Every now and then, a listing pops up that reminds us why the phrase “barn find” still gets collectors’ hearts racing. This 1956 Cadillac Series 62 for sale here on craigslist in Chesterfield is exactly that kind of discovery. The seller says it has fewer than 26,000 original miles, was tucked away decades ago, and still wears its original paint and interior. With an asking price of $14,500 or best offer, it’s the sort of vintage luxury car that could appeal to someone who wants preservation over restoration, or simply a piece of untouched ‘50s motoring history. Thanks for the tip, Tony Primo!
According to the listing, this is a four-door Series 62 equipped with a V8 engine and automatic transmission. Back in 1956, Cadillac was all about prestige, comfort, and effortless driving, and this example appears to have been ordered with several desirable conveniences of the day. The seller notes that it has factory air conditioning, automatic headlight dimming, a power antenna, and power windows, features that helped separate Cadillac from the pack and made these cars feel ahead of their time.
The story behind why it was parked adds to the mystique: the seller says the car was reportedly taken off the road when gas hit the then-shocking price of 50 cents per gallon. Whether that was a protest against rising fuel costs or simply the owner deciding it was no longer practical, the result was that the Cadillac sat long enough to remain remarkably original today. It still wears its factory paint, which now shows the expected wear from years in storage, and the interior is described as immaculate, uncut, and free from visible wear.
The seller has taken steps to get the big Cadillac one notch closer to road use, including installing a new battery and mounting brand-new whitewall tires—a fitting touch for a mid-’50s luxury sedan. A clean title is included, and the seller emphasizes the car’s originality, a key selling point for collectors who value unrestored survivors.
This Series 62 could be enjoyed in several ways depending on the next owner’s philosophy. Some will see a candidate for a careful mechanical revival while preserving the cosmetic originality; others may picture a respectful restoration that keeps as much factory character intact as possible.
If you came across a true barn-find Cadillac with this level of originality, would you preserve it as-is, or would you restore it to full show-car glory?
This is yet another car (like the AMC Marlin) that was already written up here recently, in this case by Mike Stephens on Oct. 12. Are there so few classics out there that the site needs to rerun them? Just kidding.
I’ll also note that the car has aftermarket A/C (by Vornado), not factory air, something I noticed the first time it was posted. The ’56 factory A/C would have had the trunk-mounted evaporator and the clear plastic ductwork that channeled the chilled air to overhead vents in the headliner, not an under-dash unit.
So many decades ago I first saw A/C plastic duct-work along the headliner on, I recall, a Chrysler product. Not positively certain on the car, but I do know for sure it was a very curious sight. I can only imagine the present generation wondering “What the heck is that!” Same kids that eat up the trunk space with stereo amps.
Yessir, Angel would be all over this one. And so would I if my SIL
and niece would approve. Other
than updating the brakes with a front disc kit and a 2 pot master cylinder and a decent stereo, I’d leave it as is while I consider swapping the factory Hydramatic
tranny for a more modern T 400
unit for daily driving. I can see it
now, pulling up to my store and
seeing the looks on my kid’s faces as I exit the rear seat. So they re-posted it. All that means
is that I have 2 places to get a decent set of pics to make a print
with. In fact, I’d make it with a white top to make it stand out more. Now, back to my fantasy,
Old Town here I come!
Hey Ken!
Yep, I will come back for this one, but why isnt anyone fact checking before these write-ups get posted. The title says Series 62. Its called a Series 62 several times in the write-up. But you can clearly see it’s says Sedan de Ville on the front fender. Knowing the de Ville series was a trim option before becoming a separate model, could this be a 1956 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan de Ville?
Im not versed in the years it was a trim option or the year it became a separate model (all my books are in storage in Vegas) so, does anyone (Cadillac Kid?) know the answer?
Other than my nitpicking, love this car. Same color as my aunt and uncles except there’s was a coupe and had a white top.
I would have to drive it to decide if I wanted to restomod it.
You are correct. It’s a Series 62 Sedan de Ville and if you look at Mike Stephens’ original post of this car on Oct. 12 it is correctly identified as such. This was the first year of the 4-door-hardtop body style. Thus “de Ville” when that meant pillarless hardtop.
The DeVille wasn’t separated from the Series 62 until 1959.
Respectfully, restoring a 26k car in this condition is ridiculous. If you want to restore a car- find one that is in need of restoration. This car is an awesome time capsule that needs to be preserved.
Aren’t RESTORE and RESTOMOD two different approaches? Restore and freshen the paint? I would strongly consider. Changing it from “factory” and forever screwing it up? Not in my book.
I’m a little concerned about the veracity of this ad. 25K miles, parked for years, less than $15K asking price with OBO. This car is immaculate as a survivor and could be cleaned up for a museum it’s in such pristine condition. It’s too good to be true, IMO. Why not clean it up before posting and offer before and after pix?
Perhaps I’m just leery because the last 2 used skid steer ads to which I responded turned out to be bogus scam come-ons….in the last month. It’s just too clean in every aspect other than the paint for this price. Who knows where the pictures came from and they want you to text them, not talk to them directly. For me that’s a set of alarm bells. Text them and you’ll find that the car is somewhere else, but can be shipped for a fee with some amount of free miles…after you arrange payment.
We *had* this Caddy. My grandfather gave it to my family around 1964ish. My father and I took a Greyhound bus to Syracuse NY to drive it home. My main recollection of the trip was getting an Almond Joy at a bus rest stop. I was about five or six.
Once it was home in NJ, I used to love to shine that bumper…
My grandparents had a 1957 Packard Clipper. It had factory a/c with the plastic vents coming up from the back shelve up to the ceiling. They bought it gentle used in 1959. I was 6 years old and still remember them clearly.
Hi Angel 😇! Are you feeling better now? I thought a nice Caddy would perk you up! What’s
this? You wanting to restomod a
Cadillac? Wouldn’t think of doing
that unless the engine is locked up.abd judging by what I read here that could be a VERY distinct possibility. And that’s when you keep it all Cadillac with
a ’68-’70 472 V-8 and a T-400 tranny. The rear axle is strong enough to take the torque the 472 will dish out so all you really
have to do is worry about what
motor mounts you’re gonna use.
350? 400? Those mills would work too, but there’s just something about keeping it all Cadillac. And the 472 wins every
time. But again, I wouldn’t do that to this nice a car unless there was no way out of it. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say as long as I need to. If you’re gonna restomod something, there are lots of empty shells out there just
waiting for you to do your magic
to. That’s why I hope the engine’s
free on this one. Say, this would
be a good one for Sarah over at the Caddy Girl Garage on YouTube. Does my heart good to
see that nice young lady working on all those old Cadillacs.
If the original engine is toast, I would definitely step up to the 500 cubic inch Cadillac engine. Torque is King 👑
neat backstory. looks good in the pics but an in person inspection is needed. it could be legit. seller just looking to just sell rather than deal with it. few hundred miles from me but no sense looking wasting sellers time with no cash