It's Halloween season as I type this, and I had to think about what to post for the occasion. What did I have in the archives that looked scary, or was trying to be something it's not? This.
It's a 1964 Cadillac Series 62 sedan with the roof cut off into a full-time roadster.
Let me preface by saying that the 1964 models are some of my favorite Cadillacs. I love them from every angle. Admittedly this one has seen far better days. I encountered this Caddy on an autumn day when I randomly decided to explore the El Camino Real corridor on the San Francisco peninsula.
I only ever saw this car once. However, I looked it up recently on Google Street View and it shared this street corner with several very interesting classics over a span of several years (most notably a wild 1962 Cadillac with black and white WWII warship "dazzle" camouflage paint). Nearest I can tell, this '64 started life as a standard Series 62 four-door hardtop in maybe Turino Turquoise or Seacrest Green judging by the paint flecks. I love these cars in blue and green tones. The Series 62 was the base Cadillac, but you wouldn't know it until you got inside. The Sixty-Two offered seven different fabric and vinyl interior combinations in a variety of colors. However unlike the more expensive models, the Sixty-Two did not come standard with power windows or power seats. It did have interior reading lights, fold-down armrests and four cigarette lighters.
This was undoubtedly a beautiful car when it was newer. I can only assume that either body rust or a fallen tree branch destroyed the roof, and instead of scrapping the car, the owner made it a permanent convertible. It was painted flat black with red steel wheels and a zebra stripe faux fur interior with red door panel trim. They installed several 6x9 inch speakers in the back for bumping tunes while riding around town. The exterior is finished off with hand painted pinstriping and wide-set dual exhaust with extended chrome tips. I haven't been back to see if the car still exists but it appeared on Street View until at least 2017. Maybe it's still around somewhere.
Photographed October 2015
Wow this is amazing. I wonder how the missing roof affects the body stiffness. Perhaps the owner had the frame reinforced to compensate, the way a convertible from this era would have.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to live unusual cars like this are almost common.
Tony