i don't know what the market's like there, but out here you would be able to triple your money in a weekend with that thing. personally, for $500 i'd just have to keep it for a project sometime down the line. whatever you do, don't blow it apart, too nice. great find!
Chop it! It is a cool find, but how exactly do people go about "finding" these things? You don't just poke around in every barn you find do you?
It's got that Eisenhower Administration vibe going on. Scrub it up and look at it again,you may change your mind.
Great find, thanks for sharing! It doesn't look to bad from here. I agree with everybody else, get it in somebody's hands that will get it back on the road.
Damn! I really like that. My Dad always drove Cadillacs 49 through early 50's when I was a kid. He swore it was the best car ever made. I'm not big on 4-doors but for some reason Caddy's are an exception. If it were closer to me I'd be really interested. Oh yeah, please don't part it out.
great find, I have a 52 coupe shell on frame , that was in a barn since 1958. I used it for a parts car for a convertible that I restored. I have the coupe body firewall back, less drivers side 1/4 panel, no seats. with my Coupe shell your car would be a sweet mate. I am in central N.Y. , Dave
Personally , I love the early 50's Caddy's and I love the fordors too ! They make great cruisers and are well worth fixing . As for your 52 , all I see is bad rockers . I would guess the floors might be bad but they are easy to weld since they are flat . I can bet you that paint will polish up to . If it was mine I would replace the rockers and what other rusted metal it might have , rebuild that engine and just cover the seats with something and drive that car and enjoy it . Damn car is complete ! For the $500 you have in it plus a tow , you should keep it ! WHAT EVER YOU DO , DON'T PART ANYTHING OUT ON THAT CAR ! It's hard to find a 52 Caddy in that condition with all the parts ! Clean it up and put a price tag on it . DON'T get greedy and it will sell fast ! I would love to see a fellow HAMBer get it ! Just my opinion ! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !
Wash it and keep it right where it is for a couple weeks. Give the neighbors something to yakity yak about.
I bought it to avoid the scrapper from getting it. I also bought two other cars (a 41 Ford sedan and a 40 Studebaker Champion)from the same farm for the same reason. The other two have both been outside in the elements for 35 years but there are still some good parts on both. By now everyone knows I buy and sell old car parts, so yes I will try to make a profit on all of them. But I do not do body work and that is the main reason I would not attempt to get the caddy going. I will do my best to sell the caddy as a complete unit. But if no-one steps up to buy it as a whole, eventually I will sell parts off it to get my investment back.
$500 is not a investment, it's parking change. Just remove the air cleaner and sell it by itself and then put the car up for sale. Finding complete cars like the caddy is getting to be more rarer and that car is a time capsule. Shame on you if you strip it.
Pick a price and put it in the classifieds. I showed my wife the pictures, and she informed me that I'm interested. It all depends on price, of course.
"I bought it to avoid the scrapper from getting it." If you part it out, you're essentially "scrapping" it. The car is WAY to straight and complete to part out. Should be a builder. There's already plenty of 53 Caddy parts and parts cars around. "But I do not do body work and that is the main reason I would not attempt to get the caddy going. I will do my best to sell the caddy as a complete unit." What body work? That car looks pretty damn straight (original paint?). Good glass, trim, bumpers, etc. Probably never wrecked. 99% complete, all original. Its a 60 year old car and needs rockers like most any other 60 year old car does. Flip it as is or fix the water pump, radiator, etc. and clean it up and drive it to a couple of shows with a For Sale sign in the window.Patience; it'll sell. I understand you part out cars, but think you're way too eager to start peeling chunks off this Caddy for $100 a shot. Sell it whole, make an easy profit you can reinvest and make someone happy-all w/o having to get out your wrenches and torch.
Its your car do what you want. Parting it out is better than the scrapper or sitting there rotting for another 25 years. Im sure you won't have a problem selling it complete. I sold a 49 pontiac that had no floors and no interior for 2500.00 in the matter of 2 weeks. Your is a Caddy, it will go quick.
Yep, another vote here for keeping it together. A bloody stunning looking car. Wish it was mine. $500 = bargain!
Jeeze! that's too rough for you to fix??? Looks like some minor rot on the rockers, but otherwise mint, i'd have it running and in primer in a week! a couple more weeks and it'd be in paint
Depending on the condition of the interior ect, if it's ratshitted out, I wouldn't have a huge problem parting out that 4 door. Even with one's own labor it will cost more to get it up than it's worth when you're done. If it will run, let that sweet 331 have a home in some A coupe, front clip can go to save a coupe or drop top. Just my 2 cents
Exactly what I am thinking! Pictures do not tell the whole story and just about anything can be saved with enough effort. But the interior IS full of holes, rat-crap, and stinks. The motor IS questionable if it runs, and body DOES need more than rockers I am pretty sure. When I open the hood I can feel the metal being weak from sitting so long. I would gladly take $1500 for the car as it sits, but I am betting there are no takers. I think it worth more as parts than it is as a whole.
So are you into old cars or are you into making money and watching people drool over what they can't have? Cause I'm pretty sure if you did post up a classified ad this car would sell in about 2 hours. Good luck with the sale, she is a nice project car for someone.
Ok heres my problem, christmas, and i have 2 more projects sitting waiting on me. But if you were closer and it wasnt christmas it would be in my driveway not yours. I like them big old caddys. Prefer 2 dr. But would take 4 dr.but i bet there are other guys out there that are closer to you who have the change .please dont part that old girl out.
cool find! I'd hose it off, scrub it down and post pics in the for sale section.I'm not a 4 door guy, but that big thing looks 'right' (to me), I'd fix and drive the shit out of it.
Thanks for sharing the pics. Looks good for the age and storage facility. I bet someone would certainly be willing to take it off your hands and use it as a nice ride. BTW, the air filter is not a batwing (unless you meant it came with an extra filter). The "batwing" was more triangular (like a bat's wing). Not that I am an expert. Good luck!
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