This Pink
Beauty is an exercise in Glamour & Glitz that
was so often seen in the 50's that has all but,
disappeared in our lives now. If it wasn't the
sheer size of this behemoth..... it was those
bodacious
and,
memorable fins.
Yet, when you drive it- they are
surprisingly agile
and handle more like a
smooth Chevy Sedan than "The Standard of The World"-
Cadillac.
This knock-out beauty was discovered after
completion of a recent restoration in Michigan.
Though the car is originally from Florida it was
purchased and sent to Michigan for restoration. We're slightly
prejudiced: we think the Coupe is better looking
than the Convertible ! This is a
Coupe DeVille Model 59-63 sometimes
referred to as the 6300 Series, body style #
6337J. 'New' it cost an amazing $5252 +
Options
'( List" price equipped as you see it here, this
car would have been $6259+/- ). It weighs in at 4720 lbs.
Cadillac Motor Division built 142,272 cars in 15
different Models that year but,
Cadillac only produced
21,924 Coupe DeVille's in 1959
and this one is seen
in it's original color's of
"Woodrose Metallic"- (sometimes
confused with "Persian Sand"... an Eldorado
color... it is further complimented by a
"Dover White" Hardtop and 2-Tone Rose
Brocade & Leather interior. This is a
ultra-low mileage, rust-free example reputed by
the restoration shop to
have just 52,312
miles (1006 miles per year!!) However, in The
State of Fla. any car "over 10 years old"
gets titled 'mileage exempt'). It has undergone a
frame-up restoration by a Midwest Restoration Shop that
tout's itself to have
produced vehicles that achieved several
top-bid's at Barratt-Jackson. In an effort to
please the next owner: We have just sent
the car for further restoration to meet our
Standards. These puppies
pretty much came loaded 'new' in 1959 so, you
would expect to see Fender Skirts, Padded Dash,
Dual Back-Up Lights, Full Wheel Discs, Vanity
Mirror, Outside Mirror, Oil Filter, 2-Speed
Wipers and, on the Coupe DeVille, Cigarette
Lighters. It is also equipped with Dual Exhaust, Factory 4-Season Air
Conditioning (3:21:01 rear diff.), 390 c.i./
325h.p. V8 with Automatic Transmission, AM/FM Signal Seeking Radio,
"Autronic Eye" (Automatic Headlight Dimmer), Six-Way Power Seats,
Wide Whitewall Tires, E-Z-Eye Tinted Glass, Power
Steering, Power Brakes and Power Window Lifts.
It was completely painted in Glasurit Base Coat
/ Clear Coat and the original undercoating was
kept intact, and sparingly renewed in
frame-Black paint only. The Interior is, for
the most part, excellent original
pattern. Tires are
'near new' and the trunk mat is 'yellowed' original. Body
is 'straight' and Chrome is 'original'. We are
calling this a #2- 21/2 condition. It carries
a copy of it's
Original Build Sheet
(proving color & equipment) Accessories Manual and
other doc's. We have just finished a Complete
Service/ Tune-Up, Transmission Update w/ new
Transm.Pan, Wheel Bearings, Seat Restoration
(new f.seat foam /material), minor paintwork
and major detail. Priced to include air
compressor restoration at
$45,500.
The Story:
Looking at some of the
number's below will most
likely cause you to chuckle
but,
1959 was a
Study in Contrast
to current times.
Unemployment was just 5.5%
yet, new businesses failed
at the astonishing rate of
51.8% that year. The Average
Yearly Wage was $5,010 and a
new 'Ranch-Style Home' would
cost $12,400. It would be
the First Year for Pantyhose
and the Boeing 707 Jet. It
would be the 2nd Year for
the Grammy Award's but, only
509 TV Stations
Nationwide were on the
air to broadcast them.
Inflation was at 1.01% and
gas was priced @ only 25
cents per gallon. Ester
Williams (Movie & Swim Star)
would grace the box of a 25
cent box of 'Wheaties'
breakfast cereal while Buddy
Holly & Richie Valens would
give their last performance
on Feb.2nd. Sitting down?
... the average NEW car was
$2,200. Sales Nationwide for
a pre-owned home would
average $2,410. Oklahoma
would end Prohibition in
1959 after 51 years.
