My vote goes to the '65, mostly because I think that year represents peak GM across all makes. There isn't a bad looking GM car from that year. For that matter, 1963-1968 was just a great era for American cars.
I agree on the 65 to 68 as peak, as after that the decline is apparent. However honorable mention to the 54 through 56. Those were the home run years. Beautiful, stunning automobile. Truly well executed throughout.
I can attest to that! I own a '54 Fleetwood and it’s the best Cadillac I’ve ever owned. It’s such a cool and glamorous car that just screams “Hollywood”…Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Rat Pack…
I think the 50s cars and trucks have been overshadowed by our love of the 60s cars, yet look around at all the SUVs and crossovers from the late 90s to the present and it's not a stretch that there's a connection.
I bought a 67 coup de ville with 50k miles in 1976 for $500. The interior was like new except the ashtray that had heavy use. Huge 472 ci engine. I put on nearly 100k miles before it started nickel and diming me and I found that parts were twice an Oldsmobile or Buick’s…often the same exact part. I finally got tired of the mpg in 1980 and took it in to a Toyota dealership and traded for a new Corolla. They really didn’t want it on their lot and for no more than they gave me I should have kept it. Still have dreams of driving that land yacht!
My parents bought a 1956 Sedan deVille for $1,100 in 1969. We drove it to Minnesota that summer and then back in Anaheim the "freeze plugs" blew. My father parked it on the front lawn behind the main fence and then it was sold in 1977 For $150.☹
@@TheJeffShadowShowAh, freeze plugs! I owned my gorgeous creampuff 1965 Cadillac Sedan de Ville from 1975 through 1980, while I attended Northern Arizona University in cold and snowy Flagstaff. Once, the night before I was to drive home for Christmas vacation, there was a big blizzard and--while I was sleeping--some of my "friends" buried my car under a mountain of snow. It took me an hour or so to retrieve my car, after which I fired it up and started heading down the freeway to sunny Tucson. I hadn't gone 15 miles before a cloud of steam began pouring out from under the hood. I had to have the car towed all the way back to town, where I learned that all the freeze plugs had popped out. Fortunately, the mechanic had some on hand and I was able to get going again before sundown.
I've very recently come to admire the style line that wraps around the trunk on the 1961 models. The 1962, 64, 66, 67, and 68 were so solid and well built -especially on the interior quality. Much the same as what you said.
I guess I am partial to the 64 as I own one. IMHO this, the last year for the fins, was the ultimate. Both the engine and transmission moved the almost 5000 lb vehicle down the road well. Many interior features are a surprise to people today.
At various times throughout my childhood, my father owned a ‘60 convertible, ‘66 Sedan Deville, and the ‘72 Fleetwood Brougham. These were our family cars. I have always thought the ‘60 Cadillacs were the ultimate expression of Cadillac design. I agree that the the simplification of the fin (absent the ostentatious “torpedo”) gave it a much cleaner look. Even though I was only about 6 years old when he sold it, I still miss that car ! (50+ years later 😭). It would be worth a small fortune today. The ‘66 was a workhorse. We towed the family Airstream all over the US and Canada and my father often drove it up into the mountains of Montana (often where people in jeeps would stare in disbelief when we pulled up beside them 😂) the Fleetwood was a very elegant car with chromed footrests in the back. I loved riding in the cavernous back seat on long road trips …. but by this time however there had been so much emissions equipment added to the engine that it was robbed of its potential horsepower. It often struggled pulling our 27 foot airstream on high altitude mountain passes despite my father’s best efforts at tinkering with the engine to squeeze out more power. That was also the last year before the 1973 front impact regulations forced Cadillac to beef up their bumpers which limited their elegant front end designs. After that, the Cadillacs just started looking like any other GM design.
From a marketing perspective, I have read that Cadillac (according to some) aldrwady started its great decline as far back as the mid 1950s, by lowering their prices and becoming more accessible. This helped growing sales but diminished the status. Much like today, Cadillac sits more in the 'premium' category (Audi, Mercedes) than the all out luxury (Bentley, RR) category, while it used to operate in the latter during the 1930s and 1940s. Oh, and my all time favourite Caddy is of course the '60, for the very same reason Adam mentioned. Just a bit sleeker than the 59s!
@@RareClassicCarsAgree with Ed that Cadillac was not as special as it was once was because more buyers could afford to buy them but they were still luxurious. From the stand point of peak that would have been 65 and 66. My mother had a 72 Sedan Deville although a nice car with a good drive train the interior quality was just not as good. Door straps that would come loose (as Adam covered in a previous video with the dealer fixes), radio knobs that would fall off, heavy sagging doors, exploding door armrests, and artificial wood trim that was not terrible but not befitting of a luxury car with the status of a Cadillac or Lincoln. The nail in the coffin were the 4-6-8 and the Northstar engines. Having said that about Cadillacs the same thing is true with Lincolns that although they were nice in the 70s they just were not the same quality as the 60s Lincolns especially in the interiors. Now Lincoln does not even offer a car in the US only in China. I don't hate the new Lincolns or Cadillacs they just are not the same and do not have the beautiful fit and finish both inside and outside that the 60s ones have. Having said that I will say that there has been a trend toward cheapening of most interiors of new vehicles with paper thin non textured carpet, more hard plastics, and the lack of choice in interior colors which are mainly black with some gray. Today's vehicles are safer but are more boring. Thank you again Adam for sharing your beautiful cars and thank you Ed for your videos which are informative yet entertaining.
50’s Cadillacs were all still extremely well built cars, better in many ways than the 60’s Cadillacs. Cadillacs serious decline was after 1970, maybe possibly 1968. I also used to own a 61 Lincoln Continental which were extremely solid well constructed cars, that felt like it was made from a solid piece of concrete , but it’s interior materials wasn’t that great to be honest vs 60’s Cadillacs. Plus the 61-63 Continental had such a tiny interior, good luck fitting in one of your above 5’10” as the headroom was terrible. Lincoln definitely beat Cadillac in terms of quality of construction and riding smoothness in the 70’s, while Cadillac had Lincoln beat in the 1950’s-60’s for quality of construction, performance, reliability, and riding smoothness for the most part. As a matter of fact, the best riding car I’ve ever owned or driven in, and this includes the latest modern luxury cars as well, is still my 1978 Lincoln Continental. That thing literally just floats like a rolling couch on the road. It’s solid, ultra smooth and extremely isolating from the NVH than any other car I’ve experienced driving, period. I will agree that new vehicles lack true comfortability like how the classic luxury cars had. Today luxury vehicles strictly focus hard on tech features to attract buyers, while completely ignoring about building soft, forgiving seats, with a ride that caters towards a more isolating, soft detached experience. Still too much hard plastic surfaces and flimsy materials on new car interiors. This is why I will never sell my classic Cadillacs and Lincoln’s, no effing way!!
