Classic recollections: 1959 Cadillac Series 62 convertible

The 1950s were infatuated with wild and whimsical dreams of air and space exploration. If ever a car capitalized on this fascination with rocketry and orbital flight, it was the '59 Cadillac.

With missile-like rear fins, exhaust plume taillight housings and a slippery, streamlined body, this auto — if stood upright — appears able to blast right into the upper stratosphere.

While it may have never lifted off any runway, this vintage icon has soared into the hearts of classic car enthusiasts who see it as the culmination of automotive glitz, styling excess and luxury exuberance during the jet-age era. One such head-over-heels fan is the proud second owner of this convertible rocket ship, Ron Rufo.

He purchased his futuristic Series 62 on the South Side of Chicago in 1989, after finding it rotting away in a back lot having been exposed to the cruel elements for 26 long years.

“As a young kid, there was a '59 sedan on my block and I've always remembered that distinctive back end. The colossal-sized convertibles have always had a special place in my heart and I've dreamed of owning one, so I jumped immediately when I had the chance,” Rufo said.

From the start, the vision for his project was to get the vehicle back to factory-fresh condition, “just as you would find it if you had walked into a Cadillac showroom floor.”

Within a few months of its discovery, the Cook County resident had the Detroit behemoth at an area body shop where work promptly commenced on the restoration sortie. The elongated fuselage was straightened, with any rusted panels being promptly replaced before a coat of afterburner red paint was applied. Underhood propulsion still comes from the factory 390-cubic inch, V-8 engine, where 325 horses are stabled. All are required to move this gargantuan, 4,855-pound drop-top Cadillac.

Rufo attests that “it's an extremely quiet ride,” albeit one that “always attracts attention.”

Not only do heads turn when he glides to the Elmhurst or Downers Grove cruise nights, but also at numerous judged events where he's taken home trophies at such prestigious venues such as the Geneva Concours d'Elegance. The finned roadship has also had some televised media coverage; in addition to being featured in local commercials, celebrity host Tom Arnold has driven the classy car as part of his sports show.

While advents in technology have expanded the reality and experience of flight, it continues to have an ineffable grasp on many today, who fantasize about shooting through the wild blue yonder overhead. And while this majestic Cadillac cruiser is more than five decades old, it, too, still continues to maintain its effortless ability to stir the emotions and inspire something deep inside.