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1949 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible
This beautiful 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible was the pride and joy of the owner of the Great Falls Voyagers baseball team for over 25 years. Vinny first met Fritz in the 90’s and in 1999 He entrusted his beloved Cadillac to Fritz’s Auto repair for storage in their private museum. In that time Vinny picked up the old girl and took her to dinner maybe 8-10 times. Everyone always seemed a bit nervous about exposing the old lady to the busy streets and “Great Falls” drivers. It was more of an investment piece for Vinny, a place to park some cash and something pretty to look at.
Fritz bought the car from Vinny in early 2022. The first time it was moved since 2015 was for Fritz’s funeral. Bob, Fritz’s brother, inherited this car and will move it to Minnesota in the spring of 2025. Knowing this history it’s easy to believe the odometer at 56K miles.
And now a little bit about the grand old lady. She has a beautiful Ebony Black paint finish, mountains of chrome, & tail fins styled after the fighter planes of WW2, this Cadillac convertible is an instant classic! Powering this beast is a 390ci Cadillac V8 paired with a modernized 700R4 4-speed overdrive automatic transmission! Power is sent through the stock rear end with 2.90:1 gear ratio. Along with this Cadillac’s big powerplant, it is assisted with power steering, power brakes with disc front, updated 12-volt electrical system, & chrome wire wheels wrapped in white wall tires!
Inside, this Caddy is all about comfort. The red leather interior is complemented with red carpeting, & a black painted dashboard. On the dashboard is a restored steering wheel, stock gauges, clock, upgraded AM/FM radio with iPod connectivity, & column gear selector. This is also fitted with a white power convertible top, finished trunk, & power windows as well! This Caddy is ready to hit the road!
Fredrick “Fritz” Seitz
March 6, 1951 – June 17, 2022
Fritz started working on cars early. He loved cars and was able to turn family vehicles like a tiny Nash Rambler and 1955 Pontiac into street racers by the time he was in high school. Fritz got his first job at Owen’s Texaco in Billings when he was 16 years old and finally had his driver’s license. Owen Baldwin said that Owen’s was a “service station,” not a “gas station” many times and it really struck home for Fritz. He worked there all the way through high school (Billings Central Catholic High School). After high school graduation in 1970, he took off to be a hippie (unlike his five older siblings who went to college), and Fritz was soon back in Billings looking for a job.
He was hired at MacIntyre Motors (Pontiac/ Cadillac dealership). He always said, “It paid to be the General Manager’s son!” A few years later, he moved to Fairfield, MT and worked for Mills Motor (Ford dealership). After a few years he moved to Great Falls to work for Rice Motors (Cadillac/Jeep dealership). When they moved to 10th Ave South, took on “foreign” cars and he became “Employee #207” instead of “Fritz,” he went into business for himself.
On November 9, 1979, he started Fritz’s Auto Repair in a garage behind his house. These were his racing years and Fritz spent 3 years on the stock car track where he was High Point Champion in Great Falls, Helena, and Belgrade running a 1957 Ford and a Ford Fairlane. He then built a Ford Mustang that was “just too fast for him.”
Three moves later he had expanded into the former Swains Spring Service building at 523 2nd Ave S and had no plans of ever moving again. Fritz’s Auto Repair “Specializing in Cadillacs” grew due to Fritz’s honest dealings, love of Classic Cars, automotive training, national certifications, and professionalism. The word was out – once the warranty was over, take that Caddy to Fritz’s. He imported select Cadillacs from across the country and sold many used luxury cars through his shop. He could not bear to sell some of the classics and Fritz left a legacy of several buildings filled with a bit too many amazing older GM luxury cars, mostly Cadillacs in top condition.
Fritz’s Auto Repair became the full-service Cadillac repair shop and used car dealership operating in the heart of Great Falls, Montana. The shop carries on his legacy through his brilliant friends and partners, Seth Long and Mike McGeorge.
Fritz was very involved with classic cars and worked with quite a few clubs including The Cadillac and LaSalle Club, 1963/1964 Cadillac Club, the Montana Pioneer and Classic Auto Club, Great Falls Skunk Wagon Antique Car Club, the Altered Classics Car Club, the Other Guys Car Club, and more. Fritz became known as a photographer at car shows across Montana. He has single-handedly shared thousands and thousands of his online photos of Montana Car Shows with car lovers far and wide across America.
Fritz was also a long-term member in good standing of recovery in AA and NA. He celebrated 35 years of sobriety and service with his fellows this last April.
Bob is Fritz’s older brother. Bob inherited this 1941 Cadillac series 62 convertible on Fritz’s passing.