I read once that in the early ‘50s, Cadillac made the decision to start using disposable parts, that prior to that, every single part on a Cadillac could be rebuilt. They wanted to put a Cadillac in the hands of as many men as possible; to make luxury affordable to the most people possible.
I absolutely adore my 1985 Cadillac Seville, I know even die hard Caddy fans hate this model/year design and style, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this generation of Seville. I love her, she's gorgeous and probably as close to mint as any example left in the country. She's my baby and when I do drive her, I drive with pride. ❤ 😉👍
I understand. I had a 1985 Olds 98, navy blue, with the Olds wire wheel covers. It had 121,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1999, but I didn't pay much for it, and knew both prior owners. It was "right." The reason a lot of Cadillac owners dis it is because plenty of folks used to ask me about my Seville, as plenty might have asked them about their Olds 98!
I think the overall interior quality of most American makes started to nose dive after 68/69. While safety was definitely a contributing factor, prior to that there was more metal, less plastic, and more tasteful trim usually found inside. I'm a Mopar fan myself and you can definitely see the difference in say a 66 Charger interior to a 68 Charger interior. The earlier stuff still looks wonderful today, while the later stuff not so much.
I have owned a 1968 Cadillac fleetwood limousine for 25 years which is very very rare here in The Netherlands(Europe). Although I have put the pedal to the metal less then 10 times in this 25 years I have to say, the car was very powerful and fast for such a heavy car. It is a special car in numerous ways. The engine, the pneumatic door locks, rear seat remote controlled mechanic am radio with auto-next-station search, etc etc etc. The only downside was that it is a chauffeur driven car and the best place to be is on the back seat :) Personally I think Cadillac became extreme ugly as of 1979. This is a great channel. I love how balanced you talk about cars and always given knowledge I did not know before. Thank you for your videos.
I’ve owned several Cadillacs over the years, and my current ones I own now is a '54 Fleetwood 60 Special and a '64 Sedan Deville which I love both dearly. IMHO, after owning a '68 Coupe Deville, the '64 Cadillac is a much higher quality car with better quality of interior materials and styling, the ‘68 had way too much plastic and cheaper feeling materials. The steering wheel was a huge let down, no more super bright chrome trim either. The doors were lighter including the hood vs the '64. The '68 was peak Cadillac as far as performance goes, and in terms of overall quality, fit n finish of materials, the '65 or '66 models was peak Cadillac for “quality of materials and interior styling”. The '69 Cads are one of my favorite designs, I sorta prefer the massive shark like grill and shape over the stacked headlight Caddy’s, since they always reminded me of a Pontiac and just looked odd for a Cadillac. Personally if you’d ask me, Cadillac’s of the 1950’s are my all time favorite Cadillacs. You can’t go wrong with any 50’s Cad as they all looked amazing and had the ultimate styling of any luxury car of its time. My '54 Fleetwood is my favorite Cadillac I have ever owned. Its styling is bold, it has the massive dagmar bumpers, bullet nosed hood with the elegant goddess hood ornament and wrap around windshield, bullet style steering wheel, rear window vent panes, the hidden gas filler behind the tail light housing and its classic Cadillac styling that will always be associated with Elvis’s pink '54-55 Fleetwoods he used to own. It’s overall fit and finish, quality of materials and interior space is unmatched compared to every big Cadillac I’ve ever owned. The rear seat leg room, width, and headroom is borderline limo status. It’s absolutely massive! If one has its original A/C unit installed, it has to be the best AC designs ever in a car. It has a huge trunk installed blowers with air plane looking vents mounted in the headliner that blows the ice cold air down on top of you from above. It was a very expensive design that Cadillac eventually did away with after 1956 unfortunately. What is great about all the '54-56 Cadillacs is that they used a perimeter box like ladder designed X-frame chassis which were only really used on convertibles at the time from different manufacturers because of how rigid/strong they were, but Cadillac used that extremely tough frame on their sedans and hardtops. Although the cars looked low to the ground, you sit up pretty high on the seats and it feels like you’re driving a crossover vs the later low slung Cads of the late 50’s into the 60’s. Ease of entry and exiting is very good as well. No bending or hunching over just to get in and out of these cars. Just slide right in. The sheer presence and menacing nature of the '54 Cads make them so noticeable and unforgettable on the road. Sure they’re not as flamboyant compared to say the '57-59 Cadillacs, but they still are extremely flashy Cadillacs with all that thick chrome dripping everywhere from its body. Plus the 331 and hydramatic trans, are a wonderful combination. The car performance flawlessly and rides very smoothly with its 133 inch wheelbase. I will never again own another 70’s Cadillac. The only Cads that interest me now are from the 40’s and 50’s. My '64 Cadillac is my favorite 60’s Cadillac so far in terms of ownership. Much better than '68’s. It rides softer is much more floaty on the road than the '68.
Agree with 1964 being a superior car. Elegant, Bill Mitchell directed stying that did away with excesses of the late 50’s. High quality components and interior build quality, and floating on clouds ride without wallowing excessively. Stacked headlight design starting in 65 to me always seemed to look like Fords and Pontiacs as you mentioned, despite being very handsome otherwise. A 64 or 63 Caddy will never be confused with anything else. Have a 64 Series 62 Coupe since 1990, still love to look at and drive it to this day.
I agree, the "stacked headlight" '65 - '68 was peak Cadillac - with '68 being my favorite. Cadillac must've broken sales records in those four years because I'd see them everywhere.
My grandfather was a Cadillac dealer mechanic and service rep for 40+ years. He would purchase cars from customers after they traded them in (usually after a year or two) and so there were always Cadillacs in the driveway when I was a kid in the 1980s. My favorite was his 1959 Sedan de Ville, which was my temple of car worship. Every visit to their house I would take out the keys and sit in the car and pretend to drive. He also had a 73 Coupe de Ville, a 77 Couple de Ville d'Elegance, and a 1981 Fleetwood Brougham sedan. I loved all of those cars but there was definitely a difference between that 59 and all of the others. The quality that car had was amazing. I think what I realize now was that cars were starting to become much more homogenized through those years. As features that were only available on high end cars were now standard on lower cars the special feeling that you got from really any top car back in the day doesn't really exist anymore (at least in the "common" upper end cars). When the cheapest cars come with AC, power windows, power locks, remote keyless, etc., etc., there's just not much to differentiate the experience, so cars become far more of a tool rather than an experience. When my parents were driving a Plymouth Horizon hatchback, that Cadillac Fleetwood was really something out of another world.
