A true story of a car parked and left to sit for 40 years, this 1963 Cadillac Coupe DeVille convertible is listed here on craigslist in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.
The “DeVille” designation dates back to 1949 when America was on its way to full recovery from the Second War, and Cadillac was the ultimate in luxury machines. This particular car is representative of the second generation, with its slightly less ostentatious shiny trim but equivalent physical presence, as compared to the 1959-1960. A total of 143 different interior options were available in 1963, depending what boxes you checked on your order form, including wool seat material, of all things! This marked the widest variety of any vehicle to date, at the time. Only one engine was available, though, a 390-cubic-inch V8 churning out 325 American, tetraethyl-lead-gasoline horsepower. As big as Cadillacs were back then, they needed all of that oomph. In fact, if memory serves me, there was at least one of these in the background on the TV show Mad Men… and yes, Don bought a ’62, then a ’65, but you get what I’m saying.
In the case of this one, the seller is rather shy with details. We’re told only what it is and that it has a clean title – which is very important in the Keystone State, as any Pennsylvania car enthusiast can tell you. What we can see, from what few pictures there are, is that it’s very dusty and a little rusty, but it looks like it’s probably all there.
Given that driver examples are bringing decent money nowadays, and fully-restored pieces are fetching handsome prices, this one might be worth the gamble, but that’s just my opinion. What do you think of this Cadillac?
Hopefully the clean title comes with the correct date.
It’s a 1964 DeVille convertible. Which means the motor was punched out to 429 cubes and was the first year for the automatic climate control system.
Although I doubt someone would have ordered it on a convertible but you never know!
By this vintage it was ordered on about 96% of all Cadillacs.
Never ceases to amaze me when readers know more about the vehicle that’s being sold than the seller.
Correct. `63 was the last year for the 390. The cvt. top looks amazingly tight, which helped the interior I hope. I see it has leather.
Climate control was standard from 1964 on, so it’s included, convertible or not.
Great top…..loooks like someone cared about this one.
You gotta be kidding….another car stuck in a garage with crap all over it.roll the damn thing out if you want to sell it………….driving me crazy
OK…I’m better now
Its NOT a 63. It’s a 64 with lower rear tail fins and that oil leaking boat anchor motor. The 390 was better by far. Wish I still had my Coupe DeVille.
I wish I still had my hearse.
Great looking car! Reminds me of my dads 63. The chrome doesn’t look that bad, but the photos don’t show all, like the bottom corners. Wonder what the frame looks like?
VIN starts with 64 so a give away that it is a 1964 along with the previously mentioned one year only tail section.
Convertibles were not called Coupe deville. The side badging is incorrect. It would have read Deville on the side. Am I correct?
It wasn’t called Couple Deville either, like it is in the link and title.
Miguel, I was wondering how long it would take before someone caught that “typo”:0) The only Cadillac convertibles 1963-1964 were the Series 62, the DeVille, and the Eldorado, however, even the experts can make a mistake:
https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0517-281708/1964-cadillac-coupe-deville-convertible/
evening ben in fla some of u guys are right haven’t been on in a while but ive had several of these big boats and yes coupe deville ment a two door ht no post deville was a rag top sedan deville was a 4 door and yes its a 64 parking lights on a 63 were round and the front connor sections were a little different I guess some guys just don’t know what they have the price in my opion is high for the cond it looks to be in I would have to check it out real good its in a block garage and back then they look like the blocks called cinder and the cement had lime in it which causes rot in metal unless it was clamite control and this one doesn’t look like that plus what does the engine bay look like the underside inside trunk to much money in not enough pics and info u can buy a running driving here in fl for around 12 gs just my opion
Dude, have you ever heard of periods?
OIL SLICK, I had to come back to the thread to see what you were asking about when I saw this comment in my inbox.
It could have been a few things
So do we think the Coupe deVille script was added to the right rear quarter panel?
Yes
To put this car in perspective, here is a 1964 DeVille Convertible that sold through Mecum for $30,000.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0517-281708/1964-cadillac-coupe-deville-convertible/
It mush have been added. The factory would have applied Deville not deville.