GTP Cool Wall: 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special

[White & Nerdy]

1959 Cadilla Fleetwood 60 Special nominated by Leonidae@MFT

Stats:
Production: 1959
Style: 4-door hardtop sedan
Engine: 390ci/6.4L naturally aspirated OHV V8 (rated 305 SAE Gross HP & 404 lb-ft in base form apparently, 325 SAE Gross HP & 430 lb-ft in what I thought was base form, or 345 SAE Gross HP & 435 lb-ft in Power Pack form)
Transmission: Turbo-Hydramatic 4-speed automatic
Layout: Front-engine, Rear-drive
​

My take? I usually hate this kind of car. But it aces one critical area - do you look like a boss getting out of one? With this car, you do.

 

[Azure Flare]

The classiest Cadillac ever made. It gave rise to the phrase "The Cadillac of x".

Sub-Zero.

 

[Mikeybc]

The fins alone make it a solid cool.

 

[homeforsummer]

Uncool, but only just (I don't do "meh", so the next step up is cool).

I do like the big floaty American stuff like this, but the Fleetwood is just on the wrong side of ostentatious to me. If someone manages to resurrect Elvis to waft around in it, cool. But otherwise it's just a little too chest-wig.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Cool as it's from a time when Cadillac made decent cars. Being offered in pink knocks a few points off though.

 

[Stotty]

Utterly fabulous.

Probably a bit OTT at the time, and it would look silly in the UK, but when I lived in the LA in '98/99 I would have rocked one of these, particularly a convertible.

Cool.

 

[Cano]

Coolest american car ever made. Sub Zero.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

I've seen one in person. Just one. And I want it.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Interesting from the perspective of providing an insight into American society from that period, but as a car, pretty meh. It's a head turner for sure, but so is a Yugo.

 

[Dennisch]

Needs to be painted in Persian Sand. Awesome.

Thjs is one of those cars showing the true Americana of the 50' and almost everyone knows it is a Caddy.

Sub-zero. Even the Fleetwood.

 

[Bopop4]

Cars that are measured in gpm instead of mpg are cool when they have fins, this has fins.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Biggest fins ever fitted to a production car. Still, just a bit too cliched to make it all the way to sub zero.

 

[Adamgp]

Sub-Zero.

Massive tail fins, chrome everywhere, and love those wide white wall tires. 👍

 

[Pagey279]

Uncool, but only just (I don't do "meh", so the next step up is cool).

I do like the big floaty American stuff like this, but the Fleetwood is just on the wrong side of ostentatious to me. If someone manages to resurrect Elvis to waft around in it, cool. But otherwise it's just a little too chest-wig.

This all the way. An uncool from me too.

 

[Joey D]

The only person that would look cool getting out of one is Elvis. And now it's a just a vehicle that attracts "car show people" for the most part. Even being super iconic can't save it from being uncool.

 

[Roger the Horse]

It's a Cadillac.

It's lovely.

But it's a Cadillac.

 

[Wiegert]

Can't think of a production Caddy I like that much, but for whatever reason I admire certain large, somewhat ostentatious barges from that era. And while it's almost 12 miles long, it just about scrapes into cool territory.

 

[Celicaas]

I adore Cadillacs , And this is How a cadillac Should be A luxurious Big V8 RWD Cruise o Mobile



Sub zero

 

[Sage Ages]

2 ton+ RWD sedan with a V8. Cool.

Chrome and fins. Sub-Zero.

 

[Slash]

Sub zero. Just look at it.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Oh, and I nominated this one

 

[Dean]

It looks cool, and so it is, in my opinion.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I went Cool. I wanted to go sub-zero, because it is very cool as a car, but there is just no way (outside of 50's 'murica) that you could pull off being seen in it.

 

[edawg456]

Cars from this period are an instant subzero.

 

[Nicksfix]

From an era of when "fins were in" and Cadillac did it with style.

Sub-Zero, all day / night long.

 

[E28]

Sub-Zero, because late-50s Cadillac. Yes, you'd probably look stupid in it and yes, it's ridiculously big, but just look at it.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

I'd never rock one. But I saw one in blue a few years ago and EVERYONE in the vicinity was turning to look at it. Camera phones out, actual cameras, girls posing, the whole business.

Besides, this is from an era where chrome was the 0-100 measurement of your car. While not as cool, in my opinion, as a '57 Bel-Air or Nomad, this is certainly on the very high side of Cool.

 

[Doodle]

Old Cadillacs are automatically a strong cool.

 

[Slash]

I'd never rock one. But I saw one in blue a few years ago and EVERYONE in the vicinity was turning to look at it. Camera phones out, actual cameras, girls posing, the whole business.

That's part of what makes it awesome though. Awesome enough that even non-car people turn to stare at it. Personally, I love the attention an old vehicle brings.

 

[Roger the Horse]

It brings attention, but it also brings the assumption that your a pensioner finally living your dream of driving a Cadillac, which is nice, but not cool.