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Luxurious Shorty! 1979 Cadillac Seville Opera Coupe

Like other automakers of the mid-1970s, Cadillac felt the pressure to offer smaller, more fuel-efficient products. Enter the luxurious Seville in 1976, just as fancy as the Sedan de Ville but with smaller external proportions. The Seville was chosen by Grandeur Motor Car Co. (there may have been others) as the basis for a neo-classic, 2-seat conversion that resulted in 600 copies (give or take) being built. This 1979 example looks to have survived well and has less than 27,000 miles on the odometer. Located in Granada Hills, California, this interesting cruiser is available here on craigslist for $11,500 and is another tip brought to us by Barn Finder Rocco B.

We assume that Grandeur (and other customizers) started with a factory Seville and cut on the body and frame to arrive at a 2-door version of the car but with a much longer hood to accommodate the addition of fake spare tire covers on the sides. Opera windows were added to the C-pillars as further enhancements. We haven’t found an estimate of what an Opera Coupe costs to purchase vs. a Seville from the neighborhood Caddy dealer. Did anyone here on Barn Finds ever buy one of these shorties when new?

Because the Seville (and now the Opera Coupe) were smaller and lighter than before, bigger engines were no longer required. We suspect there’s an Oldsmobile 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood of the seller’s car and those powerplants were rated at about 180 hp in that era of detuned motors. We don’t know much about this edition other than the current owner has had it for five years and only ventures out with it occasionally.

The seller makes no mention of anything on this Caddy that needs attention, so it should be a turnkey machine for your own outings to Cars & Coffee and the like. It’s said to run great, and the body, paint, and interior all look good. But it’s certainly not a practical automobile and you wouldn’t buy it for that reason. The seller seems to be the accommodating sort and is willing to accept payment in the form of cryptocurrency.

Comments

  1. JE Vizzusi

    First off I have to say Superfly may have interest. I can’t believe this so called coach builder can look in the mirror and say mission accomplished The good news when the cops shoot out 2 tires, you have spares.. this was a era of nose candy and bad rock music. So this sacrilegious Caddy fitted right in. Today, absolutely not!

    Like 16
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac Diva Member

      It has less than 27,000 miles on it because no one wants to be seen driving this abomination of a Cadillac.

      Like 17
  2. Howie

    The only things bad are the look and price!!

    Like 18
    • Roykirk

      One word, ugly.

      Like 11
  3. Rw

    Short change pimpin

    Like 10
  4. Scott MARQUIS

    Some are so hideous they’re beautiful. This ain’t one of them.

    Like 16
  5. Stan

    Stunning in the white palette 🎨

    Like 3
  6. TheOldRanger

    I never liked this car, thought it was atrocious in looks and style, and why Cadillac “wheels” let this get outside the gates.

    Like 7
  7. Pat

    Fugly

    Like 7
  8. Boo Radley

    I’ve always found these cars to be the absolute pinnacle of ugly. If someone offered me a ride in one, I rather crawl on hands and knees.

    Like 14
  9. Ed

    Our dealership sold ONE of these. It was so poorly engineered and built that we refused to order another. The modified frame flexed so much that when a front wheel encountered a bump, the entire body shook. I could go on but in short, they’re junk.

    Like 15
  10. C Force

    Kind of looks like they were trying to something like the stutz,they were being produced in the same time period.I think most of the sevilles had the olds 350.never seen one with nothing else.

    Like 2
  11. Greg

    There’s something wrong with the way this car stands.l love this car from the first time I saw one.looks to have had some body work ie suspension.

    Like 1
  12. Jon Patrick Leary

    I see Gary Coleman in this.

    Like 5
  13. Steve

    How to take a beautifully designed car and destroy it.

    Like 9
  14. Dern Blanstin

    I must be still hungover or something, but I think it is a really cool looking car…. I’ve never seen one before and it would definitely turn heads around my neck of the woods….the price isn’t bad either….

    Like 3
    • Old Man

      $11,500.00 for this abomination? Seriously?

      Like 5
    • Paul

      It turns heads…and stomachs

      Like 3
  15. jwaltb

    Luxurious POS. This is so ugly I could barf.

    Like 4
  16. Mike K

    If someone ever opens a museum dedicated to ’70’s bad taste this car belongs in a place of honor. Lacking that I wouldn’t know what to do with it.

    Like 4
    • Steve

      Paint balloons on it and make it a clown car.

      Like 4
  17. Jim M

    Another glaring example of just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

    Like 3
  18. Steveo

    Needs a gold package. And a Rolls grill.

    Like 0
  19. Lon

    I’ve seen better looking clown cars

    Like 0
    • Neil R Norris

      Is this from the Librace estate sale?

      Like 0
  20. Ghicks

    Put a few more ponies in that 350 I bet it would be fun

    Like 0

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