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Steers And Rolls: 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville

Here’s another in the “Are you serious?” category. It’s everyone’s favorite example of domestic excess, a 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville but this is no Marilyn Monroe mobile; it’s, well, you’ll see. Located in Cullman, Alabama, is this wretched excess of a two-door hardtop. It can be had, here on eBay for a BIN price of $7,500. Thanks to Russ D. for this tip!

The seller is advertising this Cadillac as a Coupe De Ville (which I at first mistyped as a Coupe De Vile) but it could be a Sixty-Two Coupe as well. Cadillac aficionados are welcome to comment on that matter. Anyway, this one will be tough to sugarcoat but there is probably an ounce or two of good here somewhere. The last time that I covered a ’59 Cadillac it was a similar story though that subject was a twofer. And we do review some very nice examples of this era Cadillac, I just seem to be drawn to the more down-on-their-luck versions.

Right from the start, this Caddy doesn’t. It doesn’t because it is missing most of its engine. No word as to what happened under the missing hood or where the rest of the 390 CI V8, and its associated parts, ended up but you can take solace in the fact that this car, “steers and rolls”. There could still be a Hydramatic automatic transmission in place but that is not known for certain.

As mentioned above, among the missing, is the hood, no telling where that went but the trunk contains much of the excessive stainless trim that adorned large swaths of this behemoth of a car. Is it all actually there? Hard to say considering the sheer number of pieces worn by a ’59. While there is no worry about losing any of that trim through holes in the trunk floor, while you’re steering and rolling, the same cannot be said about the passenger compartment floor. Three of the four footwells are on a serious attrition program. The massive bumpers are still holding up both ends of this Caddy but they need to be replated. Good to see is that the very ornate grille would appear to be complete, though the center bar is not properly aligned. The seller references rust in the bottom of the passenger-side door, but rust actually abounds everywhere. That said, the frame is claimed to be straight and solid – it needs to be visually inspected. Also, something, or someone, sat on both front fenders and bent them.

As for the interior, I got nothin’. Examine the images and you’ll see that it is mostly a disaster zone. There is little that appears to be reusable except for the seat frames, oh, and the bottom rest for the back seat is missing so you can pretty much scratch that thought. The pine needle collection is good evidence that this Coupe De Ville has spent years in an Alabama pine forest with its windows rolled down, ergo, the missing floors. The interior, unfortunately, is probably a lost cause and will require an entire do-over.

There you have it, this icon of 1950’s American automobile excellence, in the form of GM’s top drawer Cadillac Division, the “Standard of the World”, reduced to this sad a state. But hey, it’s only $7,500… And there is no title because “we in the state of alabama dont have titles so there is no title,,,,,”. That’s not the only thing missing. I don’t think there is much that can be done with this Coupe De Ville short of checking scrap commodity prices but I could be wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time and certainly not the last. Tell me, folks, what do you do with something like this?

Comments

  1. Avatar bobhess Member

    Certainly agree on the “are you serious” category. It doesn’t even qualify for the “you’ve got to be kidding”award.

    Like 22
    • Avatar jerry hw brentnell

      dragged out of a auto wreckers for next to nothing and figure some dumb sucker is going to dump 100 grand in this heap to end up with a road barge good luck chuck!

      Like 5
      • Avatar bone

        You’re right , it probably was junked 50 years ago.

        Like 0
  2. HoA Howard A Member

    Yard art,,,

    Like 11
    • Avatar 57Chevy

      Please put a Junk in front of Yard!!!!

      Like 5
    • Avatar 57Chevy

      Take it back to the Dump …………IF they’ll even have it! Sheeesh!!!!!!

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Neil Young buried nicer examples.

    Like 9
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Sorry Rex, it was Bruce Springsteen, greatest rocker of all time, all the way. Let’s start the week off on the right foot, with Bruce Springsteen,,
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCRu_0iUKQs

      Like 4
      • Avatar 370zpp Member

        “Bruce Springsteen, greatest rocker of all time”?

        hmmmmmmm

        Like 6
      • Avatar 57Chevy

        Sorry, that honor goes to Elvis Presley, Then Little Richard & Chuck Berry!!!!!!

        Like 2
    • Avatar Paolo

      It was the Ant Farm Artists Collective that did the Cadillac Ranch installation in Amarillo, Texas.
      Sorry, I don’t get the Neil Young reference.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Little_Cars

        Bruce Springsteen memorialized your installation in his song “Cadillac Ranch.” Neil Young was not the songwriter or artist and was incorrectly identified. Paolo, I very much appreciate you work on this project…and sorry to see what the “public” has done to your public work of art. My stepson was there in 2012, drove his motorcycle out west and stopped by. So much destruction.

