Chris AH Chilton

How does one improve a ’1959 Cadillac? It’s a question few have asked, and even fewer have legitimately answered. Legendary designer Chuck Jordan left little stylistic meat on the car’s bones. One could make the case that changing one is a bit…sacrilegious. That’s why Randy Wilcox left his largely alone for the first 15 years he owned it, choosing to update it mechanically instead. He swapped in a 500c.i. V8, a 700R4, and a 9-inch and had the interior trimmed in leather. So dedicated to the design was Randy that he refreshed the stock Dusky Rose Poly. “It’s kind of a salmon-pink color,” he explains. Air ride and some 18-inch wheels made the only external changes. Words: Chris Chilton. Photos: John Jackson.