"Barbie" would debut and
sell 800 million dolls. Lee
Petty would win the First
Daytona 500 Race, while the
First Color Photo of Earth
would be shot from Space
while "Bozo The Clown" would
launch his first TV Show*.
Most
people think of the 1959
Cadillac's as simply
"bodacious".
Merriam-Webster dictionary
defines 'bodacious' as
"unmistakable, remarkable,
noteworthy, sexy or
voluptuous" and
that,
they
were. The 1959
Cadillac will always set a
benchmark and be known as
the "Holy Grail" of 50's
automobile design whether
you comparing it to any
other marque or another year
of a standard-issue
Cadillac, Eldorado or even
Hearse. The 1959 cadillac
alone is seen not only as a
cathedral to America'sGlory
Years but, a Gothic Monumnet
to the past. Over Long, Over
Low, Over Styled. It's
stands on it's own as a
Tribute To The Fifties. They were, indeed,
the
Ultimate expression
of America's Post War
prosperity and Detroit's
ambition.....a
tribute to the 'new' Jet Age
in 1959....a 20-21 ft. long,
technological marvel that
was both
serious and silly
at the same time.
Remember these cars were
developed, not only to
compete with Chrysler's
over-developed, outrageously
finned 'beast's but,
released in a time when
prosperity was equated in
achieving the Good-Life with
ultra-modern conveniences
both at home and on the
road. It was a time when you
could buy a 45rpm record
player for your car, a
new-fangled Color TV for
your home or an explodable
bag of the newly released "JiffyPop"
for your kids.
Cadillac
ownership was considered a
sign of
Instant Success
and
a Symbol of Wealth and
Achievement.
Elvis Presley, Marilyn
Monroe, Jerry Lee Lewis,
CEO's all over America,
Hollywood Moguls and Movie
Stars and even the
President, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, all drove
Cadillac's.
There was a time
when Packard
dominated the public
consciousness but,
by the late 50's it
wasn't Lincoln, it
wasn't Imperial
(Chrysler).... it
wasn't even Jaguar,
that could eclipse
Cadillac's sales or
prestige. No other
U.S. auto
manufacturer would
end up competing
with Cadillac for
four decades
from the 50's.
For One Year- It was
the Most
PredominantCar in
America.
Retired
Vice-President
of
Design,
Bill
Mitchell,
said it
all..
as he
remembered
the
battle
with
Chrysler.
"I think
what
happened
is that
at the
time
[Virgil] Exner at
Chrysler
and, we
at GM,
tried to
out-fin
each
other. I
think
the
worst
year we
had was
'58 when
we were
putting
on
chrome
with a
trowel.
We had
chrome
on
everything,
and in
'59 we
tried to
out-fin
Exner.
You
know, we
went on
to '60
and '61
and
brought
the fins
down and
made
them a
little
more
sane --
a little
more
'sanitary."
he even
admitted
"he had
given
birth to
Frankenstein".
Every
designer
on the
project
was
enamored
of jet
aircraft.
It was
nothing
to see a
stack of
books on
the
subject
on their
desks.
This was
an
exciting
time in
aviation
and the
designers
were
awed by
the
shapes
of the
latest
jets.
True,
(Harley
Earl's)
P-38
influence
continued
on the
'59
Cadillac
with the
flow-through
lines".
As
Mitchell
said,
"Seeing
the
P-38,
you saw
how you
could go
from the
headlight
straight
back to
the
tailfin
in one
line."
But,
others
put it,
"By the
mid-Fifties,
jet
aircraft
were
the
thing."
If you
look at
the rear
of the
'59
Caddy,
it looks
like the
....exhaust
ports of
a jet.
It's no
wonder
the '59
Caddy
looks
like
it's
really
moving
even
when
it's
just
sitting
in the
driveway".
Now,
you
can park
one in
your
driveway
....or
garage.
*
source:
brainyhistory.com,
The
Catalog
on
Cadillac,
59Eldo.at
and
others
Merriam-Websters
Dictionary:
**Origin
of
BODACIOUS
:
probably a blend of bold and audacious
First Known Use: 1832
Related
to
BODACIOUS;
Synonyms:
arresting,
noticeable,
bold,
brilliant,
catchy,
commanding,
conspicuous,
dramatic,
emphatic,
eye-catching,
flamboyant,
prominent,
pronounced,
remarkable,
showy,
splashy,
striking
