Long, low, luxurious, and appearing to be in great condition, this 1971 Cadillac Sedan DeVille is said to have been in regular storage since 2007 and only driven a couple of times a year since then to keep things operating correctly and to keep gas flowing through the fuel system. It could use a carburetor rebuild after not having been used regularly, and new tires, but sounds like it’s ready to go otherwise.
Looking like Casablanca Yellow with a white vinyl top, this is a somewhat unusual color combination for a big luxury car from 1971. Or maybe it isn’t? I like it, though. It’s nice to see any color on a vehicle as we’re bombarded with black, white, silver, and gray vehicles today, mostly SUVs, not giant luxury cars. The fourth-generation DeVille was made for the 1971 through 1976 model years and was quite modern-looking compared to the square cars of the previous generation.
I’m assuming this is a California car since that’s where it’s located now, but we don’t know for sure. Wherever it’s from, it sure appears to have been well-preserved. There’s no mistaking the classic Cadillac taillights, is there? The company still uses a variation of that signature design element today. The headlight treatment was unique in having the twin headlights spaced apart on each side.
The carpet looks a bit dirty, but I don’t see any huge issues inside otherwise. I hope the steering wheel cover is protecting a perfect steering wheel but even if not, it’s fine unless you’re going to spend countless months on this car to get it ready for Pebble Beach, which most likely isn’t going to happen. The back seat area is huge and looks comfortable with enough legroom for Wilt Chamberlin. It’s hard to beat a hardtop body style, this one is beautiful.
The engine is Cadillac’s 472-cu.in. OHV V8 with 345 horsepower and a whopping 500 lb-ft of torque. With some maintenance due to this car sitting for the last 17 years without regular use, this should be quite a cruiser again. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Tehachapi, California, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is just $2,375! Hagerty is at $12,300 for a #3 good-condition example, this one is a steal at even half that price. Have any of you owned a ’71 DeVille?
the blue plates would be correct for California in 1971.
My old man loved big cars, and after his Oldsmobiles, made the logical step GM had planned all along, to a 4 door Caddy like this. He was very proud of that fact, so much so, he pulled out of the driveway, and drove slowly down the street windows down, yelling, “LOOK YOU BUNCH OF %*@#’s, JERRY IS DRIVING A CADILLAC!”, as we all slunk down in the seats. He didn’t care, he worked 30 years and went through the war, he felt he deserved one. To list this cars accolades would be useless, you have to drive one. Although I never drove the Caddy, I did take my road test on his next car, a ’68 Lincoln. Dad liked big cars.
To bolster my views on lack of interest, this should be the poster child for that. Just $3 grand for this magnificent car, and what, $25 grand for some VW bus? You wonder why I’m nuts?
Had a 71 almost this color, a mechanic wrecked the engine, then had a 73. Wonderful cars, extremely comfortable, you could drive all day and step out uncramped. Set and forget the HVAC. Also very peppy with that engine. If I had somewhere to park this one ….
My boss bought a ’71 Fleetwood station wagon in this same color, in the spring of 1971 – it had a darker brown interior and, a matching vinyl top. The price of the “car” before the customization was around $10,000 – the total cost for the car was $21,000. ( a lot for a car back in 1971 ) Part of my job, at age 20, was to keep the family cars filled with gas – he bought his wife a ’70 Cougar convertible. She had complained around her ’66 Mustang SIX cylinder not having enough power, so he ordered the Cougar with a 428 Cobra Jet engine and ram air. ( I had a lot more fun taking THAT one to the gas station every week !!! )
ahh…. “Bamboo Cream”… gotta love it. OK so I gotta add my story to the pile as well. I had a 71 Coup de Ville I bought in 81 – had 7,800 miles on it. Was a real “little old lady only drove it church on Sunday morning” car. Other than that it lived in the garage. It still had the factory tires on it and she much not have gone to church on rainy days because the bottom was bone dry and totally rust free (that means no surface rust either). Had 80k on it when I sold it 3 years later. THAT was one wonderful car!
LOVE cars like this!
If she wasn’t so far away I’d be all over it. Just to re-live memories from childhood
If I could only dig up some $$$ by ANY means I would be all over this car. This is a vintage of Cadillac I have wanted for eons, Of course the price of the car is only one issue. The other is how many $$$ it would cost to drive it home to Portlandia
My Dad sold a buddy of his a bamboo/white vinyl top cream leather interior in 73.We drove it to California from Michigan on my spring break. I was 17 and got drive most of the time. Sweet comfortable ride for sure!
