What engine does the 1939 Cadillac camera car have?

An eight-cylinder V engine with side valves (flathead V8) of 5.7 litres, paired with a 3-speed gearbox.

How was the Cadillac converted into a camera car?

In 1950 the Studios de la Victorine in Nice bought it and chief machinist Jean Gimello cut away the rear roof and trunk, replaced the rear seat with a platform for a camera, projectors and a film crew, removed the grille, and shortened the hood to fit an additional front platform.

When did the Cadillac's film career end?

At the end of the 1970s, with a final shoot for the presentation of the Renault 18.

Where was the car originally delivered?

It was delivered new in Antwerp (Anvers) in 1939 and used and well maintained for ten years as a chauffeur-driven car.

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1939 Cadillac Camera Car (Voiture Travelling) Museum Placard – Victorine Studios

French museum exhibit card describing a 1939 Cadillac camera car and its film history

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French museum exhibit placard giving the history and specifications of a 1939 Cadillac camera-car.

AI caption January 2010 · Photo 1133 of 2920

This is a photograph of a French-language exhibit placard describing a 1939 Cadillac 'Voiture Travelling' (camera/tracking car). The card states the car has a 3-speed gearbox and a 5.7-litre flathead (side-valve) V8 engine. It was delivered new in Antwerp in 1939 and used as a chauffeur-driven car for ten years. In 1950 the Studios de la Victorine in Nice purchased the Cadillac, and chief machinist Jean Gimello converted it: the rear roof section and trunk were cut away and the rear seat replaced with a platform for mounting a camera, lights, and a film crew; the grille was removed and the hood shortened to allow an additional front platform. The placard lists famous films shot in the south of France that used the car, including Fanfan la Tulipe (Christian Jacques, with Gérard Philipe), Le Salaire de la Peur (Clouzot, with Yves Montand and Charles Vanel), Le Tricporteur (Jacques Pinoteau, with Darry Cowl), Le Testament d'Orphée (Jean Cocteau, with Jean Marais), and La Nuit Américaine (François Truffaut, with Jean-Pierre Léaud). The car's film career ended in the late 1970s with a final shoot presenting the Renault 18. A GEFCO logo appears at the bottom.

This document covers 1939, which may differ from this 1991 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.

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Frequently asked questions

What engine does the 1939 Cadillac camera car have?: An eight-cylinder V engine with side valves (flathead V8) of 5.7 litres, paired with a 3-speed gearbox.
How was the Cadillac converted into a camera car?: In 1950 the Studios de la Victorine in Nice bought it and chief machinist Jean Gimello cut away the rear roof and trunk, replaced the rear seat with a platform for a camera, projectors and a film crew, removed the grille, and shortened the hood to fit an additional front platform.
Which famous films used this Cadillac camera car?: Fanfan la Tulipe (Christian Jacques, with Gérard Philipe), Le Salaire de la Peur (Clouzot, with Yves Montand and Charles Vanel), Le Tricporteur (Jacques Pinoteau, with Darry Cowl), Le Testament d'Orphée (Jean Cocteau, with Jean Marais), and La Nuit Américaine (François Truffaut, with Jean-Pierre Léaud).
When did the Cadillac's film career end?: At the end of the 1970s, with a final shoot for the presentation of the Renault 18.
Where was the car originally delivered?: It was delivered new in Antwerp (Anvers) in 1939 and used and well maintained for ten years as a chauffeur-driven car.