Custom 1954 Cadillac Hardtop

Right after the doors of the Cow Palace opened for the Grand National Roadster Show, John D'Agostino knew he had designed and built another winning custom. Hundreds of enthusiasts encircled the '54 Cadillac checking out every little nuance of the car's esthetics. The Caddy's charisma draws people in and keeps them there. They're probably trying to figure out what has been done to the almost stock-appearing car to make it look so terrific.

John is the master of subtlety, but a lot more work than immediately meets the eye is performed on his creations. One of the first things that sets this car apart is its low stance. John Aiello of Acme Custom Cars worked together with Air Ride Technologies to install air ride suspension to the front and rear of the car. The A-frames were modified for the airbags, and the frame was C'd for clearance. With the air ride, the car can be lowered and raised at will with the flip of a switch under the dash. Another D'Agostino design element is the wheel and tire selection, which consists of 15x6-inch 48-spoke Roadster wire wheels running 710x15 Coker wide whitewall tires.

The body looks almost original, but that's not really the case. Aiello performed the bodywork and preparation. All of the corners around the doors, hood, and trunk were rounded, the body seams were filled, and the car was nosed and decked. The top also received a mild chop, and the tailfins were modified for a more graceful appearance. Greg Westbury fabricated a new grille and custom side scoops. A '55 Cadillac front bumper was used to complement the grille and was chrome-plated by Sherm's Custom Plating in Sacramento, California. The car was also shaved, with the doors being operated by solenoids from Unkl Al's.

The paint for the car is a joint effort by House of Kolor, Gene Winfield, and Frank De Rosa Jr. Winfield custom-blended the paint and applied it with some assistance from De Rosa Jr. The paint was allowed to dry thoroughly, then De Rosa Jr. did the buffing and polishing to get the flawless shine.

D'Agostino wanted the car to be dependable, so he had the 331ci engine rebuilt by A&A in Brentwood, California. Nick Kooy and Chris Taylor machined the engine and rebuilt it with high-quality parts. During the rebuild, the engine was painted lime gold to match the body, and a variety of parts were chrome-plated for a show finish.

The final stop was a trip to Bob Devine Custom Interiors in Martinez, California. The interior was stitched in a classic tuck 'n' roll design combining white and lime gold leatherette. The dash was restored to perfection and was painted to match the exterior. The original steering wheel was also restored and painted two-tone lime gold, and the center was accented with a Winfield center bullet. Interior amenities include a Pioneer CD with 200-watt Pioneer speakers installed by Lodi Stereo. Cooling is handled by a Vintage Air system.

Since its completion, the car has been on the show circuit and has been consistently winning trophies. After finishing the local shows, it will head for shows in Finland, Germany, and Sweden, and will have worldwide acclaim. This is quite an accomplishment for any designer/builder, but John does it with great consistency year after year.