Check out the dagmars on this one! They’re standard equipment on a 1954 Cadillac Coupe DeVille and others produced by the “Standard of the World.” Today’s Windham, New Hampshire find, courtesy of Bruce M., is said to run and drive, but it has other operational impediments, so let’s dive in and see what it’s all about. This 70-year-old luxury coupe is available for $4,500 here on Facebook Marketplace.
Cadillac’s 1954 lineup was rather closely clustered in characteristics of size and appointments. There was the Series 60, followed by the 62 which was available in two-door hardtop, convertible, and four-door sedan body styles, and the DeVilles – the same bodies as the 62 absent the convertible. Finally, up on top was the Series 75 which was the big Whammer-jammer and usually thought of in limousine terms. For puttin’ on the Ritz, there was, finally, the Eldorado convertible noted for its gold-hued badging and four-color availability. As for the Coupe DeVille, 17K, at a list price of $3,691 found first-time garages in ’54.
Cadillac’s sales brochure proclaims, “Just as Cadillac introduced the V-8 engine to America, so Cadillac has remained, through the years, the master builder of this great powerplant.” Well, I imagine Henry Ford would disagree with that assertion. Even Cadillac’s sibling, Chevrolet, introduced a V8 in 1917. Oh, and the Oldsmobile overhead valve V8? That powerplant was released in ’49 just ahead of Cadillac’s version so in the unlikely event of a design disaster, Olds would take one for the team leaving Cadillac unscathed – but I digress…What we have here is a 230 gross HP, 331 CI V8 attached to GM’s venerable Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The seller claims, “Runs and drives, needs brake work.” The listing image isn’t too forthcoming but the engine room appears original and complete.
The body of this outsized coupe looks to be in fair shape. There is surface rust that is evident as well as other areas behind missing stainless trim that could be more serious – the images aren’t clear enough to state with certainty. The massive front bumper is going to need a trip to the rechromers, assuming one can still be found. As for the rear bumper, let the search begin. Anything that is missing may be in the trunk.
OK, interior time. What interior you might be inclined to ask. Well, the seller states that he has it but for now, any planned running or driving exercises must be executed with one’s bee-hind planted on that wood block. A ’54 Cadillac generally possesses an ornate dash and instrument panel and that’s likely the case here but the lone interior image is not forthcoming.
It seems that interest in most ’50s cars is on the wane. Sure, there’s always excitement for tri-five Chevies, Corvettes, T-Birds, and pickup trucks from that fabulous decade but cars like a Cadillac Coupe DeVille? Not so much so. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there’s no hope for this worn specimen but it will mean finding just the right person who will want to tackle this project. Might that individual be you?
One of my favorite ( I have a few) generations of Cadillacs. Speaking of checking out those dagmars. I couldn’t help but think of Sammy Davis Jr. In late 1954 he was in a very bad accident in his ’54 Cadillac, the Cadillac crest in the pointed dome in the steering wheel is the reason he lost his eye. It was after that Cadillac changed the steering wheel design, although I’m not sure if it was because of that accident or they just simply changed the design on their own. This one looks like it has good bones, I wonder what happened to the rear bumper.
I believe you can see the rear bumper in the picture of the open trunk
Maybellene, I believe, drove a ’54 Coupe DeVille. The unbelievably great Chuck Berry song was released in 1955, like me, and his V8 Ford did eventually catch her at the top of the hill, once the motor cooled down, that is. This car will probably be restored, just because of what it is. Any American will tell you, the finest cars were indeed Cadillacs, known around the world, and this was one of them.
It should be noted, the term “Dagmars” is considered offensive to some, and “rubber tipped bumper guards” are more appropriate. I believe, initially made to look like artillery shells, they took on a more dramatic meaning.
Howard A
In the late 50s early 60s Cadillac and maybe some other GM cars had a pink rose colored paint many referred to as titty pink. But I guess it’s where a person’s mind is in interpreting things. Amazing how things and times have changed.
As Archie and Edith sang,Gee Our Old LaSalle ran great! 🎵 Those 🎶WERE 🎵the 🎶DAYS! 🎵
@ Frog
I haven’t heard that unofficial paint code reference since my father used that term to describe the color of the 1962 Coupe de Ville that I drove to high school back in the 60s. And you are correct, things and times change, unfortunately, lately, for the worse. But I’m glad that it’s no longer considered acceptable to denigrate women in order to describe an automobile.
Dagmar was amused by the nickname for the caddy bumper guards. If it didn’t bother her, why should anyone else be offended?
@ Robert Pittman:
Source for your statement, please or merely an urban myth?
The first Cadillac V8 was the 1915 Cadillac Type 51, which was the first mass-produced V8 engine in the world.
My grandfather had a 54 Fleetwood. First car we had with air. The air conditioning unit was in the trunk and there were two plexiglass tubes coming out of the package shelf to direct the cooled air forward. He took a business partner from Chicago to Yosemite in it and the man said “Louie, this is the closest thing to flying!”
My family had a ’55 Fleetwood. The A/C would freeze you out.
