KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Richard Petty’s 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood limo, abandoned for 30 years, is being revived and filmed by YouTuber Dylan McCool. Petty himself makes an appearance.
- The Fleetwood has sat in a field for nearly three decades, but the interior has held up well and the engine looks intact, giving hope for its revival.
- After some work on the engine and fuel system, the Fleetwood starts up and even moves again, showcasing its impressive resilience after years of neglect.
Richard Petty is one of the most iconic names in the history of NASCAR. The man commonly known as “the King” raced in NASCAR from 1958 to 1992, and he would become most famous for driving the iconic No.43, complete in Petty blue, throughout much of his career. Petty became the first driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship seven times, something only Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson were able to match. Petty also won the Daytona 500 a record seven times.
When it comes to his vehicles though, one in Petty’s possession was the 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood limo. Abandoned for some 30 years, YouTuber and classic vehicle hunter Dylan McCool recently gained permission to not only film the iconic Fleetwood but to revive it and get it running again. This process is in a video on McCool’s channel, that even featured Petty himself coming and taking a look at this incredible car. It’s a vehicle with a steeped history, with extra value thanks to its iconic owner.
Once upon a time the Fleetwood Sixty Special was a top pick for quality and style, our exclusive render shows how it looks with a restomod makeover.
Petty Has A Back Row Of Personal Cars Long Since Abandoned
1974 Cadillac Fleetwood 500 Ci V8 Engine Specs
| Manufacturer | Cadillac/General Motors |
| Production Years | 1969-1977 |
| Configuration | Naturally-Aspirated V8 |
| Displacement | 8.2-Liter |
| Power | 210 Hp |
| Torque | 380 lb-ft |
| Fuel | Gas |
| Notable Applications | Cadillac Seville |
(Sourced from Concept Carz, Automobile Catalog & Mac’s Motor City Garage)
McCool and his team are working on a row of cars that Petty owners called his “back row.” All of these cars have sat here for several years, and need a lot of work. The Fleetwood itself was last registered on the road back in 1995, making it nearly 30 years since it last moved. Petty himself said that the car ran fine when it was last parked up, and he bought the car from a funeral home. McCool and his team are going to dig the car out and try to get it to run and drive for the first time in 28 years.
The Fleetwood is at the edge of a sheer drop, propped up against tires and other items that act as a barrier for the Fleetwood and other cars. Considering the time it spent outside, the interior of the Fleetwood has held up quite well, with the material still in place on the seats and the dashboard looking quite complete. The back shows the extra seats that made the Fleetwood a limo, something that surprised the YouTuber.
The team managed to locate the hood release which still works, and under the hood is a 500 ci V8 engine, a monster of an engine. Even the radiator and the A/C unit are huge, which further emphasizes how big the car is as a whole.
Luckily, everything under the hood looks intact, meaning there is a good chance this Fleetwood will run again. There is even enough gas left in the system to fire up the Fleetwood. One of the first jobs the team undertakes is to remove the old battery which will be very flat, and replace it with a new unit to allow the Fleetwood to start up.
The Cadillac Fleetwood is a luxury car produced between the year 1976 and 1996.
Petty Himself Pays A Visit To His Old Fleetwood
Richard Petty’s NASCAR Achievements
- Petty has won seven NASCAR Cup Series titles
- The King has also taken victory at the Daytona 500 seven times
- Petty holds the record for most consecutive NASCAR Cup Series wins (10 in 1967)
- Petty has the most wins in NASCAR Cup Series history (200 victories)
The team works on the engine, injects some starter fluid, and attempts to crank the engine. The initial fire-up is reluctant, but a second attempt sees the Fleetwood spring to life and it even idles on its own with no assistance from McCool or his colleagues.
Petty, who famously raced the Plymouth Superbird in NASCAR, heads down to have a look at the Fleetwood and see it running for the first time in nearly three decades. It’s impressive how little effort McCool needed to get the Fleetwood living again.
Petty talks briefly about the car and can’t quite remember how this car became a part of his collection. He says it just showed up one day, and that it was a former hearse vehicle before he purchased it. McCool is working with Petty’s grandson and he confirms it was a funeral service car, and his grandson’s father took the Fleetwood on a bachelor trip and found a casket key in the car. It’s apparently a legacy leftover from its days being a hearse. Petty is quite surprised at the fact that it still fires up, and hopes that McCool can get it driving out of its resting spot.
Petty takes a quick look at the old spark plugs from the car and concurs that they need replacing. McCool and Petty’s grandson, Thad Moffitt, work on the fuel system for the Cadillac in the hope they can get it idling and ticking over for a good period. A couple of cranks later, the Fleetwood fires up again, even if it does lose its power steering belt. The engine, however, did die so they prepared to rig up an electric pump to allow the engine to run for a longer period.
Petty’s crew chief Dale Inman and his daughter Rebecca offer an inside look at the museum and share stories of Petty’s legendary racing career.
The Fleetwood Eventually Moves Again After Nearly 30 Years
The Story Of Petty’s 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood
- Petty bought the former V8 hearse car from a funeral home
- The Fleetwood has sat in a field for 28 years, last registered in 1995
- The father of Petty’s grandson took the Fleetwood on a stag weekend
- The car comes complete with its extra rear seats
Rather than drive the Fleetwood from its spot, McCool and Moffitt tow it out of its parking spot, to allow them more room. The Cadillac is an incredibly long car, with it hiding its length when it was among the trees and over vehicles. The next step involves working on the transmission, to diagnose whether or not it even works. After this, they fire the Fleetwood up again and see if it will move and it does start to inch forward, before finally emerging from its resting place.
The iconic Richard Petty 1974 Dodge Charger is still in running condition, a car that took Petty to two NASCAR championships in 1974 and 1975.
The Fleetwood’s Original Tires Still Hold Air
The Fleetwood then gets cleaned up a bit to remove much of the mud and dirt, and it gets a power wash too, so it looks as good as new. Even the tires on the old limo have cleaned up well, and amazingly they are holding their air.
A short drive follows for the freshly cleaned Cadillac, showing it has plenty of life left in it despite its nearly three decades sat under trees and gathering dirt and mud. It has taken a bit of work, and the radiator gave up after a short while, but it’s amazing to see this leviathan of the road up and running again.
Sources: Dylan McCool YouTube Channel, Concept Carz, Automobile Catalog, Mac’s Motor City Garage