The Leviathan

It’s 1947. Postwar Philippines is still busy rebuilding itself from the ravages of the Second World War. In between the busy days when buildings have to be built, roads constructed, political issues settled, and national services gotten up and running, there are parades to be done. Parades done on special days when the government has to remind the people that, yes, this is a country on the road back to recovery.

To do this with the requisite pomp and circumstance one needs a car. A special car. A car with the pedigree and visual impact reflective of the men it transports in executive dignity. It is a 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood, originally owned by the late Tomas Morato, who now has a well-known avenue in his name in Quezon City. Specially transported from the United States, the Cadillac was and still remains an impressive sight to behold. Seeming acres of curvaceous steel that remind not so much of, say, any Jaguar’s grace but instead the power and the glory of the battleship New Jersey.

Inside, a cabin rather like that ship’s captain’s as well. Huge, sofa-like benches in front and back dressed in functional fabric. Generous swaths of genuine wood trim. Abundant leg- and headroom, too. A still-original speedometer as large as a ship’s, framed by a steering wheel that might pass for that of a ship as well. Except for modern oil pressure and amperage gauges, this car’s interior is still pretty much how it must have looked to General Douglas MacArthur when he rode in it... as it also did to other presidents, mayors, senators, and congressmen who rode in the car.

Under the hood it’s much the same story. The 345 cc. V8 rumbles to life in what sounds to be good condition. Modern ignition cables, wires, and spark plugs, however, are provided by Z-Speed to keep the engine combusting efficiently. Pete Morato, son of the late Tomas Morato, heads that company and is now the proud owner of the Cadillac. His other cars? "I just drive a regular car, a [Mitsubishi] Galant VR. I also have a 1977 [Ford] Club Wagon in great condition."

Z-Speed Motorsports Products specializes in high performance ignition products such as ignition cables, spark plugs, and high-tension wires. It is the exclusive distributor of the Blue Thunder brand (among others), which they market to more than 50 outlets in Metro Manila and Iloilo. Aside from modern ignition systems, the car uses modern synthetic oils and high-octane gasoline.

Approximately 60,000 Cadillac Fleetwoods of that model year were built. Not an all- new design at the time (the type originally came out in 1938, but production was interrupted by World War II), Fleetwood owners enjoyed a fairly radical innovation at the time : the three-speed "Hydramatic" transmission, which has evolved, been adapted (or copied) by manufacturers the world over, and now called by any other name as an automatic transmission.

This particular car has a 4-speed "Syncromesh" manual transmission, however. Mounted on the steering column, one wonders at the skill needed to pilot this car when it must be noted that it’s almost as long as a Ford Expedition.

That’s Pete’s driver’s concern. Passengers sit in the back in privacy, separated from the driver’s compartment by a thick glass partition. From 1947 to 1969, the car was regularly used until it deteriorated enough to warrant storage in a warehouse. There it sat for nearly 11 years until Pete decided to restore the car, which he realized was the only example of its kind in the country. A several-year hiatus resumed, in which the car was again allowed to sit still again until Pete decided that it was time to give the car a true freshening up.

Parts were sourced from the U.S. at prices that were surprisingly reasonable. Bodywork, engine work, electricals, paint, and trim were either restored or replaced by Z-Speed mechanics. Restoration took several years, but now the car is virtually priceless. It is, after all, the only 1947 Fleetwood in the country... and it’s still running. Even the white-walled tires are authentic.

If you ever happen to pass by a café or bar like Virgin or Studebaker’s and see a black behemoth, that’s probably this car. Nowadays, "I just drive 5, 6 blocks in the neighborhood and then I go home. Kung may gimik sa cafe, I have my driver bring me there then mejo maganda dating, di’ba?", Pete says. It’s quite a conversation peace, after all.