CADILLAC SERIES 62

This superb Series 62 Cadillac convertible is being used as a courtesy vehicle at the Atura Blacktown hotel in western Sydney.

In automotive terms the 1950 and ‘60s were a period of excess. The classic designs of the 1930s which continued into the early 1940s gave way after the end of hostilities in Europe and the Pacific to a very flamboyant styling. A number of cars sprouted tail fins. Especially many of the cars produced by American manufacturers and even some European makers joined in to incorporate this trend.

Cadillac’s most famous feature which appeared for the first time in a 1948 model, was the tail fin. This body design feature proved so popular with buyers – possibly because they found it easier to reverse the car safely – that Cadillac fins on cars grew larger and larger until their 1959 model.

In 1950 Cadillac built its one millionth car, a Coupe de Ville. The year 1950 was also significant in that 100,000 Cadillacs were sold for the first time in any model year.

Back to the sixties – the Series 62 Caddy goes to the drive-in.

In 1952 Cadillac celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Its model range in that year included seven body styles. There were four Series 62 bodies built on 3200 mm wheelbases, one Fleetwood Sixty Special on a 3300 mm wheelbase, a Fleetwood 75 sedan and Limousine and the Sixty Special.

These Cadillacs were powered by a new overhead valve, high compression, short stroke 5.3-litre V8 rated at 142 kW with a 7.5:1 compression ratio and using an oversquare design. In time this engine would have its block bored out to 6.85 litres. It had a Rochester four-barrel Quadra-Jet downdraught carburettor together with a redesigned engine manifold.

The new engine was more efficient as well, and weighed 85 kg less than ts predecessor. This engine made Cadillac one of America’s first muscle cars as it was powerful and light.

A redesigned Dual-range Hydra-Matic transmission with manual control of third and fourth gears was standard on the Series 62 and Sixty Special and optional on the 75s. These were the last Cadillacs to use a six volt electrical system.

Cadillacs built just prior to and after WWII were powered by a 5.6-litre L-head V8, rated at 112 kW which ceased production in 1949.

Of interest is the fact that Cadillac produced a number of tanks during World War II which were powered by two of the 5.568-litre L-head design V8 engines connected to a pair of Hydra-Matic transmissions and during the Korean conflict newer versions of the same tanks used the new 5.3-litre V8 engines.