Every time I see a red 1959 Cadillac convertible, I think about the one that lived across the street from me when I was a teenager. It was in pretty nice condition, painted an orangey/red color with a white top and was replete with some sort of a naked, winged lady hood ornament. But best of all, it had a very interesting story behind it. It was essentially a much nicer version of this example which is located in Madison, Wisconsin and available here on eBay for a BIN price of $30,000 with a “make an offer” option.
As the story goes, avant garde film director, John Waters, rented my neighbor’s Caddy for his 1969 mostly never seen film, “Mundo Trasho”. As expected, Waters, his crew, actors and the Cadillac got arrested/impounded for doing lewd and lascivious things in public. Well the car got sprung and three years later, Waters was back knocking on my neighbor’s door again, let’s refer to her as Mrs. A., wanting to rent the convertible for his 1972 film, “Pink Flamingos.” Mrs. A said “OK” but when Mr. A. found out about the entire proposal, he squashed it quickly remembering what had happened the last time Waters came knocking. The opening scene in Pink Flamingos features a Cadillac convertible but it is a different year and painted black.
Anyway, moving to this example we find a surprise, it’s two Cadillacs in one! That’s right, while the hero car of this deal is the convertible, it comes with a ’59 “flat-top” four-door hardtop as a parts car and your initial thought is probably yeah, that convertible needs a parts car. Well, things are not quite as dismal as they appear. The seller tells us that all of the convertible parts are all there. The seller has front fenders, doors, a hood, and a trunk lid. He also has the needed quarters and the trunk pan but they have to be removed from the flat top. It’s a bit of a dizzying mish-mash of parts and options but the seller claims that he has what’s needed to restore the convertible entirely (except for the bottom to the back seat). As the seller states, “This is a project- there is enough to restore the car, but someone needs to have an excellent sheet metal person”. Emphasis on the sheet metal person needed……
One bright spot is that a quite a bit of the interior components have been recovered and look great. It seems odd to have gotten this far along with the interior while so much of the outside, not to mention the missing floors inside, still needs attention but so be it. The dash is referred to as in, “crazy good shape-don’t know how.”
Under the missing hood is a 390 CI V8 that at one time cranked out 325 gross HP. The seller states, “The engine has been taken somewhat apart, 4 new valves and some push rods. Cleaned and painted the heads. The engine turns over very nicely.” That’s not exactly encouraging because there’s no telling what shape it is in its entirety or what may be missing. Noticing that one of the cylinder heads is not attached may help explain why the engine turns over nicely. The listing just isn’t clear as to the current state of engine assembly or operability.
This will be an incredibly involved project. This convertible does in fact need a lot of work and the quality and skill of the metal worker will be essential to a successful outcome. A ’59 Cadillac convertible is considered an iconic representation of 1950’s American hubris; they are an eye-popper, to say the least and probably more appreciated for their excess now than at any time in their past. One of the items for consideration that the new owner will have to ponder is the real estate that will be needed for this project – these are huge cars and there are two of them to domicile! This undertaking will take a special kind of car enthusiast, are you that candidate?
$30,000, did I read that right??????? Get real people! 30K will buy a really nice, complete, rust free, running and driving classic car, maybe even a 59 Caddie. Puh-leeze!
It breaks down to $6000 for the convertible, $3000 for the parts car, and $20,000 for all the spare parts, new interior, and new chrome (but still too much!)
Waaay to much! Please! Not worth half the asking price.
Make a couch/hide-a-bed/desk out of front & rear. Sell what’s left
It would take a brave soul to restore this car.
I live 30 miles from Madison, around the State it is called the Madcity. It might explain the price.
Hey Mike, it’s a Badger car, no doubt. While people gasp in horror, cars in this condition were all around. Okay, not Caddy convertibles, but it was clearly driven in the salt, so it would be interesting to know who had this car originally. They could have at least said it belonged to Gov. Gaylord Nelson. Clearly, this nothing more than a good ol’ Wisconsin rust bucket at it’s best. And it’s not $30 grand, it’s $29 grand, big difference. Again, the media hype has trickled into humble Wisconsin.
$30K? With rust having eaten the fenders/doors half-way up? I don’t care WHAT new parts this comes with. Not worth the price; sorry.
My friend just passed, he had one. Perfect condition
Had 4 people on it at 140K, sold in one day.
My friend had a 1960 Cadillac convertible in 1965 or so. His other car was a 1960 TR3. The Triumph had a tonneau cover, so he had one made for the Cadillac. Many nagas gave up their hides.
“…and you sat down and cried” right? I remember the comedian’s shtick, I just don’t remember the comedian.
Pull the parts that are usable, if any and scrap this Rusty mess. Then fix the Solid 4 door.
That ship has sailed.
More like sunk at the dock.
I know what I’d do- build a replica of the Phantom Dream Car.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-is-this-space-age-car-slamming-into-a-wall-of-flaming-tvs
Nice work!
Leinedude, izzat a ’51 Utility Wagon in your avatar? I’m working on a ’51 Utility Wagon- great vehicle.
