'59 S&S Victoria

Seeing as most here like pics~

Hard to believe that 16 years have passed since my friend Eddie took possession of his '59. Remember seeing both of them in Pittsburgh? Borrowed shot:

59ssc.jpg


As an original survivor, it has 58k miles clocked with only 5k coming in this, the fourth owner's possession. (Only second on title however.) I told Eddie 12-13 years ago if/when the time ever came to part ways that I'd find it a good home.

That time came a few months back.

3 interested parties were immediately put in contact before any sale became public. The 1st made an earnest and fair offer, matching the amount Eddie would like to have seen for his coach. The 2nd and 3rd however both came in over that amount (knowing if it hit eBay the price would be substantially higher) and were each close to the other. One of them had been looking for a quality '59 since the late '90s. One of them would display (probably after restoring) in a museum that is currently under construction.

Eddie ultimately chose the home where it will see use.

Enjoy some memories over the last 16 years.

59ss5.jpg

59ss2.jpg

59ss3.jpg

59ss4.jpg

59ss7b.jpg


Eddie's health caused the Victoria to sit in storage for the last couple years.

59ss7j.jpg

59ss7g.jpg
 
59ss7h.jpg

59ss7i.jpg


First time sunlight shined down upon in a couple years, awaiting transport to new home.

59ss7.jpg

59ss7b.jpg

59ss7c.jpg

59ss7d.jpg

59ss7e.jpg


The new owner's first tasks this winter include full carb rebuild and new brakes. If you're wondering, this Victoria went to the Atlanta area.

It was an honor helping my long time friend out with the sale, bringing him together with the buyer, and having a hand in ending the buyer's decade+ long quest. And if you happen to know Eddie, drop him a line and see how's he's doing. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. :)
 
Looking at this Victoria and the even more bizarre Eureka flower car on another thread, I am moved to ask what the G.M. folks were thinking/smoking/drinking when they sat down at the drafting tables to design the '59's. I have heard someplace that the firm was well along with more conservative designs when the '57 Chrysler plans were revealed, and that the General started over with a clean sheet in an attempt to "one-up" the Mopars. In any event, the results were certainly outrageous, even by the style-crazy '50's standards.
 
it was and still mains the poorest selling year for GM in the Hx. the first year the ford out sold them. of note is how quickly they toned down there cars across the line up to. them that love them love then dearly the rest of us just shake our head.
 
Looking at this Victoria and the even more bizarre Eureka flower car on another thread, I am moved to ask what the G.M. folks were thinking/smoking/drinking when they sat down at the drafting tables to design the '59's. I have heard someplace that the firm was well along with more conservative designs when the '57 Chrysler plans were revealed, and that the General started over with a clean sheet in an attempt to "one-up" the Mopars. In any event, the results were certainly outrageous, even by the style-crazy '50's standards.
Well you can blame GM designer Harley Earl for the hole fin thing, but here is the storry of the design of the 59 Cadillac.

http://100megsfree4.com/cadillac/cad1950/cad59s.htm

Josh
 
I was one of the lucky guys who got the opportunity to buy the car.

I too have wanted a '59 since seeing Lyle Steadmans at the PCS meet in 1993. As well as seeing Herald and Maud, etc.

It was a hard decision passing on buying the car. I guess the biggest reason I had to pass was the fact that I just got the 1960 plus spent an additional 10,000.00 above the purchase cost on repairs and getting it road worthy again.

If it was another time or before I found the '60, I would have bought it and put the money required into it and had a sweet '59 !

I guess one of the best things about the road trip besides getting the opportunity to see and buy the car, was meeting Eddie, his lady and son. They were all super nice.

Besides Ed being a great guy ! he has a cool home with lots of antiques and cool collectibles.

I don't get to that part of the US often but I hope to see Eddie again some day.


I have to THANK Attila for the great lead on a car I have been wanting for a while and Eddie as well for the opportunity to see and buy the car. I will always remember that road trip and the two guys for thinking of me when they decided to sell their treasure.

THANK YOU both once again !!! :thumb:

Darren

P.S. I hope the new owner gets many years of enjoyment out of it !
 
The 59 Cadillac is probly the most controversial of all the Cadillacs, you either love it or hate it. I personally have always ben a big fan of the 59 Cadillac of any kind. Aspecially Pro-Cars. I love the way S&S did the side trim on the 59 and 60s.

Josh
 
At the time I thought the '59s,except for Buick,were just a little too much.Fifty-plus years on,seeing one brings a smile and puts one in mind of a time when the USA was less concerned about correctness and more interested in how much fun could be had.Attila,thanks for all those pics.Love that Detroit iron!:thumb::toocool:
 
I got to drive a 1959 limo back in 1959, when it was new. It belonged to a friends of the family that had 5 or 6 children, and needed a very large car to haul them all around. The father didn't like station wagons, and could afford the Cadillac, so that was his car of choice. I fell in love with it the very first time that I saw it, and that was when he asked me if I wanted to try my hand at the wheel. It was a magnificent riding vehicle, and so comfortable to drive. The car was still in the garage into the mid 1980's even though the parents had passed on. I had often thought of checking to see if the car was still in the garage, but never did anything about it. I have totally lost contact with all the family members that I knew, and I doubt that it is still there.
 