Love the fact that you mention the 1973 Coupé de Ville. I drove a triple white Coupé de Ville in Denmark from 1986-1995 with white leather, green dash and carpets and NO vinyl roof. LOVED that car and the over 60K miles I added to it. I later had a 1978 Fleetwood limousine - all stock, black with grey velour - for 5 years. My current Cadillac is a 1989 Sedan de Ville, all digital with leather seats, rebuilt in Denmark as a hearse. Still in service. I have driven 1965 and 1966 Cadillacs shortly, but to me the 1973 stands out. Would love to have one again, but they have become very expensive indeed. There is something about them you don't get in cars today.
@@KoldingDenmark The 1973 was the one we'd travel in when I was in the single-digits age wise. Take some throw pillows from the sofa, throw them in the back and I got to lounge as we drove to the shore. It was dark blue with a white vinyl top and white leather interior. Only rule was I wasn't allowed to put down the rear quarter windows, they had a habit of getting stuck (I guess that speaks to the quality issues in the 70s!)
We had a 1985 Horizon. The car as a whole was just OK, but it had the most comfortable seats I have ever experienced. On the other hand, our 1985 K-car had the most uncomfortable.
I have loved Cadillacs since my childhood. My grandfather's '57 convertable and '64 were awe inspiring to me. But, upon seeing a new '65 convertible Cadillac on a turntable at a county fair, I was completely in love with it's sleek and clean styling! I love the '65/66's to this day!
I agree with Adam, mid 60's to 1968 was the peak for Cadillac. Still regarded as "The Standard of the World", from a time when owning and driving a Cadillac told the world you had arrived. Great styling and luxury, high quality materials and superior build quality. I am also a fan of 1960's GM design. BTW, my best friend had a '72 Coupe de Ville - gorgeous car but the entire door card fell off once while I was attempting to shut the driver's door!
My favorite Cadillac is the 1949 in the Sedanette bodystyle. Back in the late 1970s, I was at the point of buying a 1968 convertible, but my grandfather talked me out of it. I still notice Cadillacs of that era and consider what might have been, but he was probably right.
I love the look of the '67/'68 model years. Both the Coupe DeVille & the Sedan DeVille. Great lines and they look excellent with a convertible top as well.
The 67 Eldorado with your radial inflated to factory specs rides so much smoother than with standard inflation pressures. Owned several of the torsion bar front end Eldorados, and the rides DRAMATICALLY improve with the "under inflated " tires.
Adam, I think you've chosen wisely and explained the virtues and foibles of Cadillacs since 1959. Personally, I prefer the 1977-79 models, though. A better size, very good looking large cars with interior quality that was vastly improved over the previous models.
For me it's about the styling and plushness of interior. 1977 to 1992 are the ones I could stare at for hours. 78 Eldorado and 1979 Coupe are my favorites.
I award the 1979 model year as "peak" not because I just bought one last December but also because I "delivered" them at Southwest Leasing from 1978 to 1979. I worked at Renick Cadillac (Fullerton, California) in 1980 when the new vertical C-pillar style was introduced and drove the first 1980 Seville to the showcase turntable for the reveal the next morning. I know the 368 V8 is fine but the 425 V8 is perfect.
Back in the late 60's / early 70's one of our neighbors had a 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood. That was pure luxury... a rich brown leather interior, 8 window switches on the drivers door as all 4 windows and all 4 vent windows were all power... I got to drive it once as as a 17 year old I was really impressed... my parents were driving a 71 Catalina at that point and there was just no comparison... that Caddy was so smooth... unbelievable
Thank you Adam. You are a great story teller and I learned a lot about Cadillacs that I never knew. My grandfather bought a new one every two years, his last being a 1978 post-it pad yellow Eldorado Biarritz. He gave that to me, his oldest grandson and I enjoyed driving it and appreciating the many cool features.
For me, 1957 two door was a good year for vintage Cadillacs and for a "Modern" Cadillac it would be a Hennessey Performance, Cadillac CTS-V widebody wagon, in Crystal Claret Pearl red and a manual 6-speed.
I had one, very nice cars. Luxurious ride, plenty of power, smooth. But man was it a behemoth, speedbumps were just insane as the weight of the car would pull up on the wheels and then everything came crashing down to the earth
@@dennis885600 Then your car had suspension/shock issues because this is before they gained weight and size, coming in at around 3700lbs. and with about the same overall length as the boxy rear-drive 80's models.
@@scottysgarage4393 it was just the massive weight of it. It weighed 5100lbs and was 223 inches long, loaded with all kinds of luxury. The suspension and shocks were brand new.
@@dennis885600 And again, it weighed about two tons. Notably lighter than a brand new Challenger today. 223" is 18 feet, an absolutely average length. I've owned literally hundreds over the past 40 years; they are a rather nimble car and quiet even over the worst roads. If yours was otherwise then something was broke.
Excellent episode! Please also put together a Peak Lincoln video. These types of in-depth year by year, model by model explanations I find incredibly interesting.
I enjoy the channel, keep the wonderful content coming, if you will. I have had 6 cadillacs in my day, if I may; 1988 Fleetwood Brougham with a 500 engine, 1980 Eldorado with the 368 engine, 1992 Seville STS with a 4.9 engine, 1984 Coupe Deville with vaunted 4100..lol and I now own a 1979 Seville with a 350 rocket (non diesel). My dad, my number one hero, had a 1972 Eldorado when I was a kid. I have to agree 1965 to 1968 just may have been peak.
My favorite Cadillac is the 62. GM trimmed the fins and made it much sleeker. My uncle had a 62 Cadillac convertible. Ruby red with white leather interior. I thought it was just jaw dropping beautiful. We tried to get my mother to buy it, but it came from up north and didn't have air conditioning. So it was NO SALE!!
Adam, you could begin a new feature: "Prairie Chats" for summer and "Porch Chats" for winter. Either way, great video. The '65 Caillacs just had something about them that's hard to define that made them catch the eye, give off a sense of restained elegance and power. Great stuff! Oh yes, what is the difference between a "fluid coupling" and a "torque converter"? Never understood either.
I liked the ‘65 , but throw my hat in the ring for the 1971’s. The front end was toned down from the late 60’s, and the rear treatment was understated but very attractive.
The '71 was one of my favorites also (style wise) with the spaced headlights, sculptured trunk and thin chrome strips in the taillights, just too bad they cheapened them tremendously that year.
Hey Adam, back in the late seventies I actually had a 60 four door Cadillac that I paid $250 for. It was the factory purple color, I think it was called Rose Mist. It was a very comfortable car with a nice interior!!! Thanks for sharing this exciting video on "The Standard Of The World" 👍👍🙂
@ChristopherKraft327 the color your thinking of is either Sienna Rose Metallic or Cadillac Heather Metallic they've had some other purples later on like Madeira plum firemist metallic from 1968-1970 etc. my choice of peak depends on model for Deville Convertible it's 1964-1966 for Seville it's Bustle Back for Eldorado its 58-60 Biarritz Convertibles for Seville STS its 1995-2000 my childhood best friend's dad had a 1989 Seville STS for about 18 mos. when we were kids he'd had an 84 Sedan Deville previously then he was arrested 26th March 1990 for his involvement in the Mafia her late mother always drove a Mercedes Benz S Class and she currently drives a Mercedes Benz AMG C 63 S Cabriolet.
