Vehicle Description
The Seville was a very big deal for Cadillac, and this 1979
Cadillac Seville is arguably the best one to own. Designed to be a
smaller, more personal Cadillac, it was also the most expensive and
the most sophisticated, and today they represent a smart way to own
a vintage Cadillac without the big car footprint.
Top-of-the-line for a brand like Cadillac is quite an
accomplishment, and that's exactly what the Seville was in 1979,
setting the high watermark for automotive luxury. Slick black paint
is a finish that will never go out of style, and on the angular
Seville bodywork, it works incredibly well. This appears to be a
repaint, although completed to mimic the look of factory-applied
paint, and with that in mind, it's in very good condition. There
are, of course, a few signs of use and age, but this is still a
real nice driver-grade sedan and remains one of the most handsome
designs of the '70s, and no, it's not "just a Nova with Cadillac
badges." In fact, every panel on the car is unique to the Seville
and it was so costly to build that GM executives feared that it
would be too expensive to sell at any price. Fortunately, they
nailed it and it was very popular with buyers, including the guy
who bought this one and treated it as something special. They
skipped the padded roof, making it somewhat rare, and even the
plastic and rubber bumper fillers and trim are in great shape,
showing that the 58,910 actual miles driven on this Caddy were
always careful ones, because those pieces are usually the first to
go. There's plenty of chrome and brightwork too, but it's not
over-done and the look remains classic and refined.
Supple Gray leather lines the interior of the Seville, and this
particular trim package gives you a split bench up front that has
the look and feel of buckets. Almost everything was standard in the
Seville, from automatic climate control (upgraded to R134a
refrigerant and blowing nice and cold), to power everything, to a
tilt wheel, to a bunch of fairly convincing burled walnut trim on
the dash and door panels. The leather is original and shows some
were and tear today, but that's probably inevitable just due to
age, but there are no major issues of concern and the back seat
looks very lightly used. Plush carpets, tons of sound deadening
materials, and thick weather seals all make the interior of the
Seville tomb-silent, and even the original AM/FM/8-track stereo
sounds great in there. Factory floor mats are rather rare in this
condition, including the rubber trunk mat, which is joined by a
space-saver spare in its own carpeted cover. This was actually
called the "small" Cadillac back then, but it sure doesn't seem
like it today.
The engine is a 350 cubic inch V8 topped by a surprisingly
sophisticated throttle-body fuel injection system that makes it
drive beautifully. Rebuilt approximately 2,000 miles, two years ago
by the pros at Jasper, it has plenty of power to move the big body
around effortlessly. In fact, with 125 fewer cubes than the big car
V8s, it still makes just as much horsepower and runs so clean, that
they could have sold them without catalytic converters in many
states. It's tidy under the hood with all the original equipment in
place, and with the recently rebuilt motor, it won't need anything
but routine maintenance to keep ticking for a long time. It starts
quickly and idles well, and around town, this feels like a big
Cadillac going about its business. The TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission should last forever behind the small block and it has
2.73 gears out back, so it's a fantastic highway cruiser.
Suspension tuning is Cadillac plush and 4-wheel disc brakes are a
nice plus. Real chrome wire wheels are a traditional touch that
works rather well, and they carry 205/75/15 whitewall radials that
finish the look.
These are gaining popularity among Cadillac aficionados for their
usability, good looks, and practical size. Add in the great color
combination, unique interior, and low mileage, and this becomes the
one to own. Call today!
