We spotted this art deco gem while visiting 2009’s Kumeu Festival — and couldn’t resist finding out more about the stunning Cadillac
Wandering around the Kumeu Festival every summer is usually a very rewarding time for me. Why? Easy — it’s because every year so many new cars seem to simply appear from out of the woodwork. Now, there could be a very good reason for this. Maybe it’s because little over a year ago, before all this recession stuff, one kiwi dollar could buy you US$0.82 — the highest exchange rate in many years. Couple this with the economic optimism of the time and bingo, you have a major shopping spree, US-style. I know this to be the case, because moseying around such shows gives you a fair indication of just how much Yankee iron poured into the country over the previous 18 months or so. It’s not just muscle cars (my favourites) that catch my attention either, it’s all the unusual ’40s, ’50s and ’60s cars. As an example, at Kumeu I also spotted a 1960 Chrysler Imperial Le Baron and a 1956 Buick two-door Special. However, in particular I also 
‘discovered’ this magnificent 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe. A car which I found increasingly difficult to just walk past without stopping and saying to myself — WOW!
In my opinion the popularity of these types of cars is mostly due to the rising cost of American muscle cars. Over recent years they have escalated to such a point that many buyers are looking for more practical automotive solutions — ones that still provide fun driving and, more importantly, can open up to include the whole family as well as looking completely different to anything else on the road. You only have to look at the enormous success of events like Beach Hop and Americana, and the simple fact that occasions such as these are featuring more and more of these big cruisers every year.
Beginning of a Era
At the end of the Second World War literally millions of Americans were in the market for new cars. Unfortunately for US manufacturers, production lines could only manage a trickle of new cars due to a shortage of materials — particularly of sheet steel — and rolling strikes. These factors were major industry-wide problems during the ’46 production year. Such was the problem that some Cadillacs went through the assembly line with only brackets to hold temporary wooden bumpers, while the real ones had to be installed by dealers as they became available later.
This was hardly surprising, as Cadillac had spent the war years — well, those after Pearl Harbour — producing military units such as the 
M-24 tank. To give you an idea of how quickly Cadillac reverted to civilian production, the last M-24 rolled off the Cadillac assembly line on August 24, 1945, and remarkably, the first 1946 model-year Cadillac was produced on October 7, 1945.
By necessity, this first post-war car was quickly thrown together, and was essentially a rehashed version of Cadillac’s 1942 model. Initially the ’46 cars were only available as Series 62 four-door sedans. Cadillac dined out on the fact that its ‘battle-proved’ engines and transmissions were the only automotive components continually produced and improved without interruption during the war years.
Noticeable styling changes for the 1946 Cadillac line-up were minimal in comparison to the 1942 models — but changes did include rectangular parking lights positioned beneath the single round headlights and on the upper portion of the slightly modified grille, which also featured fewer vertical bars. The front of the bonnet and boot lid received the regal Cadillac crest nestled in a ‘V’, and the ‘Cadillac’ block lettering was moved to the lower portion of the front guards. Nicely proportioned wrap-around bumpers were adopted front and rear to finish off the exterior package.
Cadillac’s model offerings were trimmed to just 11 for 1946. The Series 63 and 67 models disappeared completely, while the 60 Special lost its division-window model. The Series 61 and 62 continued with the coupe and sedan models. Additionally, the Series 62 also included a convertible — the first in Cadillac’s line-up since 1941. The Series 75 was also trimmed back to just five models, down three, whilst the five, seven, and nine-passenger models were still listed along with the Imperial models with divider windows.
By 1947 the pressure on Cadillac to produce passenger vehicles was intense, to say the least, and with almost 100,000 unfilled orders dealerships were desperate for cars. People knew Cadillac’s value and prestige and that was what they wanted. However, due to early post-war difficulties only 29,214 customers got to drive a ’46 Caddy home. Those lucky enough paid handsomely for the privilege — the Series 61 fastback was priced at US$2052; an incredible 41.5 per cent rise over the pre-war 1942 model. Not surprisingly, pricing was going to be an issue for all car manufacturers in the inflationary days following WWII.
The Queen Street Scene
To say that Colin Sandbrook has owned his fair share of American classics over the years is one heck of an understatement. As a youngster one of his hobbies was obtaining the US Saturday Evening Post just so he could collect the double page spreads and advertisements from virtually every car manufacturer featured in every issue. Colin was keen as mustard to get his hands on every publication, and looked forward every month to getting his copy.
