Tragically beautiful car on fire outside Pony
Originally uploaded by &y
A surreal scene late Friday night as a classic car burned in the middle of Madison. Onlookers from the Pony bar and nearby streets gawked through the smoke as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze starting around 11:50 PM. Thanks to @andypixel for the picture from the scene.
Here’s another image from the scene from @DrObvious : 
@AdamCSmith weighs in with an ID on the model of the car: ’61 or ’62 Cadillac, he says. Here’s what Google says a 1961 Caddy looks like.
It’s a 1960 model.
As much as I like the song of the term hot rod, this is a classic at the top of the list in its class.
In the 1960ies era, this Caddy would have been the stuff of the mega money Hollywood star set, very rich upper crust families, a play car, and other bold wealthy buyers.
The lines of these Caddy’s have stood the test of design time.
Would that it was fire engine red ….Black interior.
They has a giant premium cast iron V-8 engine and would cruise at 90 per hour and top out at about 120.
Too cool indeed.
It was a Cadillac El Dorado, probably early 60s.
I’m not a car expert but here is a (quite similar looking) Cadillac El Dorado at last year’s Kirkland Classic Car Festival. Photo by rikrose.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikrose/2686438353/
Was on the street outside Pony when this car turned the corner off 12th Ave. As soon as the car made the turn, you could see some sparks coming from underneath the ‘yacht’ – within a matter of feet that spark was a flame. Fortuantely, the woman driving took the onlookers words literally, “You’re on fire!” and quickly got out of the car. The car quickly became engulfed in smoke. Saddest part of the whole scene: when the firemen put a hatchet into the hood of the car to get it open and make sure nothing else was burning.
I happen to be nearby when the fire started and got some good pics:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=capitol+hill+fire&w=67596928