BF Auction: 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
- Seller: Lora B
- Location: Erhard, Minnesota
- Mileage: 39,675 Shown
- Chassis #: 6D69S7Q256101
- Title Status: Clean
UPDATE – The seller has decided to relist this Cadillac but with a lower reserve! Be sure to give it another look. And if you have any questions for the seller, please leave them in the comments.
There comes a time when many enthusiasts will seek a more relaxed pace of life, including choosing the ideal candidate for a project build. There is nothing wrong with sitting back in the lap of luxury as the world goes racing past. That is the opportunity offered by this 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. Many consider these the last of the traditional DeVilles, with the next generation transitioning to front-wheel-drive. It has sat for years but needs a new home with someone who can enjoy it properly. Therefore, the owner has listed it with us at Barn Finds Auctions.
Cadillac introduced its Seventh Generation DeVille range in 1977, and this car hails from its first production year. The original owner ordered it in striking Seamist Green with a contrasting Dark Green vinyl top. The paint sports a few small imperfections, but the impressive shine makes it very presentable if the winning bidder chooses the survivor route. The panels are straight, and the crumbled rear quarter panel fillers are the most apparent defect. This is a common issue for these cars, although the owner includes a replacement set for the buyer to paint and install. Its overall condition confirms the storage environment was dry during this Cadillac’s eight-year hibernation. There is no evidence of rust; any surface corrosion is dry and shouldn’t pose a threat. The vinyl shows no evidence of distress or deterioration, and the chrome and tinted glass look impressive for a vehicle of this vintage. Somebody attempted to break into the trunk, denting the lid and removing the emblem. The emblem is included, and the trunk still latches, but the pull-down mechanism is broken.
Powering this Cadillac is a 425ci V8, with the remaining drivetrain components including a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. This big V8 was rated at 180hp and 320 ft/lbs of torque when new. With the torque delivered low in the engine’s rev range, the 4,410 lb DeVille is a surprisingly energetic performer. The odometer shows 39,675 miles, which may be original considering the overall condition. The owner revived this classic and drove it out of storage. The transmission decided to stop moving forward, with only reverse functioning. The winning bidder will require a trailer to move this classic, but repairing the transmission shouldn’t cost a fortune. Otherwise, it appears this car is in mechanically good health.
The Cadillac’s interior makes a positive first impression, but a few shortcomings require attention if the aim is perfection. The pad is cracked, as are the wheel and A-pillar plastic trim. These issues aren’t the end of the world; repairing them shouldn’t be challenging. The buyer could try Polyvance on the pad, or throwing on a cover would disguise the problem and improve the presentation. Some companies perform plastic welding, and that could be the solution for the A-pillar. The wheel is also restorable courtesy of epoxy restoration kits that retail for around $50. I suspect the most expensive job will be addressing the sagging headliner. However, replacements are readily available, and at $300, this issue won’t break the bank. Otherwise, there is little to criticize. The upholstered surfaces are clean and free from physical damage. This is a luxury car, meaning it is fully loaded. The winning bidder receives air conditioning, power windows, power locks, cruise control, a power antenna, remote mirrors, a tilt wheel, and an AM/FM radio.
Potential buyers face some decisions with this 1977 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. Should they perform a restoration or preserve it as a survivor? Repainting and installing the fillers is a no-brainer, but that is its most pressing cosmetic need. Leaving the exterior untouched is viable courtesy of its rust-free status. Lifting the interior presentation should be easy and relatively inexpensive, and a competent person could perform the tasks in a home workshop. There is something genuinely appealing about owning and driving an enormous luxury rear-wheel-drive classic like this. If you feel the same, be sure to bid! So, could you see this classic parked in your garage?
Bid On This Auction
Wareagle01 bid $750.00 2024-04-02 17:04:04
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Comments
Base model Sedan Deville, with the only options being split bench front seat, tilt wheel and cruise control. I had a 77 Coupe Deville from 1995-2013. I had the same velour seats with leather and vinyl trim, in medium saffron. Same color outside. Had to replace those 1/4 panel extensions, and they looked nice in the pictures, but fit terribly. I bought 4 different sets before the body shop found a pair they could use, I think they were fiberglass. All the others were terrible fits. These are nice cars to cruise around in, but this one needs work, I hope the seller isn’t hoping for trillions of dollars like most sellers, because even a coupe in this shape, with 139,000 miles on it is only worth maybe $5000. I’d fix what it needs, get the A/C working, put dual exhaust on it and enjoy it for what it is, a nice cruiser. The buyer will have to find a transmission shop capable of rebuilding a Turbo 400 Hydramatic.
Damn zen. Are you just adding 100,000 miles as a strategy
That’s any easy trans fix. A smoked forward clutch. Probably caused by a bad apply piston seal.
I am not understanding what you are getting at in your comment. You do understand that this car runs, but does need transmission work to be drivable.
When I was attending Carnegie-Mellon in the late 1980s, there was a pristine, 1977 Sedan DeVille in this shade of green that was regularly seen parked in a prime parking space outside CMU’s former student union building, Skibo Hall. The car appeared to have no optional equipment at all, not even a vinyl roof. The most remarkable thing about it, though, was that it had a fraternal twin. A similarly pristine, similarly basic (for a Cadillac) 1977 Sedan DeVille in Naples Yellow was often seen in the same parking spot. I never saw the owner. I like to think it was a long-tenured professor who still subscribed to the belief that Cadillacs were “fine automobiles.” The professor loved his ’77 enough to buy a second example, but couldn’t bring himself to buy one of the brand’s more modern (but not necessarily better) offerings. Or perhaps it was a departmental secretary like the Mechanical Engineering Department’s Mavis, who had probably been at the university for 50 years and hadn’t changed her hair style since she started. She and her husband always had “his & hers” cars, but these were their first Cadillacs, and they treasured them too much to replace them.
