1958 Cadillac Series 62

Description

The economics of restoration are particularly difficult on any '50s car, but restoring this 1958 Cadillac Series 62 hardtop was a true labor of love. With acres of chrome, almost 18 feet of sheetmetal, and a sumptuous interior big enough for a basketball team, this big hardtop is all about the 1950s.

Alpine white was a favorite of Cadillac designers throughout the '50s, and it always looks right on fins. Like many of their corporate cousins, the 1958 Cadillacs are a unique, 1-year-only design that pushed tailfins and chrome to new limits that would only be upstaged by the outrageous 1959 models. As a result, there's shiny trim everywhere you look, from the massive grille where every little bullet is an individual piece, to the ornate trim along the flanks, to the wonderfully ornate taillight assemblies. Fortunately, all the sheetmetal in between the trim is in great condition, showing off efforts to get it all straight before the paint went on. The doors are big and heavy, but swivel almost effortlessly on their hinges and close without a brutal slam, and with all that trim, there's just no place for sloppy panel alignment to hide. Other notable details include the wrap-around front AND rear glass, all of which has that bluish Soft-Ray tint, and the gold-plated emblems on the hood and deck lid that demonstrate conclusively that Cadillac was taking no prisoners in the 1950s.

Tasteful sums up the interior, which seems in contrast to the outrageous bodywork. Black cloth and white vinyl duplicate the factory look, with the black-and-white theme continuing throughout the rest of the interior. It's all restored, of course, but the ornate details and intricate patterns remain in place, more evidence that Cadillac was firing on all eight cylinders in the late-50s. Power equipment includes windows and seats, along with an AM radio in the center of the dash. The instrument panel seems to echo the look of the front end, particularly the headlight pods, and there's enough chrome inside this Cadillac to finish a modern Buick's trim. The color-matched steering wheel is a beautiful piece if 1950s art, and combined with the ultra-slender shifter lever, perfectly captures the direction of high-end industrial design. Carpets, door panels, headliner, and even the dash pad are all in excellent condition, and that fully upholstered trunk is big enough to move a 2-bedroom apartment.

Cadillac's 365 cubic inch V8 was still a brilliant performer in 1958, even though an even bigger powerplant was on the way in 1959. It idles smoothly and floats the big coupe along on a wave of torque that feels like it could pull forever. Power steering and brakes make such a big car not only possible but pleasurable to drive, and the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission remained standard equipment. The engine bay is clean but shows signs of use and the chassis is tidy enough that you won't think twice about a road trip. Twin exhaust pipes give it a muscular hum and 235/75/15 whitewall radials are the right size to fill those big wheel wells.

If it's attention you crave, no other car delivers it like a Cadillac with fins. The fact that it's also a great road machine is only icing on this Arctic White cake. Call today!