Integrated into this single car is the intersection of at least three vectors of American culture: music, art, and automotive history. “Music” refers to Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac”, a hit song in 1984. But of course, long before that, the Cadillac emerged from the mind of Henry Leland in 1902 and was produced by a factory formerly used by Henry Ford. Cadillac was sold to General Motors in 1909. Many decades later, the trio of Bill Mitchell, Chuck Jordan, and Dave Holls – inspired by Virgil Exner over at Chrysler – delivered a new design for “The Standard of the World”. Which brings us to our subject car here on eBay: a 1959 Cadillac DeVille two-door hardtop, bid to $31,100, reserve met, located in Amarillo, Texas. And therein is the last bit of history: this car was owned by Stanley Marsh 3, an eclectic character who helped conceive the Cadillac Ranch, located in none other than Amarillo, Texas – a tidy coincidence. The car’s seller worked on this car for many years, keeping it running for Mr. Marsh.
The ’59 Cadillac is notable for its elbow-high fins, impressive grille and bumper arrangement, and luxurious appointments. The V8 engine is no slouch either, with a displacement of 390 cu. in. and output of 345 hp; unfortunately, the speedometer does not work, but statistics show the car can reach a top speed of around 130 mph. The transmission is GM’s four-speed Hydra-Matic. Power brakes and power steering were standard. The seller indicates that the motor was rebuilt about 15 years ago, acquiring an after-market air cleaner in the process. The car starts, runs, and shifts well, but has seen little use since Mr. Marsh passed in 2014.
The interior retains its original upholstery, supplied in Silver/Black Coronado Metallic cloth accented with white leather. DeVille buyers enjoyed a host of standard equipment including an outside rearview mirror, power windows, a vanity mirror, power seats, windshield washers, and two-speed wipers. The seller notes that the passenger’s tinted door glass is cracked, the radio does not work, and something is up with the headlights.
This car has been repainted from its original Gotham Gold body/Dover White top color scheme. The seller notes the paint is about a five out of ten, but the chrome is good, and the photos show no serious rust. If the new owner doesn’t love pink… well, there’s a lot of acreage to repaint and no doubt bodywork to boot; given that, the price might be only a couple thousand shy of the market for an example with cosmetic restoration needs. Any of you willing to live with a pink Cadillac for this price?
Nice car to use in the Goodfellas or mob movies! I like it!
A true Time Capsule ! I think the headlight issue and the speedometer & radio should all work before shelling out $31,000 . If I was selling this iconic Cadillac , I would have everything working . It’s still one of the most famous cars of the Fabulous Fifties era and should sell in a reasonable time period !! Happy Motoring !
No other vehicle better represents late-1950s American confidence, prosperity, and flat-out exuberance than a pink 1959 Coupe DeVille.
Look at this car. It was the epitome of cars in America for 1959. Cadillac rode the wave of success for decades and then they lost their way. They decided to become BMW of all things. At least the first Seville aped Mercedes. Now Cadillac is nothing. It is no longer the Standard of the World. They lost.
Did I read that right ? The seller kept this car running for Mr Marsh but can,t fix the headlights.
Once the cash flow died? So did the maintenance?
Cadillac is nothing???
Your knowledge is nothing!
I can bet you never owned a Cadillac and never will. Not enough class.
Cadillac is the leader and always will be. I have never heard of cars being compared to anything other than a Cadillac. I have never heard any Cadillac owner saying their Cadillac rides almost as good as a BMW or Mercedes or lesser cars like Lexus etc.
Cadillac lost their way as did most cars but they got it back and then some. And remember the saying that I live by:
An older Cadillac is better than a newer anything else.
When my father-in-law inherited some money from his sister, he couldn’t resist going out and buying a Cadillac. He got a 2005 CTS. He had hit the big time.
That car was a total piece of crap. It was ergonomically the worst car I’ve ever ridden in or driven. And it didn’t age well. When he passed away a year ago, we couldn’t wait to get rid of that POS. My sister-in-law took the car, but had to put about $3000 into it just to get it from Florida to Massachusetts. Good riddance!
I really, really wish I could’ve lived through this era when cars like this were hitting the showroom floor.
Yeah but then you would be old like me.
