Looking appropriately luxurious parked on a partial paver driveway (try saying that quickly ten times in a row), this third year of the first-generation 1978 Cadillac Seville looks like a very nice example of this smaller Cadillac, meant to duke it out with imports. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Richmond, Indiana and there is a $12,900 buy-it-now price listed.
The wheels, or tires, as we used to call them, always look too big to me on the first-gen Sevilles. I like big wheels, don’t get me wrong, I have bigger/upsize wheels on three of my vehicles, but they just look huge on these cars. Another thing that is neither here nor there, which nobody says anymore, is that in the photo above, the grille on this car has an almost Ford Crown Victoria look to it to me. Again, this is just worthless ramblings by basically a worthless rambler. Much less important than Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts”.
This appears to be one of the nicest early Sevilles that we’ve seen here, although most of them have been nice. This is a rare case of a car this old – face it, for most people today, 1978 is old – in which the silver panels all look perfect. There isn’t a door or a fender, or bumper-fillers that look gray or just a hair lighter or darker. The seller says that this car has just over 65,000 miles on it and it was owned by a collector who kept it in fantastic condition.
The interior looks outstanding, which isn’t surprising. The Seville was offered by Cadillac as a separate model beginning in mid-1975 for the 1976 model year, up until 2004. Ahhh… 2004, back when cars were cheap and plentiful. Or, just cheap. The first-gen Sevilles were made from 1976 to 1979 at which point we got the bustleback Seville. Many folks put them in the same category as the Pontiac Aztek, but I liked them, having owned one fairly recently. The back seat in this car looks like it’s never even been looked at, let alone sat on.
The engine isn’t the diesel, this is a regular ol’ GM-sourced 350-cu.in. OHV V8, according to the “B” in the fifth position of the VIN. It would have had 170 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. The seller puts his or her money where their mouth is, and this is an amazing offer: they say that if you go and look at this car and it isn’t as nice as they’ve described it, they will reimburse your travel expenses! Adam, how much is a flight from Tasmania to Richmond, Indiana?! Seriously, this looks like a beautiful example, any thoughts on this Seville?
It appears as though they replaced the steering wheel. That’s not the original style wheel, that style steering wheel came out on the 79s. Also you can tell it’s a different color grey. Everything else looks original. Wonder why they replaced it?
Noticably different silver/ grey…owners rings tore up original?
I’ve always thought these were really good looking cars.
Hopefully all the electrics work properly.
There was a feature on Hemmings.com recently,where
the author listed what they would do to one of these.I thought
his ideas would make one a better looking & driving car.
I’m guessing the grey paint peeled off the orig steering wheel.
These drive wheels are only 15″ – they look too big?! Even today’s tiny cars come with bigger wheels. lol
They would look too small to any younger driver today & you can bet 18’s or bigger are in this car’s future.
Rectangular glass headlites severely limit you on front end styling, which is why i thought the ’80s fwd Dodge “Daytona” had a front end that looked like the offspring of an ’80s camaro & ’80s mustang.
My Dad had one of these and was so proud of it. Two tone, black and gray with all the options, opera lights, simulated rabit fur carpeting in the front footwells. I think it had 4-5 cigarette lighters? He had the complete shop manaul. He sold it as it was early on in fuel injector technology and was told that once one went bad you had to pretty much rebuild the engine. Yes, electrical schematic was insane
I would think a manifold & carburetor swap was done on a few of these, instead.
“the grille on this car has an almost Ford Crown Victoria look to it to me”
That’s putting the cart before the horse, since the Seville came first. ;-)
Ha! You’re right, Frank!
The peak of d’elegance in automobile styling. 🙌
Per the ebay listing: “The listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.”
Maybe the seller took it down after the wave of tire kickers tried to collect on the comment “if you come and look at this car and you are not impressed and it is not as nice as what I have said I will pay for all of your expenses getting here.”
The steering wheel is from a newer GM car as the originals are
thinner and have a faux wood trim and their rearside is waved.
Could be a “sport” wheelie from an X- or J-body, the horn plate
looks Buick style. Where you see here the notch around the horn
plate originally is a silver painted plastic trim.
That was back then when its successor was already there the
car for all those who wanted to be rich but despite 3 different
credit cards it was not financially sufficient for the newer model,
or even for a much better Mercedes 230E which was then the
most alternative car peoples with interest showed.
Richness is defined as how much real assets you own not how
much debts to a Bank.
Besides the still too high fuel consumption (16-22L/100KM),
most possible buyers were pissed..put off by the strange
dashboard with the low-mounted speedometer unit.
GM also used this dashboard in the oversized brougham but its
sheer oversize kept it to a rare sight here.
If this were a diesel you can make Russian tuning and install a
much lively and better Toyota V8 with 4- or 5-speed automatic
and 4! Installed disc brakes.
