Here’s a series of images that should please fans of the “Standard of the World” marque. A short collection of photos starring Cadillacs of the 1950s on the road, either parked or in motion. In these, at least one Cadillac product is always featured, though not always prominently. Not that it’s hard to spot them, as Cadillacs of the period truly stood out from all else.
Someone in the Victory Diner is being made an offer they cannot refuse!
Simply gorgeous cars.
Modesty be damned, if I had the means in the 50s I would’ve been riding a Cadillac, not a Buick or Oldsmobile.
I approve this post.
The “undertakers Caddy”, in the first two pics is “curiously”, clean.Anyone recognize the town/city in the “out the windshield” pic?
The windshield pic is from Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Then-and-now comparison below:
Got to love that 58 Black Cadillac! IMO 58 was one of the most beautiful Cadillacs. As a kid, I frequently drooled 🤤 over a Black 58 Sixty Special. Have had 89 Fleetwood Brougham deElegance 👍 and 93 Brougham 👎. Beginning of Cadillacs long slide downward. Today I find them CADILLACKING.
Comparing #3 & #4: The all-new Sedan de Ville 4-door hardtop looks sportier and more “flowing” than the regular 4-door sedan. I can see why hardtops became such a big hit.
#8: A close match to my former ’58. But mine was a standard “Short Deck”, while the one shown above is an “Extended Deck” (trunk is longer). Can you tell the difference? I think the Extended Deck model looks better proportioned, especially in photographs.
We had a ’56 Roadmaster sedan and a ’56 Olds 88 hardtop in the family, sort of, until the 80s when I was in my 20s. The impression each gives is totally different, even on the inside, much more than C vs. B body.
I’ve never liked those early 50s “bloated” Caddies, but these look good from a distance and the right angle. Black is slimming.
All of these are great pictures!
Here’s the current location of Picture #5 – from New York City:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6tMG71hYp4apNgBCA
#11 (second-from-last) “Ocean Inn” appears to have been 7145 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach—–but site is totally different today (Google Street View) with the big high-rises and so on. Interesting to see the same flat-top roof on adjacent Chevy and Cadillac!
Note the classic Coppertone display on the roof.
Would be a valuable collectors item today.
In the 2nd to last pic: good luck to the 59 Caddy if he wanted to get out of his parking spot.
Notice how much lower the Cadillac is compared to the other cars.
“Warning…cars must not be in overdrive.” You won’t see that sign anymore, as folks wouldn’t understand why: because all overdrives had freewheeling, which means no engine braking on long downgrades.
Although strictly speaking, that’s only if OD is enabled, but not engaged (still in direct drive). One O/D is also engaged, the freewheeling is no longer in effect. I use 2/OD for steep downgrades in my truck, as it gives more engine braking than 3-Direct.
That photo was taken on Trail Ridge Road (US 36) in Colorado. You drive for miles above tree line.
The first two pics appear to be in Death Valley National Park.
Bad Water Basin is the lowest point in the US.
Truly the Standard Of The World ! .
-Nate
Who thinks the front end of the 1958 Cadillac looks too much like the 1958 Chevrolet front end? 🤔
I feel li I’m in an episode of Perry Mason
The blue Eldorado convertible in the last picture is a 1960
Photo #9: Warning Downhill Next 10 Miles:
I’ve never seen a debris screen as elaborate as on the front of the Cadillac.
The hood and bumpers would look pristine when it came time for trade in.
I wonder if it came from a JC Whitney catalog or accessory from the Cadillac parts dept.
The holes for the Dagmars are as priceless as her Far Side glasses. Bra around the bras. I see straps on the bottom, but what holds it on up top?
Third Photo:
Is that a Buick in the garage??
Maybe a ’57 or ’58 ??
Great collection from when The Cadillac was “The Standard of the World.” In a movie from circa 1953 called “The Dressmaker” made in France and featuring the comedian Fernandel, the seemingly lazy Fernandel turns into the most successful Haute Coutouriere of Paris. In the interim his wife divorces him. When at last they meet for lunch and they seem to make amends, he tells her “La Cadillac t’attendre.” Fernandel is so successful that he could afford a Cadillac in France at that time, proving that the car was “L’etandard du monde.” Thanks for the fun pictures.
Oh I wish i had one of these caddys today……maybe someday
What’s your trick to figuring those out? I’m surprised that there are any abandoned theaters left in Manhattan – that’s a lot of empty cubic feet sitting on many millions of dollars worth of real estate. Looks like the owner gave up on any reopening of the building as a theater.
However, in outer Brooklyn where I live there are lots of them. One at Coney Island that has some kind of work being done on it. Another one close to me in Bensonhurst (it’s in the background of a shot in Saturday NIght Fever) has a Marshalls stuck in it and another one has some kind of lumber/hardware store, plus all that empty cubic feet for both. And those are just ones I happened to notice. Somewhat less real estate pressure here than in Manhattan, but that much property is worth millions here too, and since they are mostly hollow knocking down those buildings is probably a lot cheaper than an equivalent size office building or something.
There’s often a clue somewhere in the photo to start searching for, and on that theater shot it was the name “Bishop S.C. Johnson” on the side of the building (Victory Luncheonette was much too common of a name to pan out in a search.) Some searching revealed that Bishop Johnson was the leader of a church, and I found the name of the church, and eventually the address.
The same church’s name “The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith” is still on the building’s front in the StreetView shot, so I suspect the church owns the building – that may account for how it’s remained intact in its current state. I assume the fire escapes on the vintage shot lead from the theater’s balconies, so I wonder if the interior is still intact as well. Anyway, that’s how I tracked this one down.
Can’t tell if first two cars are ’50 or’51. I would have to see the front bumpers. As for 1958 front end styling, I have always thought that all of GM’S cars from that year were too similar. The Cadillac’s headlights and ends of front fenders over them do not look quite right. They should have let 1957 be the last of the Dagmars as they reached their zenith rising all the way to the grill header and even having cutouts in the corners of the hood. None the less, I have been a Cadillac owner since I was 19. The 1959-1970 are my favorites. “CADILLAC GREATNESS NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE.”
The quad headlights of the ’58 do look bug-eyed. I wonder if a better fender shape was designed for them but it didn’t work for the ’57s.
I have one of these bug screens hanging in my garage. I used it on my 1966 Sedan deVille until the mid 70s when I stopped using the car on a regular basis when I bought a pickup. The screen is attached by a spring on either side to the end of the bumper in front of the tire. I covered the springs with plastic tubing to prevent scratching the bumper. Yes, it was from J.C. WHITNEY. If any of you are Cadillac enthusiasts, you can join the CADILLAC & LaSALLE CLUB. It is not necessary to own a car to be a member. cadillaclasalleclub.org
This is amazing! Thanks!
I had a dark green 52 Imperial in high school like the one in the first picture. It’s downright dowdy compared to the newer Cadillac but I did have a 331 Hemi. Great set of pictures.
I remember J.C. Whitney well. I was young enough to believe over-promised/under-delivered claims on a number of their products. Some of the things I purchased did work. I wish I had kept a catalog as a piece of nostalgia to go with my car at the time.
Rick W. I’m glad you saw this. I was going to take screen shots for you of the 58s.
Really nice ’73 on BF