Stylish Barn Find: 1954 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe
Is there anything sweeter than finding a solid, stylish, and deluxe find? I dare say that any classic Cadillac find is a real treat as the quality and praise of these cars never seem to diminish. Stored in a California barn for roughly 40 years, this sleek Caddy coupe is still a charmer with its weathered paint and definitive style. A grand project to preserve or restore, this classic has been bid up to $4,001.00. Check out this beauty here on eBay out of Carmel, California.
Under the hood is a mildly dusty and dirty 331 V8 that looks like it would clean up very nice. While the engine has not been started, the seller has confirmed that the engine turns over. The paint in the engine bay looks very reasonable, and in fact you can still see the Cadillac blue on the 331. As you would expect from a long term stored vehicle, the brakes are not operational, and I can only imagine that the fuel system needs a helping hand as well.
Extremely dusty and dirty, the interior is going to need a tremendous amount of cleaning, but it appears that the results may be impressive. If the windows weren’t left cracked open during storage, the interior would likely show to be in very nice shape. The steering wheel has a crack or two, and the dash appears without flaw. I would be willing to bet that this interior could be enjoyed as is, but perhaps some upholstery work could come into play, as well as some attention for the carpet.
Also a solid exterior wash would likely leave you with a great looking Cadillac that suffers with only minor paint wear, and minor surface rust. A tire seems to have been stored on the trunk during storage allowing steel belts to touch the body and cause some surface rust. Although the exact condition of the paint finish is a bit disguised, the paint looks to be 90%. There are a few areas where primer can be seen, and there is some minor surface rust on some of the body panels that could likely be buffed out for the most part. Cosmetic damage is little to none, and this two door luxury classic could be a grand restoration effort, or even a preservation upon receiving a good wash inside and out. Would you restore or preserve this big two door?
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Comments
Get it running and Put a good amount of rubbing compound and elbow grease into it and you have a cool looking summer cruiser. Wish I had the cash for it
Last week the seller had it listed for $14,200. That’s an awful lot of money for a car with no title or registration. It does, however, come with a bill if sale, most likely without the current sellers name on it. If a seller is going to ask this kind of money for any car, they should do the leg work with the DMV. Handing someone a bill if sale, especially in California, and basically saying here you go, good luck, doesn’t really cut it.
Steve R
If it has its Ca plates still on it, it wouldn’t be too much of a problem with the DMV.
Except having to pay for all those years nothaving a Cali Non OP cert. You would end up paying for each year unless you had a death cert for the previous owner. Just went through this in California. It can be done just not easy.
The new buyer will have to deal with taxes, back registration, VIN verification, which requires exposing the con VIN no matter how much disassembly is required to make that happen. They will also have to deal with the paperwork and expenses required to procure the new title itself. I went through that about 20 years ago, I had a friend with a shop do a mechanics lien, which even then cost a few hundred dollars to get processed.
Steve R
School me a little guys from what I’m understanding is, if you have a car off the road you need to pay an annual fee for this none op certificate is that correct? If so doesn’t that come down to taxing you for any vehicle not in use. Do I have this correct?
A non-op doesn’t cost anything. They never expire and you never have to renew. When it comes time to register the car for use, you just pay for that current years registration.
A friend recently purchased a 1956 F100 that had been sitting since 1981, the owner filed for a non-op when he parked it, all he had to do to put it in his name was pay a small fee to transfer title and pay sales tax. He didn’t even have to pay for the current years registration, since it’s still a project. On the other hand, I was recently late registering a car because the check engine light was on and it wouldn’t pass emissions testing, which is required every other year prior to renewing your registration. I was one month late, with penalties it cost me double what it would have been if I was on time.
Current California non op fees are $20 per year, must be paid each year or non op status lost.
That’s not correct.
I have a vehicle with a non-op which has a registration renewal date of 7/31/2018, the DMV just sent me a notice that specifically says there are no fees due.
Steve R
There was a 1974 Corvette on Barn Find that had been stored in a car port for 22 years. I have met with the owner in Camarillo and we found out that the original owner got a cert of non OP on it 22 years ago. All it took was getting a new cert in new owners name and it is good to go. One fee. Of course he did have a death certificate for the original owner and a DMV title xfer doc based on it before auction.
And besides…..when did we become a hobby where you could sell a dirty car much less a Cadillac that you know nothing about, have no keys and seemingly care so little about you dont even get it running………and expect money? Oh wait…..I forgot.
I’ve never had a big ordeal registering vehicles with only a bill of sale. NY didn’t issue “titles” for pre-1973 vehicles, only a paper registration card. It’s been a while since I’ve had to register a car having only a bill of sale. The DMV staffer advised that after an extended period of non-registration, the vehicle can drop of their database. This was the case when I bought a 1973 Cadillac from an out of state owner whom no longer had a title, and hadn’t registered the car for several years. I presented the DMV with a notarized bill of sale, paid the title fee, and the registration fee, and I was on my way
I agree with Steve.R.
Not only does that front bumper look heavy, it is heavy. Helped a friend remove one 30 years ago and it was like a anchor. And that was when I was a lot younger.
I like these old caddies but like the imperial from the other day your not going to want to take this on in a 22′ x 22′ garage I’m not saying it can’t be done but it’s not going to be easy. I say gut suspension, brakes, motor, trans, rear axle. Find a wrecked more modern vehicle and start fresh with the original bare frame. I’d be looking for a modern chevy 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive as a donor. Once completed you could put the restored body back on and have one solid platform. It could even be Daly driven not that I would. What I have described is a big project for anyone to take on. Some might say you be underwater in no time doing this build, and that is true I say every time you walk onto a car lot and buy a truck or car of your choosing you are underwater as soon as you roll onto the street. The difference is there not selling new 1954 caddies at the dealership any more, so it comes down to what do you want to drive, a modernized 1954 caddy or a new pickup. They cost about the same in the end, just food for thought.
Buy it and haul it to a more reasonable state for registration!
I bought a 1970 GTO from California in 1986. I paid zero fees except to register the car on Pennsylvania. When my near perfect rust free beauty arrived in Nov. 1986, I called the seller to tell him the CA blue and gold license plates were still on the car. He told me the plates always stay with the car even if sold out of state.
Yes, in California the plates go with the car. If they are personalized then so does the annual fee if you re-register in Ca.
Cadillacs were cars that stood out. They were very recognizable in the 50’s.
Nowadays they look like all the other cars.