Nov 13, 2017  •  Sightings  •  31 Comments

Roadside Sighting: 1978 Cadillac Wagon

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Some of the best finds are just parked along the side of the road! Reader Mark S sent us a great one that a friend recently spotted while driving through Pennslyvania. Mark hadn’t ever seen one quite like it, so he did a search of the Barn Finds’ Archive and discovered that there are actually quite a few of these Cadillac Station Wagons out there! His friend made sure to snap a photo of the seller’s information, so if you are in the market for a Cadillac Wagon, you might want to take a closer look.

From Mark – Hi Everyone, My friend Scott found this car for sale parked along the road driving through PA. I have never heard of a Cadillac before. However a quick search at Barn Finds told me otherwise, they are out there. The link here to Cadillac Station Wagon tells me that they are rare, not many made. Enjoy.

Given that we didn’t hear from the seller, we won’t post their phone number here the text, but it’s easy enough to read in the photo. They claim it has just 61k miles and that it’s all original. It looks original, but it could use some work. The $6,500 asking doesn’t seem to bad considering how much they’ve put into it and the fact that it’s a Cadillac Wagon! Hopefully one of you jumps on this cool find and will send us more photos of it once it’s cleaned up. Special thanks to Mark and his friend Scott for sharing this one with us! If you come across an interesting find along the side of the road, we would love to see it. Just attach the photos of it to an email and send it to us at [email protected]!

Comments

  1. Andre
    Nov 13, 2017 at 2:22pm

    hubba hubba

    Like 0
  2. Nathan Avots-SmithMember
    Nov 13, 2017 at 2:24pm

    Excellent spot! Interesting, too, in that it’s a “downsized” C-body, but the wagon conversion bits are still based on the old “clamshell” design offered from 1972-76. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cross-generational design like this; the ’77-89 Cadillac wagons I’ve seen before have used the rear quarter glass, tailgate, etc. from contemporary GM wagons. This is much sleeker!

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    • Bill McCoskey Bill McCoskeyMember
      Nov 14, 2017 at 6:27pm

      From what I remember, the 1977 GM “downsizing” was basically done by chopping off overhang front & rear, and the passenger compartments for the B-O-P & Cadillac remained the same. Ford did the same thing for the LTD2. So it should come as no surprise that the roof line would be the same dimensions.

      Like 0
  3. Joe Stent
    Nov 13, 2017 at 2:45pm

    Up in Canada we would already have cut half the top off of that and made a 4 place ranchero Joe

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    • paul f
      Nov 13, 2017 at 5:42pm

      not all Canadians do that , a lot of Canadians i see never drive their cadies in the winter while they preserve them in their heated garage …

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    • Scott Easton
      Nov 18, 2017 at 7:34pm

      Why ruin a beautiful, rare piece of automotive history like that when you could find a Cadillac Mirage and have what you want to make that?

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      • David
        Dec 12, 2021 at 3:41pm

        A lot of funeral homes paid for conversions like this, they were used to carry the flowers.

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  4. nessy
    Nov 13, 2017 at 3:10pm

    Did anyone else notice the wagon conversion area on this 78 model looks to be from the earlier and much larger 71 to 76 GM Clamshell design and not the 77 and newer GM station wagon design? Why?

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    • nessy
      Nov 13, 2017 at 3:11pm

      Oh, Nathan also noticed the older wagon style on this smaller body. Excuse me Nathan.. Good call.

      Like 0
  5. Mattyou63
    Nov 13, 2017 at 4:13pm

    That looks messed up ..is it a chopped up 4 door with a Chevy wagon welded on the back..

    Like 0
  6. MRE2ME
    Nov 13, 2017 at 4:16pm

    Is it beige or Mary Kay pink? Can’t tell on my computer.

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    • Anastos
      Nov 13, 2017 at 4:22pm

      I believe that’s Arizona Beige…and it faded just like the Eldorado I had in that color did.

