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Surviving In Style: 1974 Cadillac Coupe Deville

When it came to American luxury in 1974, could you really beat the Cadillac Coupe Deville? Long and sleek, with chrome and no goofy plastic, or rubber bumpers. Just style and class for the everyday businessman of America. Believed to have covered only 55,000 miles in its lifetime, looking over the photos makes you think the mileage is actual. Very well cared for, having received extensive maintenance, this Cadillac is ready to roll. This stately luxury car be yours for $16,500. Find it here on craigslist out of Bergen County, New Jersey.

The massive 472 cubic inch heart has been very well cared for, and runs smoothly. The majority of the maintenance has been performed by a Cadillac specialist. The engine itself has recently had the carb rebuilt, new brass freeze plugs, water pump, and a new radiator. Also the Air conditioning system has been complete rebuilt utilizing R12 refrigerant, making for ice cold rides. The engine bay is quite tidy, and many parts still wear cadmium plating. The seller believes the 55,000 miles to be accurate, but he cannot confirm or deny that claim. But looking over all the aspects of this car, it is easy to believe that it is true.

Inside is a tufted world of luxurious leather with loads of space. Capable of hauling a few business associates, and a few golf bags in the trunk, the Coupe Deville was the businessman’s dream come true. The interior of this Cadillac is clean with only minor signs of age. Appearing in excellent condition, the interior is about as nice as one would hope for in a survivor. Currently there is a non factory steering wheel installed, as the seller had the original steering wheel restored, and wow is it a beauty. The restored wheel has yet to be installed, and will be up to the next owner to install. The only issue with the interior is pointed out by the seller as the passenger seat lock actuator. All in all a very plush and clean interior, that looks as comfy as any recliner.

The paint on this Coupe Deville looks as if it is still wet. Thought to be the original paint, the seller explains that paint is in good shape, but it is not concourse worthy.  Although it may not be perfect, this paint has aged wonderfully. The vinyl top is clean and tight with no wavy areas, and no rust concerns. In fact, there is no rust what so ever that can be seen on this Cadillac, making it seem even more certain that this car has that the mileage is accurate. Clean and very well cared for survivor, are you a fan of these 70’s era Caddies?

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Bill

    Fantastic automobile! This was when driving a Cadillac meant that you’d arrived. More of a statement than most other cars.

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  2. Avatar photo Curtis

    I’m getting old but this in a 4 door would be a great cruiser to get your buddies out for the night in. Cool old car here but boy would I hate the fuel bill.

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  3. Avatar photo phil

    Stunning Caddy but it sure won’t pass a gas station !!

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  4. Avatar photo Howard A Member

    I guarantee, if I rolled down Lake St, (main drag that goes past the lake, you see) in my little town with this, it would give the local cops something to do. Wonderful car, but BLACK??? Phooey. So many beautiful colors that looked great on this car, black is so boring. My old man had a blue one like this. It was a darn nice car. http://www.schmitt.com/vendio/c8343.jpg

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    • Avatar photo Tom Member

      Black is good for one thing…..someone else to own!

      My dad had a 75 in the dark red metallic…..if this were that…..i’d own it about 60 seconds ago!!

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      • Avatar photo Kman

        That’s nice. I’d own it in a heartbeat, if I could afford it, all my vehicles are black and very beatiful.

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      • Avatar photo ACZ

        You can’t beat black and chrome. It’s the perfect combination.

        Like 1
    • Avatar photo Robert White

      Black is a must for Cadillac purists, Howard. And the police in my city only pulled me over to check out my car when I was driving my 1966 Acadian Canso Sport Deluxe which was all black inside and out. The boys loved it, and never bothered me even when I was obviously driving way too fast.

      Bob

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  5. Avatar photo Dave Wright

    These are great cars if you could only get control of the damn front end float. I used to have many customers with them and some days would test drive 1/2 a dozen. Then I bought one. Spent a ton of money trying to get control of the front end. Different shocks, alignment settings, anything we could think of……still would porpose and float on the section of road I used as a test track. Torsion bar front ends……AKA Imperial, have never had that problem. My dad explained that to me decades earlier when his busisness partner had Cadillacs and we had Chryslers. Never really understood it until I owned and worked on them myself. Still, this is a wonderful looking example.

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    • Avatar photo ronebee

      Front end float is a result of bad springs/shocks in the rear

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      • Avatar photo Dave Wright

        Not true……….although that would contribute.

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  6. Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

    OH Yea !
    I had a 72 Sedan DeVille in white with a black paisley interior.
    Night and day compared to my 90 Brougham.
    Turn the wheel and two days later the body would follow. I sure miss those days. My Godfather owned nothing but black Cadillacs from 1940-on, so I was considered the White Sheep of the family :) Beautiful car !