These cars were ubiquitous when I was a kid in the 1960’s, but are seldom seen now.
At 42 inches, the fins on the 1959 Cadillac were the tallest ones ever made. Good luck to the seller and buyer. Hopefully it will get restored to its former glory.
I believe Chrysler out did the 59 Caddy with the 61 Imperial. Going by memory.
1st Mary Kay Cadillac? Close, but I read, Mary Kay Ash ordered a new 1967 Cadillac, had it painted pink to match her makeup, to sell her line of cosmetics, and an icon was born. It’s the 1st thing I think of when seeing a pink car or Springsteen. Who DOESN’T like Springsteen? Like others say, not much else exemplifies the mindset going on in the US at the time. I don’t recall many pink Cadillacs, but Milwaukee was a manufacturing, prosperous town, with lots of bosses, and their wives generally drove cars like this to the country club, or that upscale market. I doubt you’ll misplace it in a parking lot, if you dare, that is.
Come to think of it, the Boss wrote a song about the Cadillac Ranch, too!
Springsteen’s a rich poser. Aretha’s was better.
Aretha is the queen, but if you are calling Springsteen a rich poser you know nothing of the man, his upbringing, and his songwriting.
Maybe back in 1975? I’d agree with you.
Springsteen is a hypocritical fraud.
A majority of Jerseyans Do NOT like him
Gives me The late Natalie Cole vibe of singing Pink Cadillac. Beautiful car. Always liked those fins. Look at all the advances that 59 had for the day. Probably will sell for a much higher price.
The best of the best. I know many balk at late 50s American cars and get all googaly at European things. Keep this in mind we churned things like this out like jellybeans and even if you couldn’t afford it new. A few years down the road you could dump the bathroom green Biscayne and slide into this. I was a 60s kid so by the time I was old enough these were a decade past. I loved them. A neighbor had a black one with a white top and blue interior. I used to just look at it in marvel. I knew I wanted one then. Fast forward to the early 80s and now nice ones weren’t giveaways but there were plenty around. Working in a wrecking yard was tough as these still wandered in. Some just left by their owners others had done the beltway battle and now were rusted and tired. I would frequent impound sales and the usual crap associated with the end of road for cars. On one cold morning as I walked the rows of death row. All the wrecks, arrests, abandoned, and parking violators sat in line pondering their fate. There it sat, two flats, cracked windshield and a somewhat tattered top. Its lavender paint long faded
Its black and white interior still showing the craftsmanship of its former glory. I don’t think I was ever so excited at a sale. The moment arrived, the crowd of junkmen, used car dealers, curbstoners, and the like. The auctioneer banged on the hood, ” here was go guys, any Elvis fans here?” There was laughter and he looked at me and said, ” You like this stuff. How about a hundred to start?” I said, ” why not” more laughter and the auctioneer said anyone else……All yours buyer 52. The 80s were wonderful. I would roll onto the beltway with Aretha piping Freeway of love though the cassette stereo that was promptly installed. That car is still with me today. There is nothing like driving these. I am lucky to have enjoyed many including this from the golden age of the automobile.
Your life makes mine sound really boring –
I still have my first Wife of almost 46 years.
Bwah, ha,ha, l have had my first for 26 years. She knew what she was getting into. When we first met she had never been anywhere so I put her in my 61 red Buick sedan and took her to Niagara. She has no fear of old cars as we have never had anything under 20 years old until I bought her a Solstice 5 years ago. It stays in a garage and she drives an 84 Carolla now for the cold rainy months. I trained her, not the other way around. Like she says” I’ve never had to walk or wait for a tow truck”.
A friend of mine bought a 59 convertible, black with white interior and white top , from a widow in the early 70’s for about $1500. It was immaculate. Garaged it for a few years and wound up selling to someone in the Netherlands for 10k. Nice deal.
In 1968 I was a senior in high school and my part time boss had a white convertible 59 he let me drive to my senior prom. That was one of the best days of my life,,,,,,until I picked up my date. Could hardly get her into the car because she thought it was too gaudy. I guess that’s why 90% of auto appreciators are guys.
