Just bought a low mile 59 & I need HELP

[Cadillac Slim]

I just pruchased a Low Mile(32k) Series 62 2 door.
The mileage appears to be real & it appears to still have the original tires.
Everything on the car appears to be original.
I almost feel like its been in a cacoon.
I live in Tracy CA & I was wondering if there are any local members who could help me verify what I have appears to be true.
I have cars that I have kept original & I have cars that I have modified.  I've never owned one that is in this type of unrestored condition & I want to make sure whatever I do to this car is right.
For example, the engine bay needs detailing to make it perfect or do I leave it as is as they are only original once?
The carpet is faded in some areas from age, do I replace it or leave it as is?
The tires are 56 years old(If truly original) & I cannot imagine they are safe to drive on? Will replacing them be a sin?
I pick the car up tomorrow & will be detailing it all weekend if anyone is available.
Thanks as always for the help.

[Jon S]

First observation - the tires can not be the originals.  Bias tires on these Cadillacs lasted between 15,000 and 18,000 miles.  They might be the 2nd or third set.  They didn't get 30,000 - 70,000 miles like radial tires.

As to the engine bay there are those who will recommend cleaning it and bringing it back to like new shape and others who will recommend keeping it "original."  This is up to you.

The replacement carpet are never the same.  If the carpet is just faded, you may re-dye it and save it.

. . . and yes, the old tires should be replaced for safety reasons.

[Karkrazy]

Well first post some pics of your find we all like to be excited by it.. Never replace rugs if you can help it.. Very are to get those great Caddy interiors to look right. Change all fluids and hoses if cracked .. Clean car carefully with mild soap n water  .. I think dash and door panels, vinyl with clean damp rag. Photo Dara paintworkMaybe on cowl  Google trim n paint codes.. Also check firewall, door jambs, underside trunk lid for different colors or over spray.. Check glove box for papers n books, and radiator area for Cad ID. Card,..

[Karkrazy]

Man I hate "auto fill" changes my working after I write it!   Hard to do Caddy interiors right,  Data plate info,  ..blah, blah.. you know the drill, learn what you have and how good it really is after you clean it well , then preserve it, restore only if needed.. And then correctly.. I'm tired(and I'm certain you are too )of seeing bubble gum pink Caddies all over from just about any vintage! Original color schemes I enjoy seeing.   Btw is it a 4 window or 6 window? Did you mention that? Way different stylistically..

[Jon S]

It's stated as a 2 door coupe.

[76eldo]

Check out autogeek.net.  They have a lot of info on special compounds to use on old paint.

I agree on the tires and advice on the rugs too.  I'd clean under the hood with soap and water and see how it comes up.

Brian

[Karkrazy]

Oops right missed the 2 dr thing , sorry.. Most that are  found around now are 4 Drs. I stand corrected.

[Cadillac Slim]

These are the only photo I have.  I will post more when I get the car tomorrow.  The owner has continued to press that its all original.  He has stored the car indoors since 1990 & the pink slip shows a difference in mileage of around 900.
I have proceeded with caution on its originality.  Especially being told the tires were original.  Everything works on the car down to the radio.

[Ken Perry]

Hope to see some pics. If it were mine,I think I would get 4-59 cad wheels for the new driving tires and keep the old tires with the with the original wheels. I have a lot of 5 Cadillacs and I know alot about 59 Cadillac originality,I am in Bakersfield,Ca. Sounds like a heck of a find !!!   Ken Perry       

[Jon S]

The car looks very nice. Be awate that 56 year old lucite laquer should have a lot of minor cracks. If not, it has been re-done. In any case it looks beautiful. How is the under carriage?  Based on the exterior I would have anticipated a relatively clean engine compartment. Good luck with your find!

[Karkrazy]

My parents have a CDV white with blk n white inside.. They took my sisters and I to Fl every February in it. I remember how if you looked up you could see the stars while you rode in the back seat at night.. Does look nice for sure..good luck with it..

[bcroe]

I just pruchased a Low Mile(32k) Series 62 2 door.

The tires are 56 years old(If truly original) & I cannot imagine they are safe to
drive on? Will replacing them be a sin?  I pick the car up tomorrow & will be
detailing it all weekend if anyone is available.

