Peter Linney, the car photographer’s personal car: A 1953 Cadillac convertible
When Peter Linney arrived to Los Angeles in 1981 he was very keen to find that real American car as an everyday driver and camera car. It took a few years for him, but one day he found this 53 sitting in a back yard in Hollywood. It had been there for over 16 years and all his friends thought he was nuts buying this “wreck”. But they did not see what he saw, and he soon had it under a tent roof in a friends garden and it took him about 6 month working most days on it to get it on the road.
The car featured an overhauled original engine, a decent paint job, and a new leather seat that the owner crafted himself. It also received a good chrome job. He drove this car daily without issue until 2003 when he acquired his first Avalanche to use as a camera car.
After a few years parked, he disassembled it again for a much better restoration. Much of the work was still done by him, though several new Cadillac friends were a great help. Knowing where to source parts was crucial. Upon completion, the car was nearly a 9 out of 10 and he quickly realized its significant value.
He utilized the car for many of his photo shoots—scantily clad women particularly loved it—and it also appeared in a few film productions. During one shoot, when the electric gas pump failed, he bought a replacement nearby and was doing the repair work on the ground while filming continued overhead, a testament to the fast pace of film production.
His two young daughters also adored the car, and they often spent Friday evenings having cheeseburgers at Bob’s Big Boy in Studio City. Over time, however, finding safe parking became difficult, and people constantly approached him, wanting to buy it wherever he drove or parked. To the great disappointment of his daughters, the car was ultimately sold for a good sum. He agrees with the saying that classic cars are a better investment than the stock market.
