Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: july76 on November 08, 2015, 08:25:17 AM

Title: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 08, 2015, 08:25:17 AM
 
This is my 1953 series 62 Cadillac that I imported from Minnesota, where the car was registered.
by its previous owner. It seems to have passed all his life in that state and out of circulation for years
(last license plate (CPS 824) is from 1979!). Now it's in hands of a restorer from my country. I'm trying
to trace the vehicle history. I contact the seller but he don't have any document related  to the purchase
that was made in an auction held probably in 2012. Maybe someone from Minnesota can shed some light
about previous owners. In other hand it would be possible to obtain some info from the MS DMV?

A photo of the car and title

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.org%2F3n13445z7%2FFront_view.jpg&hash=ab8b892a351a7f8ac171e75f7e9101fb47391595)


(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5674%2F22883276551_e72986d60c_b.jpg&hash=9a429fe4a02459856b0e9943068a98a81b289508)

Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Barry M Wheeler #2189 on November 08, 2015, 01:37:42 PM
Once a car is sold, the manufacturer has no further use for it. In fact, if they could get away with it, any and all connection between them and the purchaser would vanish into thin air. Of course, nowadays, they do have to keep track of the purchaser for recalls, and the like.

But, unfortunately, there is no magic list somewhere that we can go to to find out this information. If, the car manufacturers had used a crystal ball to peer into the future to see that certain of the population would desire old, worn-out autos to spend outrageous sums of money on, they most certainly would have assigned an intern (that they didn't have to pay a salary) to copy down this information, stored it,  and then charged money for us to obtain such.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: chrisntam on November 08, 2015, 03:44:57 PM
I can't help with your question, but I can say that '53s are one of my favorite years.  Great looking front end!!

What country is it in now and where are you from?

In general,  8)  !!
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 08, 2015, 04:56:58 PM

I'm from Spain and that's where the car is now. Yes '53 was a great year for the Cadillac style
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 08, 2015, 06:05:12 PM
Hate to break it to you but the vin number is missing a few digits on the title.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: savemy67 on November 08, 2015, 11:13:06 PM
Hola Julio,

Pine River, Minnesota has a population of about 1000.  You might try contacting the mayor's office or the Chamber of Commerce to see if anyone remembers the owner of such an elegant (for Pine River) automobile.

Christopher Winter
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 12, 2015, 04:08:03 PM

I've just received the GM report for my '53. Now I just need some help to decode  :(

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi63.tinypic.com%2F2d2g5zl.jpg&hash=1d1b111c31d3e13abd6172230fe25f8eb10a08a8)

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi66.tinypic.com%2F2vwtfnd.jpg&hash=4e50b3421285fd02f61db205b27014009519e63a)
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on November 12, 2015, 05:12:48 PM
Quote from: Dan LeBlanc on November 08, 2015, 06:05:12 PM
Hate to break it to you but the vin number is missing a few digits on the title.

It sure is.

I make out the rest as 96355(?) as shown on the invoice sheet document under engine serial number which is the VIN; the prefix "5362" refers to 1953 Series 62.

This should be resolved before registering the car.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 12, 2015, 05:31:11 PM
 Yes in the title it appears 5362 but I've sent to them the engine number that is located on the tag of the door pillar.
49er the codes are indeed on the bottom left but are impossible to be read.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 13, 2015, 07:31:31 AM
Your car was a late production car - invoiced to the distributor in Duluth, Minnesota on November 4th, 1953.  I'm not sure if it was one of the Dynaflow cars or not as the Hydramatic plant fire was in August and was back in production 9 weeks later.  If it has a park position on the gear selector, then, yes, it is.

Fairly well equipped Series 62.

FSA = Firestone tires, equipment group A which included:

Heater
Signal seeking radio with pre-selector
White sidewall tires
Power steering
EZ-Eye Glass

Also has accessory group 2 which includes:

Oil filter
Windshield washer
vanity mirror
LH rear view mirror
Fog lights
License frames
Autronic eye

Also has option code # 2 - 4 full wheel covers

AF = anti-freeze.  Being sent to Minnesota in November, that makes sense.