My grandfather traded in the 54 Fleetwood for a 58 Fleetwood. It too had air. The unit was still in the trunk, but the plexiglass tubes went up into the roof and there were outlets for the front and rear passengers there. We left for a cross country trip the day I turned 15 1/2. I drove it maybe 4,000 miles that summer. The air started not to work that well. We took it to the main Cadillac dealership in Detroit. They took the car and we waited maybe an hour for it. They were just letting it defrost.
We had one growing up. It spent most of it’s time in the garage and usually only used to go to church or some gathering. (I bought a ’72 owned by Pracher, and was only used on Sundays. I believed the wife. Another story). Big drawsbacks were NO A/C, and the “Wonderbar” radio never worked right. Had to turn it off to get it from searching. Make sure your garage is over 20′, we had to chip out the concrete blocks in ours to get it in, barely.
The last of the “Jungle Cruisers”!
@Howard
Forget about political correctness! They are DAGMARS, after a busty actress of the 1940s & 50s.
And since you’re a big guy on being correct (an admirable trait) Cadillac didn’t have rubber tipped Dagmars until 1957 and only for ’57 & ’58.
1955 was the year for the largest Dagmars. After ’58 they were gone.
This particular Cadillac would be a gorgeous car when finished. I just wish I had the funds. She needs a ton of work but I hope there is someone out there with enough love & money for old Cadillacs to at least make her a driver. I think we have trailer queens.
We have enough trailer queens
We may have trailer Queens, But only one Cadillac QUEEN, ANGEL I 👑 . QUEEN of HEARTS 💕 and compassion. Long may she rave! LOL 😉. DAGMARS are DAGMARS. It’s amazing what we learn in The BARN. I never knew that Sammy’s eye loss was as a result of a Cadillac. IMO, the 58 Sixty Special was the ultimate Standard of the WORLD! How far Cadillac has fallen 😢
The bluish window tint used on this era of cars along with the numerous paint options always appeals to me. The window tint added to the overall style.
54! The start of my Cadillac obsession!
My grandfather let me steer his when I was 5. I tried numerous times to steer his 55 Pontiac but could not keep it in the road, it did not have power steering.
I think about the back door that my sister slammed on my fingers and I had to go to the hospital. My sister was never very bright. She still can’t figure out why I have 3 sisters and she has only 2. LOL
I prefer the Dagmars on his 57. They were one piece and the rubber tips made them look more like, well you know. I always wanted to have a big bra custom made.
When he junked his, I kept a lot of things which I still have in my collection.
My older sister slammed my fingers in one of the rear doors of our 54 Lincoln Capri when I was five. It got me out of going to church that Sunday, which I hated. I was tempted to repeat the incident the following Sunday to achieve the same result, but my brother ratted me out, and my father didn’t find it funny (it was only going to be a tiny pinch). Once I got old enough to not have to shut my fingers in a door to avoid going to church, around twelve, I began my conversion from Catholicism to Atheism and never looked back.
Not to put too finer point on the origin of the V8; Cadillac’s V8 did predate both Chevrolet and Oldsmobile.
Cadillac premiered its V8 in 1915. Oldsmobile offered its first V8 in 1916 and Chevrolet’s first V8 appeared in 1917.
@TCK
My Cadillac obsession started with the 1956 from my aunt & uncle next door. But I always found them rather bulbous & heavy. I love the ’54 & “55. They are more angleular. Am I making sense.
Angel, you always make sense.
Not to put too fine a point on the origin of the V8; Cadillac premiered its V8 1915.
Oldsmobile offered its first V8 in 1916 and Chevrolet’s first V8 appeared in 1917.
And Ford….
Henry’s first V8 showed up 17 years after Cadillac’s. Henry was really, really late to adopting the V8. Several companies offered V8s many years before Ford. Companies such as Comet (1908), Cole (1916), Cunningham (1917) and Lincoln (1921).
The original Lincoln V 8 was a product of the other Henry. Leland who sold out to Henry Ford
I have always thought that taking the front clip and rear quarters off a ‘55 or ‘56 Cadillac and putting them on a ‘55 to ‘57 Chevy pickup would make a great looking custom truck. At my age I’ll never get to do it though.
@Ron
Wouldn’t be cheaper & easier just to get a ’55 or ’56 Cadillac flower car?
Probably cheaper but not near as cool.
When I was 8 years old my Dad would take us kids down to Pismo beach where our Grandma lived and let us drive her 56 sedan deville up and down the stretch. Mile after mile, V8, auto trans a/c etc. my cousin got the car in the late 80’s totally dismembered it for restoration and now it’s spread between 3 barns. He’ll never finish it and won’t part with it. Bonehead…..
I had a 54 62 series 4 door . Drove like a cloud . Lots of room inside . My friends called it a rolling apartment . Loved that car .
I was ogling over one of these in a parking lot one day speaking with the owner and he pointed out how the headlight surrounds are the same as those used on a ’55 Chevrolet. I hadn’t noticed that before but now it’s a blinding flash of the obvious.