Even though Cadillac offered buyers a choice of 15 tasteful paint color options in 1951 – from Chester Green to Bolero Maroon – to me, a solid black early 50’s Cadillac will always be the classic color choice. Seventy-one years ago, nothing said that you had made it like owning a long, shiny black Cadillac with its glistening chrome, wide whitewall tires, smooth ride, and graceful styling influenced by the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane (thanks to GM Design Chief, Harley Earl). And here’s an interesting survivor for your consideration. This 1951 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan was owned by a family that also happened to own a Cadillac dealership in New England. They actually showcased their black beauty on the showroom floor in the 1970s. Just removed from a “lengthy” storage stay, this well-kept but non-running Caddy is located in Mendon, Massachusetts, and is for sale here on eBay for a classified ad price of $15,000. Another thank you goes out to super tipster T.J. for bringing this classy Caddy to our attention.
The seller, who describes himself as a private collector and one of the largest classic car wholesalers in the country, says the Caddy is “a one-family owned, unmolested, rust-free time capsule.” I’m not spotting any body rot and it looks straight and solid and void of any dents or damage. I’m assuming that’s the original black paint, and if so, it appears presentable and shiny for its age. The trim’s all there and the glass looks good, too. The simulated wire wheel covers add even more class to this Caddy and its front end with the massive grill, bumper, and fog lights is “Standard of the World” styling at its finest. Based on the photos, the front and rear bumpers could use some re-chroming attention.
Don’t you love it when old cars and trucks come with the original sales invoice? This one is dated September 10, 1950, showing that the owner’s dealership purchased the car from Perter Fuller Cadillac in Boston, the first and one of the largest Cadillac dealerships in the country, for $3,814.82. This was an expensive purchase considering the average car cost $1,500, the average home cost $9,000, and the average household income was $3,510 back in 1951.
Cadillac sales literature described their 1951 interiors as “exquisite and tasteful, smartly tailored in either patterned or plain cloth, and heightened by the liberal use of chrome trim.” There are only two photos supplied by the seller and overall the Caddy’s interior (which was available in either gray or tan in 1951) looks good but isn’t perfect. The front seat upholstery doesn’t match the rear seat (which I believe is original), there’s some driver’s side armrest wear, there appears to be some possible water damage below the vent on the passenger door panel, and the robe cord on the back of the front seat needs repair.
According to 1951 Cadillac literature, “the great Cadillac master engine is, without a doubt, the finest automotive power plant ever built” and was “unapproachable in power, performance, and gasoline economy.” Although currently not running, the power plant on this sleeping Caddy is a 331-cubic inch V8 which generated 160 horsepower at 3800 rpm when it left the factory back in 1951. It’s paired to a Hydra-Matic Drive automatic transmission and the odometer reads 7,434, which probably has gone around once. So, what do you think? Sure, it’s going to take some work to get it running and stopping and roadworthy again after a “lengthy” storage, but I’d be tempted to leave it largely like it is and enjoy it as a survivor driver. How about you?
Now that’s how you sell a Cadillac, and a nice one it is.
I wonder if that is just a seat cover on the front seat. They were really popular in the ’50s and ’60s. Some people had them installed when the car was new to protect their investment, others when the seats were wearing out. May be there’s good news under it. One pic shows the underside (body mount) it looks a little crusty, but a 100,000 miles in new england will do that. Could be a nice driver.
Good point, Geezer. My dad’s 54 Chrysler Windsor was ordered with seat covers for just that reason, protect the original upholstery.
I have studied accessory seat cover designs, and can tell you this cover was a later addition, likely to cover worn and torn driver’s seat area due to 107,000 miles. This was likely added after 1958.
Great Dagmar’s!
Beautiful car. I’ve always loved one family owned cars, particularly one that’s over 70 yrs old. I’ve always loved the 1949-54 Cadillac. I hope whoever buys this beautiful car enjoys it and takes care of it.
This seems like a very fair price for a Cadillac in this apparent condition, even not running….if there is no New England rust hiding somewhere.
When we moved to Ossining in 1952 up a dirt road on what was called Riverview Farm (25 mile view of the Hudson at its widest point), there were nearly no houses on Quaker Bridge Road, and certainly we were the only one on Riverview Farm Road. At the bottom of our hill, however, was a very large and fancy one story brick house, obviously owned by someone with the bucks. They were an olderl husband and wife named Cecil (if you recall the old diners and their coffee urns/systems with the name Cecilware on them, that was our Cecil). He of course drove a black Cadillac just like the instance car. The only time we ever saw them was in the car or occasionally at Halloween, and even then they sometimes had their outside lights off and the house dark. I lusted after that car as a kid. I still think that the Caddy limos of the day are the classiest limos ever. Never understood why someone didn’t modernize one for present day use.
Can’t see the paint with that water on it. The seats have covers, but being a one family owned car, they should know exactly what is under the covers. It doesn’t run… I wonder if it turns over. Also wonder why it doesn’t run. The family should know. There isn’t a battery, so a potential buyer might want to take one with him, unless it has not run for a very long time. So many questions, so much money for so little information. But she looks solid in the pictures. I would love to bring her home and see if I could get her back on the road.
It’s puzzling to me why someone would try to sell a gorgeous car like this and get $15 for it without getting it running. What do they know that they don’t want to disclose.
I wonder who bought it. I saw it this morning and now it is no longer listed.
Couldn’t help but notice on the sales receipt that a Blue Coral treatment for the paint was applied at the dealership. I used Blue Coral on all of my Cadillacs starting with my first one, A ’63 Fleetwood. It was time-consuming, but when you were done, the paint looked spectacular. I used to know an old lady who had a black ’64 Sedan DeVille, and every spring she would Blue Coral one part of the body every weekend until she got the car, which sat outside all the time, finished. It was cute to drive by and watch her progress.