Vehicle Description
Draft, subject to change
Fifty years ago, Cadillac made a big attempt to lure younger buyers
to the fold with the arrival of its Seville model, a compact
Cadillac compared to the division's full-size and limousine models.
Led by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, European imports started to make
serious inroads into the United States during the early 1970s.
Successful customers began rolling up to country clubs or the
valets at the newest hotspots in a BMW three-series (320i),
five-series (520i) or a Mercedes 280, 350 or 450 SEL. Jaguar's XJ6
also became a common sight on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Enter the Seville, based loosely on the workaday X-body platform,
which underpinned Chevrolet's Nova compact (among others) with a
3.2-inch longer wheelbase. General Motors stylists did a great job
masking the car's plebian origins. Styling took strong cues from
the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Cadillac stylists added a crisp,
angular body that set the tone for GM styling for the next decade,
along with a wide track stance, giving the car a substantial,
premium appearance. A wide chrome grille flanked by quadruple
rectangular headlamps with narrow parking and signal lamps just
below the header panel, while small wrap-around rectangular tail
lamps placed at the outermost corners of the rear gave the
appearance of a lower, leaner and wider car.
Made in early February 1977 at General Motors' Detroit, Michigan
factory, this car has since undergone some modifications to become
a Seville Renaissance, courtesy of Andrew Hotton Associates, or
A.H.A., a coachbuilder out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is an
original, one-owner car. It was previously used in parades and car
shows.
Key Renaissance features include a more prominent, Rolls-Royce type
stand-up grill, a prominent spare tire and wheel holder mounted
atop the trunk lid, a "flying lady" hood ornament and unique,
two-tone paint schemes. On this example, a lighter shade of green
echoes the wheel arch design from the 1930s and 1940s as it
overlays the factory Edinburgh Green Metallic exterior (code 49).
The car's paint and trim are in overall very good order,
considering its age.
Seville unibody construction included a bolt-on subframe with a
rear suspension based on the rear-wheel drive 1968-74 X-body
platform that underpinned the Chevrolet Nova. It also featured a
rear differential with thicker front subframe bushings similar to
the second-generation F platform used in the Camaro, Firebird, and
the 1975-79 X-body platform. Also shared with the X-body platform
was part of the roof stamping and trunk floor pan (for 1973 and
newer vehicles).
This Seville rolls on a set of Cooper Trendsetter white stripe
radials. A factory wire wheel with a lock is mounted on each tire.
The tires and wheels are all in good, original order.
Under the counterbalanced hood is a Rocket 350 CID V-8 engine
sourced from Oldsmobile that features a hybrid Bendix/Bosch analog
port fuel injection system, which led to smoother starts and better
drivability than most other cars of that era. Backing this motor is
a Turbo Hydramatic 400 three-speed automatic transmission. Driver
convenience features are plentiful, as expected in a Cadillac.
Air-conditioning, power steering, power four-wheel disc brakes,
cruise control (ACC code C), power windows, power locks, power
sideview mirrors, six-way power driver's seat, power antenna,
Twilight Sentinel, rear window defroster and tilt steering
column.
Other factory accessory items include: door guards (code D); front
carpeted floor mats (code F); illuminated vanity mirror (code G);
trunk mat (code I); Control-cycle windshield wipers (code K); rear
carpeted floor mats (code R); Guide-mount headlights (code U);
Six-way power passenger seat (code V); (50/50 split front bench
seat (code W); and front license plate bracket (code X).
Inside, the car is decked out in Antique Sage Leather (code 442).
The front bench is split 50/50 and has dual fold-down center
armrests while the rear bench seat has its own fold-down center
armrest. The seat bottoms of both front seat positions need some
TLC, especially on the passenger side. The inner door liners are in
good condition while the headliner may need some attention. The
dash and door panels feature wood accents for contrast and warmth.
Two straps mounted to the backside of the front seats pay homage to
the 1930s and 1940s Cadillacs, when backseat passengers used those
straps to store blankets, coats, hats and other winter gear while
traveling. The green carpeting is in good order, as is the
two-spoke steering wheel and dashboard. Out back is a trunk mat
with matching spare tire mat.
Starting with the 1977 model year, production Sevilles used the
larger five-lug bolt circle common to full-size Chevrolet passenger
cars from 1971 to 1976, Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs,
and half-ton Chevrolet/GMC light trucks and vans. It also received
rear disc brakes, a design which would surface a year later as an
option on the F-body Pontiac Trans Am. Due to customer demand, a
painted steel roof was offered in 1977, requiring a new full roof
stamping. Seville production increased slightly in 1977 to 45,060
vehicles.
Competition to this Seville in 1977 included BMW's 3-series and
5-series, Buick's Electra Limited, Jaguar's XJ sedan,
Mercedes-Benz's 280, 350 and 450 SEL models, Mercury's Marquis
sedan, Oldsmobile's 98 LS Sedan and Rolls-Royce's Silver Shadow
II.
VIN: 6S69R7Q470307
This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis,
Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 62,211 miles. It is
sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title.
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