1952 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe (NOT DeVille)

1952 Cadillac DeVille Additional Info:

Meet “Blue Goose,” a highly desirable 1952 Cadillac two-door hardtop with timeless lines thanks to the genius of Harley Earl. Affectionately named by the family that has owned her since 1961, this is a rust-free Montana car with a few areas of surface corrosion to preserve originality. In good driver condition, mechanically and physically, I’d rate her 7.5 out of 10.

The 1952 model was promoted as a “Cadillac Among Cadillacs” and it was claimed that the new lineup symbolized 50 years of progress: “There can be little doubt that automotive history will record 1952 as a truly great Cadillac year, for in this year a full half century of progress in engineering, in styling, and in craftsmanship has climaxed in one magnificent motor car, the Golden Anniversary Cadillac,” per an original ad, announcing this milestone.

This Cadillac was manufactured in Detroit at the famous Fleetwood plant, per her tag. The exterior of Blue Goose was repainted in the original Olympic Blue about a decade ago. Only the body was painted, under the hood, inside the trunk, and the door jambs; she still wears her faded original paint. The interior recently saw a thorough restoration, faithful to the original patterns; everything is practically new. The all-original drivetrain is powered by an overhead-valve 331-cid V-8 and a 4-speed HydraMatic transmission. That same year, Rolls-Royce acquired a license to produce this transmission through 1979, talk about “Standard of the World!” She has always been well-maintained, running, driving, and stopping as she should, with power steering, the handling of this nearly 5,000 lbs. beast of good old Detroit steel. Headlights and turn signals are fully functional, too. An upgrade of the electrical system from 6 to 12 volts was done, with the addition of push-button start, as well as conversions of the generator to an alternator, and vacuum wiper motor to electric.

And now the negatives, as expected from a car in her 70s. The bumpers will eventually need re-chroming, obviously evident from around the first-year built-in exhaust ports. The body has some small dings, and there is a crack in the front passenger-side window glass. The heater, radio, clock, gauges, and speedometer are currently not working; the numbered barrels are all skewed off as pictured. The brakes could use some adjustment; at times, they are too hard or too soft. The front seat manual adjustment mechanism needs attention as well. The tires are an older bias ply set.