Project 59 Series 62 convertible on eBay now

[Blade]

There is a project 59 Series 62 convertible on eBay now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1959-Cadillac-Convertible-project-needs-total-resto-has-nice-frame-/151008768088?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2328d2f058

[INTMD8]

So am I understanding this correctly? From what I'm reading they took a coupe and transferred the convert parts over to the body?

[Blade]

Hi Jim, that's also how understood it. I have seen it done with a Seville about 6 months back where the Seville had rust on the both sides of it so this restoration place just found a coupe and changed the body moving the Seville parts (seats, door panels ... etc.) over. To me that's just not the same car and made me question the true value of professional restoration work where money is more important than the value of originality.

[Billm66]

Not at that price. The car isn't real. For $5K it would be a good start for a custom.

[Ken Perry]

I don't know where they cut and spliced this car.But my opinion is,if you have a rare and valuable car that is eather rusted or wrecked,if you retain the original frame and cowl it is the same car just fixed. If you just take off the rare parts like on the Eldo and put them on another body,it is a fake and the value is lost. Doesn't mean its not a nice car,just not as special or valuable. If the convert used the quarters,floors,rockers and trunk area,but retained all the convertible inner structure and cowl section and frame,its a good fix. Also quality of work matters!!On muscle cars the engine numbers matter a lot, and on something like a Q engine in a Eldo it matters. As the cars get harder to find,you have to work with what you can get,they aren't making anymore! It is also nice if people are honest about what has been done to a car and that way you have all the facts and can make up your own mind about the car. A 59 convert is a good looking car,so when one drives by,its kinda like a good looking woman,are they real or are they fake! Either way they look good! Ken Perry   

[INTMD8]

LOL, I suppose like everything else "it depends".

I agree the quality of the work is very important.  I think in the end a pristine/solid coupe body with the convertible parts correctly swapped over would probably end up being a better more correct car than an original horribly rusted convertible body with a thousand little patches.

I've never seen one of these in person (coupe converted) but would be interested to see how they stack up to an original in terms of fitment. Does the top come down to meet the windshield frame correctly, window fitment/etc.  I know that an excellent result is -possible- but how do these usually end up?

[n2caddies]

Interesting to me that the hot rod guys will take a newly manufactured chassis with all the modern suspension and steering, add an LS whatever vette motor, slap a fiberglass 32 3 window body  on it and register it with a original 32 title  and everybody is drooling over it plus getting top dollar for it. It has become more common and perhaps acceptable as the originals are less available. We will see more of this as the caddys become harder to find and more expensive. Relating to Ken's metaphor maybe fake us better than nothing.
Randy

[Blade]

I've never seen one of these in person (coupe converted) but would be interested to see how they stack up to an original in terms of fitment. Does the top come down to meet the windshield frame correctly, window fitment/etc.  I know that an excellent result is -possible- but how do these usually end up?

Jim:

I've seen some pretty amazing work people did converting hard tops (even four doors) into convertibles. I did follow one guy once who did a coupe, he cut the top and everything behind the seat out, used a 60 convertible and cut the entire bed with all the convertible structures out and welded it into the 59. With the four doors I am not sure how they do it but some of them turned out pretty neat looking.

[Chris Conklin]

Not at that price. The car isn't real. For $5K it would be a good start for a custom.

And it's at $24K and the reserve hasn't been met! I shudder to think we will soon see high dollar "tribute" Cadillacs.

[INTMD8]

Another one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1959-CADILLAC-SERIES-62-CONVERTIBLE-BARN-FIND-100-ORINGINAL-AND-COMPLETE-/141083964204?_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true#ht_1139wt_1196

[wrench]

Looks like the only part that can be used as-is is the air cleaner nut.

Another one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1959-CADILLAC-SERIES-62-CONVERTIBLE-BARN-FIND-100-ORINGINAL-AND-COMPLETE-/141083964204?_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true#ht_1139wt_1196

[59-in-pieces]

Hi guys,
Expanding on what Ken wrote.
There were only so many convertibles produced in 59 - including the Eldorado, but a ton more coupes.
So years roll on -  and now so many - after production stopped, and people are doing what people do - getting into accidents.
And after the extra parts were gone from GM and the local junk yards, what body shops and shade tree mechanics have done was to use parts from a Coupe to change out a door, or a fender, or re-skin a quarter panel, or replace floor pans, and trunk floors, etc., etc..  God forbid they would admit they weren't even from another Cad, but rather a big Buick or Olds.  For who has not heard the stories of changing out parts between LaSalles and Cadillacs.
So when in the restoration of a convertible do we start getting so indignant that it isn't a 100% "OEM" Convertible Cadillac.
We need to remind ourselves that Interchange Manuals have been around for a long time to meet the need of say that Body shop that needs that widget and is faced with "they don't make that any more".
OK over simplifying, I might draw the line at rolling a Coupe under a convertible top frame, and calling it a Convertible.  Unless it was disclosed and the workmanship was great, and buyer's wants would be reflected in the price.
Sorry guys.  I got to change these manual drum brakes to power disc brakes - I JUST COULDN'T STOP MYSELF.
Have fun,
Steve B.