My favorite is your ‘67 Eldorado, which was once my car. I’ve owned six and have one now, but it’s not as nice as the Black/Red beauty from Tyler, Texas that you now own. I also agree completely with your focus on mid-60’s cars as the pinnacle of design and performance. We’ll done! Joe
Peak GM was 65 thru 67'. This applies to Cadillac too. After this the decontenting started and fit and finish suffered. Even Leno in one of his many videos mentions this. 67' was the height and the end.
For me, "Peak Cadillac" is based on the memories I associate with the cars. Specifically, I put a black '79 to '85 Eldorado Biarritz with red leather and moonroof at the top. That said, I do consider ALL Cadillacs and Lincolns to be beautiful and collectible.
I know it's not peak Caddy period, but as a kid in the late 70s I loved (and still do) the 76-79 Seville and the downsized Eldo that debuted in '79. To me, that version of the Eldorado is still as sharp today as when I first laid eyes on it. I'd say both were a home run for Cadillac during the "Malaise Era".
I love your channel and especially since we have the same interest - American luxury cars from the 50's, 60's and 70's. You are incredibly knowledgeable and revive great memories for me when my dad and aunt had these cars - 1959-64 Mercury, 1965 Chrysler Newport, 1969 Mercury Marquis Brougham, 1970 Olds 98 LS, 1973 Olds 98 LS, and 1978 Olds 98 Regency with a 403 cu V8. Keep up the great work!
Adam I think you are the most amazing person. I always enjoy your episodes with your cars but also like this one which is more historical. I agree with you 100% on the dash redesign in 69and 70. When I was a kid I had an aunt who was an El Dorado driver, I liked them but wasn’t really into them as much as I was into my great aunts Lincoln Mark V or my cousins early 80’s Riviera. I have a 79 Town Car and I will admit it’s probably not the best built car but have been in love with the style since I was a kid.
Man, this is a tough one. I was born in 1953, so the '54-'56 are the earliest Caddies in my memories. I still love the 1954 best of all, along with the Olds 98 of that year. But for perhaps better reasons, I'd choose 1965 as Cadillac's all-around best lineup. The 1967 Eldorado is in a class by itself.
I liked your honest unbiased opinion. You like Cadillac, but you told the truth about Cadillac. I am in agreement with a lot of what you said especially about the troubled times for Cadillac and the recent efforts. They have a Cadillac sedan they sell in China they used to sell here( Cadillac CT6). Cadillac is going all electric, but they at least are trying to find their mojo. I liked many models over the years, but the late 80's early 90 Brougham did get a decent engine from Chevrolet. I liked the 1989-1993 Deville and Fleetwood, 1992-1997 Seville(minus Northstar), 1979-1985 Eldorado, 1975-1978 Eldorado, 1975-1976 Fleetwood and Deville. I also like 1997-1999 Deville despite what is under the hood, the early 70's Cadillacs exterior styling( 1969-1971), the late 1960's Eldorado, 1980-1985 Seville( despite engine issues), 1993-1996 Fleetwood as well. Escalade is a nice looking suv, but I would not own one as I have no need for that. I was not a fan of the downsized era at GM or Cadillac 1985-1989. Thank you Adam.
The 4.1 intake gasket at the dealer was one of the few gravy jobs for a tech back in the 80's. We got fast at them since it seemed most of them started letting coolant in the oil to make a milk shake at about 30K. They ran decent and smooth though.
…Well stated viewpoints Adam 👍Fully agree with your considered opinions & choice of the mid 60’s Caddys as likely being peak post WW2 Cadillac years 💫Tho the post WW2 era Cadillacs were not of the same exclusive styling / custom body / V-12 and V-16 power plant set apart pedigree as that of the now renown 1920’s - 1930’s era senior series Caddys they still had “ not everyone could own & drive one “ status out thru the 1950’s and into the mid 1960’s. GM largely had enforced assigned divisional Cadillac exclusivity by virtue of its 5 Division corporate price point & status hierarchy sales and marketing precepts. Start out with a Chevrolet or Pontiac and perhaps one day move into a nicer smoother Olds or Buick whether a 88 or a Special and maybe in time move up to a GM senior series Olds 98 or Buick Roadmaster. Cadillacs were @ the pinnacle of GM’s automobile making & selling status symbol pyramid. The print / radio / television ads for Cadillacs of the 1950’s / early 1960’s show this aspect so very well. Lincoln and Imperial were handicapped by murky “luxury car” status / standing with additional too frequent shortfalls of ?? styling and build quality plus chronic corporate marketing miscues / weak dealer presentation & support plus dubious / weak Kelly Bluebook $$ trade in value retention for 1st owners as used vehicles. … FoMoCo and Lincoln found lasting redemption with the all new trendsetting transcendent Elwood Engel penned 1961 Lincoln Continental that led to decades of styling and sales sustained successes for FoMoCo & Lincoln. Chrysler Corp. never was able to fully separate the new for 1955 Imperial Division from Imperial’s legacy as being the top end 1920’s -30’s-40’s and up thru 1954 Chrysler model. In 2023 it is not uncommon for people to still be calling Imperials “ Chrysler “ Imperials. Imperial could have been a winning luxury car contender but sadly did not achieve the success it may have earned & deserved. The 25 year run of ChryCorp.’s Imperial Division 1955 to 1975 Imperials however successfully did foster a following of Imperial affecinado admirers & collectors. …Chrysler Corporation seemingly had mixed ideas & often weak follow thru of /on how to promote Imperials at the corporate and dealer levels. For starters the 1955 Imperial front end grille was also put on the Chrysler 300 which needlessly diluted the Imperial’s introduction as the stand apart luxury car ChryCorp. Division for 1955. The 1955 Imperials were then needlessly restyled for 1956 and the 1957 Imperials for 58 and 59. The 1961 Imperials were out of step styling wise for 1961 while the 1962 Imperials well done front & rear styling was needlessly altered for 1963 as was the 1964 Imperial for 65 and 66. ChryCorp. never fully implemented a strong Imperial Dealer sales & service tier of qualified and dedicated select dealers required to have exclusive Imperial showroom and service facilities. It also would have been helpful had ChryCorp.given Imperial more of a halo effect by showcasing special high end Imperial models to better promote the Imperial luxury car image. The 300 should have been an Imperial model in 1955 and going forward which could have then led to the creation of a Riviera / Thunderbird type Imperial during the 1960’s or a Imperial imprinted high end sport / luxury Cordoba sized Imperial during the 1970’s. By 1969 it was plain to see Imperials were becoming less stand alone & more of a just stretched & up trimmed Chrysler C body car and by 1975 it was final curtains for Imperial. Perhaps ChryCorp. should have acquired Packard during early 1950’s instead of trying to spin the Chrysler Imperial into a stand alone luxury car make. As it is I happen to like 1955, 1962 and 1964 Imperials and the often under rated / overlooked 1967 and 1968 Imperials( LeBaron models in particular )very much. I do like the first edition 1958 Lincoln more so than followup facelift diluted 1959 & 1960 Lincoln’s. …The 1957 Caddys had the best styling of the 1950’s era Caddy’s I think while 1961 thru 1964 Fleetwood Sixty Special Caddys were truly well styled & elegantly detailed with mechanically proven drivetrains. The 1965 Caddy’s when walked up to have a genuine presence of solid build quality from exterior detailing of the grille, fender side turn lamps to the taillights & those distinctive deep dished Caddy wheel covers only the 1965 Caddys were equipped & shipped with . Better still the 1965 Caddys had a superbly 3 D sculpted & styled instrument cluster & controls dash panel layout with the classic Cadillac specific radio face controls and elegant steering wheel detailing. Notably 1965 Cadillac dash & interior trim components were not “plasticky” in assembly details & appearance. 