Vehicle Description
Awesome older restoration in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition. Ideal high-speed CCCA tour car. Rebuilt suspension, new radial tires, runs and drives superbly. An excellent car all around.
This 1940 Cadillac Series 62 convertible coupe was probably restored in the early 1980s, and we have a lot of restoration receipts dating from that time. But don’t assume that because the restoration is approaching 40 years old that it’s worn out, because this handsome Cadillac looks, runs, and drives like a million bucks. The color is called Beaver Brown, and it appears to be the car’s original choice. It’s not a terribly exciting name, but in 1940, GM was starting to experiment with metallic paints, and the glowing coppery finish on this car is quite correct and in the sunlight, it simply glows. We’ve had more than one visitor to our showroom stop and remark about what a beautiful color it is, so please come see it before you make up your mind that Beaver Brown isn’t for you. Obviously, it’s not original paint (although we believe the dashboard is still factory lacquer) but it has a soft shine that’s entirely appropriate and the bodywork underneath is in excellent condition with no evidence that this was ever a rusty car. Much of the chrome has been restored and it’s in fantastic condition. The bumpers, hood ornament, and parking lights are excellent, the sleek grilles on either side of the hood aren’t pitted, and the stainless window surrounds shine up beautifully.
The interior has a period look that works well and that textured brown vinyl upholstery wears like iron, so it’s great if you actually use your car or have kids riding with you. The vertical pleats are similar to how the factory might have done it and the details are quite nicely done, with piping and flat panels where they belong. The dashboard is original, and shows some cracking and checking in the paint, but I think that adds to the car’s history and it would be a shame to erase it. The big steering wheel is in excellent shape with only one or two cracks and the shifter for the 3-speed manual transmission moves through the gears more easily and precisely than any other “three-on-the-tree” setup I’ve ever used. All the gauges are fully functional with bright, crisp markings and the original AM radio is still in place but not working. The back seat is good enough for two real-sized adults and the trunk seems to be entirely original, save for the brand new spare tire. The tan convertible top shows some age but it folds quickly and easily into the well with the touch of the switch and a matching canvas boot gives the car a very sleek top-down appearance.
Cadillac’s 346 cubic inch flathead V8 is a wonderful machine for your full-sized luxury convertible. Smooth, torquey, and incredibly reliable, you’ll never think twice about hitting the starter and driving this car any distance, which is perhaps the greatest luxury of all in the old car world: confidence. It was rebuilt when the car was restored years ago, but I would be surprised if there are more than 25,000 miles on it; it makes plenty of oil pressure, doesn’t smoke, starts quickly, and idles smoothly even when it’s cold. In fact, it runs so smoothly and silently that on two separate occasions with two different passengers in the car, they warned me that they thought the engine had stalled while waiting for a red light. It is incredibly smooth and quiet. It stays cool, doesn’t get fussy on warm days, and simply works the way you want your old car to work. And this kind of bulletproof reliability only comes from use, and I can assure you that all the bugs have been worked out here.
The suspension has been recently rebuilt, so it feels tight and accurate on the road, the brakes are firm and confidence-inspiring, and a recent exhaust system reduces the V8 to a muscular whisper at idle and near silence at speed. It is not detailed for show underneath, of course, but it’s quite clean and tidy with no rust, perforation, or other long-term issues. The original 16-inch wheels were painted to match the bodywork and are fitted with brand new Diamondback Classic wide whitewall radials that ride and handle far better than any bias-ply tire ever could.
Can you tell that we’re in love with this car? It’s impressive, it’s attractive, and the way it drives will absolutely win you over. If you’re looking for trophies and don’t need a car to do anything but climb on and off a trailer, this isn’t the car for you. But if you want a Full Classic convertible that can drive cross-country with nothing more than gas in the tank, a car that’s welcome at virtually every event, and one that will make the driver smile more than the people looking at it, we’ve seldom seen one finer. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