        Like 1
  4. Avatar Arthell64

    Southern cars rust from the inside out so this car is worse than it looks. Maybe a parts car.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Mitchell Gildea Member

    “Steers and rolls” and if you put holes through the floorboards you have a stylish Flinstonemobile

    Like 5
    • Avatar dave Member

      …and have a gay ‘ol time.

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Turbo

    Howard and Rex beat me to it. Like dad would have said, “overpriced at free.”

    Like 11
  7. Avatar Classic Steel

    This could be the most expensive potential couch . Chop off the rear and get some special stuffing…,

    Like 3
  8. Avatar normadesmond

    I’m guessing one of the extras from ‘Deliverance’
    is the owner of this & came up with the price.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Classic Steel

      I was thinking “the deer hunter” where they bag a deer to put in the 59 caddy trunk…
      A great war movie with pitfalls of going to war.,
      Like “Apocalypse now”
      And Platoon (father then son leads)

      Like 3
    • Avatar DON

      Its probably been sitting in the woods with the windows down since that movie came out !

      Like 1
  9. Avatar madbrit

    Not only it’s sad condition, but it’s a non a/c car with no power windows, etc. Nothing worse than a hard top car with manual windows.

    Like 3
  10. Avatar Angel Cadillac Diva Member

    Part it! And I say that with a cringe, as I love Cadillacs and hate to see them parted out. But this one, is already dead. It just doesn’t know it yet.
    IMHO, I believe it’s a Sixty two, not a Coupe de Ville, but, who cares?

    Like 3
  11. Avatar Phlathead Phil

    I’m of the opinion this unit is “Target Practice” for the boys at the local shooting range.

    I recently was contacted by a buddy who was cleaning up 30 acres of ABSOLUTE junk…a “Hoarders Heaven.”

    There were at least 50 old cads, and other things. Cushmans, Chevys, trucks, trailers Ford’s. It was a NIGHTMARE!

    The son inherited the property after his dad died.

    They held an auction, but nobody showed up.

    The son thought it was all worth MILLIONS.

    He got an ice water wake-up when the crusher arrived by order of the city and HE had to pay!

    Hahaha!

    Like 5
  12. Avatar Sam61

    Wait a minute… I’d give one Franklin for the Caddy, buy the Elmiata, from the other day, and finish the conversion.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Tom c

    Forget marilyn monroe , this is more marilyn Manson.

    Like 12
  14. Avatar Arthur

    I wonder how much more damage this car would reveal if it was media blasted.

    Like 1
    • Avatar ACZ

      Would there be anything left?

      Like 5
  15. Avatar John

    As 59 Caddy folks know, the most valuable parts of this car are the horn ring, bumpers, grill, trim pieces- maybe some glass. The rest is shot

    Like 2
  16. Avatar Little_Cars

    The first photo shows a property and home behind the car that looks like someone’s I have purchased from in Cullman, AL. This fella is/was a hoarder in the first degree. His home was filled with jukeboxes and his barn revealed mostly early 60s customized cruisers (57 Ford, shoebox Ford, 63 Galaxie convert all dropped to the ground and period customized). He did deal with me on an MG Midget and showed me around his property where I found a huge vintage enamel Shell sign he asked $75 for. The sign and MG were swiftly strapped to my flatbed. A couple weeks later a buddy of mine lured a rather substantial collection of plastic model cars and motorcycles from him for a good price. So, maybe give the seller a call and offer what you think is fair?

    Like 3
  17. Avatar rustylink

    I guess if you had a trunk of money and were full of self loathing this would be a deal.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Jrp

    As Clint Eastwood said.“Scrap the Caddy Clyde”

    Like 4
  19. Avatar Bob Mck

    That unbroken horn ring is worth a few bucks. Beyond that, I hope the buyer has very deep pockets.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Dewey Gill

    “Coupe De Vile” was not a mistype, it was an accurate description

    Like 6
  21. Avatar Steve Feld Member

    What a different and even better time it was sixty years ago when this kind of car was common on the streets of towns everywhere. This car could be saved with a lot of effort, though buyers are becoming more and more scarce.

    How nice the domestic excess was from 1953-1979 and now the very wealthy carry on the tradition with $647 million yachts when, in 1960, a $400,000 boat (with fins) would do.

    Like 1
  22. Avatar Norman McGill

    What do you do with something like this? Fix it. I see no problem that can’t be overcome.