This car reminds me a lot of my '60 Victoria, except mine was just an endloader. People often ask me why I sold the Victoria and kept the Eureka. I remember the words of Willard Hess, who I met at his home about 2 months before he died: "I wanted to Victoria to look like a classy tuxedo. Simple, yet elegant." That he did! It was a terrific car. But I always favored the flamboyant looks of the Eureka interiors, and there was NO WAY my Eureka was going to be sold. Having two 1960 hearses at the same time was pure insanity, so something had to give. I sold the Victoria to help pay for my '39. Tom
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0235.jpg
    DSC_0235.jpg
    94.3 KB · Views: 296
My very first coach and I still remember the ride like it was yesterday. Wonderful! For a $50.00 dollar vehicle and being a 17 year old kid I was on top of the world. To this day, my old 1959 Cadillac Eureka combination is still my favorite of all the 1959 coach's of all produced. I would almost be tempted to give up our 1969 Cadillac Royale to own this particular coach again. The 1959 however took 4-5 hours to clean completely and the 1969 only 2-3 hours. Over one hour to clean the front end on the 1959 Eureka alone, as I recall in and out of the grill then the rest of the geography on the front end. Only car I could ever parallel park with one finger in the steering wheel in three moves. Looking out over the hood of the 1959 is unforgettable as well. It is gigantic! Like a plate glass store front window for a hood. Dwarfs the 1969 hood seems like.
 

Attachments

  • 1959 Cadillac Eureka Royale Combo (Backend).jpg
    1959 Cadillac Eureka Royale Combo (Backend).jpg
    68 KB · Views: 286
  • 1959 Cadillac Eureka (jump seats).jpg
    1959 Cadillac Eureka (jump seats).jpg
    52 KB · Views: 271
*sigh* If only it still had the original draperies, made by Helen Yinger at Eureka. Why is it that either draperies or 3-way tables are the first things to disappear from old hearses? My old '63 Eureka combination, now owned by member Joe McDonald, still has the original draperies. I wouldn't have bought the '63 if they had been missing. I'm so thrilled that Joe correctly restored the car after I sold it to him, including the beautiful original steel blue color. Tom
 

Attachments

  • 63_Eureka_Combination.jpg
    63_Eureka_Combination.jpg
    96.6 KB · Views: 277
I got to drive a 1959 limo back in 1959, when it was new. It belonged to a friends of the family that had 5 or 6 children, and needed a very large car to haul them all around. The father didn't like station wagons, and could afford the Cadillac, so that was his car of choice. I fell in love with it the very first time that I saw it, and that was when he asked me if I wanted to try my hand at the wheel. It was a magnificent riding vehicle, and so comfortable to drive. The car was still in the garage into the mid 1980's even though the parents had passed on. I had often thought of checking to see if the car was still in the garage, but never did anything about it. I have totally lost contact with all the family members that I knew, and I doubt that it is still there.

Speaking of the 59 limos, the fins on the series 75 were not as high as they were on the commercial chassis or standard cars.
 
'59 limo fins were higher John. This is something I researched last year. Previously I had no idea fins came in varying heights. Professional cars had the highest (and longest) to optically offset the overall length. (Multiple lengths coincidentally holds true on '57 and '58 Cadillac as I'd already measured those first hand.)

After measuring numerous '59 passenger cars, there was no significant difference in fin heights - 3/8" between coupe and sedan primarily. Limo fins (along with commercial chassis) are 1" taller.

Lengths are clearly one of two - either from a coupe/convertible or a sedan. Coupe is a full 6" longer to the first turn. Here is the difference:

dsc03155n.jpg


Coupe trim is used on coaches. Sedan trim outsurvives coupe trim 7-1. The things learned when searching for parts.....
 
'59 limo fins were higher John. This is something I researched last year. Previously I had no idea fins came in varying heights. Professional cars had the highest (and longest) to optically offset the overall length. .

The Series 75 Book by Tom McPherson and Waly McCall states "According to GM sytlist Dave Holls, who was in the Cadillac studio when the cars were created, the designers felt that the towering height of the fins on the 'regular' Cadillac models was incompatible with the dignity of the stately series 75 offerings. They then lowered the height of the fins above the tail lamp assemblies, which makes them appear longer than those seen on other 1959 Cadillac models."
 
Fascinating that above the tail lamp assemblies was specified. That was not my measuring point. I used a carpenter square balanced on tops of fins and noted distances to top of bumper ends, inclusive of entire fin (and taillight assemblies).

Eye is the most crucial unit of measure.
 
Back
Top