There is probably no car that better exemplifies the automotive design excesses of the 1950s than the 1959 Cadillac. From its towering fins to its bullet taillights and glistening grille, it seemed to contain something for everyone. The one feature it lacked was the acres of chrome that had been a hallmark of General Motors products only a few years earlier. Today, any ’59 Caddy is guaranteed to draw a crowd, and this Sedan De Ville should be no exception. It presents beautifully and has a genuine and documented 34,000 miles showing on its odometer. After years in storage, it has returned to active duty, ready to head to a new home. It is listed here on eBay in Clinton, Pennsylvania. Bidding sits at $27,000, although it is yet to reach the reserve.

One look at the back of a 1959 Cadillac reveals the iconic fins and bullet taillights. Many consider these the defining styling feature, although the bumpers and glistening grille attest to Harley Earl’s passion for chrome embellishments. While Bill Mitchell receives credit as this car’s chief designer, Harley Earl still exerted his influence on General Motors’ styling in the days leading up to the final design of the ’59 model. Therefore, while this car features less of Earl’s signature chrome excesses, there were still touches of which he approved. The seller indicates this classic underwent a repaint in its original London Gray, and they believe it may have happened in the 1980s. The car has spent a considerable period in hibernation, making its exterior condition no surprise. The paint shines beautifully, with no significant flaws or problems. It cloaks panels that are laser straight and feature tight and consistent gaps. There is no rust in the original floors, quarter panels, or rockers to cause buyers sleepless nights, and the E-Z-Eye tinted glass is perfect. The Gray paint could have given the Caddy a somber appearance, but the sparkling chrome protects it from that fate.

If this Cadillac has a genuine highlight, that honor may fall to its interior. The original owner ordered it trimmed in Code 40’s combination of Silver, Black, and White. It is impressive, but there are a couple of faults worth noting. The upholstered surfaces look excellent, with no wear or discoloring. The dash pad is okay but is warped above the radio and near the left-hand end. The carpet looks good, and the crack-prone wheel is free from problems. The Caddy is a luxury car, and this one is loaded to the brim with comfort features. The buyer receives power windows, power vent windows, a six-way power seat, cruise control, the ultra-cool Autronic eye, and an AM radio with a power antenna.

When a car tips the scales at 5,000lbs, it requires something special under the hood if progress is to be anything but glacial. This De Ville delivers because its engine bay houses a 390ci V8 producing 325hp and 430 ft/lbs of torque. The power feeds to the rear wheels via a four-speed Hydramatic transmission. Cadillac’s focus may have been on the luxury segment, but this car’s ability to cover the ¼ mile in 17.6 seconds is nonetheless impressive. When the seller located this classic, it had been hiding for over three decades. They worked through reviving the car by rebuilding the original carburetor and fuel pump, recoring the radiator, adding a new exhaust built to original specifications, bolting on new tires, and performing other necessary tasks to ensure it was in excellent mechanical health. It proved worth the effort because it runs and drives well, making it a turnkey proposition for its next owner.

The styling of the 1959 Cadillac doesn’t appeal to all tastes and provides us with an opportunity to reflect on vehicle development. By the time this car rolled off the production line, the fin trend had peaked. The 1960 Cadillac range still featured fins, but they were no longer the giants of the previous year. By the mid-1960s, fins were a distant memory, and that caused many owners problems. They found their cars largely unloved, and finding buyers when they decided to part with their now undesirable Caddy proved difficult. Values plummeted, and many ’59 models ended their days in a scrapyard. Today, those same cars are coveted by enthusiasts, and values continue to climb. The Sedan De Ville is not as desirable as its Coupe sibling, but I think the bidding will need to nudge $30,000 before passing the reserve. Have you ever owned a ’59 Cadillac? If you did, was the experience enjoyable enough for you to consider a repeat performance?