    Like 2
    • Avatar bone

      The correct answer is – remove the few remaining parts that are useable and scrap the rest. You could probably buy two nice 59 Caddys and still have money left over for the amount of cash it would take to revive this carcass

      Like 0
  23. Avatar Phil Maniatty

    The presence of a window crank on the interior passenger door leads me to believe that this is a series sixty-two, rather than a Coupe de Ville, but it’s in such sad shape that it doesn’t make much of a difference.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Mitch Grimes

    Too much!!! Would’nt give him 100 for it.

    Like 1
    • Avatar 57Chevy

      100% totally agree Mitch!!!!! This Rust Bucket Piecer ain’t fit for the Recycle yard!

      Like 2
  25. Avatar Norman McGill

    Be one hellofa rat rod. Ha!

    Like 0
  26. Avatar JC

    He’s taken “patina” to a whole new level with this one…

    Like 0
  27. Avatar DN

    Oh the delusional realm of reality most Alabamians live in 🙄!

    Like 1
  28. Avatar LMK

    But it sold…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Phlathead Phil

      How much did the seller get?

      Like 0
      • Avatar LMK

        We’ll never know that…A deal was struck, apparently, and the auction was ended….I am assuming , nothing concrete known …

        Like 0
    • Avatar madbrit

      Probably went to Sweden as they appear to have bought nearly all of the 59 Caddys in the world….. LOL. There is a huge repop market for parts for older American cars of this type over there.

      Like 0
  29. Avatar Dewey Gill

    If I lived nearby, I’d flatbed it out of there for 150 bucks

    Like 1
  30. Avatar Dave Mathers

    The decimal point should be moved over two spots!! D’oh.

    Like 0
  31. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    The world has gone bat-$hit crazy. That started a long time ago, but really got worse about 1460 days ago!

    Like 1
  32. Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

    Either a large tree was dropped on the front end, or there was an underhood fire that warped the front fenders & probably the hood, hence it’s no longer there.

    And yes, it’s a series 62 coupe. The interior of a Coupe DeVille has leather bolsters on the seats. And if I’m not mistaken, the Coupe DeVille came standard with power windows. I’ve restored 2 of them, one to Cad-LaSalle club national 1st place.

    Like 2
  33. Avatar Phil G

    Just tonight Velocity aired a Fantomworks episode where they restored a 4-door one of these, not as roached out as this one though. Customer thought he might spend about 75k- Ha, Dan Short appeared to choke on something. New LS1 & tranny, but all else stock except for brakes. 15k on chrome, they never gave the cost, but adding up the parts and hours, must have been north of 200 large. Car came out wicked awesome in that pale metallic Caddy pink.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Clay Bryant

      He really rips them on Fantomworks. If they didn’t have holes in their pockets when they came in, they did when they went out. Worst attitude of anyone on car shows but bet he’s proud of himself.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Ward William

        Yep. I stopped watching it because I could not look at that unlikable POS anymore. If you want to see an interesting new Aussie resto show, take a look at the first few eps of Resto My Ride. Yea, I am an Aussie, but it’s a sweet show.

        Like 0
  34. Avatar Bob

    A dollar a hundred weight.

    Like 0
  35. Avatar Christopher Dyer

    I’d part it out. Someone who’s restoring one would love to get a good grille, stainless trim, some genuine GM lenses, and the unobtanium genuine horn ring. How’s the glass?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      Christopher Dyer,

      I’ve restored a couple of ’59 Cadillacs, and repaired many more in my restoration shop. Back in the 1970s the ’59/’60 horn ring was already very hard to find, as they fractured and broke at the corners early in life, plus the GM parts inventory was exhausted very early in the 1960s.

      Like 0
  36. Avatar Connecticut Mark

    What would it cost to turn into a demolition derby car, probably would easily win with those front and rear bumpers ?

    Like 0
  37. Avatar Packrat57

    Everyone is overlooking the obvious solution. Do not look at it from the restoration angle. Leave the exterior as it is, (ok, maybe satin clear coat it) drop in a Big Block with a blower, fix the floors & do what you want with the interior. You would have a ‘59 Cadillac rat rod that would get tons of attention everywhere you go. Like it or not, we have all seen people walk by beautiful restorations to go look at the rat rods at cars shows. 😎

    Like 1
    • Avatar Ward William

      I seriously doubt it would pass a roadworthy test (as we call them in Australia). That rot is too extensive for it to be safe, even as a rat rod. I’d be effed if I would get in it with a big donk in it without a real structural restoration.

      Like 1
  38. Avatar Ward William

    A turd that is way beyond being able to be polished.

    Like 0
  39. Avatar 67 shelby

    looks good for a body swap job with a newer rolling chassis make for a cool around town restomod cruiser …i always loved the ol caddys

    Like 0

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