After leaving school, Colin went to work for an auto windscreen company and decided to decorate the workshop’s mezzanine walls with his collection of prized newspaper pictures. This mosaic was an impressive sight and, years later when the building was finally being demolished, Colin was tracked down and asked if he wanted to remove any of them before demolition commenced. At this point Colin’s life had moved on, so he decided to let them go down with the building.
At the age of 16 Colin bought his first car, a kind of project really, a very large one in the form of a 1931 SS Jaguar. This ‘project’ was fairly original from the front bumper back to the windscreen and after that, well, there wasn’t much left except for the original knock-off wire wheels and a chassis. The upside to all of this, Colin reckons, was the fact it had a Bren Gun Carrier engine which was basically a ’39 Mercury 24-stud flathead V8. Over the ensuing months Colin designed and built a tubular frame which was eventually skinned over and painted.
Colin and his mates, who were referred to as the ‘Queen Street Yanks’, would frequently participate in the Friday and Saturday night Queen Street traffic lights Grand Prix — which generally resulted in a lot of harmless fun and a chance to glimpse any new and interesting cars.
One particularly memorable moment happened when Colin and a mate were going to the movies one Friday night in Queen Street, when they heard a huge screeching of tyres from a ’36 Ford coupe which came to a halt. A well known hot rodder, John Ohlsen, got out of the car. Colin later introduced himself to John and was treated to an exciting ride in the Ford that included some fairly impressive driving skills. As a matter of interest, John Ohlsen later went on to work for Carroll Shelby, and was involved in building the iconic Shelby Mustang and Cobra.
Suffice it to say that Colin’s old Jag was later traded on a 1939 Ford coupe.
Colin’s Caddie
Colin has literally lost count of the number of American classics he has owned over the years — and favourites include several Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, Fords and Buicks.
Then around five years ago Colin decided to buy a 1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, and began searching overseas. Whilst looking at two Cadillacs in Melbourne and one in Queensland, none of which Colin thought were suitable, he noticed an advertisement for a 1946 Cadillac. Colin had always admired the beautiful lines and looks of the Club coupes and, whilst in Australia, he decided to make the 10-hour drive from Brisbane to Narrabri, Queensland, to check out the car.
Literally miles and miles from anywhere, Colin was pleasantly surprised by what he found. This Cadillac had been in the same family since new and restored by its current owners, who took it to Australia with them some years ago.
This 1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club coupe was in pristine condition and that, combined with its incredibly good looks and style, meant Colin found it impossible to resist and he bought the Cadillac on the spot.
Transporting the car from Narrabri to Brisbane caused quite a commotion. Colin revealed a conversation with the transporter driver, who said he had received many calls on his radio from other truck drivers asking him to tell them all about his precious cargo. Some even waited at truck stops just to get a look at the magnificent Caddie. Basically, things weren’t that much different this side of the ditch either — with one admirer deciding to get a closer look by following the transporter as it carried the car to Colin’s house. The stalker then proceeded to pump Colin for every last little bit of information about the Cadillac.
You really can’t stop people from admiring this particular Cadillac, its swoopy styling absolutely stopped me dead in my tracks when I spotted the car at Kumeu. While its frontal aspect is typical of the period — upright and brash — the Cadillac’s side and rear profiles are simply magnificent. The car’s elongated, smoothly sloping rear simply takes your breath away when seen in the metal — British enthusiasts coo about the legendary lines of the Bentley Continental R, but this model Cadillac featured a very similar style many years ahead of the Bentley’s first appearance in 1952.
The Cadillac’s swept-back, aerodynamic look is emphasised by tear-drop front and rear fenders — tastefully picked out with chrome strakes — while its gently curved rearward side-windows predict a style that would become fashionable during the latter half of the ’60s and early ’70s. Even the car’s bullet-shaped bumper over-riders show a superb sense of style — a style that US automakers would take to excess during the ’50s.
