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2017 Shannons Melbourne Winter Classic Auction
Lot
36

1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible (LHD)

$120,000

Sold

Specifications

Engine V8, 390-cid
Gearbox 3-speed automatic
Body Work Convertible
Colour White
Interior Red/White
Trim Leather
Wheels Steel discs
Brakes Drums

Description

This lot is no longer available

One of the most outrageously styled automobiles ever made, the 1959 Cadillac convertible is the automotive equivalent of Marilyn Monroe – drop dead gorgeous, totally over the top and never to be repeated.  From the jewel-like grille to the most recognisable fins of all time, the 1959 Caddie is an icon, celebrated in just about every form of popular culture, from movies to art.  Underneath that extravagant bodywork was the most mechanically refined Cadillac yet, using a revamped version of the X-braced frame introduced in 1957 and a new 390-cid V8 developing 325 horsepower at 4800 rpm, thanks to a four-barrel carburettor and dual exhausts.  The long list of standard equipment found on all 1959 Cadillacs included power steering, power brakes and Hydra-matic automatic transmission, plus luxury features like a vanity mirror, external rear view mirror, two-speed wipers, twin back-up lamps and an electric antenna. Available in four body styles – a sedan, hardtop sedan, a coupe and the glamorous convertible – the Series 6200 sold well, with 11,130 ragtops finding buyers in 1959.  Billed as “The New Standard of the World of Excellence”, the 1959 Cadillac remains one of the most collectible American classics of all time and a star of any collection.