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    • Ken
      Nov 13, 2017 at 7:25pm

      My 1978 Cadillac brochure describes this color as, “Scrotum”

      Like 0
      • Mike H. Mike H.
        Nov 14, 2017 at 4:51am

        I just sprayed a little coffee reading that. Thanks!

        Like 0
    • russell spreeman
      Nov 22, 2017 at 9:35pm

      I think my late father would have called it ‘Baby Poop’.

      Like 0
  7. Coventrycat
    Nov 13, 2017 at 4:22pm

    I never get tired of seeing Cadillac wagons. The color is awful, though – a darker metallic of some kind really highlights the features of these, no matter the year. I’d love one.

    Like 0
  8. Wiil
    Nov 13, 2017 at 4:24pm

    So it’s basically a funeral hearse

    Like 0
  9. Doug Gleim
    Nov 13, 2017 at 5:55pm

    Great keep them coming Maybe some day will see one in person

    Like 0
  10. don
    Nov 13, 2017 at 6:52pm

    COME ON! we all know no such thing as a Cadillac station wagon, these were all custom made for hotels, funeral homes etc… 61k? B/S not worth the price! it is
    J UNK!

    Like 0
  11. Robert
    Nov 14, 2017 at 5:38am

    Never heard of a Cadillac wagon until now

    Like 0
  12. Snow Dog Farms
    Nov 14, 2017 at 6:41am

    I just passed this car yesterday on Rte 6 in Wellsboro, PA. I immediately thought of BarnFinds, only to return home to find it here. Good work detectives!

    Like 0
  13. Joe Nose
    Nov 14, 2017 at 6:56am

    Wow. Hope his portfolio has performed better… $13,900 invested, will take a bath on half at $6,500 or closest to that. All things considered, though, a little sorting and a respray might make an interesting grocery getter.

    Like 0
  14. dm
    Nov 14, 2017 at 7:47am

    Was working for a Cadillac dealer in the ’70’s when one of these wagon conversions came through Make Ready. Always figured they were Olds or Pontiac wagons with Cadillac front sheet metal. That one was a converted 4-door sedan because anything else “would not be a Cadillac”.

    Like 0
  15. Ron
    Nov 14, 2017 at 7:48am

    It’s on eBay!

    Like 0
  16. whippeteer
    Nov 14, 2017 at 8:09am

    The proportions don’t look quite right due to the old Olds parts on the downsized Caddy. Knock a zero off and I’d take it! The rear suspension is shot, probably due to the weight balance.

    Like 0
  17. Dave
    Nov 14, 2017 at 3:29pm

    Looks like a cross between a Mercury Colony Park and Olds station wagons. lol

    Like 0
  18. Maestro1
    Nov 14, 2017 at 4:28pm

    I’ve seen several of these on the Left Coast, some made by ASC and others by Hess & Eisenhart, a converter for GM regarding convertibles from hardtops, Cadillac Hearses, Flower Cars and so on. I’m not familiar with this one but the price is right if everything works and the thing gets over the curb.

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  19. John
    Nov 14, 2017 at 9:31pm

    See the Internet sales listing for this car with many more photos at http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/cadillac/385664-1978-cadillac-deville-station-wagon.html. The Internet price is listed at $7,000.

    Like 0
  20. Rufus
    Nov 14, 2017 at 9:35pm

    We had one of these at USA in Tacoma back in the 90s and it was used for moving pro golfers and vip around the circuit. It was white with red leather and had no miles to speak of. They were tanks and loved premium gas.

    Like 0
  21. George of WV
    Nov 15, 2017 at 8:00am

    Back in the 90’s I tried to buy a Cadillac Wagon off of a Used Car Dealer Client we had. It was owned by his friend who bought it at an auction and wanted to make a quick buck. I made at least two offers, maybe three. and the guy never took my offer. It was a later model than this, the back half was more in sync with the front half than this. The car was white with a red leather interior. By the time they called me it sat for too long and was rusting out. It ended up rotting away on the lot and being towed to the junk yard. That’s what happens when someone thinks their car is worth so much more

    Like 0
  22. Whippeteer
    Nov 15, 2017 at 10:52am

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