Trailer Find: 1955 Cadillac Series 62
The Series 62 line of automobiles was Cadillac’s mainstay between 1940-64, renamed Calais after that. This 1955 hardtop coupe is a project that’s fresh out of an enclosed trailer, but we’re told the motor does spin which offers some encouragement. Located in Arvada, Colorado, this once-proud automobile is available here on craigslist where the seller is hoping to get $5,000. Thanks for this vintage find, T.J.
When the books were closed on the 1955 model year, it would prove to be Cadillac’s best sales year up to that point. More than 140,000 of GM’s finest would be built, and nearly 119,000 of those would be Series 62 body styles. The hardtop coupe would be quite popular, accounting for 28,000 units on the balance sheet, just below the 33,000 Coupe de Ville’s that would otherwise be assembled. The cars differed only in the level of trim and creature comforts, of which both had plenty.
From what we see of the seller’s ’55 Cadillac, the body looks pretty solid. Rust doesn’t seem to be a problem other than maybe a bit of the surface variety. There are no big dents or dings, and the chrome may be complete if you count the assortment of parts that are either in the trunk or passenger compartment. The original paint looks to be light blue with a matching interior, although the car could have been a two-tone when new.
There were two versions of the 331 cubic inch V8 available that year, with outputs of 250 and 270 hp. The difference was the use of a single 4-barrel carburetor as opposed to two. We’re not sure which applies to the seller’s car, but the shape of the intake manifold may suggest the former. The mileage is an indicated 38,000, which could be accurate, or the odometer could have turned over at some point. There is no title with this find, so hopefully a bill of sale will suffice. When restored, these land yachts can fetch a pretty penny, but this one’s going to take a lot of dimes and quarters to get there.
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Comments
$5000!…well Colorado is a marijuana-legal state so…
While apparently somewhat solid, my old rule-of-thumb is to be remembered here: Buy the very best example of what you’re after that you can afford! If this one is $5K but doesn’t run and needs alot of work, but you can honestly afford to more–maybe $12K-$15K, look around for a better one. Who knows, a sharp eye might uncover a Coupe DeVille instead of a Series 62? More creature comforts and desirability and maybe it will be drivable? You never know!
Exactly. There are nicer Cadillacs available. My guess a few more months of $6.00 fuel there will be lots of deals on everything.
That would make this into a $1500 (or less) car.
$5000 for a rough, but rust-free, complete 1955 Cadillac Series 62 hardtop, and still people say it’s too much. Some of y’all still think you can buy the Duesenberg Twenty Grand for twenty grand.
Smart people price cars, and other items, for the people who desire to buy them. It’s counterproductive to price something cheaply so “everyone” will buy it. If it’s truly not worth the asking price, it won’t sell. Then the seller can consider lowering their expectations. Doesn’t work well the other way around.
U see a LOT of old semi trailers on people’s property in the country in the South. ( I’m in South Carolina)
I always wonder how many of them contain old cars………
WE used call these “Jungle Cruisers”!
Are you sure this is a barn find?