An unusual order was placed for a Cadillac in May, 1972. It came from The White House. President Richard Nixon wanted a Sable Black Fleetwood Eldorado Coupe to give as a gift from the American people to Soviet Communist Party Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. And he needed it in three days! It seems Brezhnev was a bit of a car enthusiast, and what better gift to receive than a new Cadillac? Cadillac Division manufacturing executives rushed to locate a Sable Black Eldorado Coupe with dual red accent stripe on the assembly line or waiting on a lot to be shipped, but couldnt locate anything that would be suitable. Finally, one was located on the receiving dock, just minutes after it had arrived from Fisher Body. The car was literally walked down the assembly line, with every available supervisor on duty to ensure top quality. After being quickly tested on Detroit freeways, the car was detailed at the factory, the trunk was loaded up with extra parts, a set of service manuals, and a few special tools that might be required for future servicing. An assortment of popular 8-track tapes was sent along as well. The car was shipped by truck to Selfridge Air Force Base near Detroit, where it was loaded onto a military transport for its long journey overseas. Nixon arrived in Moscow on May 22nd, and for the first time in history, the American flag flew over the Grand Palace of the Kremlin to mark the visit. It was reported that the gift thrilled Brezhnev.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 21:12:04 +0000
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