Walk around this Cadillac and it’s almost like taking a history lesson in automobile styling, as there are so many cues to later trends. And, of course, this car came from an era when US car makers were still largely following the lead set by the best of the European coachbuilders and, as evidenced by this Cadillac, sometimes they even assumed a leading position. However, by the mid ’50s Detroit was following its own stylistic course, and gradually began to branch away from European-inspired designs as the US strove to discover its own individual identity. Whether that divergence was a good or bad thing depends upon your view of American cars. For me, this Cadillac represents an unforgettable era; an era based on pure style rather than over-ornamentation and design excess.
However, this is history that you can enjoy every day if, like Colin, you’re lucky enough to own such a car. And, naturally, Colin drives his Cadillac as often as possible — that’s of course when he’s not driving the 1938 Buick that he has owned for 26 years.
For Colin, the Cadillac has brought back many memories of his youth as he remembers the model cars of this era, which to him at that time looked so futuristic. When I look at this car now it still seems timeless and ahead of it’s time — so it’s hardly surprising this stunning Cadillac still attracts attention wherever it goes.
Time Line
First Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1941 until 1942, offered as a two-door club coupe four-door sedan or four-door convertible. Powerplants for this generation included the 5670cc L-head V8 engine that provided 100kW the first year and 112kW by the end of the generation.
Second Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1946 until 1947 and offered again in three body styles; the two-door club coupe and four-door sedan, as well as the four-door convertible. This generation was based on the C body platform and offered the monobloc 5670cc V8 engine. The Series 62 was one of the first cars to enter production after the war, which made it quite prominent at the time.
Third Generation Cadillac Series 62
Commencing in 1948 production and lasting until 1953. Cadillac again offered the same three body styles as previously. This Series 62 was 
also based on the same C-body, but had a shortened wheelbase. Increased power was offered in 1949 by way of the new 5425cc V8 ohv engine, which produced 120kW. Also on offer was a lot more in the way of trim levels and deluxe options. Cadillac refreshed the Series 62 in 1950, making the cars lower, giving them longer bonnets and one-piece windscreens. By 1952 Cadillac had increased power in the Series 62 to 142kW, respectable for the time.
Fourth Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1954 until 1958, the Series 62 was again offered in the three standard body styles. Cadillac still built the vehicle on the C-body platform and powered it with either a 5667cc or 5982cc V8 engine. Related vehicles by this time included the Cadillac Eldorado, Coupe de Ville and Sedan de Ville, all powered by the same 172kW V8 engine and with an optional dual four barrel carburettor configuration which would provide a reasonably healthy 201kW. In 1956 the engine was upgraded to 5981cc, providing the car with 212 or 227kW. By 1957 power had jumped again to 242kW, the car was much lower and boasted shark fins in the rear. By 1958, the Deville had become its own series.
Fifth Generation Cadillac Series 62
Produced from 1959 until 1964, during this generation the name was changed to the Series 6200. Notwithstanding the name change, the same three body styles were offered and the car was still based on the C-body platform, though the wheelbase had been stretched again. The fifth generation boasted massive tail fins, even larger than seen on previous models, as well as dual bullet taillights that set it apart from other vehicles. The Cadillac De Villes were now known as the Series 6300, and both the 6200 and 6300 series vehicles received the 6390cc V8 engine that had an output of 242kW.
In 1960 Cadillac restyled the Series 6200 and it was changed again in 1961, incorporating a considerably more conservative look that proved to be fairly popular. In 1964 the engine was upgraded to 7039cc, producing 254kW.
In 1965 the Series 62 had shrunk again into the Cadillac Calais, and despite name changes, it managed to thrive from 1941 until 1975 
when the Calais was discontinued.
The Series 62 Cadillac has inspired many other models of vehicles that are still sold today by Cadillac.
1946 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe – Specifications
Engine Cadillac flat-head V8
Capacity 5670cc (346ci)
Bore/stroke 89mm x 114mm
Valves Two per cylinder
C/R 7.25:1
Max power 112kW at 3400rpm
Max torque 352Nm at 1700rpm
Fuel system Carter WCD two barrel
Transmission Four-speed Hydra-Matic
Suspension F/R Coil spring independent/ live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs
Steering Recirculating ball
Brakes Hydraulic drum
Dimensions:
Overall length 5588mm
Width 1980mm
Height 1450mm
Wheelbase 3200mm
Kerb weight 1912kg
Performance:
0-100kph 13 seconds
Top speed 160kph
Words: Ashley Webb Photos: Dan Wakelin
This article is from Classic Car issue 220. Click here to check it out.
