1957 Cadillac Coupe de Ville has a story and a home in Jay

Jay Leno has had enough Money and connections allowed him to buy any car he wanted. But when it came to this 1957 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, it seemed he had no choice. Decades earlier, a World War II veteran wanted to give it to Leno, and he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. He did wait three weeks for an official response, but in the end Leno accepted his generous, yet rudely insistent offer.

Leno pulled the Cadillac into his massive garage with the intent of giving it a quick restoration. But things didn’t go as planned. Instead, Leno and his team got into trouble, updating one thing, then replacing another… then another… and by the time they were done, the free Cadillac had new paint, a new interior, a rebuilt engine, a better cooling system, and a more modern transmission.

When the overhaul began, the body was a drab beige. Rather than paint the Coupe de Ville in a similarly forgettable color, Leno opted for Ferrari blue.

Leno also chose a different color for the spacious cabin. He removed the cheap brown vinyl and replaced it with two-tone blue seat surfaces and upholstery. To make the spacious space even more comfortable (both physically and mentally), a Vintage Air climate control system and seat belts were installed.

In addition to the rebuild, the 365ci V8 was equipped with a custom water pump, a larger radiator, an electric fan, an Edelbrock carburetor, and an electric fuel pump. The original transmission was replaced with a 400R. Leno kept the generator, but he converted the internals to the alternator hardware.

Despite the new parts, this Coupe de Ville is still a classic Cadillac on the road. It comes with conveniences like power windows, steering, and brakes. According to Leno, it gets compliments wherever he drives it. If getting there requires driving along a curvy road, the trip would be more challenging, as driving a Cadillac is “a bit like commandeering a yacht.”

This classic American car has undergone a long metamorphosis from an old two-door to a restored clunker. It all started with the power of the word “yes”… eventually.