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Unusual 1959 Series 62 Coupe, DeVille Interior w/Special Order Trim Code

Started by Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621, January 30, 2012, 11:44:02 AM

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Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

This one has me scratching my head- 1959 Series 62 Coupe w/ DeVille interior. I emailed owner and confirmed that the car is VIN # "G"; the "TRIM" Code shows "SO 1455". The interior code under normal circumstances is 50- identical to on my car- Black Coronado cloth & White Leather. "1455" is not a trim code therefore are we to assume it refers to numerical sequence of "Special Order" cars?

Secondly, since it is a "G" car, shouldn't it have the front fender crests? Or were they removed by paint shop and not reinstalled?

Finally, the car is a tri-power, w/ Q-Engine option.

Any experts on special order cars and what the SO code signifies? Would the build sheet show what the interior would have been on an  SO car? Difficult to understand why a customer would've ordered the car this way.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadillac-?cmd=ViewItem&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D2%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5978300353607602419&_trksid=p5197.m7&item=200704683971 
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

okccadman

My 1956 Sixty Special trim tag reads "SO-6721"  6721 is the body broadcast number of the car, at least in my case.  There are no records of what the interior was (full leather, in my case), just the SO notation on the build sheet.
Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

P Cedergren


I agree with what okccadman writes.

I have a 1960 Series 62 Convertible with SO (Special Order) trim.
In my case it's a Series 62 pattern leather interior, but it's the Eldorado type leather (one type is called Cardiff, the other type Florentine, and I always get the two mixed up.....)
Same as the '59 on eBay, kind of difficult to understand why somebody would order it this way.

And yes, the '59 on eBay should definitely have the fender crests if it's a G series car. Probably the body shop filled the holes before painting.

Per C. 4218

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

To be clear, nothing is supposed to appear in the "Trim" field of the data plate on SO cars?

On '64 SO Coupe deVille I had owned, "00" appeared there. It had stock '64 seat pattern but the leather was non-perforated.

In the case of this example, 1455 is just the regular broadcast number- having nothing to do with the special order?

What appears on the build sheet for interior on SO cars?
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

Grant Owen

I have a very early production 1959 series 62 coupe made within the 1st week or 2 of production with SO "special order interior" , it has a Coupe Deville interior with the single interior light in centre of headliner .
It has the series 62 fender crests , and has SO on the trim tag.
It also  has 6 ways seat , power windows , Eye , I have no understanding why someone would order a car this way it would have made sense to order a Coupe Deville maybe they liked the front fender side crests ?
I have a 1960 Dealer supplement and it states Coupe Deville interior no longer available as Special order in Series 62.

P Cedergren


If I recall correctly, my '60 shows something like "SO 1246" on the data plate on the cowl.
What is interesting is that the back (cardboard) of the door panels have the same "SO 1246" hand written on them.

Scott Mathis #25832

#6
The trim/upholstery section of my 1955's build sheet was left blank.

A paper tag detailing the SO interior's specification was stapled to the bottom of the data plate, I'm guessing before the plate was riveted in place.

The good part about an SO car is that the build record from Allied Vaughn/GM Media Archives sometimes contains a few more details, such as:  The name and location of the dealership that it was delivered to, instead of just an outlet code, or zone distributor.  According to an email that Allied Vaughn sent me, there is a good chance that 1954 and earlier special order build records could also contain the name of the customer who placed the order.










1955 Fleetwood 60S

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Quote from: Scott Mathis #25832 on February 01, 2012, 06:24:49 PM
The trim/upholstery section of my 1955's build sheet was left blank.

A paper tag detailing the SO interior's specification was stapled to the bottom of the data plate, I'm guessing before the plate was riveted in place

That's interesting- did you remove the data plate to retrieve it? Hard to believe a paper tag would've survived given its location.

In 1960 Cadillac went to the numeric designation for outlet codes; prior to that they used alpha codes which are easily deciphered.
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

wrefakis

on 1959 cars the trim tag will read "SO" then the body number,the build record will read trim "00" the only way to ever know what the configuration was is to have the factory order card that configured the individual car.

Many years ago I compiled all 59 Biarritz "so" configurations,these records are no doubt no longer around

Interesting stuff like the one off PEARL white with black & white  buckets Cadillac built for GM engineering dept!

Scott Mathis #25832

The paper tag is long gone, you're right due to it's location it would not have survived for very long..

I have a copy of an old salesman/dealership guide that covers special orders and it states that the tag will be stapled to the data plate.

After all this time the staples on my data plate are still hanging in there.  I'll try and post a picture.





1955 Fleetwood 60S

okccadman

Scott,  What color is your SO 1955?  My SO 1956 Sixty Special is Manda Red /Alpine White with a white/red full leather interior, chrome sabres eldo engine and almost all other options.
Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

Scott Mathis #25832

Hey Jim,  Mine is alpine white.  The interior is also full leather, white with red bolsters. Just like yours it is fully optioned: sabres, eldo engine, A/C....etc.  Also a number of dealer accessories: spotlight, radio foot switch, mats, vanity mirrors..etc

Other than the exterior paint it sounds like our cars are surprisingly similar.

My 55 was ordered/delivered through a dealer in Springfield Illinois, do you know the early history of your's?  Both of our cars would have been very expensive when new.

Also, does your 56 have a white leather headliner? 

Thanks!

Scott
1955 Fleetwood 60S

okccadman

Mine has a white perforated vinyl headliner.  It was sold new to John Sharp of newton, KS.  He was the worlds largest dealer of Mobile Homes at the time.  It was ordered and delivered by the Bob Little Motor Co. of Newton, KS.  No spotlight, but mine does have the foot switch and Eldorado Aluminum Ribbed Floor mats with matching red rubber inserts.  It has a/c, 6 way seat and power trunk as well as gold grille and chrome sabres.
Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

okccadman

Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

Scott Mathis #25832

No, sorry Jim.  The only history I have on my 55 is that it was delivered new through Illini Motor Co. located in Springfield Illinois.
The earliest registered owner, that I can find, was a California used car dealer who obtained the car around 1963 and kept it registered in his name until 1975 at which point it was placed in storage. She still wears the California plates that were issued to her in the early Sixties.

I wish there was a way to find out who placed the original SO.
1955 Fleetwood 60S

okccadman

Jim Jordan CLC# 5374
Oklahoma City, OK

55 Series 62 Sedan
56 Series 62 Coupe
56 Fleetwood 75 Derham Limo
59 Fleetwood Sixty Special
66 Fleetwood Brougham
66 Superior Hearse/Ambulance
67 Fleetwood Sixty Special
68 Fleetwood Eldorado
76 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance
90 Brougham
92 Fleetwood Coupe
93 Allante
94 Fleetwood Brougham
02 Eldorado Commemorative Edition

Scott Mathis #25832

1955 Fleetwood 60S