81k Mile Garage Find: 1975 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
There was a time when giants roamed the Earth and they were called Cadillac and Lincoln and Imperial. In the late 1970s, the giants went extinct and many of them were turned to dust. A few of them managed to be preserved as monuments to the era and one of those survivors – a 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville- is for sale on Craigslist in Los Angeles, California for $5,000 OBO.
This car covers a lot of acreage. Even in its two door form, the length is astounding when compared to today’s passenger cars. That means that there is a lot of surface area to cover, but the gentleman who bought it in 1982 had enough garage space to house it and he kept it there except for weekend drives until his death in 2004. Even though the car was sparingly driven and kept inside, it looks like the metallic silver paint may have faded a bit and could stand a good detailing. The red stripe – if factory applied- would have been a painted stripe and not adhesive tape. This is one of the rare Caddys that was shipped without a vinyl top and it looks great without it. The fragile body filler pieces at the rear bumper look like they are in great shape, too.
Inside, this fine old car is red. Red ultra-deep pile carpeting, red leather seating and red trim give it a nineteenth century bordello look, but overall it seems to be in as nice condition as the exterior of the car. The carpets are well covered by rubber mats and may have been there from new. The leather looks beautiful with the exception of the driver’s seat which is not unexpected, considering the 81,000 miles on the clock. There are leather care products that will help reduce the appearance of the cracked areas on the cushion. Automatic air conditioning and an eight-track tape deck will keep the occupants cool and entertained. And there five cigarette lighters in the car to keep your stogies burning.
Five hundred cubic inch or 8.2 liters displacement. That’s a lot of engine at any point in history, but power output was a dismal 190 horsepower to haul around two and a half tons of Detroit iron thanks to the emissions regulations at the time. The appearance of the engine bay is as nice as the rest of the car with the valve cover paint looking bright and just a little road dust that needs to be cleaned off. The seller says that the service records indicate that a tune up, power steering hoses and a transmission seal replacement was done in 2004. He says it will run, but gasoline has to be poured into the carburetor.
No doubt this is a lot of car for the money. In my mind, its best future would be as a preserved vehicle, driven and maintained as a potential time capsule for another generation to appreciate. Parts are fairly easy to find and the technology is simple. Most hobby mechanics should be able to solve any minor problems while enjoying this amazing relic of the past.
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Comments
The eight track tape will keep occupants entertained with amazement and laughter. But if this car is as good as it looks, I’d love to have it.
It will keep you going to rummage sales searching for music! Love to convert to multi port fuel injection to improve economy.
I have a lot of 8 track tapes. I have a lot of music and a lot of comedy routines from Pryor and more.
I do not, however, have an 8 track player. I sold that car that had it.
Nah, I had a cassette player adapter that slid into the slot for 8 tracks in my ’73 Sedan DeVille. But not for me, since I no longer have the adapter and I doubt that you can find them anymore.
210 Horsepower. 380 lb. ft torque in 1975 . 190 in 1976 & still 380. Some were fuel injected, they had 215 Horsepower.
I see “preserved time capsule” is the new buzz word.Replaces
survivor, piece of history,investment grade, and a hundred other
descriptive adjectives. should be on display at the Henry Ford
Museum. the next generation could care less unless it drives
itself,full remote access and controls everything at home and
work, through your smart phone(Samsung I-21) It’s a work of art,
appreciated by a generation lost, a long time ago. wish it was closer.
dyno da, why would a Cadillac be displayed at the Henry Ford Museum?
Because the Henry Ford Museum is about technology not Fords’ cars.
Beautiful Cadillac, worth fixing up and probably won’t take too much to get it road worthy. I don’t think the silver will buff out, that color, once faded, that was it. These were comfortable cars with great AC, the 8-track player is neat if it works, and the 500 engine has plenty of torque to get this monster moving. Dual exhaust will help it breath better. I hope it finds a good home, preferably a Cadillac collector who will know what to do with it, preserve it and appreciate it as original.
What he said. A person to preserve and cherish it who has a big garage.
Given it’s geographic locale it may be a prime candidate to become a donk……
One of the Yugo’s featured recently would probably fit on the trunk lid. Luv it!
The lack of a factory vinyl top is interesting if it came that way, the vinyl top wasn’t standard on the deVille but it was on 99% of them made, the rear window surround is chrome, which leads me to believe that it was a no-top car from the factory, the vinyl top cars would have had the rear window surround in the top color from what I recall.
Its a car that looks like it has sat for a while, so it will need some going through, the $5K is still a little too much for one of these that has a case of hte “sits”, the slick top does command a premium if you find the right buyer.
I second that statement that the price is high.
You will have to do a lot of work to get it back on the road including tires and who knows what else.
Nice car, just look at the size of the quarter panel…
Although coupes, especially cars of this size/weight, aren’t my preference, I’d be more than happy with this one! Good thing it’s not closer, I’d be forced to make a play for it!
I have to say I really like this car and color combo. It reminds me of a late 60’s fuselage Dodge/Chrysler which I think are great bodies. I would go for this if I didn’t have my garage already filled with 2 other cars… good thing it’s not closer or else I would be very tempted regardless. Love the original non-vinyl roof, maybe that’s what is doing it for my taste. I think the silver is actually in good shape, it looks like dust is giving it a faded/dull appearance.
I have to say I really like this car and color combo. It reminds me of a late 60’s fuselage Dodge/Chrysler which I think are great bodies. I would go for this if I didn’t have my garage already filled with 2 other cars… good thing it’s not closer or else I would be very tempted regardless. Love the original non-vinyl roof, maybe that’s what is doing it for my taste. I think the silver is actually in good shape, it looks like dust is giving it a faded/dull appearance, I’m sure it would wax up nicely.
Nice find, great look without the vinyl roof. I too have plenty of 8 track tapes and I was one of the few left looking for them in stores when the rest of my buds went to cassettes (or even then-high tech Walkmans attached through RCA plugs under the dash). I had the 8 track to cassette converter too….they were quick to ruin an already muddy sounding song or comedy routine by technically playing everything “third generation.” I have all the Beatles stuff, Cheap Trick, Queen and Steve Martin on 8 tracks along with a few odd K-tel compilations.
I have a lot of Bill Cosby on 8 track, if anybody wants them.
thanks Miguel. the Smithsonian perhaps.
I guess i’m stuck in the 70’s. land yachts.
and big blocks! they’re still around but people want
20 times what worth. it’s a changing world.
Check the trunk carefully for bullet holes
My Dad had a body shop in Huntington Park, CA 1960 to 1975, I worked on plenty of 1960s thru 1970s Cadillacs as a teenager. With the drivers seat in its current condition car probably has 181,000 miles. I would stay clear of this one it has been setting too long. If the no run problem with the carb is so easy to fix then why not fix it and ask $6K for a running and driving car.
I like this 1970 https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1970/cadillac/de_ville/101007254
Owner was prolly a fat guy.
I had a blue on blue 75 CDV like this back in the day. The buttery smooth leather seats in that car were the most comfortable seats of any car I have ever had. I think I am up somewhere in the 30s now for cars I’ve had. The ride was wonderful too. It got super crappy gas mileage, but it was a blast to drive. Still miss it even after 31 years! If I had the cash and the room for it, I would love to have it!
Why is the valve cover painted AMC Blue?
Ad still here. No bids shown. I really love these land yachts. But, gas prices now and my fixed income is stopping me from buying. Sure wish there was a way.