In 1903, Henry M. Leland began selling a $750, single-cylinder, automobile under the name Cadillac. Later touted as the “Standard of the World,” Cadillac would soon become consolidated under the General Motors banner in 1909.
Over the ensuing years, the Cadillac brand would come to be known as a status symbol of wealth, with the production of road-going luxury cars that featured such refinements as V12 and even V16 engines, “no draft ventilation,” smooth-shifting synchromesh gearboxes and vacuum-assisted brakes.
By 1938, Cadillac made a major step into “modern design” with the William L. Mitchell-designed Series 60 Special, which featured a decidedly modern look that included pontoon fenders and the absence of running boards.
After World War II, Cadillac brought its first new design to market in 1948 with the introduction of the Harley Earl-designed Series 62 Sedanet (Club Coupe) and convertible. The new Series 62—based around GM’s C-body platform, which was shared with the Buick Roadmaster and Oldsmobile 98—featured a graceful, flowing body that lacked the earlier cars’ pontoon fenders, but now featured a “fin” tail treatment at the rear. The 1948 models came with Cadillac’s tried-and-true 331-cu.in. flathead V8, while the 1949 model brought the introduction of Cadillac’s new 331-cu.in., high-compression, overhead valve V8, which boasted 160-hp and fed power through either a 3-speed selective manual transmission or GM’s 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic. The Series 62 would continue under various guises all the way until 1958, with variations such as the Eldorado, the Biarritz and the Coupe DeVille, providing various levels of luxury and trim packages.
Behind the Wheel
There’s something special about a Cadillac convertible. Granted, it’s not for everyone—your head needs to be in a particular place to want to drive 5,300-lbs of convertible—but if you want the ultimate ’50s cruiser, then the Cadillac has to be somewhere on the list.
Approaching the Series 62, from any angle, the driver is confronted with a lot of sheetmetal. At 80 inches wide and 214 inches long, the Series 62 is big, but not disproportionately so, as with the later 1960s Series 6200 cars. Open the almost obscenely thick driver side door and it is simple work to slide one’s backside onto the high and wide front bench seat that is large enough for a normal sized adult to stretch out comfortably and sleep on. The interior is almost stark by luxury car standards, but oozes that mid-century design sensibility. The simple dashboard, featuring one large multi-gauge, seems to mirror the large smooth bench seats, creating a sense of room and open space, even though there is in reality not a lot of distance from the bench seat to the firewall. Despite this, the Series 62 has adequate legroom due to the fact that passengers sit much higher in the cockpit, due to the height of the bench seat; not unlike sitting in a living room chair, one’s legs hang down rather than extend forward.
With the large Bakelite steering wheel in one’s lap and the Bakelite gear selector at hand, the driving position is surprisingly comfortable. Give the key a turn and the 331-cu.in. OHV V8 burbbles to life with a deep purr reminiscent of an old-fashioned pipe organ. Placing the Hydra-Matic transmission in drive and pressing on the gas, the Series 62 hums its way out into traffic. In case you didn’t do the math, the Series 62 weights in at 5,300-lbs and while motivated by a V8 engine, that engine only produces 160-hp—as a result the Series 62 isn’t likely to win any stoplight drag races. As Blues legend Howlin’ Wolf would have said, however, this car’s built for comfort, not built for speed.
While acceleration is “relaxed,” the ride is yacht-like smooth. Surprisingly, out on the open road, the Cadillac doesn’t seem nearly as large as it looks from the outside. Left arm comfortably resting on the driver’s door, wind in your hair, this Caddie is all about open-air cruising in comfort. But, unlike cruising in other convertibles that we’ve featured here like the Mercedes-Benz SL and the Jensen, this is a car that you can enjoy cruising along the Beltway or Pacific Coast Highway, along with as many as five or six of your friends! And therein lies the magic of the Cadillac Series 62, with comfortable seating for six adults—or an entire soccer team of kids—this is a stylish, Mid-Century classic that lets you truly share your passion with friends. It’s like a rolling party…but your head has to be in the right place.
Driven Classics at a Glance:
SPECIFICATIONS
1950 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
Production: 1950 = 6,986 convertibles
Engine: OHV V8
Displacement: 331-cu.in. (5.4-liter)
Bore x Stroke : 96.84-mm x 92.075-mm
Compression Ratio: 7.5:1
Carburetion: Carter 2-barrel
Power: 160-hp
Torque: 312-lbs-ft
Transmission: GM Hydra-Matic 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 126”
Length: 214”
Width: 80.1”
Front Track: 59”
Rear Track: 63”
Height : 62.6”
Weight: 5,300-lb
Brakes: 4-wheel drum
PERFORMANCE
Top Speed: 93 mph
0-60 mph: 14.9-sec
Average fuel consumption: 9.4 mpg
VALUATION
Price at launch: $3,654
Excellent: $88,500
Good: $75,000
Average: $53,500
Poor: $44,000
