As the 1960s dawned and the styling trend of enormous fins faded into a distant memory, it impacted cars like the 1959 Cadillac more than most. Buyers paid a premium to slip behind the wheel of a ’59 Caddy because it was a car that loudly and proudly shouted to the world that its owner was a success. However, the automotive “must-have” soon developed a cringe factor, and owners struggled to achieve a reasonable price when they upgraded from a 1959 model to the latest offering. Times change and the ’59 Cadillac is, once again, a desirable classic commanding a premium in the current market. This is especially true if the vehicle is a Convertible like our feature car. It is a tidy, driver-grade luxury drop-top that needs a new home. The seller listed it here on eBay in Chicago, Illinois. Spirited bidding has pushed the price to $87,532, which is below the reserve.
The current design and safety regulations mean we will never see another car like the ’59 Cadillac. Can you imagine the reaction of legislators if any manufacturers slipped the covers off a new model featuring enormous fins and bullet taillights of this type? After they’d hyperventilated and passed out, they would regain consciousness and tell that company to go away and start again. That’s a fair call, but it was not a concern when this classic rolled off the production line. Safety was almost taboo as manufacturers concentrated on styling, features, and power. This Convertible brings those attributes to the table, and while it isn’t perfect, its condition is impressive for a driver-grade offering. Its Dover White paint shines nicely, with no flaws or problems visible in the supplied photos. The seller doesn’t mention the presence of rust, and there isn’t even surface corrosion worthy of mention. The Caddy features a new power top and all-new operating hardware. The chrome and trim look excellent, as does the glass. The seller’s decision to add wide whitewall tires adds the perfect finishing touch to this classic’s exterior.
With the company’s focus firmly on luxury over performance, it is unsurprising that this Convertible tips the scales at 5,030lbs. That’s a lot of steel, and Cadillac recognized it would take something special to get the ’59 up and moving at a decent speed. They opted for a 390ci V8 producing 325hp. The power gets to the road via the rear wheels and a four-speed Hydramatic transmission, with power assistance for the steering and brakes as standard features on a car of this caliber. Performance figures are largely irrelevant, but this beauty could still cover the ¼ mile in 17.7 seconds before winding its way to 125mph. A 1959 Lincoln could trump those figures, but many believe it lacked the presence of the Caddy. The seller indicates this Convertible’s odometer shows 37,000 miles, but it is unclear whether it has turned over. They say the car runs and drives well, meaning the new owner can hit the road immediately for a spot of top-down classic motoring pleasure.
This Convertible may be a driver-grade car rather than a pristine vehicle, but there’s not much wrong with its interior. The carpet is marked on the outer edge on the driver’s side, but the lack of other wear would prompt me to have it professionally cleaned before spending money on a replacement carpet set. Beyond that, there’s little to criticize. The dash top on ’59s can be prone to UV damage and deterioration, but this one looks nice. The seats have no appreciable wear, and there are no aftermarket additions. It isn’t overflowing with optional extras, but the seller admits the air conditioning requires recharging. Otherwise, the buyer receives power windows, a power front seat, and a pushbutton AM radio.
Motoring trends can be fickle, and the 1959 Cadillac demonstrates this. Buyers were willing to pay a premium to drive off the showroom floor in a new example, but values sank like a stone throughout the 1960s as the buying public lost its desire for the finned wonders. Many of these classics fell into disrepair before making their final journey to the scrapyard. It took several decades for enthusiasts to rediscover their affection for these gems, resulting in values climbing steadily since the turn of the century. The last couple of years have been stellar for the ’59, and the forty-one bids submitted on this Convertible demonstrate that development. Our feature car isn’t perfect, but it appears to be an above-average driver that could potentially nudge into six-figure territory before the auction ends. That’s too rich for me, but I’m still going to watch the auction to see how it develops. Who’s going to join me?
One of the few convertibles that look just as cool, if not cooler, with the top up.
I like the 1960 better, the fins are a bit more “subtle”, but this is still bad-a$$!.
As someone else mentioned on a previous listing, if the AC only needs a recharge why didn’t the seller recharge it prior to the listing? Then he/she could say it works. Perhaps they tried and found out it was a more serious issue? Be prepared for expensive surprises if you are the “lucky” winner of the auction.
After posting the above I read the actual Ebay ad. The seller said: “Factory AC is all there but needs to be serviced.” so I apologise for thinking he/she said it only needed a recharge as that clearly isn’t the case.
(It was Adam who made that claim. It was a logical suggestion, but perhaps not accurate to the situation).
Considering this `59 is “driver grade”–meaning it gets road use–I think the $87K current bid is way overpriced, and hasn’t even hit the owner’s reserve. For that price, I expect a spotless trailer queen of a `59 you could eat off of.
My second grade teacher, Mrs, Moorehead, had a 1954 yellow Cadillac convertible at the beginning of the school year. I used to look out the window and fantasize about that car.
Then, in the Spring of ’59, she shows up to school in a new 1959 Cadillac convertible in mint green.
Talk about not learning a damn thing in second grade. Spent all my time staring at that car.
My second grade teacher, Mrs, Moorehead, had a 1954 yellow Cadillac convertible at the beginning of the school year. I used to look out the window and fantasize about that car.
Then, in the Spring of ’59, she shows up to school in a new 1959 Cadillac convertible in mint green.
Talk about not learning a damn thing in second grade. Spent all my time staring at that car.
Boss of the highway. All others move over.
The second picture shows a great contrast from then to now.
Back when the name Cadillac meant something special. A few years ago I watched a TV special featuring a retired GM muckedy muck who compared the ’59 droptop with a current (2018-2019) Caddy and tried to tell folks how far Cadillac has come. I wish I could get some of whatever he was smoking….
There is a lot of nice looking convertibles throughout the years but IMO the ’59 Cadillac (and the 1960) is at the top of the list.
I restored a ’59 Eldorado Biarritz convertible in the 1980s and I can tell you all, that these cars are more expensive to restore than a 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. The chrome and stainless restoration costs can cause an owner to take out a 2nd mortgage.
This car needs a new horn ring, 1/2 is missing. Good ones were going for $2,000 until recently, as someone has done a limited run of repro examples that sell for $1,500. If you buy this car, DO get the horn ring while they still have them available on feebay [their ad says only 3 still available].
And yes, this car has factory A/C, something that is fairly rare in the 62 convertible, and whoever ordered the car when new made the right decision in not ordering the air suspension!