A 1960 F Again. Good luck on your 1951. This forum has been a huge help to me. You have probably been there. Take care, Mike. https://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/index.php
Originally a $10,000 project more or less. I dunno. Seems like a fair starting point. Something always looks better in a good dry well lit garage.
To take this car back out in the wild where it has been left for dead seems to make it worth less. BUT carefully drag it out….I say carefully. We do not want it to split in half. Put it in a safe garage out of the weather. Sprinkle some new parts about. Add a parts car. NOW it’s $29,000.
That’s how it’s done boys.
With respect it is a 59 Cadillac. That in itself is a blue chip only for those with deep pockets. Pretty sure despite it’s condition it’s a good find and will live on in some form or another. I think everyone would love a 59 Cadillac no matter what you are into. Myself included.
’59 caddy drop top. I get the attraction. Given the size of the project, maybe someone will make an offer the seller can live with.
30k?!?
Waaaay to much $ IMHO
$30K is only relative to the wannabes who can’t afford the cost of a full restoration. A ’59 Cad conv. isn’t one to be left simply restored half-assed. As the old Sufi wiseman often said, “It takes money to make money!”
Whatever this seller is smoking .. I want some. $30K? is way too much for all the work involved in making 1 out of the 2. There are better cars to start with for this kind of dough. IF you’re heart is set on cmoinging these two, then the sedan is the one to save.
The only thing they’re smokin’ in the Badger is bratwurst.
$30K is only relative to the wannabes who can’t afford the cost of a full restoration. A ’59 Cad conv. isn’t one to be left simply restored half-assed. As the old Sufi wiseman often said, “It takes money to make money!”
This is where the owner needs to realize he has two parts cars for sale ! Neither car is worth the years it will take or the bank roll to restore them. Stick a fork in these two , they are done !
Jim, did you grow up around Baltimore? John waters went to my high school.
Nothing like tackling the interior and chrome while the actual body is a mess and the engine needs lots of help
I really dont think the quarters from a 4 door car will ever fit on a 2 door ragtop , but that’s the least of the worries a buyer is going to have with this pile !
I helped my buddy pick up a 59 caddy just like this one minus about 200 pounds of rust. On my buddies all the chrome and stainless steel is present and in decent shape he paid 2k for the car and.
I feel the need for tetanus shot just looking at it.
I agree that 30K is way out of the ballpark for this mess. Personally, I would scavenge what I could off the convertible and restore the hardtop.
Why would you do this to yourself? $30k will become a $100k investment before you ever put 1 mile on the odometer.
$30K is only relative to the wannabes who can’t afford the cost of a full restoration. A ’59 Cad conv. isn’t one to be left simply restored half-assed. As the old Sufi wiseman often said, “It takes money to make money!”
Last week the 1958 fuelie corvette, this week the 1959 caddy, “somewhat” convertible. The corvette says it sold for $45000.00 then it’s not sold but relisted again for $49000.00 with a newer frame. The person on the 59 Caddy does have “make an offer” which makes it sound better than $30,000. Realistically, some one can put this 59 caddy convertible back together, with some parts from the 59 sedan, excluding the quarter panels. The quarters might be a little too short. But by the end of the week some one will probably buy the 59 caddy for $12000 and I hope he will live long enough to finish the vehicle. The seller will be glad to get the $12000.00, seeing he found it in a field. My thinking, “forget It”.
No way…
Please , get real , crush it and move on…
What I think everyone here really needs to know is if it’s got a “clear” title!? Heaven knows we don’t need no “flood” car with the dire “salvage” title!
Hah Hah Hah Ha!
great patina, survivor classic, time capsule, all original, investment potential,
LS Swap, ran when parked, one owner, price is reasonable, crush it and
make an end table out of it, distressed door panels, am I leaving anything out?
Back seat memories at look out point!
Looks like it was submerged for a lil while, then put away wet, buy one done, finance it, don’t go under water with this ship
When you see restored ‘59 Caddy convertibles going for well over $100K plus, it’s easy to see how a sellers eyes glaze over when they look at their rust pile and think “I’ve got a gold mine here.”
Except, it’s prolly gunna take that to make that.
If u have the funds, take it out of the bank, go for a ride, put it all back in minus 10,000 for unexpected extras, just throw the 10 in the garbage, unless your doing it yourself or u have all the parts already, your going under water w this one, maybe this one was a prototype and was on the Andrea Doria when it sank in 57, and was recently recovered,
I would rather have the flat top. To me a very cool looking car.
My buddy was over this morning and I asked him about his 59 caddy. It’s a pretty darned solid car it could be restored with no welding in new steel aside of the floors on passenger and driver side his car is 100 percent complete not sure about the engine but it’s also complete and loose and he paid 1000.00$ for the car. I also know there are 59 caddy’s out there in way better shape than this one for a fraction of the money.
AARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!
I bought a beautiful 6 window hardtop, totally restored from a rust free original for $20K about a year ago. $30K for this pile of rust seems a bit crazy to me, even if it is worth $125K done correctly. The seller fails to mention just how rusty the frame is.
True dat. I would think no mention or pics of the frame rails cuz they’re shot.
Where is this car located