This Crusty 1950 Cadillac 62 Deserves a Second Chance and a Loving Home, Will It Be Yours?

Coming to us from an eBay user out of Discovery Bay, California, this particular 1950 Cadillac 62's seen better days. But looking at the finer points of this Caddy's rusty wheels, dusty paint, and derelict interior at least gives us a great opportunity to understand why the car behind all the decay was so important.

It's said the striking and iconic design cues of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning World War II American fighter was the inspiration behind Cadillac's aviation-inspired styling cues from the late 40s all the way until the mid-60s. Cadillac fins were a timeless style icon of post-war America, all the more significant when Cadillac started cranking out hundreds of thousands of 62s as soon after the war as they possibly could.

The second-gen 62 was either powered by an old-fashioned, pre-war 346-cubic inch (5.7-liter)  Monobloc V8 or, starting in 1949, a slightly smaller but more sophisticated 331-cubic inch (5.4-liter) overhead-valve V8. These engines were paired with either a three-speed synchronized manual transmission or a four-speed GM Hydramatic transmission. The first American mass-produced automatic gearbox made specifically for passenger cars.

The two-door variant of the Cadillac 62 was among some of the first pillarless hardtop coupes available in North America. But even with a soft top, the styling lines of this 1950 62 Convertible are still more than pleasant on the eyes if you don't mind the slightly mildew-filled interior. The 1950 model year was an especially important year in the 62's lineage thanks to a comprehensive set of facelifts and styling chances.

With a slightly lowered ride height and a longer, more aerodynamic hood, the best way to tell an older gen-II 62 from a newer one is the size of the curves in the hood. Smaller, more snub-nosed examples are always pre-1950 examples, as are examples with two pieces of glass held together with metal for a windshield instead of a complete pane of glass.

This was also the year the Hydramatic automatic transmission was made standard. This explains the lack of a clutch and a gear shifter in this long-abandoned 62. According to the owner, the engine last ran around seven or so years ago.

The last time they bothered to check up on it, the motor did spin freely. Perhaps the most striking piece of decay permeating this cryptic Caddy is the once magnificently shiny alloy wheels, now completely barren of anything but surface rust. But closer inspection reveals that a handful of trinkets that came with this old Cadillac are still present.

Items like the Cadillac Identification card prove this Cadillac was sold on November 3rd, 1950, out of a dealership in San Francisco, California. Using this card, the owner was entitled to the "courteous and efficient service from any authorized Cadillac distributor or dealership." We can only wonder what would happen if this car turned up on a flatbed at a modern Caddy dealership. They'd probably courteously and efficiently tell you to leave.

But that doesn't mean this old Cadillac isn't worth saving. We've seen far worse-off automobiles be resurrected from the dead, then fully restored. Or even turned into restomods if it's a really ambitious project. Besides, this Cadillac's rusty front end almost gives the vibe this car is bleeding but still alive. As if it was practically begging to have its engine fired up so it could drain your wallet with its sub-ten mile per gallon fuel economy the way it did back when gasoline was a whole lot cheaper.