1959 Series 75 - Modified Fins.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Came across this on Facebook today which might be of interest to CLC members.

According to the owner, this car was owned by a funeral home in a small Canadian town who had the fins modified in 1970. The seller also claims the worksmanship of the conversion was first rate with very little signs of the alteration.

What's even more interesting is the high level of equipment for a Series 75 including Air Suspension, Cruise Control and Air Conditioning, according to the owner.

Most interesting of all is the fact that the funeral home would have gone through the trouble in 1970 when the car had very little value. Cost of the modification alone could easily have been higher than the cost of a 1960 Series 75 in mint condition at the time, if a more conservative look was the intention.

[Joshua]

Very interesting. Is there a picture of the data plate?

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

None were provided. It wouldn't show anything out of the ordinary anyway.

[Cadman-iac]

  It does look like a nice job on the transplant,  but it makes the rear bumper look so massive now. And who would want a 59 without the iconic fins to go with it? Those are what makes it a classic Cadillac!
It's like cutting the fins off a shark! But just my opinion.

Rick

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

  It does look like a nice job on the transplant,  but it makes the rear bumper look so massive now. And who would want a 59 without the iconic fins to go with it? Those are what makes it a classic Cadillac!

That's because we're looking at it through the lens of 2020 and not 1970 when oversized '59 fins were decidedly out of favor.

Otherwise, no question the decision did no favors for the car's value today.

[David Greenburg]

What is surprising to me is that they went with ‘60 style fins instead of something more conservative/updated.  Fins of any significant size were definitely considered garish and outdated by 1970, except by people like pre-teen me, who were already fascinated.

[TMoore - NTCLC]

Who knows - maybe the rest of their fleet were 1960 style, and they just wanted to keep an extra limo that looked correct with the rest of their fleet.  10 year old funeral vehicles are very often still in service, so this could have been a cost effective way to keep everything matching.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Wow -- that rear fin reduction really wrecks the proportions
of the car.  The rear bumper (as stated earlier) looks really
out of place.

Shows that on an iconic vehicle like this, you change just one
item and ruin the overall look (in my eyes anyway).

Mike

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Well, it was better than doing this.

Bruce.

[Alan Harris CLC#1513]

I am surprised that nobody is trying to claim that this car is a rare factory prototype for the 1960 Series 75!

Whoever did this did a nice job. Is it possible that the car took a rear end hit when it was fairly new and a 1960 rear clip was installed?

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Rear quarters are 1959 so the rear clip wasn't changed to 1960. Alteration was to fins only.

[cadillac ken]

Maybe trying to make it look like a 1959 Brougham?

[Bigfins (Dan Morehouse CLC 16464)]

Anyone have a link to the ad this was posted at?  Would like to check it out.

Thanks.  Dan.

[D.Smith]

I have more photos of it in my archives.   Some dated back to 2013.

[Cadman-iac]

I have more photos of it in my archives.   Some dated back to 2013.

From a distance and the right angle it's not tooo bad, the center picture is not bad. But the other angles just emphasize the disproportionate fins. Especially the full on rear view  from earlier.

Rick

[Cadman-iac]

Well, it was better than doing this.

Bruce.

Bruce,
What did they do to that poor Brougham? Looks like 55 Mercury taillights,  and some sort of Dagmars on the rear bumper? Not sure about the bumper,  I have never seen one up close,  but it does look odd.
Talk about blasphemy!

Rick

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

From a distance and the right angle it's not tooo bad, the center picture is not bad. But the other angles just emphasize the disproportionate fins.

Disproportionately small you mean? 

[Cadman-iac]

Disproportionately small you mean? 

Exactly!

[Bigfins (Dan Morehouse CLC 16464)]

Anyone have a link to the facebook post?

Who is the current owner?  Thanks. Dan