David Hime | The Wichita Eagle

One of the owner's favorite aspects of this car is its long, gracefully sloping roof line, which emphasizes the car's imposing size. | The Wichita Eagle

One of the few changes in the car is the front seat upholstery, which was replaced with fabric from a similar car. Hime hopes to find the right material to perfectly match the immaculate rear seat. | The Wichita Eagle

The Cadillac's build sheet indicates it came with blackwall tires and red wheels, but there's no denying the Firestone wide whitewall bias-ply tires add a touch of class to the overall package. | The Wichita Eagle

The Cadillac crest is prominently featured on the sloping decklid and is in pristine condition. | The Wichita Eagle

Even the fender skirts carry iconic Cadillac badging; the '41 still had separate fenders and running boards, reflecting earlier styling. | The Wichita Eagle

One of the most striking changes in the '41 Cadillac was its massive egg crate grille, which carried over into later model years. | The Wichita Eagle

The interior of the '41 Cadillac shows only minimal wear, appropriate for a car built just before WWII. It was the first year for a fully automatic transmission in a Cadillac, but the Himes' car came equipped with the tried-and-true 3-speed manual gearbox. | The Wichita Eagle

If there was any question whether the pre-war Cadillac was a luxury car, a glance at the sumptuous back seat clears up any doubt. Passengers were treated to plush seating featuring center and side armrests, the latter equipped with rolltop ash trays. | The Wichita Eagle

Standard in all Cadillacs in 1941 was a 346 cubic inch flathead V-8 producting 150 horsepower. Note the dual-chambered oil bath air cleaner and the unusual location for the exhaust crossover pipe, on top of the engine. | The Wichita Eagle

The decorative vents along either sideof the long hood are functional, helping to vent engine heat to the outside. | The Wichita Eagle