The 1950s were a miraculous time for the US auto industry, emerging from the pre-war tech and design and going full-bore into the future. Perhaps more than any other automaker, Cadillac embodied this evolution, starting with the OHV V8 in 1949 and culminating in the most outrageous fins ever put on a passenger car. Along the way, some of the most superlative luxury cars of all time were built, all of them impeccably tasteful and supremely competent. It's been my experience that you're either a small fin guy or a big fin guy; that is, you like the early '50s Cadillacs or the late '50s cars. I, for one, have always been a small fin guy, and this 1954 Fleetwood 60 Special embodies everything that I love about 1950s Cadillacs.

The 60 Special is a big car, not quite a limousine, but bigger than the standard-issue Series 62. It sits on a mammoth 133-inch wheelbase and offers the kind of restrained but ground-breaking styling that made Cadillac truly the standard of the world in the 1950s. This particular car spent its life in the Pacific Northwest, which is perhaps gentler on the sheetmetal than the northeast, and it shows. Sometime in the late 1990s, it was treated to what must have been an astronomically expensive restoration that was all out of proportion to the car's value. Heck, the interior alone probably cost a significant chunk of the asking price, with the chrome making up the balance. It kept its original Cabot Gray color, now rendered in modern paints to give it an impossibly deep shine, and I have to admit that I never expected a gray 4-door sedan to attract this much attention in the showroom. It's subtle, but it's also mature and charismatic, like George Clooney in a tuxedo, and on a '50s Cadillac, man, it totally works. All four doors open and close with well-oiled precision, the hood closes with a gentle touch, and even the trunk clicks home with only fingertip pressure. As I mentioned, all the chrome and stainless trim was refinished and it positively glitters, from the Dagmars up front to the neat grille at the base of the windshield, to the jet-inspired "intakes" on the rear doors, to the rear bumper ends that surround the exhaust pipes. I don't know exactly what it cost, but I do know what it costs to have just a bumper re-plated, and I bet you could send a kid to college for a few years for what they likely paid to have it all restored. It's gorgeous.

The spectacular interior is every bit as tailored and elegant, and I bet it was equally expensive to restore. I don't know where they found that original-style crest fabric, which features little miniature Cadillac crests woven into it, but wow! The wool broadcloth is correct, the carpets fit beautifully, and the door panels are a wonderful combination of materials, patterns, and textures. It's flashy, but not in-your-face, if you know what I mean. Everything works, including the clock and radio, and it does have an Autronic Eye system that's intact but we have not tested it (it's winter here in Cleveland). Legroom in the back seat area is cavernous and the seats are firm, so you can spend a long trip in this car and feel refreshed, not weary when you arrive. The trunk is massive and fully upholstered and includes a full-sized spare and jack assembly (I wouldn't expect the luggage in the photos is included, unless you really have to have it).

The engine is Cadillac's familiar 331 cubic inch V8, which runs superbly. It was rebuilt when the car was restored and shows some signs of use, of course, but exactly zero issues. It starts quickly and easily every time, idles smoothly even when it's cold, and doesn't get cranky at all. Someone spent the time to get this one sorted out properly. Cadillac Blue paint on the block looks good and 1954 was the second year for a 12-volt electrical system, so it's got the correct generator making the electricity. The only non-standard part is an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator, which was installed by the previous owner because he frequently used the car in parades. It does include power steering and power brakes—a car this size probably wouldn't be possible without them!

The 4-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was rebuilt two years ago and shifts properly and it was fitted with a brand new dual exhaust system at the same time, so it has a muscular but muted hum to it. The undercarriage is tidy but it probably wasn't a frame-off restoration because there was just no need to fully disassemble the car. There are no indications of rust repairs or accident damage and it was undercoated many years ago so the sheetmetal has been protected all along. There are also new shocks, a rebuilt front end, and five brand new 235/75/15 Diamondback Classic wide whitewall radials on the original wheels and hubcaps.

The car includes a few spare parts like a wiper motor and voltage regulator, plus service manuals and a few other interesting documents. The 60 Special is somewhat less common than other '54 Cadillacs and if I were going to own a '50s Cadillac sedan, this would probably be it. Big, luxurious, exquisitely detailed, and ready to enjoy, it’s the epitome of luxury in the 1950s.