This one is one of those too good to be true, but I have to check it out anyway deals. There has to be a catch, such as a picture of a restored car to lure you in to see a rusty hunk of unidentifiable junk, or the ride of an African prince that needs your help to cash a million dollar check. However, I featured a Corvair convertible a few months ago with a too good to be true price, and a Barn Finds reader drove off with a great car that next day. So, I wanted to let you readers know about this 1941 Cadillac Sixty Special sedan I found here on craigslist in Roanoke, Virginia. While there is only a single picture in the ad, it is the price that drops your jaw. The car is being offered for just $8,000.
To add to the too good to be true column, the seller simply states that the car has undergone quite a bit of mechanical work, and that it runs and drives like a dream. The picture shows us a car that looks to be in great condition, and the fall leaves and colors lead us to believe that it was taken recently. However, it is hard to believe a car of this caliber that runs and drives can be offered for such a low price.
The product of Harley Earl’s Art and Color section of General Motors, which turned out some of the most amazing automobile designs in American history, the Cadillac Sixty Special was Earl’s prewar masterpiece. Designed to resemble a convertible sedan, the cars were best known for their innovative three box design and lack of running boards. This design ended up being the model for the design of postwar cars, and have always been sought out by collectors for their stunning looks and comfortable ride.
In addition, Sixty Specials are considered to be full classics by the Classic Car Club of America. Other cars that are full classics are Duesenbergs, Bugattis, and other stunning cars from the prewar and immediate postwar era. To put it another way, if the car is in very good condition, you would have no problem consigning it at one of the premier antique automobile auctions, such as RM Sothebys. Someone has already done that recently, and the results are here.
So, I wish I could offer you more pictures or proof that this one is worth looking at. However, this may be the Barn Finds bargain of the year. If any of you call on or go look at this car, please let us know in the comments what you find out. Better yet, if it turns out to be as good as it looks, buy it and send us a picture of you in it. I’d love to see one of our faithful readers driving around in this classy Caddy.
Smells fishy to me…
Seems fishy?…it is, I answered a Craigslist ad for the very same car in New England. Sent me a whole bunch of pictures and everything. Wouldn’t tell me where the car was located to inspect, wanted me to send money through an ebay account. Believe me, if it was real, I would have bought that very same car last week. Not worthy of being on this page, definitely scam.
Even without your confirmation, absolutely everything about that ad screams “scam”.
The same photo is being used in a CL ad in Elko Nevada.
If it seems too good to be true… it is!
I owned a beautiful 1941 60 Special Fleetwood for years. I should have kept it. Even a good driver 60S will go for at least $15,000 to $25,000. Concours car even much more $35,000 and UP. Wonderful automobiles. I want another one, once I get this bridge of mine in Brooklyn sold.
1 pic, very little description, and no phone.. sounds like a scam.
Here’s a1939 Buick for $7,000. Same scam. One picture, no location to see the car. Money first.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/1939-Buick-special/6373880875.html
He has an identical ad for a similar car also for $8000. A scam of course
I’m amazed that the one in the link went for $36k….. That doesn’t seem like a whole lot for what appears to be one in great condition. I’m frequently amazed at how inexpensive cars from the late ’30’s – early ’40’s seem to be.
I’m in Roanoke,& was excited to hear about this,
but yes,it’s a scammer,just like those newer Jeeps,p/u’s,
& other cars listed for really low prices.
Tipoffs are – never a license plate visible,the backgound
almost never looks like where the vehicle is listed,a really low price,
& no phone number.
If you view ads like this,please be sure to click on the
“Prohibited” box,to help get these type of ads deleted.
Sure wish craigslist would up their game and filter these out by at least requiring a phone number or having a rating system for sellers like eBay has. More than once I’ve gotten excited about a ‘barn find’ only to realize I just gave away my email and phone number to scammer. SO annoying.
This ad is a total scam. You do not buy 60 Specials like this for only 8000. By the way Jeff, this was not Harley Earl’s masterpiece as you stated. Earl’s masterpiece was the new 1927 LaSalle among others. Earl hired a man named Bill Mitchell in 1935 and put him in charge of Cadillac design. The first car he designed was the beautiful 38 to 41 60 Special. I’m sure many guys here know what other famous cars Mitchell went on to later design.
I see ads like this frequently. What it comes down to is this: if it is to good to be true, then it probably is. Here is the car listed in Boise, Idaho.
https://boise.craigslist.org/cto/d/1941-cadillac-fleetwood/6380758809.html
Same one in Worcester MA.. I just flagged it..
https://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/d/1941-cadillac-fleetwood/6374860158.html
Re-posted to correct errors in type:
It is my opinion that if someone is selling a vehicle of the caliber pictured, it would not be listed on Craigslist but rather publications/sites dedicated to specific interest.
It is also my opinion that anyone seeking to purchase said vehicle would not look to Craigslist for such an important purchase.
A dining room suite maybe. A flat screen TV maybe.
A davenport maybe (with serious regard to bedbugs or roaches, not me).
A 41 Cadillac or 39 Buick ??
I think not. Anyone with serious aspirations of owning a collector car as mentioned above will do diligent homework (or at least they should) through clubs, registry’s, etc…prior to inspecting the vehicle personally before any funds are transacted through a certified cashier’s note..In this day and age of scams, this is a no-brainer.
Why Barnfinds falls for this is beyond me. It takes their credibility down a few notches IMO. Once you loose your reputation it is hard to get it back. I think it all about the ad income today. What happened to “trust but verify” as a policy?
Just another reason why you have to be really careful on Craigslist. As mentioned above, this is a standard scam on there now. Can be late models, collector cars, or just cheap drivers. Price too low, car not located where the ad is placed, other “deals” placed by same seller but in different locations, and always money required up front before you can see the car. I’m not sure why these folks never seem to get prosecuted. As mentioned you can flag the ads for deletion but they probably just show up in a different area the next day. The bad news is that for every 100 scams there may be 1 that’s real as mentioned in the description — so you search on for that elusive “bargain”.
Yes and the scammers list the same ads multiple times except with a little different description each time and the ads read like someone who flunked kindergarten wrote them,just ruins what used to be a good site to buy or sell cars on.
In years past, I did many a car deal long distance off CL and never, never had an issue and met many nice folks while I was at it. It was all about trust. So sad things have changed. All my dealings are local now.
You can still do long distance deals but it does take a little more caution. But I just saw a truck I wanted on facebook (of all places) and emailed the guy that I’d come get it the next day if he’d sell it at the listed price. I don’t think he believed me but I just picked up the truck in Texas and drove it home 3000 miles to northern Canada :)