Vehicle Description
Following World War II, Cadillac was still the Standard of the
World and this 1947 Cadillac Series 62 convertible would showcase
the fact that you were still a master of the universe. Big,
comfortable, and flamboyant, it's also one of the best-driving cars
of the era with lots of power, incomparable ride quality, and
enough chrome to outfit a fleet of modern Buicks. In the pre-fin
era, this car is a movie star.
Madeira Maroon is a traditional color on big Cadillac ragtops, and
it seldom looks better than it does on this '47. Elegant but a
little sporty, it's perfect for the sleek convertible. And make no
mistake, this is a very big car, although its proportions neatly
disguise its sheer mass. It was refinished in the 1990s, so there's
some wear evident throughout, mostly because this car drives well
enough that it has never been a trailer queen. You can wear those
minor nicks and scratches with pride, however, because you'll want
to take this car everywhere you go. The restoration work was rather
well done at the time, because the doors fit well, the hood doesn't
rub the fenders, and it all lines up neatly. All that chrome is in
good shape, with shiny bumpers and nice stainless, and only very,
very minor pitting in some of the pot metal pieces such as the
taillight housings. Overall, it's still pretty darned
impressive.
The red leather interior has that just-right look that says this
car has been driven and enjoyed but not neglected. The leather has
plenty of comfort marks, but no real issues, so it feels a bit more
casual than your average vintage Cadillac. The matching door panels
and color-coordinated carpets make for a traditional interior, and
the dashboard's two-tone look with a band of cream around the
perimeter of the interior really sets it off. Round gauges monitor
all the car's vitals, along with an aftermarket temperature gauge
under the dash. The big ivory plastic steering wheel has a few
cracks, which are all but inevitable on a car this age, but again
it looks inviting, not deteriorated. Power windows were standard in
the Series 62 convertible, and along with the front seat, they're
powered by a hydraulic pump under the hood so give them time to do
their thing. The tan canvas convertible top is showing some age,
but if you're doing it right, you'll only need it for emergencies
and there's a good-sized trunk in back, perfect for road trips.
Cadillac's bulletproof 346 cubic inch flathead V8 was made even
more durable by virtue of its service in WWII tanks. It's a little
scruffy under the hood, but the big torque V8 spins to life easily
and idles with a mellow V8 burble that's still appealing after all
these years. There's plenty of torque on tap to make even this
giant car feel quick enough around town and thanks to the 4-speed
Hydra-Matic automatic transmission and 3.36 gears out back, it's a
fantastic highway cruiser as well. It still has proper Cadillac
olive green paint on the block and heads, an oil bath air cleaner,
and even porcelainized manifolds, so the engine bay is just a good
cleaning away from being right. The same is true underneath where
you get a solid chassis, recent exhaust system, and no signs of
rot. And even though the steering and brakes are unassisted,
control efforts are quite reasonable even with those fat 8.20-15
BFGoodrich whitewall tires.
Always a popular tour car, this CCCA-approved Full Classic Cadillac
delivers great road manners to match its movie star looks. Call
today!