1931 LaSalle

This 1931 LaSalle Model 345A is a Fleetwood-bodied seven-passenger touring car that was delivered new to the Adams Motor Company of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was reportedly used as a livery vehicle at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. It was purchased by the current owner out of Arizona in 1956 and was first refurbished in the early 1960s. A second refurbishment was completed in 2015, after which the car was awarded the AACA National First Prize in Tuscon, Arizona. It was also awarded the CCCA National First Prize in Forest Grove, Oregon in July of that year, and was also shown at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The car is finished in green with black fenders over black leather upholstery, and power comes from a numbers-matching 353ci V8 paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Features include a tan folding top with a wood frame, an external trunk, 18″ wood spoke wheels, dual side-mount spare wheels, a heron hood ornament, a grille screen, driving lamps, and rear jump seats. This LaSalle is now offered on dealer consignment in Fullerton, California, with a copy of the factory order sheet, a 1931 Cadillac-LaSalle shop manual, a 2017 magazine article written by the owner, service records, and a clean Arizona title in the name of the owner’s trust. Delivered from the factory in Scarab Green with Arizona Gray trim and black fenders, the car is said to have been repainted in its factory colors in 2014. Features include chrome bumpers, an external rear trunk, running boards, driving lamps, a polished radiator surround with a screen and a heron hood ornament, a badge bar with AACA National First Prize and CCCA First Prize plaques. The tan Haartz Stayfast top is fitted over a wood frame, and a matching trunk cover is included. A set of side curtains is included in the sale and can be seen in the gallery below. Wear is noted on the rubber running board covers. The wood-spoke wheels feature body-color rims as well as black and white pinstriping, and they are mounted with 7.00–18 Dunlop Fort bias-ply tires. The Model 345A rides on a 134″ wheelbase and semi-elliptical leaf springs. Braking is handled by mechanical drums at all four corners. The cabin features front and rear benches, as well as rear jump seats, trimmed in black leather that also covers the door and side panels. Tan carpets line the floors, and features include door pockets, a rear robe rail, and a rear footrest. The four-spoke steering wheel fronts a body-color dashboard and a patterned instrument panel housing a 120-mph barrel speedometer, a clock, an ammeter, and gauges for oil pressure, fuel level, and oil temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 21k miles. Total mileage is unknown. The 353ci V8 was factory rated at 95 horsepower at 3,000 rpm and is said to have been rebuilt during the 1960s refurbishment. An oil change was last performed in 2019 according to the selling dealer. Engine block stamping 900897 matches the engine number listed on the copy of the factory order sheet below. It is also the number by which the car is titled. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed synchromesh manual transmission. The copy of the factory order sheet is dated July 16, 1931, and lists original paint colors, powertrain and body numbers, and options, the latter including a radiator screen and heron hood ornament. Photos of the car at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance can be seen in the gallery.