Louie Mattar purchased a 1947 Cadillac and the car had all the modern features of the period but that was not enough for Louie Mattar. He spent the next 5 years completely changing the brand-new Cadillac. He spent $75,000 on these changes and all of them change this modern Cadillac into something the world had never seen before. Louie Mattar had a dream to drive his car from San Diego to New York and back without stopping once. For the period, it was an unheard-of feat and it was only due to the number of modifications
Over those five years he made the car almost unrecognizable. The back seat of the car was modified to include an electric stove, a chemical toilet, a washing machine, a working refrigerator, an ironing board and even a sink. The front of the car was also modified to include a full bar, a PA system, a Turkish water pipe and even a mobile phone. Louie Mattar was able to get his phone hooked into the brand new wireless telephone system that was just developing at the time. On the rear panels outside the car was a shower and drinking fountain.
But the car was not modified just for creature comforts for the three men who would be taking turns driving. Louie knew that cars were not always reliable, especially on long road trips, so he had to make sure that repairs could be made on the car while on the go. One of the most ingenious changes was to modify the car so that the tire could be changed while driving. Using hydraulic lifts and small but strong tires he was able to lift any corner of the car up and let it run on the small wheels. Then platforms were deployed around the car to allow one of the riders to get out of the car and stand next to it and change the tire while the car was in motion. The platforms were also used in case the engine needed to be worked on during the drive. Clear panels in the hood meant that the men could get access to the engine without obstructing the view of the driver.
But all these modifications meant nothing if the car could not keep running without stopping. This meant two major problems, water for the radiator and fuel. He built a reservoir for the radiator that had 50 gallons of water (which was shared with all the appliances). There was also 15 gallons for oil so that the car could change its own oil through a device of Louie’s creating. The tires were also able to re-inflate themselves in case of small holes or leaks.
There still remained the problem of gas, he needed gas to keep the car going but getting gas typically meant stopping to refuel. So how did Louie Mattar use his own ingenuity to ensure that he could get the gas he needed to keep going without ever stopping? Read on to find out!