150 bhp, 346 cu. in. L-head V-8 engine, three-speed manual transmission, coil spring independent front suspension and live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 129 in.

• Number 298 of 308 built for the year

• CCCA Full Classic

• Exceptional, original condition

Cadillac introduced new styling in 1941. For the first time, headlights were fully integrated into the front fenders and a horizontal-theme grille stretched from side to side. The hood was made front-opening for the first time, and the gas tank filler was hidden in the left rear tail light, a feature that became a Cadillac hallmark. For 1942, a new, bolder grille was added, and front fenders were extended into the doors, a GM hallmark that year that would last through the 1940s. All models had improved brakes, and Series 62 and Sixty Special models received new instrument panels. More than 60 percent of all 1942 Cadillacs were equipped with the self-shifting Hydra-Matic transmission, making this manual-shift car quite unusual.

Just a single convertible was offered, a coupe style in the 62 Series. It had a full rear seat, retractable quarter glass in the rear, and the top raised and lowered electrically. Available only in Deluxe trim, body style 6267 was built in just 308 units before World War II shut down the auto industry in February 1942.

An original car stored for 50 years, this 1942 Series 62 Convertible Coupe is the 298th of 308 built for the model year. Registrars of the Cadillac LaSalle Club list it as one of 12 known remaining. Its originality cannot be overstated. Only the engine compartment and the driver’s seat have the look of their 70 years. The paint, tan convertible top, wood grain dashboard, rear seat, and carpets belie their age, looking almost as if they are new.

Since emerging from storage two years ago, it has had a brake overhaul and a complete engine tune-up. It runs and drives extremely well, and all of the accessories, including the power top, heater, and radio, function perfectly. As one of 308 built and 12 survivors, the car is rare; in terms of its preservation, it is almost certainly one of one.