Single family ownership since 1955 until 2011 and since then part of a private collection until now
1939 Cadillac Series 60 Special V8 Touring Sedan
Chassis no. 6291776
West Coast Classics are proud to present this very rare and beautifully restored 1939 Cadillac Series Sixty Special which had been in the same family for 56 years. Purchased new from Dickson Motors, Ltd of Winnipeg, Canada by a couple hailing from nearby Manitoba, the car was reportedly sparingly driven and stored from the beginning of WWII until the owner's uncle acquired the car in 1955. Driven only occasionally and always garaged in Toronto, the car was gifted to the Southern California based owner by his uncle. It has been carefully maintained and remained lovingly presented and unrestored, showing only 80,000 miles on the clock and has been recently fully serviced and drives very well.
Body Style: 39-6019S
Body: 1684
Paint: 54
Trim: 44
In 1939 all V8 powered Cadillacs had the new tri-corner grilles in the fender 'catwalks' flanking the regular grille. These models were completely new in appearance with a V-shaped main grille, larger glass areas, automatic adjusting rear springs and no running boards.
All Cadillac V8's including the 60 Special had the same styling motifs, but the detail dimensions differed for each car line. A new pointed center grille and functional side grilles were made of die cast metal and had fine pitch bars. A single die cast louver was positioned to the rear of each hood side panel. The headlights were once again attached to the radiator casting. The Cadillac Sixty Special, now bodied by Fleetwood, was offered with the optional Sunshine Turret Top or with a center division.
In 1939, the Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special was introduced as a trend setting luxury 4 for sedan designed by the legendary Harley Earl & Bill Mitchell!
It was designed as an extended wheelbase derivative of the Series 60, often referred to as the Fleetwood Sixty Special. The Sixty Special designation was reserved for some of Cadillac's most luxurious vehicles.
Powered by a 346-cubic inch V8 engine and built on an extended 127-inch wheelbase, it offered a blend of formal elegance and owner-driven comfort, making it a significant success for Cadillac. The 1939 model continued the innovative design introduced in 1938, with a "coupe-like" integrated trunk that helped establish the "three-box" sedan styling. The most dramatic 1938 Cadillac was the new Series 60 Special, nestled between the entry-level 60 Series and the Fleetwood-bodied 75s.
On a double-drop, lowered frame, the 60 Special had a unique body and distinctive trim with wide-spaced grille bars. A five-window sedan with an exclusive greenhouse, it was styled to look like a convertible sedan in steel and had dual side-mounts.
Built on a 127-in. wheelbase, the 60 Special was three inches longer and three inches lower than the 60 Series, rendering running boards superfluous. The side windows had chrome perimeter frames and thin pillars, further echoing the convertible air. The 3-inch longer wheelbase than the standard Series 60 cars with the new Sixty Special utilizing a unique "X" frame underneath, which allowed the 4,170 lb car to sit within its frame. This not only gave the new Cadillac the stiffest chassis on the market, but it was also 3 inches lower than other Cadillacs - with no sacrifice in headroom.
The style returned for 1939 with bodies built for the 60 Special in the Fleetwood shops, Cadillacs premium in-house coachbuilder. While significantly more expensive than 61 Series sedans at $2,195, the 60S was reasonably priced when compared to the Series 75 and 90 models for 1939. With thinner grille bars like the other Cadillacs, the 1939 60 Special retained the unique greenhouse. As before, it shared the 346-cu. in. L-head Cadillac V-8 and power train with its division siblings.
This 1939 Series 60 Special is painted Black with a Gray pinstriped Bedford Cord upholstery, and fitted with wide whitewall tires, fitted with a heater and defroster.
The extended 127-inch wheelbase allowed for a large, luxurious interior and the 60 Special shared the 346-cubic inch L-head V8 engine and powertrain with other Cadillac models, providing quiet and smooth operation matched to a 3-speed manual transmission which was equipped with "triple silent" helical-cut gears for quiet performance. The car featured Cadillac's "Knee-Action" independent front suspension for a refined ride.
The Sixty Special was a major sales success, accounting for a substantial portion of Cadillac's sales and influencing GM's future model development and today, the 1939 Fleetwood 60 Special is a coveted "Full Classic" that is valued by enthusiasts for its exceptional design and driving manners. It is also a popular platform for "restomod" projects, in which the classic exterior is paired with a modern powertrain and conveniences.
The new four-door sedan, designed to look like a convertible sedan, showcased trend-setting features including a completely integrated, coupe-like trunk (which launched "three-box" sedan styling); no running boards (which all makes soon followed); convertible-style doors with bright metal window frames (Bill Mitchell called the '38 60 Special "the first hardtop"); a "four-window" canopy with more glass area than any Cadillac before; a steeply-raked windshield and four front-hinged doors. Contrary to what was then prevailing practice for luxury automobiles, the new Sixty Special was intended as an owner-driven car, rather than a chauffeur-driven one.
The disappearance of running boards along the side and its lack of a heavy belt line molding made the sleek car appear even lower. More important, it allowed shoulder and hip room to increase by over 5 inches without an increase in overall width. When combined with the brand-new column-mounted shift lever, the cars offered true six passenger comfort. The Sixty Special was powered by Cadillac's standard 130 hp (97 kW), 346 cu in (5.67 L) V8 engine.
