Bringing home my first, a 1955 cadillac series 62 sedan factory AC car

[tonyv_73]

Hello,

 

I wanted to introduce myself, my name is Anthony, and I am a new owner to a 1955 cadillac series 62 sedan fully loaded.  Picking the car up from Oklahoma,  Does anyone have any memories with 55 cadillacs or have owned one in the past with any advice on waking her up? car has been sitting for 10 years.

 

thanks,

Anthony

[58L-Y8]

1 hour ago, tonyv_73 said:

Hello,

 

I wanted to introduce myself, my name is Anthony, and I am a new owner to a 1955 cadillac series 62 sedan fully loaded.  Picking the car up from Oklahoma,  Does anyone have any memories with 55 cadillacs or have owned one in the past with any advice on waking her up? car has been sitting for 10 years.

 

thanks,

Anthony

Welcome!  Sounds like you bought an interesting Cadillac with a desirable options.  To get accurate answers from those who have dealt with many of the same problems you might encounter, here is the Cadillac-LaSalle Forum:

Cadillac & LaSalle - Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums (aaca.org)

You will also want to join the Cadillac-LaSalle Club where you will find a wealth of information and parts sources.  

Cadillac & LaSalle Club (cadillaclasalleclub.org)

BTW: the factory price of your 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan was $3,977 and the air conditioning was $620 extra.

[vintage1]

Sounds like a great car, post some photos 

 

[John Bloom]

2 hours ago, tonyv_73 said:

Hello,

 

I wanted to introduce myself, my name is Anthony, and I am a new owner to a 1955 cadillac series 62 sedan fully loaded.  Picking the car up from Oklahoma,  Does anyone have any memories with 55 cadillacs or have owned one in the past with any advice on waking her up? car has been sitting for 10 years.

 

thanks,

Anthony

There are lots of lists about waking up a car.  Maybe with some more information about the car as it is now and some pictures, some of us can list a few basic checklists for you as you start the wake up process.  I've found some of my most fun moments in the hobby are that first week after bringing a new car home, cleaning, detailing, and learning late into the night.  It never gets old.....

 

Congrats, looking forward to you sharing more.  

[rocketraider]

Think you said in another thread you're 26? That's fantastic, that a young buck has acquired a car nearly 3 times his age. Plus mid-50s Cadillacs are as cool as a 50s car gets.

 

If you can swing it, join AACA and the CLC. Find an AACA Region or Chapter close by and participate.

 

You'll undoubtedly run into a few ornery old farts who don't think a twenty-something has any business with a car like yours (been there) but ignore them. Who do they think is going to be the next caretaker of their old cars?

[JamesR]

2 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:

BTW: the factory price of your 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan was $3,977 and the air conditioning was $620 extra.

 

Wow, that was expensive for the A/C! I'm surprised. I guess it was still pretty rare in '55.

 

Many congratulations to Anthony on his new '55 Cadillac. They really were/are beautiful cars.

[rocketraider]

In early 60s the cost of Oldsmobile's factory installed airconditioning was 10% of the base cost of a Ninety Eight. Looks like the Cadillac's was closer to 15%. 

 

I guess that's why factory airconditioned cars from that time aren't common.

[mobileparts]

1955 Caddy —- greatest Dagmar s on the planet…..

[Robert G. Smits]

Congratulations.  Like the AACA the CLC members are a great group and I would recommend joining.  If the engine has not been started in 10 years I would remove all the spark plugs and rotate it manually.  Change all fluids and if you have the expertise I would drop the pan and clean the sludge that has accumulated since 55 for starters.  You will need to clean the gas tank.  Depending on what you find it may need to be relined.  Replace all hoses including the rubber brake hoses and check the brakes while you are at it.  Just my thoughts on what I would do.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

20 hours ago, mobileparts said:

1955 Caddy —- greatest Dagmar s on the planet…..

 

 Except for their namesakes

 

  Ben

[Akstraw]

Six things come to mind when I think back to when I bought my ‘56 Cadillac.  First, it has left-hand threaded lug nuts on the driver’s side.  I learned that after breaking a stud trying to remove a nut in the wrong direction.  Second, the wheel cylinders were packed with rust.  The car was a driver, but I am not sure how the brakes even worked with all that crap in them.  Once I got the master and wheel cylinders sorted out, the original drum brakes worked very well, and I abandoned all plans to convert to discs.  Third, though I had changed the fuel filter, blown out the line, and flushed the tank, the car would still stall for lack of fuel.  I found there is a fine screen where the fuel line enters the carburetor, and mine was absolutely packed with rust particles.  Fourth, I had a problem with the car crapping out under acceleration.  It turned out to be a bad diaphragm in the distributor vacuum advance unit.  Easy to test, just see whether or not you can blow through it.  Fifth, it needs premium fuel, otherwise will ‘diesel’ upon shutdown.  Also I had a problem with percolation that I resolved by putting a phenolic insulator between the carburetor and intake manifold, and by using only ethanol-free gas.  Last, when I put radial tires on it, I found the large sombrero hubcaps wanting to come off while driving.

 

I hope that helps.  Good luck with your new find.  It is a wonderful, comfortable cruising car, and fun to drive.

[JACK M]

16 hours ago, Akstraw said:

I found the large sombrero hubcaps wanting to come off while driving.

 

This happens with radial tires. The older rims don't like radials.

[Ed Luddy]

On 4/25/2023 at 11:51 PM, JamesR said:

 

Wow, that was expensive for the A/C! I'm surprised. I guess it was still pretty rare in '55.

 

Many congratulations to Anthony on his new '55 Cadillac. They really were/are beautiful cars.

Very Expensive, and rare. The huge Novi Compressor and components under the hood called for special heavy duty rated springs. Then the trunk mounted equipment, and the ducting added more. I had a complete system years ago that was removed from a southern car with a great history. I sent it along with the car it was supposed to be put in when it was sold. The gentleman I purchased it from really explained and taught me a lot about those early GM A/C systems. Wish I could remember most of it!

[JamesR]

6 hours ago, Ed Luddy said:

The huge Novi Compressor and components under the hood called for special heavy duty rated springs.

I believe it. When I replaced the front coil springs in my '65 T-Bird a year ago I had to specify whether my car had A/C or not.

[TAKerry]

Welcome Anthony, Never owned one, although my grandmother starting in the late 40's bought a new caddy every couple of years for about 50 yrs straight. Im sure she had something similar. My memories are not of a 55 but a 53 model. My friend in HS around 1980 bought what we would now consider a 'barn find' original 53 caddy from another HS mates grandmother. She bought the car new and drove it for a few years then parked it. It was a true time capsule in impeccable condition. I think he paid something like $350 for it. In 1980, a 1953 cadillac sedan was not the 'coolest' car to own for a high school kid! The car was loaded, painted a medium coloured green and white top. He drove that thing like crazy, until one rainy night, too fast on a small country road, taking out a fence row (caddy won) then hitting a tree (tree won). The caddy as Poe would say was 'nevermore'.