The legends say Al Capone’s bulletproof Cadillac weighed a staggering 8,000 pounds, packed with thick steel plates and glass so tough it could stop bullets and could speed through corners faster than anything on the road.
But here’s the real story behind the myth, straight from restoration experts and automotive historians who’ve actually worked on the gangster’s ride.
Truth is, the Cadillac Series 341-A was a tank for its time, but not an oversized behemoth. That 8,000-pound figure? Not far off. The real weight clocks in closer to 7,900 pounds still hella heavy but more believable considering the era’s materials and engineering. Standard thrown-on body armor added roughly 3,000 pounds to the original frame, which already handled a stately 5,000-plus pounds.
The windows featured bulletproof glass about half an inch thick a glass so thick it barely went down on the windows and required a special drop-down rear window to let Capone’s men stick out their Tommy guns. The steel armor was layered inside the doors and body panels, designed to protect against machine gun fire and street ambushes during those chaotic Prohibition days.
The engine? A modest 341 cubic inch V8 cranking out 90 horsepower not exactly a rocket by today's standards. But paired with the Cadillac’s hefty weight, top speeds topped out around 70 to 75 mph not the mythic 110 mph some stories like to toss around. Handling wasn’t miraculous either; this was a heavy, slow cruiser built more for protection than cornering prowess.
Still, what it lacked in nimbleness, it made up for in intimidation.
So, while the Cadillac wasn’t as speedy as some claim, it was a fortress on wheels that gave Al Capone the edge he needed in a city crawling with gunfire.