Fabric seats are rare in these things but I do not even want the
gift because it would certainly block me 2 years the place until
someone buys it. A steady clean example here.
It’s not the lowest mile one in existence. My buddy has a 78 with less than 5,000 miles. Black. These cars are really nice. Great driving well built cars with plenty of power.
76-79 Seville’s ran an Oldsmobile engine which was stronger , Olds was always the toughest engine from GM .
Price is a little high but , this will be a collector car in another 7 years .
Get around 30 grand 4 it .
Everybody has something derogatory to say about that car. Haters gonna hate!
Nice car as I have a white 79 with same rims
My Dad had a 79 Seville and it was a beautiful car. I loved it so much, I bought a Black one. The problem with these cars is the air up suspension and what it costs to replace or repair. I still love the looks and size but just can’t make myself do it.
Had a ’76 with Rolls Grille option. Loved it, but with short wheel base doesn’t ride as nice as full size Caddy.
I had a ’77 white over white, LOVED that car. comfy and i though very stylish. ran like a top. I. have regretted selling it. I had a chrome luggage rack installed on the trunk. My steering wheel was wood grain insets, not solid color.
In mid 1974 I worked for a printer and we did new car sales brochures for British Leyland, GM and AMC. The main brochures we did for GM were Cadillacs.
At the time I was driving a 68 Lincoln Continental 4 door.
One day everybody had to swear a secrecy oath. Once we did, the layouts and artwork came out for the new Seville.
The guy from Cadillac sales asked me if I was the one driving the Lincoln.
“Yes.”
“What do you think about this Seville?”
“Do you think you’d buy one?”
“It’s really nice for about $4500.”
“How about $12,500?”
“You won’t sell one!”
I guess I was a tad bit off.
But, I’ll say this, out of all the Sevilles they’ve had since this first generation, none have been this good looking.
It’s the perfect color with an awesome interior, I just don’t care for the wheels.
Good luck with your sale.
I purchased one of these ’76 models new in Oct ’75. It was a very nice ride with peppy performance from the 350 engine. It had fuel injection which was problematic and had to be re-tuned about every 6 months. It would either decide idle extremely fast at stop lights or shut off.It was silver like this car but the paint had a slight mismatch. GM offered to repaint the car (which they did), but I told them that was poor quality control for Cadillac Division. Other than those 2 issues. I was very pleased with the car.
A gussied up Nova from the’70’s malaise era. That being said, I did ride in one back about 40 years ago and thought it was pretty nice. I still say my’76 Corolla was a far better car than this. For about a quarter of the price of this.
I bought one of these in blue from a client of my wife back in 97 for a $1000.00 for my step son to drive. It was a low mileage car in perfect condition. Unfortunately, a rubber fuel line underneath the car and near the engine compartment sprung a leak caught the car on fire burning up most of the wiring under the hood. It was fuel injected and the computer on those cars was very expensive which was also destroyed due to the fire. That car went to the salvage yard after the insurance company totaled it.
They are beautiful cars though.
God Bless America
After reading it hundreds of times, I can’t believe I’m going to repeat it. But…
with it’s Nova bones, this would be so cool with a LS swap.
I had a ’78 and it was a diesel. I loved the car until the diesel acted up. One day it just started making a racket and running rough. I elected to drive it home rather than a car carrier. Bad decision. As it was July 4th, there was a parade through a small town and I got stuck at the end of the parade! I drove through this town with hundreds of people in place to watch the parade in that car! Have been driving Lincolns ever since!
I had a 78 in Brown with brown leather interior and this one seems to have cloth interior! It was a great car as I was in Real Estate sales!
If I remember the steering wheel had a wooden look on it maybe about a half inch facing the driver!
Just chiming in to say, “GM-sourced 350ci OHV V8” is probably too vague. Most people are going to assume that means it’s a Chevy small-block, which is incorrect. Chevy, Pontiac, Olds and Buick all produced their own, unrelated 350ci V8s. These first-gen Sevilles used Olds 350s.
I owned several Caddys from the ’70s and they all had fake woodgrain inserts in the steering wheel that started falling apart almost immediately. I would suspect that’s why this one has a replacement wheel.
Despite the Nova lineage, I have always thought this generation of Seville was a timeless design and very classy. I have always wanted one. I have a friend who has a mint condition yellow one with matching yellow leather.
The luxury Nova starting in ’75 with reclining seats, IMO, was a much better value. & even the Merc Monarch – black exterior & black leather interior.
I worked for a Cadillac dealership in 79-82 and loved this model Seville. Rode and drove great. Peppy for what it is then they released the “fastback” model. YEEECH. Really hated that one
Maybe it’s just me but why does everyone compare it to a Nova? I think it’s exactly like an 80’s 4 door Regal or Olds Cutlass
Is this car still available…
Another example of a nice 1st Gen Seville.. price is a lil steep for “The Brotherman”