History will not be kind to the Cadillac Division and most of the cars they produced in the eighties and early nineties.  The division entered that era as the producer of some of the finest cars on the road.  Then came the Cimarron and a generation of front-wheel drive cars that left a lot to be desired.  Many consider Cadillac’s deVille rear-wheel-drive coupes and sedans from 1977 through 1979 to be the high-water mark for traditional Cadillacs.  These cars still exuded the quality and ride that the brand was famous for.  If you would like to add one of these beautiful barges to your garage, then take a look at the car our faithful reader T.J. has located.  This 1979 Cadillac Coupe deVille for sale on Craigslist in Federal Way, Washington is a fine example of the marque.  With just 15,000 miles and a fresh respray, is this minty Cadillac worth $22,500?

The designers at Cadillac performed a small miracle when they were charged with the task of redesigning the fifth-generation Sedan deVille and Coupe deVille.  With fuel economy standards heavily influencing their work, they managed to at once shorten the car by nine inches, narrow it by four inches, and shed hundreds of pounds of weight in the process.  While the ride wasn’t quite as leviathan plush without all that weight, the cars rode and drove quite well for the time.  The interior room also grew due to their raising the greenhouse in both cars.  Under the hood was Cadillac’s smooth 425 cubic inch V-8.   Sales skyrocketed as a result.

1978 and 1979 saw refinements and improvements in the cars.  Many of these were cosmetic, but Cadillac soon began to add more engine options.  This would end up getting to a point of ridiculousness later in the car’s production run.  Customers would eventually be offered everything from a Buick V-6 to an Oldsmobile diesel V-8.  Thankfully the 7.0-liter Cadillac engine managed to live on until 1979.  Many Cadillac enthusiasts consider 1979 to be the high-water mark of Cadillac before corporate decision-makers began to damage the brand’s reputation.  Losing the Cadillac V-8 was more than just a symbolic loss.  It was a great engine designed specifically for the luxury car.

The car you see here is a 1979 model.  According to the seller, the car lived the majority of its life in Texas.  The seller is the third owner, and both the seller and the second owner enjoyed the car for very short periods.  During all of that time, the car has accumulated a mere 15,000 miles.  It came well equipped with such options as a leather interior, split power front seats, and a factory AM/FM/CB radio with an 8-track tape player.  The unique exterior color is listed as Light Basil Firemist.  While everything other than worn items are original to the car, the unique exterior paint was refinished a short time ago.

The impeccable pictures of the interior give evidence that this car spent the majority of its life garaged.  From the front seat to the back seat, the leather is free from cracks, discoloration, and there is almost no evidence of wear whatsoever.  The only imperfection seen is some delaminating of the trim cloth.  Sagging headliners and trim cloth was a regular thing for cars of this era due to deteriorating glue.  Some work to remove the panels shown and likely the headliner for re-gluing would bring this car back to top form inside.

Under the hood, which was aluminum for that year, is the previously mentioned 7.0-liter Cadillac engine.  This engine put out 180HP and 320 Lb. Ft. of torque in a most locomotive-like fashion.  While smaller than previous behemoth Cadillac engines, this powerplant moved these 4,000-4,400 lb. beasts around with authority.  This engine was backed up by a 3-speed automatic transmission.  The seller tells us that the carburetor has been rebuilt last fall and the engine was treated to a thorough tune-up.

The only hang-up here is price.  One can’t help but like this car.  From the awesome green paint and green leather interior to the low mileage, it is a car that would provide a new owner with a lot of enjoyment.  Prices are rising for these de Villes.  The question is if they are at $22,500 for exceptional examples or if we have a way to go yet.

Do you think this 1979 Coupe deVille represents the high-water mark for traditional Cadillacs?  Why or why not?  Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.