20K-Mile Survivor: 1978 Cadillac Seville

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What has happened to prices lately?! We recently saw a very, nice gold Seville here on Barn Finds and that one sold for $4,950. This two-tone 1978 Cadillac Seville is already up to $19,370!! I can’t keep up with prices lately. This bronze beauty is listed here on eBay in Issaquah, Washington, and that almost $20k bid price has me baffled as the seller says that it needs some TLC. Let’s check it out.

This car is almost at Hagerty’s #1 Concours value of $22,400 and this is not a perfect Pebble Beach-ready car. Prices are all over the board lately though, as all of you have also noticed. That’s not to say that this car isn’t very nice because it sure appears to be, but there are issues with it and there are z e r o issues with a Concours-level car. Hagerty, you’ve got some catching up to do, either that or a couple of bidders really want this one. I’m not sure what’s going on with the grille in the opening photo, is it just wet or is the chrome peeling away?

The first-generation Seville was made for the 1976 through 1979 model years and they are really unique, or they were at the time. It was a small, American luxury car meant to compete with European luxury sedans and it worked. Customers generally loved the right-sized luxury Cadillac sedan. You can see one of the issues with this car in the photo above, the rear bumper filler material needs to be replaced which means matching the paint, etc. It’s not a quick and easy project but this car deserves to have that fixed and the bidders aren’t batting an eye at whatever that cost will be. Whatevs.. just throw another couple’a grand in the mix, it’s only money.

The interior is gorgeous and everything looks perfect inside. These are really nice cars. I have mentioned too many times already that I had a 1984 Seville recently and it was a great car to own and drive. I like the first-gen “square” cars much better even though I liked having a built-in garage door opener in my car. I don’t know if the early cars had that feature. As expected, the back seat looks like new and this car even has the Astroroof, another name for a sunroof.

The engine looks super clean, it’s an Oldsmobile Rocket 350 cubic-inch V8 with 170 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. This car only has 20,000 miles on it and it’s been garaged its entire life and has been sitting for the last five years but runs fine. With some “TLC”, this could be a show-stopper. Are there any first-generation Seville fans out there?

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Comments

  1. Johnmloghry Johnmloghry

    I bought a really nice 78 model in 98 for my 16 year old step son. It was blue and in perfect condition. He love the car, all his friends were really jealous of him. But unfortunately one day a rubber fuel line under the left front of the car leaked one day, the caught on fire and burned up.

    Like 1
  2. Terrry

    20k miles and the third character of the odo is lower than the others?? I don’t think so. That odo has been fiddled with, so its mileage is anybody’s guess.

    Like 9
    • Bick Banter

      People used to fiddle with ’em, agreed. Surprised at how high bidding got. Even more surprised seller didn’t take it, unless the bidding was as off as that odometer. These were really just fancy Nova sedans.

      Like 1
  3. CCFisher

    What is up with the blue trim around the door opening? Did it discolor like genuine copper, or did somebody paint it for some strange reason?

    Like 2
  4. alphasudMember

    I saw this car listed on CL a while back. It had a reasonable asking price. Definitely paid off to list it nationally. Cadillac’s first fuel injected car.

    Like 2
  5. CCFisher

    Just noticed that it’s an Elegante, and I also see an Astroroof. Both are desirable options and could explain the spirited bidding. Per Hagerty, the Elegante package adds $4000 in value.

    Like 5
  6. Stan StanMember

    Elègantè pkg to boot. Beautiful ive said it before a highlight of American design.
    The usa 🇺🇸 rolls-royce

    Like 3
  7. Joe Padavano

    I can’t speak to the value, but photographing the car when wet is a great way to disguise faded, peeling clearcoat. There’s no other reason to do that.

    The Olds 350, in original form, used a prehistoric ANALOG EFI system (the only time in history that an Olds motor came from the factory with EFI). Replacement parts are pretty much non-existent. This setup doesn’t even use an O2 sensor, it runs open loop all the time. Most of these still on the road have been converted to a Quadrajet.

    The ebay ad has ended, with no sale price listed.

    Like 7
    • Mikefromthehammer

      Looking at the pictures (with other cars in the background) it looks like all of the cars appear to be wet. It does rain a lot in Washington, perhaps the pictures were taken after a rain shower?

      The seller ended the auction with zero bids. Perhaps he found a local buyer?

      Like 0
      • Joe Padavano

        Yeah, the ground is wet. The seller still chose to photograph the car wet and not dry. The water hides the true condition of the paint.

        Like 4
  8. Ron Ron

    It’s a great looking car, but not really a collector. If the seller can get that price, I’m really happy for him.

    Like 1
  9. Bluetec320 Bluetec320

    Why does the car sit so high? It looks like it has a lift kit installed.

    Like 2
  10. T. MannMember

    I like the color

    Like 1
    • Ron Ron

      Not with blue trim inside

      Like 1
  11. Mountainwoodie

    I don’t get the appeal. Nothingburger smog strangled GM metal. Maybe someone thought it was elegant. :)

    Like 1
    • Joe Padavano

      I don’t get the appeal of anything built this century. Styling for the “Transformers” generation, tons of electronic nanny crap, and just fugly cars that all look alike (and only come in white, black, or silver).

      Like 2
  12. mooseandsquirrel

    My grandmother owned one of these. Great looking car. Silver with red leather interior. Has a weird one off fuel injection system. Good luck in ever finding replacement parts for that.

    Like 2
  13. Dave Peterson

    These were just what the doctor ordered. Literally. In the late 1970’s, any medical graduate would get a letter from GMAC saying they qualified for the Cadillac of their choice. I was the lucky grunt who processed many of them. This was the hands down favorite of the cohort. The Elegante had the chrome belt moulding, two tone paint and unique upholstery in cloth or leather. I especially liked the brake light fiber you could see in the rear view mirror. ’78-79 were the last of the real cars – to me. The decision to install the 4.1 was misguided at best. No one bought a Cadillac for the gas mileage.

    Like 1
    • Dave Peterson

      PS- I bought a Fleetwood Brougham coupe as a “brass hat” in 1982 and my cousin still owns it today. The deactivated V8-6-4 has only 40k on it and has run like a top even after all these years.

      Like 0
  14. md

    I used to have a ’78 Seville, which had a digital dash and on-board trip computer with engine diagnostics. At the time, it seemed most had this option, but it’s been years since I’ve seen one equipped that way – seems unusual.

    Like 0
    • Joe Padavano

      The trip computer was optional and included the digital speedometer readout.

      Like 0
  15. md

    I guess NOVA should have been more appropriately named NOVAS ?

    Like 2
    • Joe Padavano

      Of course, by the 1978 model year, the Seville had so changed from it’s X-body roots that GM had renamed it the K-body (yeah, GM had it’s own K-cars…).

      Like 1
  16. Scotty GilbertsonAuthor

    Auction update: “This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.” So, either someone threw a bag of $100 bills at the seller or something else happened.

    Like 1
  17. Utes

    These “Fuelie” Olds 350s would scoot! As well, easily-adapted F-body suspension upgrades made ’em handle like they were on rails!

    Like 0

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