I wonder if it's the same engine?

Chuck Pergiel said...

These guys are in Vermont, so it's entirely possible.