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Cadillac 1962 Coupe de Ville

I have admired these dinosaurs ever since I was a kid. In 1997 I finally had enough squirrel skins in the bank to consider acquiring one - in June, I came across a 1962 Coupe de Ville, a 2-door hardtop, in my opinion one of the best looking models ever made since the early '50s. The sight of it under an old car shed practically sold the car to me.

This car was brought to Finland from California in '91, possibly from its first owner. In any case, I'm the second owner in Finland. The car has about 50 thousand miles in the odometer and I drive around 1000 more per summer, but I have no idea if it's on the first round or not. Judging by the condition of the car, it's not impossible.

Basically the car is in very good condition, which helped my purchase decision; after all, I wanted a car to drive during the summer and not a rust pile, since I don't have the tools nor a place for any major restoration. From a couple of meters away it looks great except for the side trims which apparently have seen their share of parking lots. Keeping an old barge like this on the road is bound to take some effort. I'll be updating repair tips and horror stories on this site, too.

Technical specifications

In '62, Cadillac offered only one engine and one transmission. There were 12 body models to choose from, including a commercial chassis which found its way under hearses, ambulances and other special vehicles. The 390 ci V8 engine had been introduced in '59, while the four-speed automatic Hydra-Matic transmission had seen use earlier in applications like the M-5 and M-24 light tanks ("the 1943 Cadillac"), during WWII. The engine illustration is of the air conditioned model, which is distiguished by the seven bladed radiator fan with a visco clutch (and of course the compressor on top left), instead of the fixed four blade fan on the non-A/C model. A/C models also have a different ratio in the rear axle, 3.21:1 as opposed to 2.91:1 in non-A/C models. Series 75 and the commercial chassis had even larger ratios.

1962 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Model code	6347
Wheelbase	129.5"	3.29 m
Length	222"	5.6 m
Width	79.8"	2.02 m
Base weight	4,595 lbs	2080 kg
Base price	$5,385 (US)
Production	25,675
Brakes	12" drum in all corners, dual circuit
Engine
Displacement	390 ci	6380 cc
Bore x stroke	4.00 x 3.88 "
Carburetor	4 bbl Carter AFB
Fuel consumption	Nobody cared in '62.
Performance
Output (4800 rpm)	325 bhp
Torque (3100 rpm)	430 ft-lbs	~600 Nm
0-60 mph	9.8 sec	(0-98 km/h)
0-100 mph	17.5 sec	(0-163 km/h)
Top speed	120-122 mph	~197 km/h

Options

Although my Caddy doesn't have all of the goodies that were available in '62, it does have the following things, among others: 6-way power seat; electric windows; air conditioning; "Soft-Ray" blue tinted windows; four (4) ash trays and cigarette lighters - too bad I don't smoke. I believe the rear lighters came with the de Ville package. A signal-seeking AM radio by Delco and a power antenna were stock items in all '62 Cadillacs. So was a heater (believe or not, it was standard equipment for the first time in '62!) and automatically released parking brake - released by vacuum when you shift the gear into any of the driving positions. This is actually a feature I've missed in modern cars (in addition to the silky smooth shifts of the Hydra-Matic). The autumn made me realize that rear window defogging wouldn't be bad, but I suppose that the original Californian owner didn't deem it necessary. The soft top was powered in all convertible models. Some other options that were offered by Cadillac in '62 include "Guide-Matic" automatic headlight control, cruise control, central locking in doors, power vent windows (mine have to be cranked by hand), remote trunk lid opener / pull-down and a controlled differential. In addition, the Series 75 and commercial chassis had separate air conditioning and heating systems for the back passenger compartment, as well as a rear remote control for the radio.

Service manual

• Front suspension
• Rear suspension
• Engine transverse section
• Engine longitudinal section
• Guide-Matic circuit diagram - this is interesting, so I'll include it even though my car doesn't have this option. The gadget automatically switches headlights to low beam when another car is approaching. The controls and sensor are located on the top of the dashboard (see above).
• Transmission TV rod length adjustment - this is very critical for the transmission to shift properly. Mine didn't want to upshift 2->3 unless you let back on the throttle, this was cured with proper adjustment.

Gallery

On beach near the docks in Helsinki. Note the side trims on the waistline; those aren't actually original, but since they were there already, I won't go through the trouble of removing them and getting rid of the fixings. They sit on the widest part of the car and protect the sides from parking lot scratches. You'll see them on many '62 Caddies for this reason.

Same place but different lighting three years later, with the ugly rear reflectors (remains from old registration rules) removed.

On marketplace in Helsinki. Uspensky Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in Scandinavia, in the back. If you happen to be in Helsinki on the first Friday of any summer month (May-September), this is the place to be at 10pm as local members of the Cadillac Club of Finland will gather here before joining Helsinki cruising night. Other old classics and custom cars often visit the place too, although most of the popular action (rubber burning, bottle throwing, etc) is around the old ice hockey stadium.

You won't find much of those crappy modern plastic buttons and gadgets in this car!

You wouldn't want to pass a red hot cigarette lighter around the car, would you? That's why there were more of them back in the good old days. These are in the rear arm rests.

Interior view from the back seat. Note the "soft-ray" windshield. This option includes a slight blue tint in all the other windows, too.

Four fins for the price of two! Exclusive for '61 and '62 (unless you count the 1959 experimental Cadillac Cyclone...).

Under the hood. It's a pretty tight fit... (yes, I know the air filter cover ought to be black, someone else had painted it). Power steering pump in the front, air conditioner compressor on the left. The metal gray discs behind the filter cover are vacuum actuators, which move the heater and A/C air control flaps; the mode selector in the dash panel is just a valve which directs engine vacuum around.

And another view, a year later. Note my shiny new brake booster and master cylinder on top right. Here's the old Bendix booster / master cyl, which every supplier told me not to exist.

An original 1962 advertisement from National Geographic magazine. Thanks to Dave Morgan for the scan.

Let's close it off by driving into the sunset. Is there anything better than Cadillac taillights in the dusk?

Links

As for any classic car, there are a lot of fine pages on the web. I'll include a few. The Old Car Manual Project - wiring diagrams etc. for many older automobiles The Headquarters Cadillac - La Salle Database - extensive compilation of information, facts and figures by Yann Saunders, the Godfather of all Cadillac enthusiasts. There's enough stuff to fill a book, be sure to check it out. See the nice '61 flattop which currently has my old radio. A Finnish '64 Coupe de Ville John Barach has written some interesting pages on Cadillac history. Cadillac Club of Finland Classic Cadillac Club from Germany Cadillac Club Denmark Lance Hirsch took a perimeter trip around the USA in his '64 Eldorado. Great pictures and fun reading en route. 40s Cadillacs are a rare sight on the web - if not everywhere. Paul Talsethagen has built Cadillacs of the Forties web site. Lars' Cadillac Page - two beautiful cars ('56 Coupe de Ville and '58 Sedan extended deck) from Germany. Ruben's classic Cadillac page - the most extensive picture gallery I've found, and of course a lot more links to other Cadillac sites. Rik Gruwez with (I've lost the count on how many) Cadillacs has another fine page. Rik also maintains the Cadillac mailing list, which is a must subscription for any Cadillac owner. Bill McKenna has another nice restoration story, this time on a '59 Fleetwood. Lots of pictures and hints. The Junkyard Queens feature is also an experience. Dave's Cadillac Page is fun reading, and features repair tips that might save you a lot of trouble. Caddy Daddy - spare parts'n'stuff, plus a long list of songs that mention Cadillac... Catso's Golden Garage features a spooky essay on 1970's luxury cars.

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