We just saw a Lincoln Versailles a day or two ago here on Barn Finds and I don’t know too many people who would take that car over a first-generation Seville like this 1977 Cadillac Seville. Other than me, that is. The seller has this nice-looking Seville listed here on eBay in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and the current bid is $5,100 but the reserve isn’t met. Thanks to T.J. for sending in this tip!
This car has an interesting history, the seller says that it was purchased new in Olympia, Washington, it was in storage from 1995 to 2013, and it has had a lot of work done on it over the last decade. Or, a lot of mechanical work, we don’t know whether the paint is original or not but one can hope. I think we all know that this generation Seville wasn’t really just a fancy Nova, that rumor has to end eventually, doesn’t it? Cadillac did start with a few Nova bits but then tweaked them so heavily that they no longer resembled anything related to the Nova.
The elegant first-generation Seville was made from 1975 for the 1976 model year until 1979 and shortly after that, the famous/infamous bustleback Seville came out, causing much groaning and gnashing of teeth, mothers hiding their children, and men generally just sitting in a bar having a beer after work and talking about sports. Some things never change.
This beauty in triple-yellow was quite a car in its day and it still is. These buttery yellow seats look incredible both front and rear and, as expected, the trunk is also clean and plush. One thing I noticed, however, is some sort of sealant or putty (?) on the inside edges of the doors. Is that waterproofing or caulking or something to prevent rusting? I don’t know if I’ve seen that before, at least on a Cadillac. Hagerty is at $10,800 for a #3 good condition Seville, for the record.
The engine is see-through and it looks just like an Astroroof. No, but sadly, out of 24 photos, many of them duplicates, the seller didn’t include even one photo of the engine. It should be an Oldsmobile 350 cubic-inch V8 with fuel injection – with new injectors along with a new fuel tank, in-line fuel pump, and many other parts. It would have had 180 horsepower when new. The seller says that everything works down to the ice-cold AC. Have any of you owned a first-generation Seville?
Liked these back then, still do. Tasty butter!
Elegance on 4 wheels. Love em.
These were a bellwether that set the tone of GM design for over a decade to follow, and IMO still represent the best, purest expression of that design language.
The glass sunroof is a rare option on this model. Back in the
days those who bought this cars didnt had the money to buy
a newer bustleback which looks much more expensive.
The dashboard looks similiar to those from the broums.
This model pain from slight chassis and rocker panels rust,
leaking a/c lines and malfunctioning intermediate wipers.
But the 350 fuel injected engine is one of the best GM offered
in all the Seville. At all a well preserved and today little
to see car. When you want it take it.
That same car with a diesel. I kept my AAA membership card handy at all times.
Much nicer than the Versailles, and it doesn’t look like a Granada.
Or a Nova.
Much more horsepower compared to the Versailles 132 HP!
Always liked these – as was previously stated, this car set the design touchstone for GM for years afterwards, but none (OK, maybe the 77 Impala) did it so well. When this came out we called them the Top Hat On Wheels.
Actually, these were built on an extended-wheelbase X-body architecture (designated the K-body) shared with the Pontiac Phoenix.
And while that may have essentially been a glorified Nova, those underpinnings were an asset rather than a liability. Because that same architecture was also shared with the 2nd Gen Camaro/Firebird, which many of those suspension and powertrain parts, from mild to way way wild, bolted to these Sevilles as well.
I had one of these in the late ’70s, and it was a great car once I ditched the fuel injection for a QuadraJet 4-bbl. It was a common fix for Cadillac dealers at the time because the pioneering fuel injection was, to be kind, rather finicky. These are great interstate flyers.
Much nicer styling than that glorified Granada.
jrhmobile is correct. The first-gen Seville rides on a stretched X-body platform. However, Cadillac scrutinized every chassis component and made many upgrades. In particular, they upgraded chassis bushings and substituted smoother constant-velocity joints over the Nova’s Cardan universal joints. Spring rates and shock absorbers were modified, and sound insulation was upgraded. It made for a very smooth, quiet package.
If memory serves, the Seville shares lower door stampings with Nova. Door frames are different, but the lower door section is shared.
I had a ‘77 white on white. Beautiful car. I don’t remember why I sold it, back in the ‘90’s. Now my comfort car is a 2001 Continental. Love the front wheel drive on my steep gravel driveway.
I also love the 01 Lincoln Continental. It was beautifully designed and had plenty of guts.
I currently have a 2001 Connie with fabric top, beige on beige, just over 100k. I like it for its front wheel drive on my steep gravel drive- great traction and I like the cassette/CD player. A lot more horsepower and better gas mileage.
A 77 Seville was the first car I ever drove. Legally that is! My Father was a Ford man and in the mid Seventies he was still driving his Gran Torino Sport. Mom saw an ad in Vogue magazine and decided the 77 Seville was the only car for her. Dad went to Brown Brothers Cadillac in Louisville and bought her one. Foolishly he traded in his Gran Torino! This depressed him greatly and less than 2 years later he tracked it down and got it back.
The Seville was more than just a treat for Mom. It drew admirers and comments everywhere it went for a full year as it was the first one around. A few years later as a newly minted 16 year old licensed driver Dad decided I should drive it at first as he viewed as smoother and easier to drive than either his daily or his Gran Torino. And it was smooth and easy to drive. All the automatic gizmos like Twilight Sentinel still functioned in 1984. Leather remained soft and comfortable. The rudimentary EFI was the downfall of these engines. And Dad was none too pleased to have an Oldsmobile engine in a Cadillac.
Say what you feel, however, General Motors took a great deal of noise from customers when they used those engines in “richer” brands. General Motors was doing what Ford and Chrysler had been doing for a long time. GM came out with statements that every Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, or Cadillac was built with genuine General Motors engines. I guess that’s why they did away with Buick’s Nailhead engine years earlier,(1967) so Buick owners couldn’t tell they were getting a Pontiac engine in their Electra 225.
I want to know how he found a yellow aftermarket cup holder??? I’ve seen them in tan, black and a few other nondescript colors but never yellow.
@Mitch
That’s the horrible dashboard Cadillac used in all of their ’74 through ’76 models.
I personally like the ’71 through ’73. To each his own.
This design was simple yet very classy. I thought it was the best of the designs that this particular model Cadillac ever made. What followed was an abomination in comparison. Whether you had the vinyl top or not, the car was simply a great looking comfortable and luxurious smaller sedan. Much nicer than what GM is putting out these days, and for a lot less money!
I see these come up for sale pretty regularly, but I have yet to see one with the digital dash and trip computer that seemed so popular when these came out. My ’78 had it, and it was a nice look and very helpful diagnostic tool.
I think this body style Seville is the sharpest and much nicer than the Versailles although I love the mark of any year. I can’t say I would buy this one I really don’t like yellow and triple yellow even less. If it were black or most any other color I would consider.
The best looking version of all the Sevilles and the best color! Still looks great even today!
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1978-cadillac-seville/
The USA domestic car that started 4 door only – too bad it wasn’t ugly – things might be different today, if it didn’t sell back then.
Tho considering the 4 door only import Plymouth Cricket was a flop, i wonder
how the pinto, vega & beetle would have sold if they were 4 door onlys – certainly would have ruined their looks, like the recent(some already gone) 4 door only subcompacts.