Chrome on 1959 bullet?

[Hyfire]

  Hello guys,

  I just bought a 1959 62 series convertible (I have owned a bunch of 1950's Cadillacs but never a '59) and I see it has a stainless  piece along the bullet that leads to the taillight... I have seen some 62 and eldos with and without these... are they correct for this model or have they been added?

  Thank You!

  Josh

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Josh,

On all the original pictures I have seen, the only model to get the Chromed piece, or Stainless Piece is the Eldorado Biarritz.

All the other models have those pieces painted the Body Colour.   Even the Eldorado Seville has them painted.

I believe that the pieces are the first parts to receive the Chrome Plating by owners wanting to highlight the tail lights and fins.

The pressed edge of the Trunk Lid are only bright on the Eldorado Seville and Biarritz.   

Bruce.

[ronw]

Looking at the Data Book and the sales catalog - the only model with chromed fin bullets is the Series 60 Fleetwood. Both the Eldorados have them painted.

Ron

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Thanks Ron,

I also believe that the chrome "Ice Cream Cones" were optional on all the other models.

Bruce.

[straitcad]

Looking at the Data Book and the sales catalog - the only model with chromed fin bullets is the Series 60 Fleetwood. Both the Eldorados have them painted.

Ron

Definitely correct, all models except the Sixty Special had them painted. Since several customers obviously wanted them chromed though, the chrome version was made available as a special order option. At least that's what several 59 experts told me...       

[veesixteen]

You want chrome?  We give you chrome.  In fact, the "60 Special" is the only '59 model to come from the factory with the chrome  bullet pods. Personally, I like "factory original" Sevilles and Biarritzes (i.e. with the painted pods).
_______________________________________________________

Looking at the Data Book and the sales catalog - the only model with chromed fin bullets is the Series 60 Fleetwood. Both the Eldorados have them painted.

Ron

Definitely correct, all models except the Sixty Special had them painted. Since several customers obviously wanted them chromed though, the chrome version was made available as a special order option. At least that's what several 59 experts told me...       

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Personally, I wouldn't mind any sort of '59 Cadillac parked in my Garage, with the Ice Cream Cones Painted, Chromed, or even missing them.

Bruce.

[Quentin]

            Well this debate is the big one, the holy grail for any 59 Cadillac owner, even better than the "grips up or down". From a correctly restored, factory originality, points +/- in a show point of view, there is no argument. There is only one way that the pods should be on a Biarritz or Seville, end of story and that is how they left the factory. . . . painted. Only Fleetwoods should have chromed pods.
          Harley Earl's own credo was "Go all the way and then step back a little". If there is that one tiny bit of restraint on a 59 Biarritz then that is what the painted pods represents.
          The Eldo has that beautiful swathe of stainless that envelopes and accentuates the fuselage . The fin rising triumphantly. It truly is better balanced in paint and what's more chromed pods detract from the cleanness of the sweep of stainless.
          To have them chromed like every second Eldo out there is like having to where a gold medalion just cos you have a hairy chest. . . . or fluffy dice just cos it's from the 50's.
          Make my pods painted and hold the fluffy dice.  
           

[Josh]

  Ok.  Very colorful topic judging by the responses...  

 So this brings one more question up....  If the chrome bullet cover is an option, will the firewall tag have a marking for it?

 Thanks,
 Josh

[Quentin]

G'day Josh,
               The chrome pod was NOT a factory option. Chrome pods came standard on the Fleetwood . None of the other models in the Cadillac range had chrome pods. Now I cannot say that a dealer here or there didn't (at the customers request) put chrome pods on other models. I am sure a few owners from early on went to the local chrome plater and said "chrome these".
                 But . . . There is no provision on the option list, or data tag, or build sheet, or any code for chrome pods unless you bought the Fleetwood.
                 Q 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

So, was the one fitted to the Fleetwood's Stainless, or Chromed?

Bruce.

[Quentin]

G'day Bruce,
                 The "chrome Pods" on the Fleetwood were chrome plated and not stainless.
                  Slightly different tack . Funny that some trim was chromed and some stainless for example on a conv winshield the inner vertical moulds are chromed where the other 5 inner and outer moulds are stainless.  There are others like the lower seat trim in chrome and the upper seat trim painted but it is too damn late and my head hurts . . . so . . .
                  Goodnight. Q

[ronw]

Hey, If you are adding chrome to your 59 why stop at the bullet pods ? - (this appeared on Australian ebay today)