I must like these old Cadillac convertibles, as I keep writing about them. These are beautiful cars to see around and even better if it belongs to someone with a big garage, someone who might give me a ride occasionally. 1968 was the first year the wipers disappeared under a longer hood and the last year of the stacked headlights. This drop top looks like a great survivor and is listed on craigslist in Placerville, California for $16,000. The price seems a little high, but if it’s as nice as it looks in the ad, it just might be reasonable. The seller bought it from the original owner. This old drop top is said to run and drive well and to be”not rusty”, very unusual for a convertible. The top is almost new and the chrome looks pretty nice.
The inside looks really nice and original with perhaps a few cracks in the leather in the driver’s seat.
Here’s the 375 horsepower 472 cu in engine looking very original and thirsty. It’s a bit dusty and could use some detailing. This Cadillac has power brakes and steering, but there’s no sign of an A/C compressor.
You really can’t tell much about the condition of this Cadillac from here, but it’s said to be rust free.
Certainly, the paint won’t be as nice in person as it is in the pictures, but it should look OK for a driver. There will likely be electrical gremlins to pursue and other mechanical issues to be repaired but hopefully, it will be a nice driver without too much work. A/C would be nice but was uncommon in convertibles. This appears to be an especially nice survivor, let’s just hope it stays that way. Are there any Cadillac fans out there?
when i was a punk.my boss had a white with black/top interior for sale, wouldn’t sell it to me? ended up with a plum crazy 70 super B 361(383 was gone) 4spd. never thought about that caddy again! karma.
This was a great year for the Cadillac. Love the sweeping lines of this year. It is not my favorite, but close second. That honor goes to the 59. Love the fins just like Harley Earl did. I was never a Cadillac guy, but always appreciated them.
I thought a/c was standard on all Cadillacs. We’re Caddy convertibles a/c delete?
Air conditioning wasn’t standard on all Cadillacs until 1975 believe it or not, by this point it was ordered on about 99% of all Cadillacs though, so its rare to see one without a/c by this vintage, usually the most common non a/c Cadillacs are hearses and ambulances.
I think you’re right about 1975. That was the first year that almost everything was standard. I had a ’73 and AC was still an option. Luckily mine had it.
I used to own one of these. Same make, model, year.
I bought it kind of beat up, but got some of the rust out, replaced the top (myself), re-did he leather front seats (contractor) and fixed a ton of burnt out bulbs behind the dash. The hardest thing was replacing the power window rear right motor. What a shit-show that was.
Three cigarette lighters though.
Took a trip through the Rockies and back with my then girlfriend’s – now wife’s – feet on the dash as she knitted something for somebody’s child.
Those were the days.
jmacc,
It looks like this one may need the right rear window motor replaced too.
I’ll always have a soft spot for 1960s Caddy convertibles ! I had a ’65 many years ago in the same color combo except for a black top. Mine never evolved beyond the “project” stage. But I loved it and miss it tremendously.
I like this. I wonder if I can talk some buddies from work into a cross-country road trip back to Georgia. . .
Definitely a non- A/C car. no vents in the middle of the dash. Standard heater box looks no different from the A/C box. Shouldn’t be too hard to retro fit from a doner sedan. Love this body style too, test drove a used one back in the 80s, big comfy boat in baby blue (non factory). Loving the white n red. Numbers a bit high in my opinion, but I am notoriously cheap.
Only worth $16K if the heads were rebuilt and pistons swapped out, so it can run on unleaded gasoline. Otherwise it is worth not over $9K and a lead additive must be used in the fuel. The 472 cid engine also loves Marvel Mystery Oil in the crankcase, one pint at oil change and one pint 500 miles before the next oil change. The differential ring and pinion are about 3.21:1 so no smoky burnouts or an axle could snap. Heavier ratios were available as an option, but the nicest with good pull were the 3.90:1 or 3.91:1 ratios. About 10 mpg.
1968 was a good year, but my 1965 coupe, was the best with 429 and 3.90 gears. I wasn’t looking for fast, just a good pulling car in the snow, a pack of Lucky Strike on the dash, and drive in comfort. 1968 seats felt a little more plush.
I have run a lot of pre unleaded gas v8s on unleaded without installing hardened seats. Granted, they weren’t daily drivers… As for “piston replacement”, that has nothing to do with leaded fuel. If anything, the older higher compression engines need high octane premium fuel to function properly.
My seventh grade teacher had a similar 1967 Cadillac convertible, medium blue with a white top. I actually got to ride in it to a concert the seventh graders sang at one night. I thought I was special because I had never ridden in a Cadillac. Before that, she had a 1965 Bonneville convertible, dark blue with a white top. It was beautiful too.