Like many of you who find themselves a little uncomfortable in the 21st century, I frequent a number of car forums related to the collector cars I own. Recently, a member of one of them asked the kind of lightly philosophical question that pops up from time to time: “What advice would you give your younger self?” There’s only one thing in my case, and that is to take on more debt when you buy your first house so you have room to build a garage twice as big as you think you’ll need. I bring this up because you’re looking at one of five cars I’d like to own (that I don’t already) before my time’s up, a 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. The bad news (for me) is that it’s too long to fit in my garage with the others. Barn Finds reader T.J. has been throwing them right into my strike zone lately, and he found this one on Marketplace in Charlemont, Massachusetts, with an asking price of $16,500. It has a newer paint job, but it will need some assembly before the new owner can hit the road.

The seller says that the DeVille got a professional paint job and some chrome work, but the car was parked in dry storage and never completed (there is some exterior trim in the trunk). Now, it runs and drives (although I might hear a little valvetrain noise in the seller’s video) but has a low brake pedal. The engine is Cadillac’s famous 331-cubic-inch V8, directing 250 horsepower (up 20 from 1954) through its standard four-speed Hydramatic.

Cadillac actually lowered the price of the Coupe DeVille by $297 in 1955, and sales increased accordingly: 33,000 to 17,170 in 1954, which means there are theoretically more of them to go around today. Thanks, Cadillac!

The interior will also need some assembly. Luckily for the new owner, the car comes with a new carpet and headliner, and although the upholstery seems a little dingy, it can probably be cleaned well enough to make the DeVille a nice driver.

The undercarriage is almost shockingly devoid of rust, especially considering that the car is being sold in the northeast. The seller put the car on a lift and took several pictures of the rockers, floors, and frame; it’s not showroom new, but it’s very clean.

This is not just a beautiful car but a hobby for the summer; if you have a mechanical green thumb with a little interior expertise, you could have this car back on the road in a month full of weekends (but don’t forget a new set of tires). The price seems very reasonable for a solid Coupe DeVille with a nice paint job; the only reason I haven’t made the call is the length. My garage is two wide and two deep (and because I’ve made some questionable decisions, that doesn’t include the ones I rotate in and out of storage). About 210 inches is the limit, and this ’55 exceeds that by over a foot, so someone else will have to buy this beautiful Cadillac and tell me how it goes. Or maybe don’t tell me, I’m not sure I want to know.