While I will rarely criticize a classic high-performance classic, there are times in our lives when we all deserve to sit back and observe the world from the comfort and isolation of a luxury car. These types of vehicles aren’t suited to everyone, but they offer a perfect opportunity to escape from the hustle-and-bustle of daily life. I’m talking about cars like this 1969 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan. It is a solid vehicle with virtually no rust. It runs, drives, and would suit an enthusiast seeking a straightforward restoration project. This giant is located in Yucaipa, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $16,500, although he leaves the option for interested parties to make an offer. With seventy-three people currently watching the listing, you have to wonder whether one of them might make that strategic move.

The Cadillac is finished in a shade called Persian Sand, which the owner indicates is original. It seems that there has never been any repair or restoration work, meaning that this is 100% the paint that Cadillac applied in the factory. It looks tired today, but it could be left untouched if the buyer feels that the “shabby chic” appearance appeals to them. However, if a faithful restoration is the preferred course of action, this classic is ideally suited to that option. It appears that the Caddy might have spent a significant portion of its life in California. If this is true, it will help to explain why its rust is restricted to one small repairable spot in the trunk pan. The panels look clean, while the floors and frame are in a similar state. There are no visible dings or dents, and the glass looks crystal clear. A photo of the trunk reveals a set of fender skirts, and reattaching these would add a classy finishing touch to the exterior. All of the trim is present, but a few pieces have seen better days. I suspect that the bumpers would benefit from a trip to the platers, while the buyer may need to source a replacement for the damaged piece on the driver’s door. Overall, it seems that whipping the body and paint into shape might not be a difficult undertaking.

I would class the interior shots provided by the seller as inconclusive. They tend to indicate that the carpet is in poor shape, and the buyer may need to be prepared to spend a relatively modest $270 on a replacement set. What can be seen of the seat upholstery looks pretty clean, with no glaring faults or problems. The dash pad is cracked in a couple of places, and these areas look pretty bad. There are a couple of DIY avenues that the buyer might consider following, including performing repairs with a product like Polyvance or spending $300 on a dash cap. Finding a good original pad could prove a challenge, and expert restoration could be an expensive option. At the end of the day, it will come down to a matter of choice with the buyer’s budget in the back of their mind. It looks like there won’t be much more for the buyer to do beyond the usual cleaning and polishing.

The owner supplies no engine photos, which is disappointing. If the car remains 100% original, it should feature a 390ci V8, a four-speed Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. Depending on which version of the 390 the original owner specified, the buyer could find themselves with anything from 304hp to 345hp at their disposal. Even the least powerful engine provides enough urge to push this classic through the ¼ mile in 18 seconds, while the most powerful option only improves that figure to 17.1 seconds. It seems that this is another aspect of this Cadillac that is unlikely to consume mega-dollars. The car runs and drives well, and the only issue that the seller identifies is a faulty exhaust. He says that it makes the car “very loud,” so it sounds like the budget will need to include the cost of a replacement system. If that is the only problem, that makes this Cadillac more tempting by the minute.

If taken in isolation using today’s styling as the standard, many people would find the 1960 Cadillac Series 62 to be outrageous in appearance. However, when comparing it with its predecessor, it is almost possible to describe it as subtle and restrained. When you compare the two, you clearly see that American cars had crested the wave that was the fin era, and more subtle designs were on the horizon. When the fin era ended, it did so with a resounding crash. Cars that had only a few years earlier been considered “must-haves” had become almost an embarrassment to their owners. This saw values plummet, and low-mileage cars like this were changing hands by the mid-1960s for a fraction of their original price. However, enthusiasts have softened their stance towards these types of cars, and the right ones can command impressive prices. A 1960 Cadillac will probably never achieve the sort of price in the classic market that you might expect from a ’59 model with its iconic bullet taillights, but they do represent an affordable alternative. I suspect that is why there are so many people watching this listing and why I believe that this car is mere days away from finding a new home.