One more story…….
I’ve never had a ’71,’72 or ’73 and have always wanted them but I have had a ’74 Coupe de Ville, a ’75 Fleetwood Talisman, a ’75 Eldorado convertible and a ’76 Coupe de Ville.
It has been my bucket list to get a ’69 & a ’71 through ’73.
As you know I quite often pick out design details as I have an eye for that. 1970 & ’71 were the only years Cadillac dropped the “V” on the Cadillac emblem, using just the crest coat of arms. The “V” returned in ’72 and lasted until somewhere in the ’80s when it was replaced with the Fleetwood wreath for all Cadillacs. That was retired a few years ago in favor of just the crest coat of arms again, only elongated now. Someone switched out the red taillight lenses for white ones. Let’s put the red ones back, please. Lord knows what other aftermarket crap they’ve done. J.C. Whitney anyone?
73 was the best looking Caddy in the front. The interior was extremely nice too. I never liked it when they hit 1974 and put that stupid little square speedometer in it that only went to 100.
This one does not have cruise. It has a few tacky controls added and 2 gauges(not 3) where the antenna switch was. PS. The 69 and 70 had several design flaws I never liked. My 65 was far superior in the interior design.
Angela! We meet again on this DIVALICIOUS Land YACHT. Totally agree about the V, wreath and Crest. To Cadillac Kid, also love the front end, pure Cadillac. Still obsessed with 58 Sixty Special! 🏆
Besides your Eldorado convertible that Talisman had to be a dream on wheels. Rode in all years and models of Cadillac but never Talisman
The Talisman was OTT luxury. But see my post on Series 75 limo.
How about a 66 and a 68 and how about 64 and 77 I have pics of all my caddies
Hello Rick! Nice to see you again. We land barge people stick together. I like our little group, Rick, The Cadillac Kid, Frog, me and anyone who’d like to be in it. The only requirement is the love of land yachts.
1965 was a pinnacle for Cadillac. First year since 1959 that there were no fins. Vertical headlights and taillights became a hallmark for Cadillac. Quality was great.
1965 is also one of my favorite years.
TCK…. what were the design flaws of the 1969 and 1970 Cadillacs and I’m assuming you are referring to the de Villes and Fleetwoods, not so much the Eldorados?
Yes, mainly but not limited to Devilles. Where do I begin? Let’s start with the great big, huge dash that the 69/70 has and Cadillac can’t find a place for the wiper control so trey make an ugly pod and mount it on the door. And making it worse, the control is not lit. Next, when you backed one of those tanks up, you threw your right arm over the seat top ant twisted your body while using one hand on the wheel looking out the back glass but you can’t because the seat backs were way too high. I can go on with a few more.
Please do. I never thought of the seat backs being too high, but you’ve got a point.
I always thought that wiper pod was poorly thought out and badly executed. Still better than the ’74 through ’76 dash though.
What else? I’m wracking my brain trying see what you will come up with.
For our group Angela And The Land Yachts, my late brother, a very successful business man, once had a 67 Series 75 limo. Riding in it was incredible. He bought it with the idea of getting work done while the driver took him to various locations. He felt that he was not really accomplishing much and folks thought he was putting on airs. SO he traded it for a Silver Shadow. He had a total of six Rolls Royce vehicles over the years, including a 62 Cloud. Then he abruptly turned to Mercedes, keeping only the Cloud. NEVER understood that! Happy tales to you, til we meet again!
A painful auction update, this gorgeous car sold for a mere $5,700. Ouch.
@ Scotty
It’s about time prices started to fall!
They got ridiculous hovering up there in the stratosphere. Now “regular” people can get back into the hobby that had been taken over by the mega rich corporate aholes and “investors. “
Angel. The 69 was the first to not have a temp gauge. It did have 2 warning systems instead of one. One for coolant temp and the “Stop Engine Temp” was on the ex. Manifold but only on one. The dash “pod” made the radio very difficult for a passenger to see or adjust and the clock was almost invisible to them. The gas gauge was vertical but was an “arc” type movement which made levels hard to read. That was changed in 70. Of course they did away with the fender turn indicators too.