Hope this helps.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: P W Allen CLC# 20193 on November 13, 2015, 02:28:23 PM
According to the Cadillac Twin Turbine (dynaflow), service manual, it states that "This transmission will be installed on 1953 Cadillac cars above engine # 84799". This did NOT include the Eldorado or the 75 series cars. This car with #96355, should be a Dynaflow. My car is with Eng. # 99844. It is not clear to me that after Hydramatics were back in production 9 weeks later, were they installed in the very late 53's. or did they just wait until the 54's went into production?
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 14, 2015, 04:13:48 AM
 Thanks a lot Dan LeBlanc for your valuable help  ;) "Also has option code # 2 - 4 full wheel covers" what it means? The radio
was not installed from factory on my car so maybe it was an option avaliable that the buyer refused. In other hand, I suppose
the numbers on the right side are the price of the vehicle and all the shipping tax.
P W Allen, the car comes indeed with the Dynaflow trans so maybe they continue to mount the Hydramatic only on Eldos and 75
until following year.
I contacted the DVS to obtain some info about the vehicle registration and they provide a form to make the order. Duluth is
a town with a great population now and in the 50s so without the help of archives it won't be easy to recover something.
In other hand the car was invoiced to a "main dealer" but that doesn't mean that it was sold there. I suppose that the tons of
papers of each dealer were destroyed after some years...

at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi68.tinypic.com%2F2yjzygn.jpg&hash=70fd0131ff01df761c55d8f23c3f56ab2a9ae593)

Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 14, 2015, 07:38:58 AM
The wheel covers your car has in the picture are the ones it left the factory with. Pictured here are the standard wheel covers with the optional trim rings.

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1189.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz421%2Fdan_leblanc1%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F2014-11%2F1D2E86B0-3F7E-42CB-8B8D-26B52AF5FA7C_zpsvbtzloga.jpg&hash=c2da243a0f42b93b9f20dc5e4b63801256ec9442) (http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/dan_leblanc1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/1D2E86B0-3F7E-42CB-8B8D-26B52AF5FA7C_zpsvbtzloga.jpg.html)

Your car definitely left the factory with a radio. A likely scenario was that the car was ordered for dealer stock and the buyer did not want a radio. Perhaps for religious reasons. The dealer would've removed it for a buyer if they wished and added a radio delete plate.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 14, 2015, 08:36:04 AM

Is this as the original hubcaps?

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi63.tinypic.com%2Fa5fey8.jpg&hash=fef2c2399a67ceb3eed989d881095b9fc81279c7)
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 14, 2015, 09:37:04 AM
Those are 49-52. 53 are a 1 year only cap.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 14, 2015, 10:10:52 AM
 Yes they are different. I've never seen that hubcaps showed on your picture for a '53 but the sombrero ones.
This seems more

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.tinypic.com%2Fx3wgnc.jpg&hash=66735ea60463a529e004bcfd72d693317467371b)
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 14, 2015, 11:07:25 AM
The ones on my parts car were used from 41-53 and only cover the centre of the rim. The outer trim ring is separate and was optional with those caps.

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1189.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz421%2Fdan_leblanc1%2F1DE1DAD6-C363-481E-B605-2608FFB1B86E_zpsreqc4yhu.jpg&hash=42377bd826d258a991b11662ed6ae9e3e4c49b28) (http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/dan_leblanc1/media/1DE1DAD6-C363-481E-B605-2608FFB1B86E_zpsreqc4yhu.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Tito Sobrinho on November 14, 2015, 02:10:55 PM
Quote from: P W Allen CLC# 20193 on November 13, 2015, 02:28:23 PM
According to the Cadillac Twin Turbine (dynaflow), service manual, it states that "This transmission will be installed on 1953 Cadillac cars above engine # 84799". This did NOT include the Eldorado or the 75 series cars. This car with #96355, should be a Dynaflow. My car is with Eng. # 99844. It is not clear to me that after Hydramatics were back in production 9 weeks later, were they installed in the very late 53's. or did they just wait until the 54's went into production?

Besides the Eldorado and the 75 Series, the Hydramatic was sold to independents and the RR in lieu of the Cadillacs.
I loved the smoothness of the Dynaflow as well as the Power Glide.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Tito Sobrinho on November 14, 2015, 02:43:41 PM
"Where's Waldo"?

