1961 CONV CADDY

[JOCADDY]

I HAVE A STYLE 61-6267 THAT I'M RESTORING, LOOKING FOR INFO ON PARTS ETC.......

[tailfin58]

Congratulations on owning a beautiful Cadillac Convertible !

I know 'cuz I'm workin' on a RED ONE ! (PAINT CODE 29 TRIM 50 White top)

Off the Top of My Head ( where the Hair USED to be !)here are a few brief facts.

1961 & 1962 Convertible production about 16,000 units or so both years.

for only slightly different styled Eldo Biarittz Converts only around 1425 cars.

1961 was first year NOT to have an Eldorado Seville Hardtop coupe (since '56)

or an ultra expensive Eldorado Brougham Sedan (since'57)

Totally restyled and largely re enginneered from 1959 and 1960 models.

This was really the first year of the Bill Mitchell Era as head of Styling

following Harley Earl's Retirement.

The soft rounded flowing lines of the 50's era Cads would be replaced by

a crisper more angular and generally "Lighter" looking models.

Also some minor cost cutting and option restraint was taking place.

First year for No multi carb options,troublesome air ride no longer offered,

all Cads had Single Exhaust only, for the first time in a long while.

Much lighter use of chrome trim and elimination of most of the cast Gee Gaws of the Later 50's cars. Engines moved forward slightly for more interior room .

Definate improvement in Front Suspension and steering performance. I have driven 50's cads and the 61/62 have a crisper steering feel with less body roll.

Mechanically the Engines,trans, & axles etc fairly similar to 1959 &1960

1961 and the very similar 1962's were the last years for 390 cu in engine,

as the 1963 390 is a different engine with distributor moved to front.

Hardest parts for 61 and 62 restorers are front end sheetmetal, and front bumper ends. Almost impossible to find good fenders in a boneyard on East side of Mississippi. A lot of the New England cars I've seen are totally missing the front few inches of fenders and hoods. Besides the fenders having the Typical GM hole in the bottom corner 61 and 62 also get weak at the front where the cornering light(62) or Corner Trim (61) attatches. Rear quarters and doors seem to hold up pretty well.

The fenders from 61 and 62 are the same part (believe the hoods are as well but would have to check this), Bumper ends are 61 only, but as with fenders and hoods all models the same EXCEPT series 75 Limos and Series 86 hearses,will fit.

A lot of the Top mechanism is the same from 61 to 64 but call with specifc parts and I'll check the books

Some top mechanism parts and some glass also interchange with "C-Body"

BIG Buick Electra 225's and Olds 98's, but NOT with any of the Smaller

"B-Body" Buick, Olds or other GM cars.

Best investment you can make is an Original shop manual and second best is a Cadillac LaSalle Club membership both in the National Club and your Local Region(s)visit www.cadillaclasalleclub.org home page and message boards

and links to the Local Region web pages....and also a link to the

INCREDIBLE Cadillac Database by Yann "Mr. Cadillac" Saunders its AMAZING !

Good luck with your car

Please feel free to contact me with parts or information needs.

Tailfin58

Western Massachusetts

[Guest quadfins]

I can't improve any on Tailfin's reply. But let us know more specifically what parts you arev looking for or questions you have. You might also consider joining the Cadillac-LaSalle club, and obtaining one of the 1961/1962 Authenticity Manuals. Any particular questions to start off with???