For Fan Car Friday this week we bring you Bob and his 1948 Cadillac Custom.  Fan Car Friday is a segment where we want to share with the world the automobiles that our fans have. We have absolutely no affiliation/relationship with the cars, the build or the owners. This post was made with written consent from the owner.

“14 years of busted knuckles. Started as a wreck in a collapsed garage in Trenton NJ. Everything rusted away 6 inches up the side of the body. Floors, trunk etc.. gone. Interior destroyed
By generations of raccoons. Body pounded by kids “playing”! No re-pop sheet metal available.

I chose a ’48 because back in the day, many street rod shows considered that the cut off for attending cars. Have always loved Caddy’s and ragtops of all makes.

When I saw the car in our local Pennysaver, for $5000 I thought it must be a nice restorable unit. Traveled to Trenton NJ to meet with the original owner who also owned the local Cadillac dealership for 40 years before his retirement at 80 years old. As we pulled up to one of his “rental properties”, i was stunned. Peeking out barely was the egg crate grille. The rest of the car was under a collapsed roof and doors. I was a chore just to see the car that day. We drove back to his house and had a cup of coffee where I offered him $1500 for the car. His response was “You know it runs and drives”! I was incredulous and told him that if he could prove that, I’d come up to $3000. We shook hands and I drove off knowing for sure, it was not going to happen. I would have to plot my next offer in the coming weeks. About ten days later, I got a call from Joe. “Listen” he says. “I don’t hear a thing” I responded. “That’s how quiet it runs. Now come give me my money”

I headed back with my trailer and sure enough…. Joe had found his 87 year old mechanic and had him dig the car out, hook up a battery and a beer bottle of gas and fire it up. I don’t know what else they did but she was purring. Now would it “drive”? No brakes for sure but that transmission had all it’s gears and up onto the trailer it drove. Knowing I was building a custom, because the car was too far gone to restore, I Pulled the engine and trans and sold it on eBay for $2500! So now what engine? Had to be unique…not like everybody’s small block Chevy.

A few months later, I’m visiting a friend who has owed me $500 for many years. It’s raining so on my way out he says stay dry and go through the garage. As I do, I trip over something under a tarp. He tells me its a 425 HP 409. I remind him of his debt and suggest the engine will set things right. He agrees and into my pick up it went. My rare engine was secure!

One of the style changes I was contemplating was the radius of the rear wheel wells. I thought it would provide a real sports car look. However, I knew once I cut it there was no going back. What if I hated the look? Then what? Enter teenage computer geek son. “Hey Dad, I can take a picture of the front wheel well and Photo Shop it on to the back so you can see it before you decide”. He did just that and blew it up to a 30″ picture. WOW! That shot stayed pinned to my garage wall for three weeks and had more views by my car buddies than American Graffiti! The vote was in….DO IT!!

There were lots of twists and turns over 14 years, time when I just couldn’t even look at it for months. And yet here it is!“

The Cadillac Series 62 is a series of cars which was produced by Cadillac from 1940 through 1964. Originally designed to replace the entry level Series 65, it became the Cadillac Series 6200 in 1959, and remained that until it was renamed to Cadillac Calais for the 1965 model year. The Series 62 was also marketed as the Sixty-Two and the Series Sixty-Two.

For 1948, the Series 62 was moved to the same 126 in (3,200 mm) chassis as the Series 61, making the vehicles virtually identical. The main difference, apart from extra chrome, was the availability of a convertible model. Distinguishing features included grooved bright metal front fender gravel guards, rocker panel brightwork, chevron style chrome slashes below taillights and slightly richer interior trim. Also in 1948 the first tail fins were added. Sales fell to 34,213, nevertheless accounting for a record 68% of all Cadillacs sold. Its appearance is similar to cross-town rival Chrysler Imperial and the Chrysler New Yorker initially in 1949, and less so with yearly appearance changes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Series_62

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