Tail fins were still a popular feature on several prestigious cars back in the late fifties, and as far as over-the-top styling goes, it’s really hard to beat the rear view of the 1959 Cadillac 62 Series. For that matter, it’s pretty outrageous looking from the quarter panel perspective as well, with those bullet-shaped taillights making me smile every time one of these sedans comes across our desks here at Barn Finds. Located in Carmel, Indiana, this one’s claimed to be mostly original, and it can be found here on Facebook Marketplace, where the seller says he’s testing the market with an asking price of $27,000. Reader Ted liked this cool Caddy too, and we’d like to thank him for the excellent tip here!
The owner calls this one a survivor and tells us the Cadillac is still wearing its original paint, plus mentions he’s got lots of exterior parts, such as rockers and front fender patch panels. However, the seller also says he’s not quite sure he wants to take the outside to the next level, and from the only-original-once standpoint, the body and even the finish still seem to be in pretty decent shape. If the market test proves successful and the car does find a new owner, it will be up to them to decide whether or not to enjoy this one as-is or turn it into a project, but most of the parts needed to do so are here, should the next caretaker wish to perform a restoration.
Over the last few years, the owner has spent most of his time getting this one into solid mechanical shape. The drivetrain is said to remain all stock, meaning the V8 under the hood is of the 390 cubic-inch variety. According to the seller, too many repairs have been made to name them all, but a few that are specified include some fuel system work and a fresh brake booster, along with a rebuilt automatic transmission. Those wide whitewall tires are also stated as new.
One cosmetic improvement mentioned is the front seat, which is said to have been refurbished, but from what I can tell the rest of the interior components seem to remain in satisfactory condition for a driver. All of the gauges and accessories get a clean bill of health, with the horn and radio being the only two items specified as non-functional. I’m sort of on the fence with this one, with a part of me thinking it’s a prime candidate for a restoration. However, I could also just as easily see continuing to preserve it and focusing on some fun driving, at least for a while. What direction would you go in with this 1959 Cadillac Series 62?
If I laid on that bench seat my feet and head wouldn’t touch the doors, and I’m five eleven. Just drive it, there I said it.
I don’t see any AC in the pictures. Isit possible that this luxury car doesn’t have it? Heaven forbid!
No A/C, no vents and the A/C control location are dual sliders meaning L and R vents. Also no cruise control under the hood or control in the left dash cluster. No headlamp dimmer.
BUT! Best of all, It’s a Cadillac
A true first world problem!
Carmel (not far from me) is known for OTT $$. So it seems only natural to find A Vintage OTT LAND YACHT at an OTT price 😉. Personally, I believe 61 Imperial (especially LEBARON) surpassed this 59. NOW, if this were a 59 Sixty Special, it would definitely be more appealing. BUT both are unfortunately beyond my reach 😕 😪.
I don’t know if I could drive a car with no horn, especially this one. I would consider this a roadability issue like wipers/washer. Is it so difficult on this car? If someone was getting too close to me I would want to blast him away with those 50s horns!
The radio has tubes so one could be bad, or no power. Speaker could be bad but it has two.
The horns look modified and something was added. Power problems, fuse or relay. All very simple to fix.
@TCK
All of my cars I always replaced the horns with triple or quadruple Cadillac horns. My husband’s 1972 Jeep Wagoneer I put triple 1970s Caddy horns in it. He blast people out of his way.
My 1975 Eldorado convertible had quadruple horns from the factory. Three behind the grill and a trumpet attached under the hood.
But if you don’t install them correctly they can cause problems especially if you add a third trumpet horn and splice it in.
I’ve seen this Cadillac at a local Cars and Coffee. It is a VERY nice survivor that appears to have been well taken care of over its’s lifetime. Probably not too far off the mark in pricing.
I’ve been in the market for one of these and this one looks good. Im in North eastern TN and would take a ride for a look. I’ve got room in the garage for one more regardless of what my wife says
Thanks Bill
I’m in N/E TN. Let me know when you get here. I’d really like to see her in in the flesh, so to speak.
Who was the lucky grandkid who, when visiting grandpa, was presented with a can of Simonize, and told to wax down grandads ’59 Caddy, back in the day?
My folks had a ’59 2-door hardtop that my Dad bought used in ’65. Ours
was butter yellow and was pretty basic for a Cadillac. It had no A/C, crank down windows, and no light dimmer, but it was still a really nice car all the same. It would serve us well til 1967, when Dad bought Mom
s year old ’66 Calais 4-door hardtop that I would later buy from them in 1970 to keep my drunken uncle from
buying it. But that’s another story for
another time. Ol’ Yella as we called her, was a real tank of a car that could
go almost anywhere you pointed her.
She proved unstoppable in the blizzard of ’67 where nearly a foot of
snow fell on Bloomington Illinois that year. And if you needed to go anywhere, she was your car. She even scared us one summer day in 1966 when the rear exploded due to
too much heat inside the car. We were eating dinner when we heard a loud boom. We walked outside and
Asae that the rear window had blown
out! Well, a quick call to Harold Alexander, our insurance agent, who put everything right again by getting
the car into Glass Specialty auto glass the same day and got it fixed fast. Sure, Ol’ Yella was a basic Caddy, but she was a good one and I
hated to see her go but time marches
on.
Ken,
Speaking of snow, I had a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman around 1987 in NJ and we had quite a snow storm. Stopped all traffic, even most tractor trailers. I was working as a bartender at a neighborhood bar in Bergan County and lived in Plainfield, usually a 20 minute drive up Rt 287. Going home that night was perilous. The only two vehicles on the road were a tractor trailer and me. And I passed the TT going down 287. Took me about an hour and a half to get home but the old girl plowed through snow drifts and all. Never once slid or got stuck. She was a great car.
Hi Angel! Just getting ready for work
and saw your post and couldn’t agree
more! Those old Caddy’s made great
snowmobiles as long as common sense was your co-pilot. The ’59 we had was a good reliable car for those
days–except when the rear window
blew out which scared the crap out of
Mom who let out a scream when it happened. Even got stabbed in the back with one of those big old fins once during an impromptu ball game in the church parking lot. I was trying to catch a little pop fly and backed into our car! Wasn’t really hurt, but it
knocked the wind out of me though.
When I came to, Pastor Jim and the
gang were standing around me like I
croaked or something. Good for a laugh today though. Well honey, I’m
gonna get ready for work now. Be that perfect angel I know you are, and
from our house to yours, Happy Thanksgiving 🦃.
…Or should I say FAAPO! (FIRST ANNUAL AMERICAN PIG OUT!)
That phrase was the brainchild of Kurt Thomas, who owned an appliance store called American Trio
there in Bloomington. And I can tell you firsthand that his ads were far from boring. He came up with an alter ego named Krazy Kurt who spoke in a George Carlinesque voice
as he told us all about his specials of
the week. Kurt was always a few sandwiches short of a full pickanic
basket but that’s why people couldn’t
wait to hear his next ad on the radio.
He was usually a laugh riot because
he always said whatever was on his
mind like Carlin did. So now you know the meaning of FAAPO! Happy
Thanksgiving 🦃 to all!