1938 Cadillac coupe - $55,000

[Leif in Calif]

I don't know about the price but it certainly looks nice! More pictures in ad....

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/rocklin-1938-cadillac-coupe/7636177920.html

This is a frame of restoration of a very rare series 60 coupe . Car runs a drives like new. This car is worth much more than this but health forces sale. Please text or call only. (916) 626-2339

[deac]

Nice car!

 

[B Jake Moran]

About a $25,000 car.  But, with that much difference in price vs value, this will drop off Facebook marketplace and we will never know if sold or part of an eventual estate sale.  

[Crusty Trucker]

Seller's ad says it's a series 60. The License plate reads "38CAD61". Do our pre-war Cadillac experts know which is correct?

[B Jake Moran]

Well it’s a 60 series, small wheelbase “cheap” Cadillac.  Lovely car, based on the Buick and Oldsmobile body with Cadillac grille and drivetrain.  Yes it’s a 61.  

[Matt Harwood]

If you think you can buy that car for $25,000, buy two and I'll gladly take one off your hands.

[edinmass]

3 hours ago, B Jake Moran said:

Well it’s a 60 series, small wheelbase “cheap” Cadillac.  Lovely car, based on the Buick and Oldsmobile body with Cadillac grille and drivetrain.  Yes it’s a 61.  

 

61 SERIES Were not CCCA approved, as they were the low tier cars that shared body parts with other GM cars, I think the CCCA watered down the standards again, and allowed them in, but I recommend checking first if CCCA events are important to the new owner.

[kingrudy]

Beautiful car, but he might be trying to get all his money back for that frame off restoration. He might just get it, looks razor sharp. I think my 56s may very well be worth 25K and although it is nice, this Cadillac is much nicer than my Buick. Maybe 55K is right. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by kingrudy (see edit history)

[B Jake Moran]

1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

If you think you can buy that car for $25,000, buy two and I'll gladly take one off your hands.

Oh okay, sorry.  While it is a nice car and I’m not an expert like you, and I mean that sincerely not condescending- I have heard that closed pre war cars are not bringing $55,000 and I know of a few, such as that 1932 Buick 97 - that are selling in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.  I know of a 1940 Cadillac 75 series that the seller has reduced from $32,000 to $21,000 with no buyers yet. And other examples.    
 

That is why I said $25,000. But I guess it is a $55,000 car after all.  To me, this body style - the  2 door - is more associated with Buicks, Chevrolet, Ford or more in the medium price range of offerings in the 30s. I’m actually a bit surprised Cadillac offered it.  

[B Jake Moran]

7 minutes ago, kingrudy said:

Beautiful car, but he might be trying to get all his money back for that frame off restoration. He might just get it, looks razor sharp. I think my 56s may very well be worth 25K and although it is nice, this Cadillac is much nicer than my Buick. Maybe 55K is right. 

Yes, he will get $55k.  Some knowledgeable pricing guys have said so.  

[alsancle]

If it truly runs and drives as good as it looks it is possible he gets his money.   Really nice stuff does find a  home.   95% of all cars have some needs great and small and one that doesn't is usually desirable.

 

The fact it is the lower series does work against it but the condition may overwhelm that.

[58L-Y8]

16 hours ago, Crusty Trucker said:

Seller's ad says it's a series 60. The License plate reads "38CAD61". Do our pre-war Cadillac experts know which is correct?

Crusty:

 

The 1936-1938 years of the entry-level Cadillac were Series 60.  As mentioned, they shared with other upper-medium-priced GM makes, specifically the B-Body and chassis components.  The Cadillac 60, LaSalle and Buick Century coupes had among the best power-to-weight ratios, were considered 'a gentlemen's hot rod' in the era.  The B-Body Cadillacs became the Series 61 for 1939, took a hiatus for 1940, then returned for 1941 to replace LaSalle in the price segment a step below the Series 62, also as an alternative choice to the Buick Roadmaster Series 70.

 

The primary thing to understand about what was happening to Cadillac and LaSalle in the latter years of the 1930's up to the advent of WWII was the days of lavish, cost-be-damned luxury cars were largely over when Nicholas Dreystadt became Cadillac general manager in 1934.  His mandate was to return Cadillac to being a profitable division while developing new, smaller mass-market luxury cars that would sell in volume yet still uphold the Cadillac reputation for quality and prestige.    Dreystadt accomplished his mandate with Prussian efficiency, Cadillac sold 12,913 for 1936; for 1941: 66,169.   During the intervening years, he had ended the OHV V-12 and V-16, consolidated the L-head V-16 onto the 75 chassis then ended the V-16 for good, had instituted significant component sharing with Olds and Buick, brought LaSalle customers along to eventually fold them into the Cadillac fraternity.   And probably caused a pleasant grimace on dour Alfred Sloan's face when the subject of Cadillac profitability was the matter under discussion.

