Low-Mileage Driver! 1969 Cadillac Calais Coupe
First off, $7500 for a Cadillac that the seller would drive cross-country “without a worry” sounds like reason enough to plan a road trip. Actually, skip the planning; just get in and drive! This 1969 Cadillac Calais Coupe in Chicago, Illinois shows rust-through in places, but the listing describes this Caddy as mechanically and electrically sound. That’s good news for anyone looking to own and drive a car like this; serious restoration-minded folks will take a hard pass, keeping the price reasonable for entry-level buyers. Interestingly, the only option here on eBay is Buy It Now for $7500, a take-it-or-leave-it proposition that puts a lot of weight on the coupe’s running and driving condition.
Like more than 90% of its contemporaries, this Calais Coupe features Automatic Climate Control, improved for 1969. Dash plastics look well cared-for on the 52 year-old classic. A claimed 42,000 original miles would be hard to refute.
Cadillac called the Calais Coupe “your easiest step to the pleasures of Cadillac ownership,” which is to say it’s the entry-level Caddy, but even the Calais came well-equipped with the same powerful V8 as other RWD Cadillacs, power brakes and steering, and power windows. Subtle differences like fewer upholstery choices, no rear center arm rest, and reflectors instead of safety lights in the doors kept the Calais more affordable. Thanks to lov2xlr8 for some details.
While nit-pickers will favor the 1970 version, Cadillac’s 472 cid (7.7L) V8 was nearly as potent in ’69, making 375 HP and a foundation-shifting 525 lb-ft of velvety torque. This brute “fires right up,” according to the owner, and should provide bountiful thrust even with the conservative 2.94:1 rear axle ratio.
The phrase “plastic was just removed” may beg explaining for anyone under 50, but witness the rear seat still entombed in plastic as the fronts were for, apparently, more than 50 years! While that practice has faded into history, you can’t argue with the protection the covers provided on this gold coupe. All in all, this giant luxury two-door from the Land of Lincoln won’t thrill the rust-averse, but for someone who wants a classic they can park anywhere and drive, maybe even long distances, this Caddy delivers a lot of car for the money (literally and figuratively). Would you daily-drive this low-mileage Caddy?
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Comments
With the seats hiding under plastic for 5 decades, it could have flipped the odometer a couple times & they could be decent yet. Judging by the rust, I am guessing that may be the case.
I love these cars, but this is a $3,000 car, tops!
We all know how these cars ALWAYS look better in the photos than in person. I was OK until I saw that fender lip rusted through, then I realized : what else could be lurking under a 69 Chicago Cadillac?
I’d love to have something like this as a driver. For the price I’d want no visible rust though. A few years ago this was a $2500-3500 car. I miss the days of buying a $500-1000 used luxo-barge, driving it for a year, then swapping it for something else.
Bubbling vinyl tops are almost always from rust holes underneath and that means water leaking into the interior or trunk.
Talk about a land yacht!
Back in the mid 90’s, my uncle had a older relative who lived near me in MN. He asked me to check out a car in her garage. Turned out it was a 1968 Cadillac Calais 4 door, with only 9K miles. Hadn’t been driven in years. I got it running, took it to my mechanic for a check over, washed & waxed it, and a few days later my dad and I left on a 1000 mile trip to my uncles house in PA. Great trip, like driving your couch down the road. Don’t remember gas mileage, but didn’t care. Took all the back roads we could. Then, drove my uncle’s 1976 Cordoba back to MN to sell for him. Not nearly as comfortable!
Still cherish the memory of spending a week with my dad. Learn things you never knew when you’re sitting next to someone for a couple thousand road miles……
Wow this is very cool. Right down to the color. I’d take the cross-country drive challenge in this…worse that happens is you break down in the coolest car on the side of the road. I just can’t decide if I’d wear a brown pin-stripe suit with wide lapels and flared pants or a skinny lapel skinny pants black rockabilly suit
My first Cadillac was a 69. I have always wanted to buy another and got excited about this one until I saw the RUST. The seller calls it the “usual” rust. Guess I will continue looking for one that has not lived in the rust belt.
Actually, I have seen way worse than this one, as far as rust. Does that mean that I think this is a good deal at this price? Nope! But this ain’t as bad as some regarding rust.
This would have been driven by the owner of the dry cleaning store that was a front for the mob numbers running racket in the neighborhood. Looks like he got bumped off and someone put the car away.
At least you get a good shot of the trunk interior.
That trunk is good for at least five bodies… 😀
I cannot believe the nit-picking on this car. What else can you buy for the ask?
This is a luxury ride, will be admired at the cruise-in, won’t lose much value over the years, and you’d be in the Collector Car Club for a lot less than the muscle – car owners. If my ride, on which I am upside down, was paid off I would be on this in a flash, gas prices be damned. Is the mileage accurate? I don’t care. Not sure what difference it would make – following an in-person inspection of course.
Kenn, I agree that its a good car, but for the average buyer who can’t do his own bodywork, there’s thousands of dollars of rust repair.
Years ago you could get a cheap patch panel from the local parts store, mud in and spray the car with some cheap lacquer in your driveway. Or even grab a fender from a junkyard.
Nowadays I have customers who can’t get resto shops to touch anything less than a full-on restoration, and body shops don’t like older cars because they slow up the assembly line and techs don’t know how to work on them.
The vinyl top is a big issue too…There will be rust and scale underneath that will need bodywork before a new top can be installed.
But I wish I could find enthusiastic buyers like you when I have something for sale!
I have owned a lot of nice cars, far better than this, for less money. I would buy this, buy his price is nuts.
About 5 years ago I sold a 1969 DeVille drop top in way better shape, white with red leather interior, no rust, running and driving, for $8,500. This is over priced!
I just last week sold a clean, rust free 1979 Cougar for $1,500 less than this. Ok, it is a ’79 Cougar, not a ’69 Cadillac, it was still a beautiful car that made you feel like you were on top of the world when driving it.
Well, Kenn, you could have bought a ’67 Newport custom for $1250 two years go, and that’s a fact Jack!. Oh, and since it isn’t a Mustang or Corvette etc., nobody is gonna even bother to look at the poor caddie at the cruise-in. They never look at this Newport.
Buy it, and keep it period correct by applying your own Bondo and duct tape as the holes develop, as long as it is structurally solid, you would be good, rattle can paint the Bondo and the tape, if you can find a close match for the color. In NH to pass inspection you can not have any through holes, even if both sides of the metal are outdoors – like a fender lip or a pickup bed or side – probably a body shop lobby rule, but, justified in that someone might cut their finger on the rusty hole.
Jake Elwood might be interested. How far away is Calumet City?
Dad bought one like this new in ’69, but a Coup deVille, not sure what the dif is. Was white w/ black vinyl top, black leather. Liked the 1 year tail lights & the balls it had when ever he floored it at a light. Always traded in every 2 years, but kept 4 yrs till bought the new ’73 coup in ‘Firemist Blue’ metallic.
Chicago + Illinois = Rust
I’m surprised its a Calais when its got a vinyl roof. All the Calais I’ve ever seen that was the visual defining difference between a Calais (I had a 71) and a Coup de Ville (Calais was painted, CdV had vinyl)
Gas at the moment it would be cheaper to fly across country then to drive this guzzler
I have seen lots of Cads from the mid sixties to early 70 with a rust problem even in reasonable climates at the bottom of front fenders. I am sure from drainage issues.