1962 Cadillac Series 62

The history of the Cadillac marque began from the ashes of Henry Ford's earliest venture into the motor car industry, resurrected by Henry Leland and reborn as Cadillac. Named after a French explorer, Cadillac has become a symbol of prestige, luxury, and comfort. Throughout the years, it has combined innovative manufacturing techniques with reliability and excellence, solidifying the marque's reputation.

By the 1960s, many rivals had come and gone, however, the Cadillac nameplate remained. General Motors had found its styling groove, and the 1962 Cadillac models wore similar styles to its 1961 siblings. They had still-lower fins, a slightly refined grille, and backup/turn/stop lights combined behind a single white lens. Front-fender cornering lights were a new option.

Cadillac first used the Series 62 designation back in 1940 to signify a higher-level trim designation above its Series 60. By 1962, the Cadillac lineup was comprised of the Series 62, Series Sixty Special Fleetwood, and the Series 6700 Fleetwood 75. The bulk of Cadillac's 1962 production was the Series 62, comprised of the base models - a 4- and 6-window sedan, and a coupe - and the DeVille Series and Eldorado Biarritz.

Both the 4- and 6-window sedan had a base price of $5,240, with the 4-window sedan accounting for 13,670 sales and the 6-window version finding 9,243 buyers. The coupe, priced at just over $5,000, added 12,166 sales. Standard equipment included a full array of lights for under the hood, under the dashboard, in the glove box, and in the trunk, plus backup and even cornering lights. Among the list of options included the Signal-Seeking Pre-selector radio at $160 or the Air-Conditioning and Heater which added another $473 to the price tag.

Above the base Series 62 was the Series 62 DeVille, which added two-way power seats and power windows. Body styles were the same as on the base series, plus added a convertible and the Eldorado Biarritz Sport Convertible. Priced at $6,630, the Biarritz was the most expensive vehicle in the 1962 Cadillac lineup, except for the Fleetwood 75 models. With the help of thin upper bodyside moldings, the Biarritz was somewhat more distinctive than the 1961 version. Production was limited to 1,450 units, the same as the year before, while the division's overall production rose substantially. The Biarritz was the pinnacle of luxury and performance from Cadillac in 1962.

1962 was the first year of the dual master cylinder braking system. Power was from an overhead valve V8 that displaced 390 cubic inches and delivered 325 horsepower at 4,800 RPM. It had five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, and a Carter two-barrel carburetor. The engine was backed by a four-speed automatic transmission and sent power to the rear wheels. The suspension was fully independent with semi-elliptic rear springs. Drum brakes were placed at all four corners. Its wheelbase measured 129.5 inches and it had a length of 222 inches.

Cadillac produced 160,840 vehicles in 1963 with nearly 90 percent being from the Series 62 line.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020