Capone’s 1928 Cadillac. Photos from www.autoblog.com

Al Capone set the standard for Mafia Godfathers. One of the most powerful crime bosses in history, Capone was brutal and ruthless when it came to business. Chicago became the capital for organized crime in the prohibition era, and Capone built his kingdom on bootlegged booze and prostitution. He often resorted to murder to rule his empire.

The vehicle most associated with Capone was the power 1928 Cadillac V8 Town Sedan. The Caddy looked flashy and worthy of a mafia boss. Looks aside, the car was fast for the time, sporting a huge Caddy series 341 V8. This was a marked improvement over the series 314 V8, not only in displacement but design. This was also the year that Cadillac introduced the synchromesh transmission and asbestos fabric clutch.

Capone knew that men in his position led short lives so he took the necessary precautions to prevent his own death in the beloved Cadillac. Installing inch-thick bulletproof glass and 3,000 pounds of steel armor plating to protect against an ambush, the notorious gangster also outfitted the car with a police siren and a radio that operated on the police band.

Rumors had the car being seized by the Government and used by FDR, but these were untrue. The car was seized by the government and auctioned off for payment of back taxes. A Chicago auto dealer bought the car and promptly found out that it was illegal to operate an armored car. The dealer sold the car to Englishman Harry Elmo LaBreque, in May of 1933. LaBreque took the car back to Britain where it has been shown at several different musuems and shows.