1950 Cadillac Series 62 news, pictures, and information

Coupe DeVille
Designer: Harley Earl
Chassis Num: 506258424

Cadillac redesigned their Series 61 and 62 line of cars in 1950, giving them lower and sleeker contours, sweeping front fenders, long rear decks, and a broken rear fender line. The front grille grew in size, becoming larger and the hood extended out further than in prior years. There were round parking lights, long tailfin rear fenders with imitation chrome air slots, and a one-piece windshield. The Series 61 and Series 62 were similar in design, with the presence of rear Ventipanes on the Series 62 being one of the more distinguishable differences.

For 1950, the Series 62 was available as a four door sedan, a two-door Club Coupe, 2-door Coupe DeVille and a 2-door Convertible Coupe. The four-door sedan was by far, the most popular, with sales reaching 41,890. Following in second place was the Convertible Coupe which had 6,986. Closely behind that was the two-door Club Coupe with seating for five, netting 6,434. There was a single rolling chassis created that received no coachwork; apart from this, the Coupe DeVille was the most exclusive bodystyle available, with 4,507 examples created. They were not the most expensive, that honor went to the convertible coupe, but their price tag was the second highest at $3,523. It was more affordable than the venerable Fleetwood, but remained rather rare.

The Series 62 came standard with hydraulic window lifts and a Hydra-Matic transmission. The only engine offered by Cadillac in 1950 was a V8 unit that displaced 331 cubic-inches and produced 160 horsepower.

This 1950 Cadillac Coupe deVille 2D was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars sale at Hershey, PA presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $40,000 - $50,000 and offered without reserve. Since the lot was offered without reserve, the buyer was able to purchase this vehicle with a high bid of $40,700 including buyer's premium.

This car has four-wheel drum brakes, a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission and an overhead V8 engine that produces 160 horsepower. There are 43,000 original miles, black paint, and fitted with optional Sombrero chrome wheel discs and whitewall tires. The interior is grey upholstery with matching carpet and a black and grey dashboard with an optional radio. Power brakes and power steering are also on this vehicle.

The Harley Earl designed Cadillac Series 62 De Ville was a very large vehicle that featured a large, 6,390 cc (390 cubic inch) V-8 engine. The back had large fins that did little for performance and handling but was all about the style of the vehicle. The design of the vehicle was inspired by the space program and the era of jet engines. The large, 4400 lb car was fitted with drum brakes. These often wore out quickly. If a U-turn needed to be made, the driver would need a parking lot. The turning radius was 24 feet.
The car was a luxury vehicle that could carry six individuals comfortably. The car was a convertible with the top being raised and lowered automatically. The interior had electrical gauges. The head lights would turn on at dusk and were also capable of switching from high beam to low beam when they sensed oncoming traffic. In total, there were eight lights on the front of the vehicle. The four on the top were the driving lights while the lights mounted on the bumper were the parking lamps. To add to the driving comfort, air suspension was used. This aided in providing a very soft ride but there was significant body roll when cornering. With the V8, it was capable of creeping to sixty in 11 seconds. This reinforced the notion that this Cadillac was built for comfort and not for speed. The drivers enjoyed the ride and they looked good cruising along, enjoying the large open road.

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