Historically chronicled below is information on how the very first experimental Cadillac with fins (a prewar creation of the 1930s) came into existence. Not surprisingly, it's another mystifying climax-in-sheet-metal from the chain of Harley J. Earl milestones. This article is from the November-December 1998 Cadillac LaSalle Club magazine, cover shown directly below, that was written by Kirk Wentland. In his own words, he explains how this one-off custom job was indeed brought to life for Buck Jones by the late great Designer-Earl.

In October 2000, I (Richard Earl) started having conversations with Kirk Wentland on how this motoramic masterpiece was shaped by "Hollywood" Harley Earl...He sent me his historical photos, which I then had professionally duplicated. Then I put up the following page of information that has been located at the "Tail Fins Rising" section of the Official Harley Earl website - carofthecentury.com - for the last four years. In other words, the research done so far clearly indicates the Buck Jones Cadillac to be 100 percent authentic.

In February 2005 Jon Janofsky purchased this car from Kirk and his father, Charles Wentland who were involved with the car for over fifty years! Here's what Mr. Janofsky said in a recent phone conversation, "I probably wouldn't have bought the Buck Jones Cadillac if I hadn't seen the historical information (shown below) on this car up at the Official Harley Earl Website."

Richard Earl helped with the sale of the Buck Jones Cadillac and in order to have Harley Earl's first high-finned motoramic roadster become a turn-key Pebble Beach Concourse car, it will need a proper restoration. 

Here are some recent photos:

Last two photos, shown above, are of the B.J. Cadillac in its original form.

Oxnard, California - June 2005, Richard finally united with the Buck Jones Cadillac that he had been researching for years.