Safety over rides everything else.  Besides the tires, grease every bearing starting
with the front wheels.  I believe you have a single circuit brake system, so EVERYTHING
needs to be in great shape.  Don't ask, just replace all the brake cylinders and all the
brake hoses.  Unless the lines show no corrosion, replace them too.  I replace radiator
hoses every 4 years, because I have seen too many fail at 5.  I had to add seat belts
to my first cars.  Bruce Roe

[Rod Dahlgren #19496]

I can tell you more about the car than the guy you bought it from. I found it for him.. Flew back to inspect it.. Set up transport to get it to NAPA Ca. set up all the that happened to it when it arrived...

[savemy67]

Hello Darin,

What a cool find!  For various reasons, many people find the '59's compelling.  Yours is perhaps more so because of its apparent originality.  There is original, as in the tires on the car are the actual tires from when the car was first purchased, and there is original, as in the tires on the car are the same brand and size as were on the car when first purchased, but the actual tires on the car were bought in 1972.

How you treat the car is going to be a function of what you want to do with the car.  Will it be a daily driver, or a Sunday driver, or would you put it back in a cocoon and sell it in 10 years?  Rod D. has indicated he knows much about the car, so hopefully the two of you will get together so you can trace the cars provenance.  Again, cool find!

Christopher Winter

[chrisntam]

I can tell you more about the car than the guy you bought it from. I found it for him.. Flew back to inspect it.. Set up transport to get it to NAPA Ca. set up all the that happened to it when it arrived...

Ya know, you can't tease us like that and not tell us.

Tell us about the car!

[Ken Perry]

I also would like to here more about this fine 59 Cadillac ?  Ken Perry

[Cadillac Slim]

Well the story the owner told me must be true.  The gentleman I bought the car from has been a wonderful man to deal with & he does live in Napa.  Probably one of the best buying experiences I've had.  He told me when he bought the car he sent someone out of state to inspect & commision the car.
I did find out the tires ARE NOT the original ones that came on the car.  The owner also told me that he recently re-did the entire brake system.
I am thrilled about the pruchase & whether the miles & the car are orginal or not I feel I paid fair market value for it. 

Rod,
Please share any details you know of the car.  I will send you a PM as well with my # & would love to talk to you.  For what its worth the previous owner stated what a wonderful job you did for him.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I have found (look, I'm chiming in on a '59 thread...) over the years, that no matter how "nice" a low mileage car appears on the surface, that at least 75% of them have never had the hood opened. At least to wipe anything off to clean it. Our local body shop had a nice Olds 88 sedan with low miles, great inside and out, but when the hood was opened, it was absolutely filthy. Dirt and dust everywhere.

My Seville was the same way. I took a picture of it under the hood and it looked yuchy. Thankfully, I am finding that the grease under there is not all that thick. In fact, the morning is so cool that I am headed out that way right now.

My "want to have list" generally runs from 1958 to 1961, but truly, I look forward to judging this unrestored beauty in the Original Class sometime in the near future. Congrats on a great find. The two of you ought to co laborate on an article for the Self Starter. Over the years, "How I found it" articles have been some of the most popular.

[Jon S]

I have found (look, I'm chiming in on a '59 thread...) over the years, that no matter how "nice" a low mileage car appears on the surface, that at least 75% of them have never had the hood opened. At least to wipe anything off to clean it. Our local body shop had a nice Olds 88 sedan with low miles, great inside and out, but when the hood was opened, it was absolutely filthy. Dirt and dust everywhere.

My Seville was the same way. I took a picture of it under the hood and it looked yuchy. Thankfully, I am finding that the grease under there is not all that thick. In fact, the morning is so cool that I am headed out that way right now.

My "want to have list" generally runs from 1958 to 1961, but truly, I look forward to judging this unrestored beauty in the Original Class sometime in the near future. Congrats on a great find. The two of you ought to co laborate on an article for the Self Starter. Over the years, "How I found it" articles have been some of the most popular.

Interesting observation.  When I was a teenager in the 1950's, all of my friends kept their parents engines nice and clean and we learned to work on the cars.  I think today the 75% factor is more realistic than back then.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

As the owner of a completely original '59 Series 62 Coupe myself (as in all original paint, chrome, interior and never painted underhood) I'm following with great interest.

Agreed with the others who have recommended leaving as much alone as possible. Clean, polish and detail - carefully - to your heart's content but anything replaced will stand out like a sore thumb. Strongly recommend leaving the engine room untouched, along with the carpet. I have also resisted the temptation to freshen mine.

Good luck with it & looking forward to more detail pictures.