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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia is a one-off-looking Italian-bodied Cadillac—though two were built. The featured car, chassis 536253053, began as a Series 62 convertible chassis before Ghia gave it coupe coachwork. RM Sotheby’s catalog attributes its design to Ghia principal Luigi Segre and records a $1.43 million sale in 2016. Its earliest ownership remains uncertain, and the often-repeated Rita Hayworth connection is unverified.
What is the 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia?
It is a custom-bodied 1953 Cadillac Series 62 built on a convertible chassis, with a coupe body designed and constructed by Italian coachbuilder Ghia. The exact car covered here is chassis 536253053, catalogued by RM Sotheby’s for its Arizona 2016 auction. The auction catalog describes it as one of two Ghia-bodied 1953 Series 62s; the Petersen Automotive Museum also identifies the total as two.
The project joined Cadillac’s production-car mechanicals with a distinctive Italian coachbuilt body. According to RM Sotheby’s account of copies of original build sheets, two Series 62 convertible chassis were ordered through a New York distributor and then bodied as coupes by Ghia. The catalog notes that custom coachbuilders sometimes chose convertible chassis for their rigidity and design flexibility.
How did Ghia distinguish the car’s design?
RM Sotheby’s credits the design to Ghia principal Luigi Segre. The body’s signature is its broad, flowing shape: the fenders sweep over the front wheels and flare slightly at the rear, while long chrome ribs draw the eye along the sides. Rounded pods incorporate the lamps, and the wraparound windshield and rear glass create an unusually expansive greenhouse.
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- AUTHENTIC REPLICA: Die-cast metal 1:43 scale model of the 1963 Cadillac Series 62, featuring detailed exterior finish and classic vintage styling
- FUNCTIONAL FEATURES: Working doors that open and close, plus pull-back action mechanism for interactive play
- QUALITY CONSTRUCTION: Built with die-cast metal body, rubber tires, and precise plastic components for durability and authentic look
- PERFECT SIZE: Measures 5 inches in length, making it ideal for display or play while maintaining impressive detail
- REALISTIC DETAILS: Features authentic chrome trim accents, detailed interior, and period-correct wheel designs true to the original 1963 Cadillac
Chassis 536253053 also has details that distinguish it from its sister car. The auction catalog notes thin vertical gold-anodized grille bars, no parking lamps on the front fenders, different taillights and rear license-plate holder, and two half-bumperettes in place of a full front bumper. These distinctions should not be confused with details of the Petersen museum car.
What are the cataloged specifications?
The following figures are from RM Sotheby’s 2016 catalog for chassis 536253053. They are catalog specifications, not independently measured performance results.
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- 100% authentic 1: 24 true-to-scale detail.
- Limited edition and officially licensed.
- Newly tooled with intricate castings
- 100% Die-cast metal body & chassis with chrome accents and real rubber tires.
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| Specification | Featured car, chassis 536253053 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 331-cubic-inch overhead-valve V8 |
| Power | 210 bhp |
| Transmission | Four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic |
| Wheelbase | 126 inches |
| Front suspension | Independent, with coil springs |
| Rear suspension | Live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs |
| Brakes | Four-wheel hydraulic drums |
The Petersen Automotive Museum lists its sister car’s engine as 5.4 liters and power as 210 hp. Its page gives an estimated top speed of 100 mph; that estimate applies to the museum car and is not a measured result for chassis 536253053.
How many were made, and where is the sister car?
Two 1953 Cadillac Series 62 cars received Ghia coupe bodies. Chassis 536253053 is the auctioned example; the other is in the Petersen Automotive Museum collection. The museum describes its car as originally white and says it was photographed in Southern California when new. Those details refer to the museum’s sister car, not necessarily to chassis 536253053.
Rank #3
- AUTHENTIC REPLICA: Die-cast metal 1:43 scale model of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62, featuring detailed exterior finish and classic vintage styling.
- FUNCTIONAL FEATURES : Working doors that open and close , plus pull-back action mechanism for interactive play.
- QUALITY CONSTRUCTION : Built with die-cast metal body , rubber tires, and precise plastic components for durability and authentic look.
- PERFECT SIZE : Measures 5 inches in length , making it ideal for display or play while maintaining impressive detail.
- REALISTIC DETAILS : Features authentic chrome trim accents, detailed interior, and period-correct wheel designs true to the original 1953 Cadillac.
The museum characterizes the pair as combining Italian custom-car styling with Cadillac running gear. The surviving evidence supports a two-car production, rather than a larger series of Ghia-bodied Series 62 coupes.
What is known about its ownership and later history?
The earliest ownership is not firmly established. RM Sotheby’s says that virtually no period photographs or documentation survive for either car beyond a Ghia press photograph. Its catalog reports that one of the cars was apparently delivered to John Perona, owner of Manhattan nightclub El Morocco, but it does not establish which chassis or document a complete early ownership chain.
Rank #4
- AUTHENTIC REPLICA: Die-cast metal 1:43 scale model of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62, featuring detailed exterior finish and classic vintage styling
- FUNCTIONAL FEATURES : Working doors that open and close, plus pull-back action mechanism for interactive play
- QUALITY CONSTRUCTION : Built with die-cast metal body, rubber tires, and precise plastic components for durability and authentic look
- PERFECT SIZE : Measures 5 inches in length, making it ideal for display or play while maintaining impressive detail
- REALISTIC DETAILS: Features authentic chrome trim accents, detailed interior, and period-correct wheel designs true to the original 1953 Cadillac
A persistent story links Rita Hayworth to one of the two cars. The auction catalog presents this as rumor, not proven ownership, and does not identify which car the story concerns. It should not be repeated as a confirmed fact about chassis 536253053.
For the featured chassis, the catalog says Don Williams of the Blackhawk Collection acquired it for the owners roughly two decades before the 2016 auction. It describes the car as solid and original before restoration by Mike Fennel. The catalog also records appearances at Pebble Beach in 1989 and 2002.
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- AUTHENTIC REPLICA: Die-cast metal 1:43 scale model of the 1953 Cadillac Series 62, featuring detailed exterior finish and classic vintage styling.
- FUNCTIONAL FEATURES : Working doors that open and close, plus pull-back action mechanism for interactive play.
- QUALITY CONSTRUCTION : Built with die-cast metal body, rubber tires, and precise plastic components for durability and authentic look.
- PERFECT SIZE : Measures 5 inches in length, making it ideal for display or play while maintaining impressive detail.
- REALISTIC DETAILS : Features authentic chrome trim accents, detailed interior, and period-correct wheel designs true to the original 1953 Cadillac.
What did the car sell for?
RM Sotheby’s recorded a sale price of $1,430,000 USD for chassis 536253053 at its Arizona auction in 2016. That is a historical auction result, not a current valuation or a reliable indication of what the car would sell for today.
Quick Recap
Sources and further reading
- RM Sotheby’s: 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia, Arizona 2016 — catalog, specifications, provenance account and sale result for chassis 536253053.
- Petersen Automotive Museum: 1953 Cadillac Series 62 by Ghia — information about the sister car in the museum’s collection.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
