Cars may be a way for people to display their wealth or status, but which famous rock stars truly loved cars? The late Jeff Beck was one. Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason is another. What about John Entwistle, bassist par excellence for The Who? Hard to say, but this 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 Limousine he once owned will have found a new owner by the time you read this.
When it comes to The Who and cars, I tend to think of drummer Keith Moon—no, he wasn’t a car guy per se, but there are many stories about him and cars (like driving a Lincoln into a pool at a hotel—and it wasn’t even his car). One story I recall is about a tabloid or magazine doing an article on musicians and their cars. I can’t say I’ve seen the story so I don’t know what other musicians or cars appeared, but Moonie—ever the resourceful chap—scored an antique milk float (an electric milk wagon) and fitted it with a couch, liquor cabinet and, possibly, a keg. The picture I’ve seen also has John Entwistle’s long black Cadillac in the background.
Nineteen seventy-one was the year for new Cadillacs across the board. The Eldorado was completely redesigned, now featuring a convertible (absorbed from the deVille series), while the full-size Cadillac was bigger and bulkier, perhaps influenced by “fuselage” Imperials of the era. The pair of headlights on each side were spaced a bit further from each other than what you’d expect, giving a unique look that would be muted for 1972 by parking lights resting in-between.
The most aristocratic of all Cadillacs was the Series 75, part of the Fleetwood sub-series. There were three ways to enter the world of Series 75: four-door sedan, four-door limousine, or commercial chassis. The former two were based on a looong 151½-inch wheelbase, but the limo included an electric partition between rear passenger(s) and driver (plus Automatic Climate Control systems for both), special interior appointments, and doors that cut into the roof. Both sold in numbers under a thousand, with the limo the more popular of the two at 848.
Entwistle’s limo appears to be pimped out compared to the usual fare, as evidenced by the bold chrome grille, Continental-inspired trunk lid, and landau bars. Otherwise, it’s a typical black limousine originally built for rock royalty in “substantially original” condition.
If cars could talk, this one likely would require several sessions at the pub.
