1958 Fleetwood Custom - El Camino? Mirage? Flower Car?

Looking for any history on this car.

Data plate shows it was born a 1958 Fleetwood Sixty Special. Has been lengthened about three feet.



Has stock 6 liter 310 hp engine.

Not a Mirage

The roof does look like it was styled from a flower car. My take is this is a custom. Looks like a nice one. Not a Mirage. They were build in the mid 70s.
The hard cover does not look like a flower car item.
I like the car, the colors and it could come to my garage.
Mike

Mike Stevens said:

The roof does look like it was styled from a flower car. My take is this is a custom. Looks like a nice one. Not a Mirage. They were build in the mid 70s.
The hard cover does not look like a flower car item.
I like the car, the colors and it could come to my garage.
Mike

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Thank you Mike. As I said in my post, this car was born a 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special 4 door sedan. It was customized by a now out-of-business shop who had the motto, "We bring your dead vehicle back to life."

The hard cover can be removed, and there is a large tub like space where people, or flowers, could ride.

I am seeking information regarding previous owners. The last owner before me lives in Missouri. He got it from someone in Chicago, but I don't yet know their name.

Anyone who has any information on this car, please send me a PM. Thank you, Bill

it would appear that some one has taken a flower car and did the custom from there.

John ED Renstrom said:

it would appear that some one has taken a flower car and did the custom from there.

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It would appear that someone didn't read Bill's posts

Bill Marsh said:

As I said in my post, this car was born a 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special 4 door sedan according to the data plate. It was customized by a now out-of-business shop who had the motto, "We bring your dead vehicle back to life.

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It has been extended nearly three feet, possibly lowered.

See the picture here of this car and a 1958 Fleetwood Sixty Special. Note the difference between where the front spear ends on the door(s) and the rear spear begins.



I was hoping that someone has seen this car somewhere before and could tell me something about who made it? Who owned it 'way back?

The immediate previous owner was in Missouri. He bought it from someone in Chicago.

In the early 2000s, it belonged to someone in Rhode Island. I saw it roadside and took pictures, but no one was home at the time. The photos are 35mm unfortunately, but it had RI plates on it.

i was wondering what happened to that car. It use to show up at one of the local swap meets in illinois for years. And i know they were trying to sell it for some time. I think they wanted like $3500.00 for the car. i looked at it a few times but did not like the painted bumpers and stuff. Had been thinking about it in the recent past thinking it could be turned around into a good car with some "love and a stack of dead presidents"

Martyn Donaldson said:

It would appear that someone didn't read Bill's posts

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will yes I did read it, but I looked at the car also. remember not every builder started with a commercial chassis. only the big boys in the game. you look at the way this car is done, the roof line, the tub in a swimming pool fashion it, looks like a flower car. not a pickup conversion. (no end gate at all) why would a man customise it like that to start out with? with no access to the box but over the side. it still looks to me like the man got him a old flower car built by some one else and altered it in to this. if that's not the case he constructed it to be a flower car. because it worthless for any other purpose. also it would be the style of flower car wanted in the area that it's located in.
the fact that's it's been around for awhile means someone is taking care of it

Found a little more info. Apparently the conversion from a Fleetwood was done to make it into a flower car, back in the late 1950's. "El Cheapo Funeral Home." Was lengthened three feet also and a stainless tub installed.

Served for several years. State inspection had problems with the frame that was lengthened. Withdrawn from service.

Languished in a barn for many years, until part of the barn collapsed, damaging the SS tub and one of the rear fenders. Was pulled out and gone through by someone named "Whitney-something", about 1993.

Pretty good body man, completely redid the frame, painted it and the car began making the rounds in a parade circuit. Another guy bought it, but it had severe brake problems, only one wheel worked, parked it.

Found a note on it from a prospective buyer. Traded it for a custom Harley and some cash.

Went through a few more owners, last one in Missouri. Came to me through a broker. I did not want it, being much more into traditional authentic 1958 Cads. Broker could not sell it, kept calling me back. Got down to the price of a parts car. I decided what the hell and got it.l

Decided to paint it black, install a 500ci engine and trans and use it for a tow vehicle. Kinda like the crazy paint job after it got here. Gradually sorting it out. Had straight exhausts and flamethrowers out the rear pipes (not working) and I don't plan on getting them functional.

Kind fun playing with it because I don't have to try to make anything authentic.