Need’s some and lot’s of work. Any competent tranny shop will fix up the Hydtamatic 400 for minimal cash outlay they are so simple. Some good detailing underhood needed and for heavens sake unflip the air cleaner lid a Caddy has to sound quiet and distinguished.
Lid is flipped :)
I wouldn’t mind this a bit. Outside of the trans which should be no big deal. If you can’t find someone to do a decent job on a turbo 400 you aren’t trying. Headliner is an all to common flaw on GM cars of this vintage. It is fixable same for the bumper fillers. I would much rather have this and fix and drive over my 2016 VW!
I do agree, Minnesota has lots of “h”
I’d replace the modulator valve on the
tranny, change the screens and fluid too. A new seal kit wouldn’t hurt either. Look at the obvious stuff first
before you tear into the tranny. And if
You can find it, replace the vacuum line running from the carb to the modulator valve, it’s probably dry rotted as well. Hope that helps!
After sitting 8 years and not much driving the last 20 years tyranny should be exactly a vac mod and line, new filter and fluid, under hood needs 1 K and interior as well, still a damn nice car
No none of these will cause loss of first gear.
Who knows this stuff? Great detail, but who cares?
Is it just me, or does the alternator appear to be spinning with the battery disconnected?
It is definitely not spinning ;)
Better look again. It IS spinning. You can’t see the blades or the center nut! The battery is disconnected. You can run an engine like that, I have but it’s not advisable.
The optima battery has a side post hook up on it.
My neighbor ole Bill Clancy had a 77 in this same color in the late 80s…early 90s. While as a 16 year old I had 76 Sedan DeVille that my dad bought for my first car in 89. Fit all my buddies in it for cruising. And enough room in the back for me and my girlfriend for so alone time. 😉
My dad bought me a closed fist, coming up from the lower forties.
Good for you.
Also, this color was used across all GM that year.
I live in the Twin Cities so about a 4-hour drive for me.
I’ve heard of an outfit in Excelsior (a western suburb ) that makes those fender extensions.
Not a bad car but.like some others here, I would try the the posted suggestions for the tranny. Why not?
I had a turbo 400 on my ’70 Olds 98 rebuilt for $300 at a guys garage in the 80s. Now they’re $7-8000.
My first thought. This car has a reserve? Second thought, it’s ok but it’s gonna need at least $5000 to make it run and look nice again. There are some really nice 70s Caddys that won’t need anything for less than $10000.
The reserve is quite low on this one.
My best friend at the time had a rich uncle from out of town who had just bought a brand new 77’ Sedan Deville in triple yellow and leather guts. He came to stay a few days and we couldn’t wait for him to throw the keys to our friend for some joy riding. It was a smaller Cadillac lol I remember my friend as we climbed one of the steepest hills in town he said notice how a Cadillac takes you up the hill but you don’t feel the pull as you do in other makes. Good looking but had a rattle I thought it shouldn’t have had being a brand new caddy. Don’t make them like they used to I guess.
The grill on this car is from a ’78 Caddy. The hood ornament is from a ’78 or newer Fleetwood or Eldorado. The wreath around the Cadillac crest is the giveaway. My second car was a ’78 Sedan de Ville in all dark green with leather upholstery. It was a great car for 55,000 miles. Then, I had to have the carburetor and transmission rebuilt.
Phil—I show that also! However the hood ornament looks to be more of an aftermarket like from JC Whittney! I wonder if this car has had work done to the front header panel! Just sayin!
Rob, that’s possible. The ’77 hood ornament should be a, “see through,” one with the outline of the Cadillac crest in silver.
We owned this exact same car. As the guy at the auto recycler said, “it’s a crusher”, meaning it really has very little classic value, even though it’s an old car. Transmissions are extremely expensive $8000 rebuilt, or get a used transmission at the junkyard for $800. we sold our car, identical to this one, for $600, because we knew that even though everything ran it was going to need work just because it’s an old car head, old cars have parts on them that will start breaking down. Worst thing you can do for your car is to leave it in storage. Something can be old, but it doesn’t mean that it’s a classic: I guess that’s what we learned.
This is a fairly easy trans fix. By having reverse, we know that the direct clutch and the lo&reverse clutch are OK. That leaves the forward clutch as the culprit. This is a TH400 trans. That’s not a hard one to work on. Plus it’s easy to pull a trans on this model. All you need it a floor jack.
$8K for a trans rebuild???? You’ve got to be kidding!
A friend of mine just had a TH400 Chevy trans rebuilt and even had them throw a shift kit in it for 650.00. When that thing hits second gear it kicks her sideways. I’ll ask him the name of the place and post. It’s in Bristol,TN
I LUV these ol CADDYS…I’d LS it with a 4L65E
Hi what is your reserve price on the caddy please let me know thanks John
We don’t publish the reserves because sellers may want to lower it near the end of the auction.
I hope the reserve is low. Even though this is a decent car, it needs a ton of work and money to bring her back. Hopefully someone will save her.
This seems more like a 139K mile car. The engine compartment is very dirty and worn for under 40,000 miles. And there’s a lot of grease/oil on the suspension linkages, for a car that probably had 6 lube/oil changes. The rear seats look great, but so do mine on my 205K mile Suby, because no one sits there. And front seat pics are absent, I think they’d tell a tale.
Front seats are fine. Trying to add pictures, but having difficulty. I have nothing to hide on this car.
If there are other pictures you would like – please ask…
Trans needs to be pulled and rebuilt, lucky for me I have one of the best transmission guy on the East coast here that can build it with his eyes closed…. Croce’s Transmission Norwalk CT..I’m calling him now to see what he has to say ..I do nothing without his input first…