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood / Eldorado models interiors additionally were trimmed with real wood veneers. In general the 1965 thru 1968 senior Caddy Fleetwoods (Eldorado & Sixty Special / Brougham models ) were outstanding for overall styling & design, build quality, exquisite detailing, refined & very reliable mechanical drivetrain components & readily viewable true luxury car status. …Sadly GM for 1969 and into the 1970’s chose to devalue Cadillac which became more of a “ belly button car “ luxury brand with damaging sought increased factory production output for more new car total sales #’s that eroded Cadillac exclusivity as a luxury make from 1969 onwards. There would be some styling / interesting Cadillac model high points such as the 1976 Seville ( despite Seville being stitched together based on outsourced Chevy Nova platform / chassis pieces with a Olds V-8 ) but Cadillac largely became more & more undistinguished by becoming / being derivative too often in dubious “ me too “ ways. Perhaps this was unavoidable. A pity how it became so. …The build quality cheapening & content reductions of the 1970’s Cadillacs was readily viewable. By 1980 onwards GM corporate goals for the crowning of $$ financialization bean counting Roger Smith management style misled generic GM division car making overrode once upon a time GM better done 5 division distinct branding car making. When combined in tandem with Wash DC putting it’s fingerprints all over American car making in time played out / brought / did bring about where Cadillac now is in 2023 with $140, 000 price tagged gussied up Chevy truck based Caddy Escalades. Parking a 2023 Escalade next to a 1965 Caddy Fleetwood Sixty Special underlines this point succinctly. Your spot on expressed views and rankings regarding Cadillac automobiles from styling / build quality to power plant high & low points were well presented Adam. Always enjoy your showcased car picks with extensive reviews and knowledgeable comments. Thank you for doing what you do so well Adam.👍
I like the 1961 through 1968 Caddies, particularly the ‘67 and ‘68 convertibles. Skip to ‘73 and ‘74, I loved the Fleetwood 60 Special Brougham, based purely on aesthetics. Thanks for the great videos.
Thank you for this channel. It so happens to be a great stress reliever from the complications of modern life. On side note; Does anybody know of any Regular Cab, 5.0 Coyote, 2019 and up 4x4 F-150 pickups?
Agreed, the 65 Cadillac is my favorite full-size. And the 67 El Dorado is a masterpiece! Though I was only in fifth grade in 1965 so that wouldn’t be a car I would have ever had. My folks had a 65 impala SS convertible at that time, and had it for 30 years, so I still have a fondness for that car.
I'm a fan of something from all brands provided that they were big. As far as Cadillac is concerned, for me it's 41, 49, 61& 62 Fleetwoods and 65 and 66. I own a triple black 66 Fleetwood that I've found to be a well built, reliable car. Your story about the taillight bulbs is mostly true. I had to do it once and what a PITA. I found that if I didn't tighten that bulb retaining ring too tight, I could rotate counterclockwise and get them out from below without removing the bumper. Still though, could have been a better design. Another similar F'up is the upper rear control arm bushing replacement in that you have to cut a hole in the floor pan to get the bolt out.
In the 1980's I bought and briefly abused the hell out of a one-owner 1967 Coupe DeVille with a black leather bucket-seat, center console interior that had tilt-telescope column and essentially every option imaginable, very comfortable and ergonomic for its time.The 429ci engine and TH400 was a torque monster combo that was essentially bulletproof. Peak Cadillac year but for their propensity to rapidly oxidize. Unfortunately it was already a rust bucket until I got it, for $200. Had there been any performance parts like intakes and headers available I would gladly have put that powertrain in my 1956 F100, but that plan never quite came together. I've driven a ton of luxury cars since (as a limo driver for some 7 years) and found most Caddie sedans of the 1990's and later are atrociously bad for long drives. The steering column is canted inward making the shoulder to wheel distance unequal left to right, no way to square up. Too, no amount of seat adjustment is corrective of bad pedal placement, for me anyway. Peak Escalade gets this right for the driver, at least, by mid 2000's, and the LS-derived 6.0L is great. The 8-speed transmission later ones are equipped with unfortunately break by 80K-100K. 4sp automatic versions are better, and commonly see 250-400K miles on powertrain before needing rebuilt. The Lincoln Town Car of the early to late 1990's was superior to the Caddies in every luxury car metric that mattered. I've logged close to a million miles driving the above-mentioned vehicles, FWIW
Peak Cadillac was an era which was 1949 through 1976 (they were all good for their perspective year) after that they started looking like other GM vehicles with front and rear end fascia changes. And although the Seville was a huge hit in the late '70s causing the rush to square cars It really did not have a real high bill quality like the previous cars that all the rock and roll and country musicians sang about.
Was just looking at one of these in pink that was parked outside of a Cuban restaurant in South Florida. With skinny side pipes you barely noticed exiting the fender from under a shroud and running the length of the wheelbase down the side. Was subtle enough you didn't even notice them at first, and somehow didn't look ridiculous or out of place. Haven't seen one of these parked on the street in ages until now.
Great question. There’s an argument that this is really two questions: peak Cadillac design and peak Cadillac engineering/ construction. My family had a 68 El dorado. That era I see as peak design. But the materials and engineering of that car and era? Not so peak. Good point about the ride. In addition, it was rare to have all work on the car without pretty frequent visits to the shop. Thanks for another great video Adam!
I had a customer that was a used car manager at a GM dealership. He told me that his brother worked for many years at a Cadillac dealership and that each time that the cars were given a total restyle content was taken out. He especially thought that the ‘65’s were really cheapened from the ‘64’s and’71’s were “trash” in his mind.
