American Auto Club UK founder member Mel Atkinson tells us what it’s like to have a passion for American motors – and specifically his 1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville 

I HAVE always had a passion for American cars, I don’t know why, but even as a child my favourite Dinky toys were always American cars.

When I was about 14, I did something completely out of character; I bought an Austin Ruby, for a princely £10 saved from my paper round money.

I did a great deal of work on that car and learned an awful lot about they worked, but it never went on the road.

In 1960 when I was 17, I passed my driving test and bought my first American car, a 1949 Chevrolet Fleetline.

I didn’t keep it very long, because it wasn’t much good. Ever since then I have owned an American car except when I owned Ford V8 Pilots, British-built but American in spirit.

In 1981 I was a founder member of the American Auto Club UK.

Currently I am editor of the club’s monthly magazine, we hold a local meet on the third Wednesday of every month, at the Timberdine Harvester in Worcester.

My current car is a 1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, which I have owned for 29 years.

Back in 1991 I was looking for another car, the 1964 Plymouth I owned at the time was getting a bit tired. One morning I had a phone call from a dealer and importer who was friend, who said, “I have a shipment of Cadillacs coming in the morning, you can have first choice”.

The next day I saw it standing on the forecourt, the sun gleaming on the Byzantine gold paint.

It was love at first sight. I had to have it.

It had one owner in America, a John Brown who lived in Hickory, North Carolina. Mr Brown was 85 years old in 1990 and he decided to stop driving and sell his collection of Cadillacs. He had 16 at the time, all purchased new, ranging from the early fifties to the mid-seventies, when they started down-sizing. He refused to own a small car.

My Coupe de Ville is a proper two-door Hardtop Pillarless Coupe. Not a look a like with concealed back doors. It is 19ft long by 6f 8in wide.

Worcester News:

G.M’s slogan for many years was Longer, Lower, Wider.

It has most of the things you would expect to find on a Cadillac, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, electric windows, electric seats, air conditioning, self-dipping head lights (recently re-invented by Audi).

Mr Brown didn’t take advantage of the 150 or so optional extras available that year. All this is powered by a 7.7 litre V8. This is the last of the pre-emission engines, with a 10.5-1 compression it was still rated at 375 BHP and 525-foot pounds of torque. It is quite quick, contemporary road tests reported 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds (very quick 50 years ago).

Top speed was estimated to be in the region of 135mph (estimated, because they probably couldn’t find any one brave enough to take it to that speed!).

The handling is, shall we say relaxed, wonderfully restful when cruising at the legal limit on the motor way, but a bit untidy on winding roads. The brakes are exceptionally good!

I am often asked three questions about it.

What does it do to the gallon? Not a lot.

How many bodies can you get in the boot? One more if you keep asking silly questions.

What about spares?  I haven’t needed many.

Although mechanical and service parts are readily available, and reasonably priced from specialists in this country.

Direct from America most parts are available in about three or four days. Body parts are more difficult, but some reproduction panels are becoming available.

Good second-hand body parts are generally available from the dry state wrecking yards. With heavy or bulky parts shipping can be expensive, but if you are prepared to wait, several companies offer a container shipping service, which can save a fortune.

Would I sell after all these years? Definitely not.