 

Ask a simple question...get a dissertation...

 

Steve

[suchan]

Sharp car, fun driver, good color.

If it was a 75 series, I could see $55K on up.

Only the market will tell, but I’m guessing maybe $45K.

[1935Packard]

14 hours ago, edinmass said:

 

61 SERIES Were not CCCA approved, as they were the low tier cars that shared body parts with other GM cars, I think the CCCA watered down the standards again, and allowed them in, but I recommend checking first if CCCA events are important to the new owner.

 

I believe the lastest is that every Cadillac from 1915-1947 is a CCCA car (plus the Series 75 in 1948).  Also, all LaSalles are in.

https://www.classiccarclub.org/approved-classics

[edinmass]

4 hours ago, 1935Packard said:

 

I believe the lastest is that every Cadillac from 1915-1947 is a CCCA car (plus the Series 75 in 1948).  Also, all LaSalles are in.

https://www.classiccarclub.org/approved-classics

Don’t you mean Oldsmobile’s? 
 

Sad how things are watered down, all for no reason or result.

[B Jake Moran]

2 hours ago, edinmass said:

Don’t you mean Oldsmobile’s? 
 

Sad how things are watered down, all for no reason or result.

Keeps the club solvent. That’s the reason. 

[bryankazmer]

3 hours ago, edinmass said:

Don’t you mean Oldsmobile’s? 
 

Sad how things are watered down, all for no reason or result.

The Olds-based LaSalles and 61 Caddy set up the main discussion - the 120.  i don't see how it won't come in after the LaSalle/61.

[58L-Y8]

Alfred Sloan and Nickolas Dreystadt held no illusions that the Cadillac Series 60 or 61 were cars anyone would ever consider to be Cadillac's best or a Classic, whatever definition that might denote.  The primary purpose it fulfilled like an Olympic champion was to be a springboard year-by-year to return Cadillacs to the position of volume luxury segment sales leader and attendant profitability.   The fact that they vanquished Packard's at one time dominance of the luxury segment was simply icing on the cake.

[1935Packard]

On 7/1/2023 at 6:45 AM, bryankazmer said:

The Olds-based LaSalles and 61 Caddy set up the main discussion - the 120.  i don't see how it won't come in after the LaSalle/61.

I'm not sure.   For the most part, the 34-40 LaSalles and Series 61 have the look and feel of the more expensive Cadillacs.  (Maybe less so the '35s and '36 LaSalles, but they're very very attractive in their own right.) The 120 is unmistakenly a Packard, but side by side it's pretty different from the senior models.  Maybe that's a thin reed, but it might be enough to keep them off the list....

 

Edited to Add: My only half-joking answer to which cars should be CCCA-eligible is based on how hard it is to find parts and how expensive they are.  If the parts are impossible to find and cost you an absurd amount of money, it's CCCA-eligible.  Otherwise, there are other clubs for you where the members can commiserate about other things.

Edited July 2, 2023 by 1935Packard (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

4 hours ago, 1935Packard said:

I'm not sure.   For the most part, the 34-40 LaSalles and Series 61 have the look and feel of the more expensive Cadillacs.  (Maybe less so the '35s and '36 LaSalles, but they're very very attractive in their own right.) The 120 is unmistakenly a Packard, but side by side it's pretty different from the senior models.  Maybe that's a thin reed, but it might be enough to keep them off the list....

 

Edited to Add: My only half-joking answer to which cars should be CCCA-eligible is based on how hard it is to find parts and how expensive they are.  If the parts are impossible to find and cost you an absurd amount of money, it's CCCA-eligible.  Otherwise, there are other clubs for you where the members can commiserate about other things.

I follow you, but there are a number of other makes at least as mechanically sophisticated than the admittedly very well styled straight eight LaSalles.  Buick Century for example. Adding all Chrysler Town and Country models was another controversy.  47 senior Packards but not the mechanically almost identical 48-50?   It's a fuzzy line.  

 

I think the nature of CCCA events and scheduling is a bigger barrier to growth than the eligible car list.  Just my opinion.

[lhend50]

On 6/30/2023 at 9:15 AM, Matt Harwood said:

If you think you can buy that car for $25,000, buy two and I'll gladly take one off your hands.

I agree, I will take the other one off his hands. 

[B Jake Moran]

4 hours ago, lhend50 said:

I agree, I will take the other one off his hands. 

Right, but as the experts noted, $55,000 is right priced and I am not.  I believe this car has already sold for $55,000, maybe more. 

[suchan]

The ad's still up, so maybe it hasn't moved.

I think series 61 began in 1939 to replace series 60. The 60 Special is a "60s".

The same 135 HP motor as the bigger Caddys but roughly 1000 lbs less weight to push around.

And it fits in a lot more garages.

Nice car.

Edited July 3, 2023 by suchan
more typing (see edit history)