I've said it elsewhere on other threads on Adam's channel: 1965 was the apotheosis of Cadillac as the Standard of the World. Design, Construction, Attention to Detail, Materials Quality (inside and out), Performance and Handling, Comfort.
I couldn't agree more about the 68! ! I've owned classic cars my entire life, something I learned from my dad. I've had dozens of classic cars throughout the decades (GM, Ford, Chrysler, even BMW and Mercedes), and always did most of my own servicing and wrenching on them. My average length of ownership about 3-4 years before moving on to the "next thing". About 18 years ago, I had sold my 66 GTO convertibe and my 68 Camaro convertible and took a break from classic cars for a minute. That lasted about a year! LOL! Then, I really wanted something classic, but different. No more convertibles, no more muscle-cars. Did a TON of old-fashioned research, and decided on a mid-60's personal luxury coupe. (Being 6'5", the longer door, frameless window hardtop, and ability to re-mount the seat farther back makes a classic coupe far more practical, for me anyway!) I checked out Lincolns, Continentals, Chryslers, and Cadillacs. Test drove a bunch, including a 67 Eldorado, which I LOVED the look of, just didn't care for once I actually drove one! Tried a 67 Coupe deVille, and it was OK...close, but no cigar. Drove a 70...nope! Kept doing research, and the 68 Coupe deVille seemed to interest me more and more, ESPECIALLY if I could find one with the front disc brake option! And I finally found one! And it had spent its entire life within a 25 mile radius (here in L.A.) No rust, well maintained, two previous owners, and every service record since new. And front disc brakes! AND...that incredible 472 mated with the Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission! Power, safety, looks, comfort and style...sporty elegance! 1968 is definately the PEAK for Cadillac! And, after 14 years, I still own and drive this car regularly today!
76 is my absolute favourite Design not only for the Eldorado but for the FullSize Sedan DeVille or Fleetwood too. The quality is unfortunately lacking behind (when I even compare them to same year Lincolns) but for me they are the best looking ones. I just bought a 76 Eldo and yes, I'm quite impressed how less hp these 500s make. I had a 74 Lincoln 460 and that was a rocket compared to the 500. Btw. I was also daily driving a 83 FWB HT4100 for 9 years. Quite an experience to make. I love the 80s RWD cars with their design but I don't ever want one back with the original engine and transmission.
all of the Cadillac's I've owned. 1978 Seville, 1971 Coupe Deville, 1984 El Dorado, 1991 Sedan De Ville and a 1962 Sedan Deville.1961-62 all around favorite because I love the Mid-Century Modern styling and tasteful interior. The most pleasurable to own and drive was my 78 Seville. The 71 and 91 were decent but nothing to wright home about, and the 1984 Eldo was elegant, but spent more time in the shop than on the road and the engine ruined any pleasure of owning it. My bucket list Cadillac is a 1948 series 62 convertible. Everything about it, from its P38 Lightning styling to its unique one year only instrument cluster was a grand slam.
Peak CADILLAC - depends on the definition of “peak”. I would define peak as when they were globally known as THE great American luxury car brand. And I would estimate that to be in the late ‘50s. It was also just before parts sharing with lesser brands began to creep in more and more.
@@Iamthestig42069 not sure they run circles around them. Luxury cars are now either SUVs or a few very large (and low sales numbers) sedans. The S class MB, Lexus LS BMW7 and Audi 8 have no competition from CADILLAC
That was a very sound discourse on the topic of when Cadillac was at its best in the modern era! Thank you for explaining why you hold to the opinion that you have.
At 60 years old I've been a Cadillac fan since my teenage years. I loved the `59s so much that I tried to buy one in 1983, but my parents wouldn't let me because their mechanic didn't like it, and that's because it had some rust and had a bent control arm. After that I bought a `63 hearse, behind their backs. (Once I brought it home it was too late for them to worry about, lol). Anyway, that hearse had the Hydramatic with fluid coupling. What a cool transmission that was. I loved that car. But `59 is the ultimate year for me. But then I love `59 across all GM makes. My love for Cadillacs goes up through the 1999 model year, and that's it. I had a 1990 Sedan DeVille that I got used, and it was awesome. It had plenty of power, and had amazing traction and braking on slippery roads in the winter. It ran and drove perfectly. But then I got into a huge accident with it, and that was the end of that car. 😢 My current Cadillac is a 1996. Right now it needs a traction control/antilock module, and the climate control blower won't start, though I believe it can still run. The problem was intermittent, but now is constant. Anyway, I've had none of the problems with the Northstar that people usually talk about, but I don't drive that much either.
Adam, interesting chat. Peak Cadillac for me would be a '64 CDV. Just a beautiful, high quality luxury car. Going way out in left field, I also loved my late Mother's 1992 Seville (polo green with a parchment interior) with the great 4.9 V8.... Pre-Northstar. A stunning and timeless design IMHO. 😊
I had a loaded black 89 Fleetwood I bought in 91 - loved that car but started to experience myriad and expensive repairs so bailed after about 4 years. My all time fave Caddy hands down would be the 57 ‘steel-topped’ Biarritz with those shiny tru-spokes. Thanks Adam.
1961 Coupe de Ville. There is a video of a green one in a museum, and the everywhere high quality of the Car was just amazing, and so where the many design-details.
Another great, spot on video. I've had many. My favorite looks wise 1965 Coupe DeVille, I had a 65 Eldorado fleetwood convertible silver blue with white interior and top. Design at its peak with brushed aluminum inside. I had 2 1967s one coupe and one 4 door Calais, I love the Calais or as a salesman called it "a poor man's Cadillac". It had great cloth interior. And I owned 68,69, a few 70's, 79 coupe, 92 STS. I now have new ones, I just traded a loaded 2019 XTS PremLux, nice but just didn't have the Caddy ride, I have a 2020 XT5 and it reminds me a lot of the 1967, I love it. And my 23 CT4 luxury that actually reminds me the most of an old school Cads, rides great. Anyway you have the best channel thank you so much for doing it!
I was disappointed in the '65 when it arrived. I was eleven, though. Fins were still everything to me. I've matured enough to appreciate it now. I thought the '59 was the ultimate but now the sight of one makes me laugh.
Hey Adam, love the videos you make! So much info on and spotlight on the solid, underrated/underappreciated cars! 1978 Cadillac Sedan DeVille for me, but I have a soft spot for that particular year and model. It was my first car! Sure, she had some rust, Colonial Yellow was hideous in my opinion, the quarter panel extensions were blown out, but boy was she a smooth ride. That land yacht just floated for days. I replaced the quadrajunk with a new carburetor after I attempted to rebuild it and it was beyond repair. shocked it ran as bad as it was. Went 850 cfm, and man did that 425 wake up. Love the sound of those secondary's opening! Its funny you mentioned in the video those years were "Short" or at least the dealers complained. Mine measured almost 19 feet! At least I got to take her to a couple of Dream Cruises before I had to part ways. One of my biggest regrets.
