Now Out Of The Barn: 1958 Cadillac Sixty-Two

When I review a car such as this 1958 Cadillac Sixty-Two, four-door hardtop, I think most often about how much things have changed over the years (and I often forget about how much time has passed). Cadillac claimed to be ” The Standard of the World” in ’58 and rubbed shoulders with Lincoln and Imperial. Well, we can throw all that out the window. Today’s discovery, courtesy of Mr. Zappenduster, harks back to that long-ago time when a Cadillac made a statement just sitting still. This one still does, but not for all the right reasons – stay tuned, and I’ll elaborate. Found in a barn in Fayetteville, Tennessee, this standout member of the flashy fifties is listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,000, OBO.

I just finished watching a documentary on the ’58 Chevrolet Impala, and the descriptive banter always goes in the direction of how “Cadillacesque” the Impala’s styling followed. I never thought much about it, but I have to admit, minus the Dagmars, there are some shared front-end characteristics between the bottom of the ’58 GM ladder and the top. I’m not sure who is Cadillac’s target market these days (I’m not sure they know either), but back in ’58 it was well-off gentlemen in dinner tuxes taking their fur-draped and gloved ladies out on the town for dinner at a private club.

You could say that the Cadillac Sixty-Two was the “be all” model in ’58 as it served as a basis for different body styles and trim levels. Total Sixty-Two production reached 105K units (including the Seville), with at least 37K in four-door form. There’s a lot of sharply formed steel and stainless trim going on here, but this Caddy’s forlorn appearance may just be hiding an underlying car that’s still pretty stout. You figure there’s gotta be rust going on somewhere here, but it’s not overly obvious. Size mattered in those days, and this Sixty-Two stretches out about 217″ in length, all while riding on a 129″ wheelbase – lots of rear seat legroom! The weight is closing in on 4,700 lbs., but that’s in about the same league as, unfortunately, many modern SUVs.

Cadillacs from this era were renowned for their power, and this Sixty-Two is no exception! A 310 gross HP 365 CI V8 engine tethered to a Hydramatic automatic transmission is responsible for smooth but assertive power. There’s no word as to whether this one’s a runner, but I get a drift that it’s not. At least the engine compartment appears to be complete.

The interior, in its entirety, is not that well photographed, but from what I can spy, I’d suggest its condition is on par with the exterior. Other than some discoloration, the two-tone fabric upholstery, known as “Moroccan Cloth,” looks OK. The front floor is wearing a rubber mat, so its condition is unclear. The instrument panel with its heavy chrome features still presents well and is perfectly representative of this era. This is an A/C equipped Caddy, but my guess is the system hasn’t functioned in many moons.

I’ve encountered a lot of barn find Cadillacs over the years, and their conditions have run the gamut from soup to nuts. This example, however, I think has some staying power as a resto candidate. No, it won’t be cheap, but it is worthy. That’s my take; what’s yours?