Vehicle Description
Am I crazy or is this a ton of luxury car for a bargain price? For
reasons that aren't altogether clear, early '60s Cadillacs are
screaming bargains, but you can't argue with the stunning good
looks and luxurious appointments of this '63 Coupe DeVille. And it
probably doesn't hurt that Don Draper drove one just like it in
"Mad Men," right?
Chrome and fins, there's no mistaking this Cadillac. It looks like
a rock star from any angle and it's one of those rare old cars
where nobody will ever ask, "Hey, what is that?" because it's so
obviously a Cadillac. It appears to be a largely original car
that's had perhaps one repaint somewhere along the line, so it's
not perfect, but man does it look good cruising down the street!
The code 44 Bahama Sand paint is subtle but nicely finished, so it
looks spectacular in the sun without being too showy. Instead, it's
a paragon of good taste and impeccable tailoring; just look at the
crease that pulls off of the headlights and the way the roof shows
just a hint of angularity. It doesn't look to have ever required
major surgery (man those are some straight quarter panels!) and all
the various parts fit quite well. And yes, it's a Cadillac, so
chrome is a factor, with most of it being original stuff that's in
above-average condition. It definitely looks like money!
Cadillac was the epitome of good taste in the early '60s, and the
interior shows especially well. It's likely original, now protected
by plastic covers like grandma's sofa, and in the days before fake
wood and goofy velour seats, this is what luxury really looked
like. The button-tufted seats are a beautiful combination of
leather and brocade fabric, and the matching door panels are
trimmed in chrome, not plastic. The handsome instrument panel is
centered around the driver, with a skinny steering wheel that's
easy to see through to the wide speedometer that spans the width of
the instrument panel. Noteworthy options include power windows, a
tilt wheel, power windows, a power seat, and an Autronic Eye
sitting atop the dash (which sadly is not operational, but that's
typical). The carpets might be showing a little age, but thanks to
a set of matching Cadillac floor mats, they're well protected. The
original AM radio is in the dash, but someone has thoughtfully
added an AM/FM/CD stereo head unit underneath so you can have
authenticity and your music to go with it. And, of course, the
trunk is simply massive with original mats, side panels, and a
full-sized spare.
Cadillac's 390 cubic inch V8 was a stout performer, moving more
than 4000 pounds of steel with effortless ease. It's not a drag
racer, but if you want to cruise across the desert at 80 MPH, few
cars can do it better. The engine bay is also quite original and is
clean and well-maintained, if not detailed for show. On the other
hand, it runs so well that some touch-up paint and some detailing
would really make this car sing and all the original equipment is
intact so it works as intended. New parts include an oil pan
gasket, starter, and a fresh tune-up, so it runs like a Cadillac
should. The Hydra-Matic automatic transmission is unobtrusive and
the fresh exhaust system has a big muffler and correct resonator
out back so this Caddy just whispers along. The ride is as plush as
you'd imagine and the undercarriage is as clean as any original car
we've seen. Original hubcaps are fitted and live inside a set of
235/75/15 radials with just the right amount of whitewall for
1963.
This is perhaps the biggest bang for the buck in our showroom right
now and I'll wager that it won't last very long. Call today!