I had a schoolmate/friend back in the college days who had one of these. She ‘hired’ me to replace a leaking freeze plug on it. It was a black four-door. Talk about a land yacht. Would be tough as a daily driver with today’s gas prices.
‘Pink Cadillac’ was actually the flip ‘B’ side to ‘Dancing in the Dark’ for Springsteen on the 45. If you don’t know what a 45 is you’re not old.
🤣🤣 Well I’m old because I sure brought a lot them in the 80’s.
If the buyer is from Cuba they’ll be consider “king of the road” in this baby.
Chuck Berry’s song “Maybelline” was long before Bruce or Aretha. “Saw Maybelline at the top of the hill .Caught Maybelline in her Coupe de Ville.Cadillac doing ’bout a hundred and five….”the thing that tipped the scale for me getting the car””Maybelline” was in the under dash cassette player!
I had a lovely 1956 Coupe de Ville for 20 years..fantastic car.And the thing that tipped the scale of me getting it?”Maybelline” was in the under dash casette player..
My wife immediatley dubbed our lovely Caddy “Maybelline” of course. Would love this but prefer the 56….( Is it a Coupe de Ville or the more basic series 62 Coupe?
“Nothin’ outrun my V-8 Ford”
Was that before the Ford hot and couldn’t do no more?
Pink Cadillacs are so cliche…I would restore this back to the original colors. I can see spending $15-20K on the resto and end up with a car that can fetch $60K just because it’s a 1959 Coupe DeVille.
The tail lights were the iconic part of the car for me. I never cared for the tall fins or the grill, but those taillights man they are cool. I guess it must have been in 71 or 72 when I was going to school for Airframe & Powerplant mechanic at Clover Park Institute when a dude across the street who lived on Welfare with his wife and many children had a yellow 59 Caddy in 4 door hardtop version. Although he was a bum the car was pristine. A short time later I moved to California and went to Diesel Mechanic school for the rest of my G.I. bill and never saw that old Caddy again. By the way, there were a lot of pink cars in the 50’s, I even had the distinct pleasure of owning a 58 Oldsmobile Fieste wagon at one point in my very un-prosperous lifetime. I’m 76 now, have been married 3 times and shacked up many more times. I have offspring from Washington State to Miami, Florida and spent 7 years in prison. Now it’s been a long time since my foolish younger days, and I would love to see that yellow 59 Caddy again.
God Bless America
Those taillights are even immortalized on the Route 66 commemorate sign in Tucumcari, NM. And, they light up at night. Get your kicks!
Well it either has poor painted body work or rust starting in the lower left fender and rocker but it looks like a nice car overall a pink Cadillac is just not my thing.
This is a Series 62, not a de Ville, and the 390 has 325hp as it’s not the 3×2 Eldorado engine.
In about 1986 or so, I was given a pink Cadillac identical to this car. Not given to keep but just to drive it for a summer while the owner was convalescing. It was a cool ride back when gas was around a buck a gallon
The ignition switch is missing and maybe the glove box lock too. Is that a horn button under the dash?
Maybe the headlamps have trouble with the auto dimmer. That one is fun. Uses tubes and a vibrator supply that puts out over 250 volts as I learned at age 12 when fooling around with the one in my grandfathers 57 Caddy
Many times the dimmer switch goes. The switch is 60 and back but the 61 and up can be used and you can by pass the auto dimmer by unplugging the extra red wire to the dimmer. The headlight switches gum up. CRC and electrical cleaner worked into them brings them back to life most of the time. The high beam switch could also be gummed up or rusted??? Hidden issues not seen in pictures.
Ugh …
Where do I begin.
1. Hideous aftermarket color
2. Interior is NOT original.
3. Appears to be a CDV, but it is missing exterior script.
4. What’s with the gaping hole where the ignition is supposed to be?
5. What is the button under the dash.
6. Rusty x filthy x ugly.
I have had the privilege to own two 1959 Cadillacs. They were beautiful original cars,
I send my condolences in advance to whomever ends up with this thing.
Sooo iconic!! My Moms friend picked me up from swim lessons one summer in her nearly new pink Coupe De Ville, just like this one.. I was in awe… First ride in a Cadillac that I have never forgotten!!
SOLD for $33,100.
I’d keep it pink, it looks great on that car.