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  7. Avatar photo nessy

    I have a 76 Fleetwood Talisman with only 8000 miles on it. It has every option including moonroof, fuel injection and the rare airbags ACR system. There is a dealer installed rotary dial phone under the dash and the car has a few mild “Super Fly” accessories as some of you may recall the Super Fly era. The Fleetwoods were about a foot longer next to the DeVilles and had an even longer wheelbase. 76 was the last of the huge Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks. Let me see if I can load a photo. Sometimes, I can load photos on the site but not always. Anymore else have that happen?

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    • Avatar photo DrinkinGasoline

      I’ve had photo load issues from time to time. Give it a shot, I’d love to see your 76 !

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      • Avatar photo nessy

        I did. I tried to load 2 different photos of the Caddy, one at a time and nothing. Just a few weeks ago I loaded some photos here of a few of my other cars with no issue. I don’t know why this happens sometimes.

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    • Avatar photo Rando

      Unfortunately, a friend’s dad had a 76 Talisman and went demo derbying with it. It was in very sad shape though and it was just aN old car at the time. My dad had a 76 coupe de villa in white with black top and black pinstripe fuzzy interior. I wanted it, but he sold it to some one else…

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  8. Avatar photo flmikey

    …right amount of doors, right color, right interior, wrong price….knock about 10K off and it might be a deal….

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    • Avatar photo Peter

      As flmikey says:

      “….knock about 10K off and it might be a deal….”

      I totally agree–no way you have to spend this much…though this does seem to be an especially-desirable example, given the mileage and it’s super-clean survivor-status.

      If they want 5-digit money, they ought to be advertising in Hemmings Motor News….

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  9. Avatar photo Moparman Member

    WHY am I drooling & LUSTING after these “older man cars”??? Yesterday, it was a 78 2dr Chrysler St. Regis New Yorker!! Someone help me, PLEASE!!!! LOL!! :-)

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  10. Avatar photo Rock On

    I had a mint 1974 Fleetwood a few years ago. The whole car was navy blue inside and out. The leather interior was perfect. It had a new padded vinyl roof. At one point it was given a multi coat hand rubbed lacquer paint job that was just starting to show its age. A nice 10 footer. Took all summer to sell and I had to drop my price three times. The buyers got these cars is running low. I will try to post a picture of mine when I get to the computer.

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  11. Avatar photo Tom

    You could fit at least six bodies in the trunk.

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  12. Avatar photo ronebee

    great car, too many cookies….nobody wanted a Coupe Deville When they were 17…. I love my Cadillac, gets used the most out of all my toy cars

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo Angel Cadillac Diva Member

      Nobody wanted a Coupe de Ville when they were 17???? I DID!!!!
      I actually ended up with a 1962 Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible when I was 17. When I was 13, I had a 1956 Fleetwood, black on black “mob” car.

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  13. Avatar photo Joe Nose

    Jersey, eh?

    “Capable of hauling a few business associates…in the trunk”.

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    • Avatar photo ACZ

      Italian mausoleum.

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  14. Avatar photo Luke Fitzgerald

    Luxury in 74? Mark IV Lincoln – although they were quickly becoming rubbish as well

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  15. Avatar photo Rustytech

    I love this in triple black. This car wouldn’t fit in most modern garages. Hard to believe we used to drive boats like this every day! Either it’s a repaint or someone spent many many hours polishing this thing. I agree the price is ambitious, I’d say maybe $10 to $12k.

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  16. Avatar photo Ralph Robichaud

    Compare to the 64 Malibu- at least 4 times the car-at about the same asking price. At least with the Caddy, comfort is thrown in.!

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  17. Avatar photo glen

    These old land-yachts look better than today’s technilogical marvels.

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  18. Avatar photo kevin

    I seen people covert these to a cummins diesel and they get really good mileage

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    • Avatar photo RS

      Ecch, I would never ruin a car like this by turning it into one of those stinking smudge pots. If you want mileage buy something else, don’t ruin this car. If only it could be de-smogged, given back some compression, and get back 100hp and several more mpg…
      But no diesels, ecch.

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  19. Avatar photo ronebee

    these motors are easily tuneable and I’ve seen these cars with efi and 700r4 trannys behind them delivering great highway milage

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  20. Avatar photo Miguel

    Given a choice I would look for a 1969 or 1970 CDV.

    These big engines were just too smogged out and low HP to move this thing.

    I mean a 500 CID engine with 175 HP.

    The 472 from the 1970 with 375HP makes more sense.

    Also why do people all of sudden think that anybody would spend that kind of money on a 1974? When have they ever had value?

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  21. Avatar photo Ricky Rover

    My Grandmother had a ’72 Fleetwood. I loved driving that boat! One finger steering, and the 472 would haul ass when you punched it, set cruise on 85 and forget it. Oh, and you could live in the back seat……or for high school kids like me, other ideas came up…….

    Like 0

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