GuysWithRides is pleased to offer this 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Sedan in an online, reserve-style auction on behalf of the current caretaker for the past seven years.

Bidding opened Wednesday, March 22, 2023, and will continue for 14 days ending at 4:00 PM Eastern on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.

This 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 Special Sedan is part of the seller’s collection in Wilmore, Kentucky 40390

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The Deets

Current High Bid: $100

For the 1942 model year, Cadillac launched one of its most storied brands that lasted through the 1970s: the Sixty Special. For 28 of the next 34 model years, the Cadillac Sixty Special denoted a stretched “C” Body (General Motors’ full-size body-on-frame internal designation) featuring increased rear leg and headroom. The 1942 Cadillac Sixty Special was seven inches longer and one inch lower than the model it replaced, but it also rode on a model-exclusive 133-inch wheelbase.  The U.S. entry into World War II in 1942 saw limited production of the new Sixty Special as Cadillac changed to military production.

Following the end of World War II, limited post-war resources forced Cadillac to produce the 1946 Sixty Special as a mild stretch over the brand’s C-Body Series 62.  Compared to the pre-war 1942 model, the 1946  Cadillac Sixty Special featured a few styling changes, including a new grille and bumpers. Other styling changes included parking lamps and turn signals mounted underneath the headlights. Only one model remained in the Sixty Special lineup – the $3,054 standard sedan. Both sets of fender-mounted chrome louvers were gone, but roof-mounted ones remained. Cadillac now used a negative-ground battery on a 6-volt system. Sixty Special would only reach 5,700 units for 1946, as it did not go into production until later in the model year.

With a major redesign planned for 1948, Cadillac’s 1947 Sixty Special was a carry-over model year with only minor changes.  Cadillac launched attractive full-size stainless steel wheel covers that would soon earn the nickname “Sombreros” among Caddy enthusiasts.  With the supply change improving, Cadillac replaced the rubber rear fender stone guards of the 1946 model with more attractive stainless steel units.  Behind a restyled five-bar grille was still Cadillac’s 346 cubic inch “Monobloc” V8, now rated at 150 horsepower. Despite a thirty-one percent price increase to $3,195 ($43,102 in 2023 dollars) over the prior year, Cadillac produced a record 8,500 Sixty Specials for 1947.

After acquiring this 1947 Cadillac Series Sixty Special Sedan in 2016, the current caretaker decided to strip the cracked lacquer from a previous repaint. The seller’s body man found no accident or rust repair when he stripped the lacquer paint. He fixed a very small dent under the driver’s side headlight before proceeding with the repaint in Vista Gray with a Frech Gray roof.  

Several pictures of the car stripped just before repainting in the gallery below document the seller’s commitment to ensuring no filler hid underneath the new paint. The bumpers continue to benefit from a re-chrome by a previous owner. Other exterior features on this Sixty Special Sedan are the stainless steel stone guards, two-piece windscreen, Cadillac’s signature hood ornament, and reverse lights.

Since taking ownership seven years ago, the current caretaker replaced the fuel tank, serviced the four-wheel drum brakes, and replaced the tires.  During prior ownership, this Sixty Special’s electrical system received an upgrade to 12-volt operation.  Consequently, the seller reports the electrical gauges no longer work accurately.  This 1947 Cadillac Sixty Special sedan still features its original undetailed 346 cubic inch V8 mated to a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission.  The driving video provided by the seller demonstrates just how well his Cadillac starts and runs.

The interior pictures show a functional, driver-quality interior that remains presentable, functional, and enjoyable.  The seller notes the original radio no longer works, and there is a small tear in the front bench seat upholstery. A previous caretaker replaced the speedometer cable and thus the total mileage on this Cadillac is not known.

The current caretaker describes their Cadillac as an original, matching numbers survivor benefitting from a repaint under his watch.  He also reports that the engine shows no signs of smoking at the tailpipe, and the radiator does not leak at the unit’s release hose.  He notes, “This car drives out great. It floats down the road. And cruises at 65.  I trust the new owner will enjoy it as much as my family has. This is a series 60, which is longer than the standard 62. Only 8,500 were made. I referred to it as a gentleman’s limousine with the oversized original back seat. It was used for several weddings.”

To help you make informed bids, we’re providing access to Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the Classic Car market, that provides an interactive graph of recent comparable sales year-to-date. By clicking on the green dots, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you make an educated bid on the car we are featuring for auction here:

Exterior Gallery

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Interior Gallery

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Underhood And Undercarriage Gallery

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Tires And Wheels Gallery

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Documentation and Repaint Gallery

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If you have any questions about this 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 Special Sedan, please comment below or call Rudy directly at 877-468-6497.  Thank you for looking, and happy bidding!