You have extra cash, room in the garage, wife says ok, what are you getting?

[Tom Boehm]

I am restoring a 1940 Lasalle. I like cars of the late prewar period. If I ever do this again my short list would be:

1940 Cadillac sedan or convertible sedan any series
1940 Lincoln Zephyr sedan or coupe with back seat
1940 Packard 120 sedan or woodie station wagon

[Bill Young]

For me , a 1961 Series 62 Convertible or a 1955 Coupe DeVille or 1955 Fleetwood Sixty Special and would never happen but a 1955 Eldorado Convertible in Bahama Blue with white top and blue and white interior  with Autronic Eye.

[oldcarguy]

I don't believe this would be unreasonable for ANY reasonable wife, a 1949 Sedanette, totally restored and turn key ready!! Preferably maroon...
Don

[harry s]

Don, I'm with you on the '49 right down to the Madeira Maroon color. Also one of my favorites and I'm sure the wife would agree.      Harry

[Caddy Wizard]

Another 49 sedanette (have had two).  Or a 1957 Eldo Seville.  Just about any 55 model in Pacific Coral.  Or a 58 in Tahitian Coral.  Or a blue 1950-1952 Sixty Special.  Or a 1960-1962 Convertible.

The more unusual the color, the better.  No black cars for me...

[fishnjim]

There a nice number of '40 to '80s up for auction at the Raleigh Classic next month.   Check the website.
I'm on payment plan for a while so I can just look.

[harry s]

Here is a link for Raleigh Classic Cadillacs.  Harry
https://www.raleighclassic.com/searchused.aspx?Make=Cadillac

[Rich S]

Wow, Harry and Jim, thanks for the link to view the nice Cadillacs in the Raleigh Auction! That 1985 Seville is one of the nicest I've ever seen--the Frost Beige Firemist exterior with the Dark Claret Top and Dark Claret Leather, plus equipped with the Touring Suspension option, plus under 10,000 miles--but so sad it has the HT4100 engine! However, it is a superb example of one of the classiest Cadillacs, both interior and exterior, in my opinion.

[35-709]

'42 arrived today, not what I expected but I can work with it.  Certainly not a frame-off as the eBay auction stated.  Very photogenic car but nothing beats eyeballs on the subject for the real story.  So --- here we go, another project, I didn't want a project this time but that is what I got.  At least the engine runs well and the car is complete --- but brakes drag badly, carb needs attention, maybe overhaul, but we'll see after I get the old gas out of it.  Cheap paint job, chrome looks like Bumper BoyZ did it.  Getting to the age that I just want to enjoy my stuff not rebuild it, but, apparently not there yet.  Disappointed --- but my fault.

Need one hood spring, have 2 on one side but only one on the other, broom stick for hood prop was included on the back seat, no charge.  Also need steering wheel shaft bushing or bearing (whatever is in there), I can shake the steering wheel up and down quite a bit a lot.

[cadillacmike68]

You SIR are a most fortunate and lucky guy.

Having room in your garage and a wife that says
"OK Hon, add another" are a combination that's
hard to beat.

Your biggest problem will be "what do I want to
add to my collection".  There are so MANY choices.

If you're looking 70's get an Eldo convertible.
You can get a minty one for $20k or thereabouts that
you don't need to spend $$$ on restoration.  There
are many out there.  For example, in 1973 they made
about 50,000 of them.

Good luck,
Mike

I'll never meet those 3 conditions, maybe the money part, but certainly not the other two for a while...

Cadillac Never made 50,000 ElDorado convertibles. Maybe 50,000 total ElDorados, but not that many convertibles.

[Scot Minesinger]

For me the barrier to more classic cars is time especially, and good convenient storage space.  Recently divorced, and new girl friend will support any car I buy.  Still working my demanding career to meet all obligations and insure a comfortable retirement. 

[Cadillac Jack 82]

The 42 looks really nice honestly.  I'm sort of worried I might experience the same thing with my 37 when it arrives but I've already mentally committed myself to a new paint job in the future.  The car was originally Peruvian Gray which is a beautiful color.  If you can please share more pictures of the 42!

[35-709]

I'll post some more pics in a day or two.  Going to get it on my lift later today for further evaluation.  The car really needs everything, a very far cry from the "frame-off restoration in 2000" line in the auction description.  I'll be mad at myself for a long time.

[chrisntam]

snip...  Getting to the age that I just want to enjoy my stuff not rebuild it, but, apparently not there yet.  snip

I keep telling myself it's all about the journey, not the destination.

Well, I like you, am ready for the d**n destination to get here....

[quadfins]

I would consider a '74 to '76 Fleetwood, especially a Talisman.

and

'42 to '46 anything, but preferably droptop (I really like the pontoon fenders).

One of my favorite activities at Grand Nationals is to roam the parking lot in the evenings before the show, look at the cars there, and think about which ones I would be willing to trade for.


Jim

[Maynard Krebs]

For me, it would have to be a 58-60 Lincoln with all available options.

Dan, the ball joints for '58 - '60 Lincolns (& Continentals) were extremely costly even 15 years ago!   Most of the time, you have to send 'em to a place that can re-build (?) them.   The cost, even 15 years ago, was all of $475 APIECE!!   Then, there's the exhaust systems.... and dealing with the 14" rims.   Ugh:  there are better / more practical choices, IMO.

[Maynard Krebs]

To reply to the original post here:  Scott Minesinger points out the really important personal thing:  time.   Who knows how much each of us have?   Secondly, as a few others have said, there's the question of "how much extra cash".

My choice(s) would have been different twenty years ago; but I'm 71 now, so I must be a bit more practical.   For the 'money no object' category, it would be a 1930s Cad convertible sedan, preferably with a V-12.   Or maybe a '34 Packard twelve in the same 4-dr. conv. sed. bodystyle, in a beige on light brown.

The more practical choice would be a '64 Cad hardtop sedan deville, in sandalwood beige; or a '64 Fleetwood Sixty Special in a light color.   [THAT is very difficult to find:  it seems most Fleetwoods were painted black, dark blue, dark green...]

Finally, the most practical category would be a '90 - '92 Cadillac Fleetwood four-door, in a light color, preferably with leather.

[2 guiding principles:  no two-doors and no dark paint colors.]

[LateOutDrsMn]

My Caddy list
1. 57 Eldorado Brougham (turn key)
2. 56 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible (blue turnkey just like the one I saw at mecum)
3. 68 Sedan Deville (project to restomod)
4. 57 Deville
5. 59 Eldorado Convertible Biarritz (just to see the smile on my father face)

Covette list
1. 63-67 Stingray coupe (project to restomod)
2. 56-57 Convertible, all original matching #s
3. 68-69 Convertible (for the wife)

Others
62-64 Apollo 5000 GT coupe (complete)
65-67 Vetta Venturas coupe (complete)

But before any of these, I got to finish the new house and workshop/warehouse to store them all in 

[cadman56]

A bit of a different response here:
First get a new and correct interior fo my 56 Seville and then maybe if there is money left over a 1976 Lincoln Mark IV Bill Blass edition. 

[nysdarkblue]

Hi, a 1996 Fleetwood Brougham and a 1956 Fleetwood to compliment my 1990 Brougham.