Cadillac Series 62
Cadillac's standard-bearer full-size line, and the car where the modern tailfin was born.
Introduced for 1940 to replace the discontinued LaSalle, the Series 62 became Cadillac's volume full-size line for a quarter-century — the car that funded the brand's flagship Fleetwood and Eldorado models. It's most famous for the 1948 model year, when designer Harley Earl's team gave it a set of small rear fins inspired by the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane, launching the tailfin era that would define American car design through the 1950s and 60s.
History
The 1940 Series 62 slotted in as Cadillac's entry-level full-size car, but "entry-level" still meant a genuine luxury automobile. The 1948 restyle introduced the industry's first tailfins — modest at first, directly modeled on the twin tail booms of the P-38 fighter — and 1949 brought Cadillac's first modern overhead-valve V8 (331 cubic inches), a genuinely important engineering milestone that powered Cadillacs for the next decade.
Through the 1950s the Series 62 grew progressively larger, more chrome-laden, and more heavily finned, culminating in the dramatic 1959 model year — dual bullet taillights, a wraparound windshield, and some of the tallest fins Cadillac ever put on a non-Eldorado car. The nameplate was gradually phased out through the early 1960s as Cadillac simplified its lineup, finally folded into the new Calais series for 1965.
Notable Versions
1948 Series 62
The first American production car with tailfins, launching a design language that defined the industry for the next 15 years.
1959 Series 62
The most heavily styled year of the run — dual bullet taillights, dramatic wraparound glass, and fins nearly as tall as the same year's Eldorado.
Series 62 Convertible
The open-top body style, produced in far lower numbers than the sedan and coupe — the rarest and most sought-after Series 62 today.
What to Look for When Buying
Key inspection points from experienced collectors.
Check rocker panels and lower fenders for rust
Full-frame construction hides a lot — probe underneath, not just the visible sheet metal.
Test every power accessory before buying
Power windows, seats, and (on later cars) power steering/brakes are original-era systems that are expensive to rebuild correctly if neglected.
Confirm the data plate and engine match the year
Engine swaps between model years are common on cars this old — verify before assuming originality.
Convertible top mechanism and frame condition
On convertibles, the folding mechanism and surrounding frame rails are the most expensive things to put right — inspect closely.
Budget for brightwork restoration
The extensive chrome trim on these cars is costly to re-chrome or replace if pitted.
Quick Specs
- Engine
- 346 flathead V8 (1940s); 331/365/390/429 OHV V8 (1949–64)
- Horsepower
- 150–345 hp depending on year
- Wheelbase
- 126–130 in
- Weight
- approx. 4,300–4,800 lbs
- Transmission
- 3-spd manual (early); Hydra-Matic automatic (most postwar cars)
- 0–60
- approx. 11–13 seconds
Market Price Guide
Approximate USA asking prices
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