So I travelled to see this 1941 Cadillac- I passed

[Abe Lugo]

I saw this last Summer on Craigslist  and finally found some time to go see it in person. It actually takes better pictures, than the condition its in.

Funny thing was that I did some research and found 2 others in the same price range. I thought it would be the better of the three seeing that it had the original engine.

this car needs the whole under carriage worked on. The body may have some rust issues in funky spots.

Now it list at 4500.00.  what a drop. This was originally at 16K, maybe they mean 14,500?
Either way when I saw this in person even 10K seemed too much.

There was so much broken odd trim parts, this thing would nickel and dime you. I was told this had been run recently but when I saw it, in person it looked as if it had not been run in years. It didn't turn over for me to see the engine run.

FYI- I'm actively seeking a '41 62 series coupe.   I would rather have old paint and original engine and maybe some issues to fix. There is fixed price range I'd be going for. I know I'll eventually find it.  I'm glad I have learned a lot reading here on the Forum and I even joined the club. I'm also glad to have seen this in person. It was not  much compared to buying something sight unseen or even having someone vouch for it.

I can post extensive photos if anyone needs them. 

Talk about being worth it to fly out somewhere and check it out for yourself.

[harvey b]

In the ad id actually looks decent,has issues but looks ok,I bet your glad that you didnt wire the money and have it dropped off in your driveway .This is a perfect reason to go and see any older car that you are thinking about buying,it always looks better in the pictures then they actually are.However at 4500.00 it doesnt seem all that bad of a price if you were looking for a project,myself i have a soft spot for 41's  if it were closer to me i might take a look at that one.

[Abe Lugo]

I agree with you at 4500 the price seemed right. But it was advertised as a nicer older amateur restoration, running and driving at 16K.
It also said No lowballers on the ad, so trying to beat someone down to 4500.00 from 16K?? something else was up with this guy. I would have made a deal with this guy if the car was on the up and up.

I guess my point of this post is. Make sure your have plenty of pictures to tell the story and videos when purchasing from afar.

We are in the age where everyone had a camera and video camera on their phone. There is not reason and owner or neighbor cannot help someone take some images and email them.

I have even seem some classifieds where the seller is taking pictures of their car on a computer screen. They could not be bothered to go out side or in the garage and take some proper pictures.

I don't how it works here but you can ask around and see if a member can go and take pictures for you.
I really just wanted to see this one in person.

Going to see another in a month but that guy sent comprehensive photos and videos with it running and explanations of what he would fix. But that is another old car for my wife.

[James Landi]

"We are in the age where everyone had a camera and video camera on their phone. There is no reason an owner or neighbor cannot help someone take some images and email them."

I entirely agree with you Abe, and when someone is knowingly leaving out the realities that exist only a quick snapshot away, and you wind of up traveling 100's of miles to see it first hand, one truly has to question the integrity of the selling party.  I sometimes have the impression that some folks attempting to hawk basket cases are simply dishonest.   James

[Jay Friedman]

I think it is always better to either travel to see the car for yourself or at least have someone you know to be knowledgeable check it out for you.  I feel pictures are never enough and the travel cost is usually much less than the purchase price.  Also, even a seller with the best of intentions may not always be aware of some of the car's faults. 

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

That car looks like it has the rare SS stone guards. I'd sure like to know who made them & where they were sold.
Bob

[Abe Lugo]

Thanks for noticing that Bob! Sorry to say I knew about your set and have seen only a couple others with that set, but those you see there are authentic pieces of aluminum (maybe even just cheaper metal flashing from home depot) wrapped around the fender. I thought the same but nope.

I actually found another '41 Coupe that had some ribbed version of the stone guards, I'm not sure it sold, it was at a consignment dealer in Oregon, I'll post those pics when I get a chance. Actually see image. I was going to call to see if I can get more info for everyone but the ad disappeared.

[J. Skelly]

Abe,

It's too bad you didn't have someone in the club check this out in person for you.  I only live 20-25 miles from it, and there are probably many other members in the Detroit area who would have volunteered to look at it and saved you some time and money.  I once drove to look at a '74 442 that was in Birmingham (about 20 miles from home).  The seller lied about its condition (no rust).  It was parked on the front lawn and was loaded with rust holes.  I was tempted to get a brick or chunk of concrete to throw through the windshield!  Needless to say, I didn't stop to talk to the low-life liar about his piece of junk. 

[Abe Lugo]

Thanks Jim,
I actually was try to get a member of another club to help  out, but was actually getting some help from the seller neighbor.
The flight was cheap and the car rental was cheap vs being mad about it at the end of the day.

One something I did take away from this is that "Rust" means different things for people from different areas.

So to a Northern- midwesterner small rust holes may mean no rust, sometimes.
Us Southern Californians are spoiled with many no rust cars and Arizona cars.

Here some more pics for Bob.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

They look like home-made ones to me.   Just a piece of bent up Stainless steel sheeting.

I too have found that Americans consider ruse different to about everyone else in the world.

I was looking at '72 Eldorados when I was buying mine back in 2007, and people were saying things like, "oh, just needs a replacement 1/4 panel".   and "just a couple of pin-holes in the floor".

Not sure what size pins they were referring to, but I couldn't even look like lifting pins that large.

Plus, American rust is different to Australian rust.   Here, the doors rusr out from the inside, and just the skin because the dust that gathers within the doors from the dirt roads gets wet after rain, and turns to mud, and the drain holes aren't sufficient to allow all this muck to get out.

Bruce.

[Steve Passmore]

That car looks like it has the rare SS stone guards. I'd sure like to know who made them & where they were sold.
Bob

Blow up the picture Bob, I think that's just a flat piece of alloy wrapped around the shape.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Steve,
You're right. The first pics weren't clear. The ribbed ones look pretty good on that custom.
Bob

[Abe Lugo]

Look what just showed up on ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1941-Cadillac-Series-62/254105484259?hash=item3b29ddfbe3:g:cQkAAOSwdGZcVKIt:rk:24:pf:0

The car takes pretty pictures, dont get me wrong, but still. now its just a flip. Nebraska plates on it with some hubcaps.

[Steve Passmore]

Still a cheap car compared to others on the market.