American car buyers are a fickle bunch. Body styles and trim levels that are red hot sellers one decade can become lot languishers the next. One group of automobiles that has almost completely vanished from our option list today is that of luxury coupes. While the Feds helped drive a stake in the heart of these majestic beasts, fuel costs and customer tastes had much to do with their sad departure from the scene. If you want to experience what these dinosaurs of the road were like, this 1973 Cadillac Coupe de Ville for sale on Craigslist in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is a good candidate for your funds. At a fair for the current Cadillac market price of $14,900, this maroon leviathan is in great shape and has just over 66,000 miles on the odometer. Are you ready to experience an era of luxury and excess that is a far cry from today’s bland SUV-dominated automotive landscape? Thanks to Tony Primo for finding this incredible example of American excellence.
In the interest of transparency, I’ll freely admit that I am a fan of this car. My grandparents had a fire engine red 1973 Coupe de Ville with a white leather interior. No, we weren’t a mob family, nor were they show folk. They were simply in the habit of purchasing Cadillacs from a customer’s wife when she traded up. That was the combo Mrs. Rogers wanted, and she always got exactly what she desired. The car was loaded with every gadget and gizmo on the option sheet and was always detailed and maintained to the highest standards. My grandparents kept it for a while, then purchased her 1977 Cadillac Sedan de Ville Brougham de’ Elegance when she traded again.
By that time, the 1973 model was showing its age. It ate alternators with such frequency that my grandfather carried a spare and the tools required to change one out on the side of the road. The white leather, despite frequent treatments with leather conditioner, was starting to crack and show wear. Cracks also developed in the steering wheel and the plastic trim ring glued to the front of the wheel. It seems that Cadillac used too stiff a plastic, and that plastic cracked when the metal ring in the wheel expanded and contracted. What finally did the car in was rust forming under the white vinyl top. This bad idea by GM and other carmakers of the time hid a lot of damage until it was too late for many cars. When they finally peeled back the vinyl and saw what the tinworm had been up to, my grandfather lost interest in the car and sent it on its way.
So, when I see a similar Cadillac pop up on Barn Finds, my mind goes back to that Cadillac of my youth. My grandparents owned many cars during their lifetimes. They always regarded that red Coupe de Ville as the best car they ever owned. Why? Who wouldn’t love riding around in a luxurious car with seemingly limitless power delivered in a turbine-like fashion, all while pampering you with a ride that felt like floating along on marshmallow fluff? It had room for six real adults who hadn’t heard anything yet about soy lattes and vegan cheeseburgers and could carry enough luggage to take those red meat chomping Americans from coast-to-coast. It even had a mechanism to electrically pull the trunk lid down once you latched it. Who needs such extravagances? Seventies Cadillac buyers, that is who.
Cadillacs like this are an experience that has no parallel in our modern world. Seeing one in good condition is kind of like going to Jurassic Park and gazing in wonder at one of the beasts that lorded over America in the days of yore. This example is one of the nicest I have seen in a while. What really stands out is the interior. The silky smooth cloth with its unique pattern was known to age poorly in sunlight and split down the length of the seat. Reupholstering is difficult, as chances are that this pattern is long out of production. You can see that this car shows barely any wear on the seating surfaces, and the steering wheel has a single crack at the bottom. All of the accessories you see are power-operated, and the seller alludes to everything functioning as it should. Even the famous GM air conditioning of the era works as advertised.
That is a tall feat for a Cadillac of this vintage. They are complicated cars, and General Motors liked to debut new accessories on Cadillacs first. That “riding the cutting edge” policy also resulted in some premature failures when such bedazzlements didn’t perform over the long haul. Internet forums dedicated to these cars are filled with exasperated owners looking to repair these devices or replace them with ever-dwindling supplies of vintage Cadillac parts. With just over 66,000 miles on the car, you shouldn’t have too much trouble if you decide to see what all the fuss is about. I would also check to see if the car has been repainted and if the vinyl top has been replaced. The Coupe de Ville badging on the rear of the top is missing. Maybe it fell off, or maybe this one got the work it needed before it rusted away.
Why am I not making a call to Arlington Heights, Illinois? It comes down to storage. I currently have one car too many and enough work to do on those three to keep me busy for the rest of my days. Still, this car appeals to me not just for nostalgia but for its very pleasing color combination. The only thing I would add is a bumper sticker that would read “Friends of OPEC.” If you have the room, the cash, and the gas company credit card to feed this opulent dinosaur, I encourage you to call on this one. If you don’t like it, you can drop it off at my house. I’ll somehow find a way to keep it out of the elements.
Do you feel the same way I do about these cars? Have you ever experienced a seventies luxury car? Please share your thoughts and reminiscences in the comments.
Contact to buy; https://barnfinds.com/ready-to-resume-ruling-the-road-1973-cadillac-coupe-de-ville/
