Tree Hugger? 1961 Cadillac Deville 4-Door

I cannot lie; I have to give credit to tipster Moparman for this one. At first glance, I was going to pass it by, but after looking at the ad copy and pictures, I couldn’t resist. You cannot pass up an ad with more smiley emojis than I have ever seen, plus jokes about the car, only to end with “serious buyers only…time travelers especially welcome!” So here goes! In 1961, Cadillac introduced a new grille, more sculpted side moldings, and a cleaner overall design than the 1960 model. This 1961 Cadillac Deville 4-door, including all the pine needles covering it, is now available here on Facebook Marketplace for $5,150 or best offer. It is located in Franklin, Georgia.

I would love to show you the engine, but the owner decided not to include a picture in his ad. I can tell you that, if it does have one, and if it’s original, it’s a hefty 6.4-liter 390 cubic-inch Cadillac beast that, when new, produced 325 horsepower and 430 lb.-ft of torque at 3,100 RPM. I am pretty sure you needed all that torque to get this 4,710-pound behemoth moving. The transmission was a Hydramatic 4-speed automatic transmission, the popular choice in almost all Cadillac models of this era.

The interior of a 1961 Cadillac was comfortable and luxurious. Plush leather seating, fine wood accents, and a spacious cabin design signaled the affluence you would expect from a Cadillac. Unfortunately, this interior appears to be in a rather sad state, to say the least. It would take a lot to restore it to its former opulence. I think the only wood accents you’ll find here are a tree growing out of the floorboards!

Strangely enough, the starting price for a 4-door Cadillac DeVille in 1961 was $5,250, and it topped out at around $5,500. I’m not sure whether that was a deciding factor in the seller’s asking price. I found that “good” condition Cadillac DeVille 4-doors typically sell for between $20,000 and $30,000, depending on mileage and restoration quality. I think “or best offer” is the best choice here, and I cannot say what I think it would be. Could you justify restoring this 4-door and still expect to make a profit when you sell? Or would you just restore it and then drive it in parades every year?