Looking back to the changing times the automotive world was experiencing during the mid-seventies, it seems General Motors couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate era to introduce the Cadillac Seville when the sedan was added to the lineup as a 1976 model. Many buyers had already begun to flock toward the less massive European luxury offerings, and the Seville stepped in as the brand’s smallest yet most expensive offering. A handful of coach makers also realized a good opportunity to attract customers who wanted to stand out from the typical Cadillac crowd, and one of the results was the Grandeur Opera, such as this example here on Craigslist in Camby, Indiana. Priced at $13,995, I’m not sure you can get much more bang for your buck in the attention-seeking department.
We’d like to give another shout-out to Barn Finds reader T.J., who spotted this one and sent it our way! To say the styling here is over-the-top might be putting it mildly, but that was the intent when the Grandeur Motor Car Corporation of Florida went to work on these Cadillacs. Some 600 in total were produced, including your choice of a 4-door creation, or a shortened oddity like the car featured here, with half of the doors removed.
What the 2-door models lacked in roominess inside the cab was more than made up for ahead of the doors, with a spare tire cover integrated into each front fender, complete with wire wheel coverings. The grille almost appears as though it would be more at home on a Lincoln Town Car, but one of the most interesting features near this area is the hood placement, which stops way short of the front end. The owner says his car remains well preserved, and it’s wearing the original white paint all these decades later.
Under that dwarfed hood is a fuel-injected Oldsmobile 350 engine, still the original powerplant we’re told, and reportedly making 180 horsepower. It’s mated to the more rugged Turbo 400 automatic transmission, and with just 28,000 original miles on the ticker, there could be quite a bit more motoring enjoyment to be experienced here. The seller reports the engine is running well, with recent attention given to the fuel injectors, and new brakes installed.
The abridged interior looks as good as I would expect for the age, with a couple of dash cracks and light wear on the leather seats. However, considering these components are now 46 years old, it’s hard to argue with the owner when he tells us the Caddy is in exceptional condition overall. I’m convinced that his statement about this unusual car turning heads wherever you go is also accurate. If a Grandeur Opera is the Cadillac of one’s dreams, in my opinion, $14k doesn’t sound all that unreasonable to pay here. What are your thoughts?
Such a waste of a nice car.
Grotesque. I’ll take a Seville San Remo, please.
Cheezy
The #1 vehicular choice for pimps.
Some things are just an acquired taste-pickled pigs feet, haggis, this car..
To each their own.
Wow. Never realized that this became almost mid-engined with better F/R ratio…all of the extension appears forward of the radiator?
No, the extension is between the firewall and the dashboard. The engine compartment is out front, like a standard Seville.
Superfly called…
It would have looked better with coupe doors , this is grotesque
Fine example of ’70s kitsch…
A repulsive turd
There should be a fun established to hunt these down and crush them, so that no more retinas will be burned
This is even worse when you picture the side view without those integrated spare tire covers on the front fenders. The standard Seville drew more than enough attention. Classy to tacky for more $$$. What a deal!
Waste of a perfectly good Cadillac.
Since the inception of Cadillac Motor Car Company in 1902, with the exception of the 1988/89 Eldorado, this has got to be the ugliest Cadillac ever created.
It is so out of proportion.
I’m just glad a coach builder made this and not Cadillac proper.
Down right fugly!
That is one ugly looking car.
My opinion is that there were two demographics for this car. One has passed on from this life and the other transitioned to other vehicles. This car serves as a reminder that you don’t always do something just because you can.
I’ll admit the time of the Neo classic has somewhat come and gone, but to call these Cadillacs ugly and fuggley l don’t understand.To each it’s own l guess. l’ve gotten over my desire for one but the first time I saw one l did a U- Turn to have a look and the guy looked like a Play Boy. Say what you want. The best of these Opera Coups are in someone’s collection and the price for this one is very reasonable. Lovely Opera Coup.
I’m with Greg.The object here is not to serve anyone’s idea of a classic.The idea is to create attention,which it does in spades.
Many Picassos are not necessarily objects of beauty but they get attention and sure are valuable.
A car even Stevie Wonder wouldn’t be caught dead in
Yeah, Okay. The Cybertruck ain’t so bad.
Naw. The Cybertruck is still uglier.
I can hear the Curtis Mayfield blaring out of that Kraco Quadrophonic stereo, from here!
Does it come with a pair of glasses with the rubber nose and mustache attached? If you buy it some point, someone you know will see you driving it.
Ugliest-ass car ever!! Screams pimp from a mile away. Wouldn’t be caught dead in it. Sorry if I’ve offended anyone here, I just like to be honest.
If you didn’t know what it was to begin with, you wouldn’t think that the proportions were off.
It looks OK to me.
But I have noticed over the years that some peeps can’t cope with things that are out of the oridinary.