1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Chassis no. 59F096142

1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
Chassis no. 59F096142

390 cu in OHV V8
Single 4-Barrel Carburetor
325 hp & 430 lb-ft
4-speed Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission
Independent Front Suspension and Four-Link Live Axle Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Hydraulic-Drum Brakes with Power Assist
Rear-Wheel Drive

* Finished in Black over Red Leather
* Frame off restoration in 2007
* Approximately 11,130 convertibles produced for 1959
* Iconic 1959 Cadillac styling with legendary tailfins and dual bullet taillights

CADILLAC SERIES 62 CONVERTIBLE

Founded by Henry Leland and Robert Faulconer, the Cadillac Automobile Company of Detroit, Michigan completed its first car in October 1902, the firm's superior precision manufacturing technology soon establishing it as the foremost builder of quality cars in the USA. Cadillac was among the pioneers of the V8 engine and introduced the first synchromesh gearbox on its 1929 range. Always innovators in automobile technology, the company continues to produce cars recognized everywhere as symbols of wealth and prestige.

During the 1930s it seemed that almost every year brought with it a landmark advance in the development of Cadillac's long-running V8 engine, which by the decade's end had been rationalized to a single 346ci (5.7-liter, 150bhp) variant, the expensive V12 and V16-engined coach-built models having been dropped. The Series 62's beautiful Fisher-built 'Projectile' or 'Torpedo' bodies had first appeared on the 1940 range and featured a revised front-end treatment for '41, establishing a pattern that would last for several years. Only detail changes were made in the immediately post-war years before the range was comprehensively restyled for 1948, emerging with Harley Earl's Lockheed P38-inspired tail fins for the first time. With 150 horsepower on tap, the Series 61s and 62s had a decent turn of speed while the chassis was considered remarkable for its maneuverability.

Although Earl's tail fins had made their debut the preceding year, 1949 was nonetheless a landmark year for Cadillac, this season's models being the first to benefit from the company's new 5.4-liter, overhead-valve V8. Replacement for Cadillac's long-running 5.7-liter side valve, the new engine was untypical in having over-square bore/stroke dimensions and, despite the overhead valve gear, managed to be both more compact and lighter than its predecessor. A maximum output of 160bhp meant that 100mph was within the reach of most models, with comfortable cruising between 80 and 90. Revisions for the succeeding few seasons were chiefly limited to styling changes. Hydraulically operated 'power' windows was a feature of the Convertible and Coupe DeVille by this time, while Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was standardized from 1950 on all Series 62 models. The Series 62 was the larger of the two mainstream Cadillac model lines, being positioned between the 'small' Series 61 and the long-wheelbase Series 75 reserved for the Fleetwood-bodied limousines.

A new X-braced chassis frame enabled the 1957 Cadillacs to feature longer, lower bodies - 13 styles in total - all of which sported dual rear lights and tail fins larger than before. Automatic transmission, power steering and power-assisted brakes would continue to be standard on all models.

After the big mechanical changes for '57, Cadillac confined itself to facelifts the following year before stunning the world with its '59 range, which represented the zenith of the 'tail fin' era. Quite apart from its outlandish styling, as controversial today as it was back then, the '59 line-up marked the introduction of a new 390ci (6.4-liter) 325bhp V8 engine. Now widely recognized as one of Cadillac's best, the new power plant was almost completely overshadowed by the coachwork it propelled; with their pillar-less profile, huge tail fins, glitzy chrome, color-matched interiors and 'jukebox' dashboards, the 1959 Cadillacs are peerless icons of a bygone age and among the most highly prized of all post-war American automobiles.

THE CAR OFFERED

This 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible is one of just 11,130 convertibles produced for 1959. Having a frame off restoration in 2007, during the restoration, the car was painted in a 2-stage urethane Black paint which sits over a Red Leather interior.

Mileage shows 44,836 at the time of cataloging, which appears to be correct but cannot be confirmed.

The Series 62 Convertible, one of Cadillac's most desirable open models and among the most recognizable American automobiles ever built.