In that wonderful picture of the University of Minnesota parking lot posted by Julio Fernandez, I spotted a 1953 Cadillac Coupé de Ville. Any other Cadillacs ?
The newest car I was able to spot was a 1958 model.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 14, 2015, 06:10:20 PM

That wheel covers used until 1953? I can't see how they could keep an accessory with the previous emblem  ???
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 14, 2015, 06:18:30 PM
Yup. Shown in the data book found here:

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html

I highly recommend downloading the 1953 one. It will explain a lot about your car. Contains the data book and owners manual.
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 15, 2015, 05:28:00 AM
 I have the data book and the owner's manual but I'm not really convinced. The picture with that wheel disc is just an example,
in this case taken from a '52 to show the rims as an optional accessory. That is confirmed by the Cadillac Database

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi64.tinypic.com%2F30sk1f4.jpg&hash=d7471b2b3e85fc73fbcfbec7158a0e4ff718e11a)
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on November 15, 2015, 06:43:35 AM
Why would you refute the factory documentation?
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: jdemerson on November 15, 2015, 07:10:40 AM
Julio,
   Dan Leblanc's information on hubcaps and wheel covers is exactly correct. I have both the 1952 and 1953 Data Books, and they do show the correct wheel covers for the two years. The full wheel covers for 1953 were different from those for 1948 to 1952. The 1948-1952 models had the famous "sombrero" wheel covers, first in chrome and later in stainless steel. My 1952 Cadillac was the last that had the sombreros. The 1953 wheel covers were different and were used only in that year. In all of those years, cars without the optional wheel covers came with standard "hub caps" and the trim rings could be added as an option. Some enthusiasts prefer that combination to the more expensive full wheel covers.
   The information and photos shown in the Cadillac Data Base and posted above is correct and is consistent with what is shown in the respective Data Books.

Regards!
John
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on November 15, 2015, 09:24:50 AM

  No my aim to refuse the official literature just I was confused with the styles when they are only wheel discs with or without
  the trim rings  ::) Closed
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: Tito Sobrinho on November 15, 2015, 12:44:34 PM
Quote from: jdemerson on November 15, 2015, 07:10:40 AM
Julio,
   Dan Leblanc's information on hubcaps and wheel covers is exactly correct. I have both the 1952 and 1953 Data Books, and they do show the correct wheel covers for the two years. The full wheel covers for 1953 were different from those for 1948 to 1952. The 1948-1952 models had the famous "sombrero" wheel covers, first in chrome and later in stainless steel. My 1952 Cadillac was the last that had the sombreros. The 1953 wheel covers were different and were used only in that year. In all of those years, cars without the optional wheel covers came with standard "hub caps" and the trim rings could be added as an option. Some enthusiasts prefer that combination to the more expensive full wheel covers.
   The information and photos shown in the Cadillac Data Base and posted above is correct and is consistent with what is shown in the respective Data Books.

Regards!
John

The sombrero hubcap was introduced in the 1947 Cadillac, but due to the 8:20x15 low pressure tires introduced in the 1948 Cadillac,  the insider retainer is deeper with a measurement of 2 1/2"  versus the 2 1/4" for the 1947 sombrero.
To distinguish them in a jiffy...One drain hole in the inside retainer for the 1947 X two drain holes for the 1948 sombrero.









;
Title: Re: 1953 Cadillac history
Post by: july76 on December 02, 2015, 03:03:53 AM

  The answer to my record vehicle request that the DVS of Minnesota has
  sent to me: "This letter will verify that the State of Minnesota Department   
  of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services Division is required to retain
  records for a period of 7 years. Records prior to 2007 have been destroyed.

  Our office has made a through search of our files by VIN & plate number.
  We were unable to locate a record that the above listed vehicle has been
  registered or titled in the State of Minnesota for the years 2008 through
  2015"

  I really can't believe that the DVS hasn't digitized his documents. I agree
  that the wiping policy it made sense in the pre-computers with tons of
  documents taking up space but now in the year 2015... Nothing more
  can be done