Cadillac reintroduced the Seville nameplate in 1976 in hopes of creating a smaller luxury car that would attract younger buyers. It sold well enough but missed its mark of putting more affluent “thirtysomethings” behind the steering wheel. So, the automobiles were redesigned for 1980, gaining their now famous (or infamous) “Bustle Back” rear styling and deck lid. The car would be the subject of at least one aftermarket company creating two-seat “Opera Coupes” out of the 4-door sedans. This is one such transformed Caddy from 1982 and can be found in Norridge, Illinois. A one-owner showstopper, this Seville is available here on craigslist for $24,900. Our appreciation to Pat L. for continuing to find interesting tips like this for our perusal.
The Seville was not an unpopular car. Cadillac built 215,000 of them between 1976-79 and another 198,000 from 1980-85, the auto’s second generation. Changes in styling for those latter Sevilles were considered a dramatic, modern take on the mid-’30s style of trunk/body integration. Plus, the Seville’s long hood/short deck proportions were inspired by luxury cars of the 1960s. The second-gen Seville was one of the last vehicles conceived by GM designer Bill Mitchell. These cars would be powered by 350 cubic-inch V8 engines supplied by Oldsmobile.
Along came Grandeur Motorcar Corp., a custom automotive manufacturer out of Pompano Beach, Florida, that was in business from 1976-89. They focused on creating unique, 2-seat coupes and convertibles, and the first- and second-generation Seville was one of their targets. Estimates are that 600 of the special cars were produced using a stretched chassis of the original cars. Side-mounted “dummy” spare tires added to the aura of these automobiles.
We’re told this one-family Caddy is in excellent condition with only 37,000 miles on the clock. It wears real wire-spoke wheels and was recently treated to new brakes and tires. It’s spent most of its life in a heated garage, which is a plus in cold places like Illinois. The seller added air shocks in the rear to raise the car’s hind quarters up in the air if that’s your thing. Luxury oddities like this were most often bought and driven by “the rich and famous” although we don’t know if either of those words describes the seller. Do customs like this float your boat?
This car would be a chick magnet at the bingo hall.
Or on Disco Nite!
Or with Robert De niro in Casino.
Much higher off the ground and you will need oxygen to drive it.
Strange that it has no opera windows?
It’s just sooooooo ugly!
Ugly exterior, and ugly engine
Zsa Zsa, your car is ready.
What’s with that jacked up rear end Did they come that way or did someone put some Gabriel hi jacker air shocks on it? Weird car from any angle and not any pretty
Ad states air shocks were added
Added air shocks: Why? Too much “junk in the trunk”?
Vin_In_NJ, yes, and now it looks like it is going downhill all the time!!
This is literally the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. Ugh. Ugh. Ugggggghhhh!!
Well you ARE the acknowledged BF expert.on ugly…….
Super barf! Kept the ugliest part of the original and tried to outdo it. I’m going to be sick…
Instabarf! They kept the ugliest part of the car and tried to outdo it. I’m going to be sick…
I would proudly drive a “normal” bustle back Seville but not the subject although it is in great condition. Nice write up, target was rich and famous as well as those with bad taste and a high credit score.
Liberacè or Elton John 🕯
Put cragers with N-50s on rear 4in up front,talk about a street freak.
I have no words to describe this but an emojy will 🤢😵💫
The proportions on that thing are downright frightful. Not that the Seville they started with was a particularly elegant design in the first place. But I guess somebody liked them. And I still see brand new Cadillacs with landau roofs added to them.
All that’s missing for the “full Liberace experience” are the candelabra.
More Operetta than Opera…
There are many questions to ask here; not the least of which is: Why?
. . . .[Side-mounted “dummy” spare tires added to the aura of these automobiles.] …. Really! Perhaps only to Cruella de Vil after a night on meth!
I can taste the vomit in the back of my throat……
Try Prilosec…
Yes it will turn heads, but for all the wrong reasons.
Who would buy this “ Pimpmobile”, I gots to know?
Superfly?
I visited a friend of mine in New Jersey back in 1989 and he had a Cadillac Bustle Back of which he was very proud, me, I thought it was the ugliest American car that I had ever seen, until I saw this! This is just downright fugly.
I rarely say an automobile is truly awful but this creates the exception.
Shocking that so many were sold.
Well, I guess I’m the only one. but I think it’s beautiful. It’s too much money for me and I’m too old or I would buy it. I’m even in the same state.
When I was a kid in the 70s the local Cadillac Chevrolet dealership owner bought his wife one of these, we were town if 5000 people. She thought she was highfalutin, it was comical, cowboys and ranchers would come in to town to get supplies and look at her with her nose up in the air I think she had airbags under her chin.
Pimp Mobile
The Seville in the late 70s and all 80s i was never a fan of. My uncle had a 1980 eldorado and my dad had ’81 cadillac Eldorado. My dads had the 4-6-8 v8 and was really the first car i drove to school in 2001. I loved that car. This seville is to pimp super fly to me. This is like owning the car excalibur.
370pp “too much junk in the trunk” that’s perfect for this Pile of parts!
Vinin NJ
It was all downhill for this thing the minute it was completed maybe even from the time it was designed hmm the family of the designer must be SO PROUD honey looked what I designed today LOL
“were inspired by luxury cars of the 1960s.” — uh, name three (3)
Does a purple pimp suit come as standard or as an option? LOL