The first Cadillac I thought of here on the subject of avoidance was the 1981 Cadillac with the V8-6-4 engine. The vibration going from 8 to 6 cylinders was a topic of constant irritation and nothing could be done about it. On the other hand a good Cadillac I agree the 1967 was a good one. I was a Cadillac mechanic for a while around 1981.
I learned to drive in 1981 Sedan Deville D' Elegance. It was a V*-6-4 car. My grandad was a body man trade and dabble in the mechanical repair arena. He kept that car very clean in the early 90's. because i learned to parallel park this particular car when i was driving my grand parents around, my parallel parking test during my driving test (as well as backing and merging) was rather easy. We tested in a 1993 chevy caviler. My 1st car ended being a 1983 Buick Rivera.....I would love to get my hands on another one of those.
For sheer quality, id say 65 or 66. In terms of exterior styling, id have to say 67 was the peak (between the full size cars and the inteoduced eldorado). I think Cadillacs remained really good through 1970. 71 Through 76, i still like the cadillacs although they arent on the same level as the earlier models, with more questionable styling ans a drop in interior quality. The 77-79 downsized models are pretty nice and still have good engines and transmissions. Ive always liked the 1980 refresh for the coupes in particular, and while the 6 liter was a bit down on power, it wasnt plauged with the major medhanical ossues they would curse cadillacs for the next few decades. The big exceptions being the later 4.5 and 4.9 front drivers, the Broughams with olds and chevy engines, ans the detuned Corvette Fleetwoods of the 90s. However, while these were still good cars, they are not as durable and distinct as the cadillacs of the 1950s or 60s.
Love the channel Adam! I had two 90’s Cadillacs with Northstar’s and absolutely thrashed them for 100k miles with no problems. I must have been one of the lucky ones. Keep up the great content.
I have a 98 Eldorado ETC and love it. That Cadillac ride and handling is top notch. It has 86k miles now and I bought it at 77k 4 years ago. It's a beautiful car and honestly the last of the true luxurious Cadillac before Art & Science took over and turned them all into sports sedans.
I agree with everything you said. It represents my exact experience with my beloved Cadillacs. GM was very good at being destructive with perfection. Was it just greed or fear of the multitude of foreign influences that were perceived as threats to AMERICAN engineering. We should have stuck to our guns. After all, we won the wars and bled from them.
1964 for me. Distinctively Caddy styling that cleaned up the late 50’s styling excesses via Bill Mitchell’s influence. Stacked headlights of subsequent cars reminded me too much of Fords and Pontiacs, despite being very handsome in own right. Vault-like doors, components and interior components that were still clearly superior to other GM divisions and other makes. Feel that year was last to rightfully be considered the “Standard of the World”. From then on, combination of gradual de-contenting of Caddys and up-tiering of Buicks, Olds, Pontiacs and even Chevy (introduction of Caprice) just closed the gap too much.
My favorites are the 1965-66 lineup. Clean, classy, very understated for the era. I would add on the 1967-70 Eldorado as the best of that brief unique car. Cadillac at its finest.
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My vote goes to the '65, mostly because I think that year represents peak GM across all makes. There isn't a bad looking GM car from that year. For that matter, 1963-1968 was just a great era for American cars.
One big thing detracts from the persistence of that lovely styling, however. While not unique to GM in period, the early 60's were peak RUST
59-64 is my favorite era. 😊
I agree on the 65 to 68 as peak, as after that the decline is apparent. However honorable mention to the 54 through 56. Those were the home run years. Beautiful, stunning automobile. Truly well executed throughout.
I can attest to that! I own a '54 Fleetwood and it’s the best Cadillac I’ve ever owned. It’s such a cool and glamorous car that just screams “Hollywood”…Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Rat Pack…
I think the 50s cars and trucks have been overshadowed by our love of the 60s cars, yet look around at all the SUVs and crossovers from the late 90s to the present and it's not a stretch that there's a connection.
I bought a 67 coup de ville with 50k miles in 1976 for $500. The interior was like new except the ashtray that had heavy use. Huge 472 ci engine. I put on nearly 100k miles before it started nickel and diming me and I found that parts were twice an Oldsmobile or Buick’s…often the same exact part. I finally got tired of the mpg in 1980 and took it in to a Toyota dealership and traded for a new Corolla. They really didn’t want it on their lot and for no more than they gave me I should have kept it. Still have dreams of driving that land yacht!
My parents bought a 1956 Sedan deVille for $1,100 in 1969. We drove it to Minnesota that summer and then back in Anaheim the "freeze plugs" blew. My father parked it on the front lawn behind the main fence and then it was sold in 1977 For $150.☹
@@TheJeffShadowShowAh, freeze plugs! I owned my gorgeous creampuff 1965 Cadillac Sedan de Ville from 1975 through 1980, while I attended Northern Arizona University in cold and snowy Flagstaff. Once, the night before I was to drive home for Christmas vacation, there was a big blizzard and--while I was sleeping--some of my "friends" buried my car under a mountain of snow. It took me an hour or so to retrieve my car, after which I fired it up and started heading down the freeway to sunny Tucson. I hadn't gone 15 miles before a cloud of steam began pouring out from under the hood. I had to have the car towed all the way back to town, where I learned that all the freeze plugs had popped out. Fortunately, the mechanic had some on hand and I was able to get going again before sundown.
Sooo much knowledge👌
This channel is grossly underrated
✨ _Congratulations_ 🥂 on the 100k subscriber milestone Adam, its well deserved.
well said...completely agree
What is its rating?
I've very recently come to admire the style line that wraps around the trunk on the 1961 models. The 1962, 64, 66, 67, and 68 were so solid and well built -especially on the interior quality. Much the same as what you said.
I guess I am partial to the 64 as I own one. IMHO this, the last year for the fins, was the ultimate. Both the engine and transmission moved the almost 5000 lb vehicle down the road well. Many interior features are a surprise to people today.
1977-79. MY FAVORITES
At various times throughout my childhood, my father owned a ‘60 convertible, ‘66 Sedan Deville, and the ‘72 Fleetwood Brougham. These were our family cars. I have always thought the ‘60 Cadillacs were the ultimate expression of Cadillac design. I agree that the the simplification of the fin (absent the ostentatious “torpedo”) gave it a much cleaner look. Even though I was only about 6 years old when he sold it, I still miss that car ! (50+ years later 😭). It would be worth a small fortune today. The ‘66 was a workhorse. We towed the family Airstream all over the US and Canada and my father often drove it up into the mountains of Montana (often where people in jeeps would stare in disbelief when we pulled up beside them 😂) the Fleetwood was a very elegant car with chromed footrests in the back. I loved riding in the cavernous back seat on long road trips …. but by this time however there had been so much emissions equipment added to the engine that it was robbed of its potential horsepower. It often struggled pulling our 27 foot airstream on high altitude mountain passes despite my father’s best efforts at tinkering with the engine to squeeze out more power. That was also the last year before the 1973 front impact regulations forced Cadillac to beef up their bumpers which limited their elegant front end designs. After that, the Cadillacs just started looking like any other GM design.
From a marketing perspective, I have read that Cadillac (according to some) aldrwady started its great decline as far back as the mid 1950s, by lowering their prices and becoming more accessible. This helped growing sales but diminished the status. Much like today, Cadillac sits more in the 'premium' category (Audi, Mercedes) than the all out luxury (Bentley, RR) category, while it used to operate in the latter during the 1930s and 1940s.
Oh, and my all time favourite Caddy is of course the '60, for the very same reason Adam mentioned. Just a bit sleeker than the 59s!
Hello Ed!
@@RareClassicCarsAgree with Ed that Cadillac was not as special as it was once was because more buyers could afford to buy them but they were still luxurious. From the stand point of peak that would have been 65 and 66. My mother had a 72 Sedan Deville although a nice car with a good drive train the interior quality was just not as good. Door straps that would come loose (as Adam covered in a previous video with the dealer fixes), radio knobs that would fall off, heavy sagging doors, exploding door armrests, and artificial wood trim that was not terrible but not befitting of a luxury car with the status of a Cadillac or Lincoln. The nail in the coffin were the 4-6-8 and the Northstar engines. Having said that about Cadillacs the same thing is true with Lincolns that although they were nice in the 70s they just were not the same quality as the 60s Lincolns especially in the interiors. Now Lincoln does not even offer a car in the US only in China. I don't hate the new Lincolns or Cadillacs they just are not the same and do not have the beautiful fit and finish both inside and outside that the 60s ones have. Having said that I will say that there has been a trend toward cheapening of most interiors of new vehicles with paper thin non textured carpet, more hard plastics, and the lack of choice in interior colors which are mainly black with some gray. Today's vehicles are safer but are more boring. Thank you again Adam for sharing your beautiful cars and thank you Ed for your videos which are informative yet entertaining.
50’s Cadillacs were all still extremely well built cars, better in many ways than the 60’s Cadillacs.
Cadillacs serious decline was after 1970, maybe possibly 1968.
I also used to own a 61 Lincoln Continental which were extremely solid well constructed cars, that felt like it was made from a solid piece of concrete , but it’s interior materials wasn’t that great to be honest vs 60’s Cadillacs. Plus the 61-63 Continental had such a tiny interior, good luck fitting in one of your above 5’10” as the headroom was terrible.
Lincoln definitely beat Cadillac in terms of quality of construction and riding smoothness in the 70’s, while Cadillac had Lincoln beat in the 1950’s-60’s for quality of construction, performance, reliability, and riding smoothness for the most part.
As a matter of fact, the best riding car I’ve ever owned or driven in, and this includes the latest modern luxury cars as well, is still my 1978 Lincoln Continental. That thing literally just floats like a rolling couch on the road. It’s solid, ultra smooth and extremely isolating from the NVH than any other car I’ve experienced driving, period.
I will agree that new vehicles lack true comfortability like how the classic luxury cars had. Today luxury vehicles strictly focus hard on tech features to attract buyers, while completely ignoring about building soft, forgiving seats, with a ride that caters towards a more isolating, soft detached experience. Still too much hard plastic surfaces and flimsy materials on new car interiors.
This is why I will never sell my classic Cadillacs and Lincoln’s, no effing way!!
I read once that in the early ‘50s, Cadillac made the decision to start using disposable parts, that prior to that, every single part on a Cadillac could be rebuilt. They wanted to put a Cadillac in the hands of as many men as possible; to make luxury affordable to the most people possible.
I absolutely adore my 1985 Cadillac Seville, I know even die hard Caddy fans hate this model/year design and style, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this generation of Seville. I love her, she's gorgeous and probably as close to mint as any example left in the country. She's my baby and when I do drive her, I drive with pride. ❤ 😉👍
I understand. I had a 1985 Olds 98, navy blue, with the Olds wire wheel covers. It had 121,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1999, but I didn't pay much for it, and knew both prior owners. It was "right." The reason a lot of Cadillac owners dis it is because plenty of folks used to ask me about my Seville, as plenty might have asked them about their Olds 98!
imo, the '80-'85 'bustleback' Seville is quite a bit better looking than the Sevilles that followed
‘85 Seville is absolutely gorgeous. I agree. Have always admired that body style.
I think the overall interior quality of most American makes started to nose dive after 68/69. While safety was definitely a contributing factor, prior to that there was more metal, less plastic, and more tasteful trim usually found inside. I'm a Mopar fan myself and you can definitely see the difference in say a 66 Charger interior to a 68 Charger interior. The earlier stuff still looks wonderful today, while the later stuff not so much.
I have owned a 1968 Cadillac fleetwood limousine for 25 years which is very very rare here in The Netherlands(Europe). Although I have put the pedal to the metal less then 10 times in this 25 years I have to say, the car was very powerful and fast for such a heavy car. It is a special car in numerous ways. The engine, the pneumatic door locks, rear seat remote controlled mechanic am radio with auto-next-station search, etc etc etc. The only downside was that it is a chauffeur driven car and the best place to be is on the back seat :) Personally I think Cadillac became extreme ugly as of 1979. This is a great channel. I love how balanced you talk about cars and always given knowledge I did not know before. Thank you for your videos.
In 1996 Cadillac Brougham's were getting the LS motors and were very good performers still body on frame and rear wheel drive traditional Cadillac.
I've been looking at a 1965 Coupe de Ville. I really like the styling as well.
I’ve owned several Cadillacs over the years, and my current ones I own now is a '54 Fleetwood 60 Special and a '64 Sedan Deville which I love both dearly.
IMHO, after owning a '68 Coupe Deville, the '64 Cadillac is a much higher quality car with better quality of interior materials and styling, the ‘68 had way too much plastic and cheaper feeling materials. The steering wheel was a huge let down, no more super bright chrome trim either. The doors were lighter including the hood vs the '64.
The '68 was peak Cadillac as far as performance goes, and in terms of overall quality, fit n finish of materials, the '65 or '66 models was peak Cadillac for “quality of materials and interior styling”.
The '69 Cads are one of my favorite designs, I sorta prefer the massive shark like grill and shape over the stacked headlight Caddy’s, since they always reminded me of a Pontiac and just looked odd for a Cadillac.
Personally if you’d ask me, Cadillac’s of the 1950’s are my all time favorite Cadillacs. You can’t go wrong with any 50’s Cad as they all looked amazing and had the ultimate styling of any luxury car of its time.
My '54 Fleetwood is my favorite Cadillac I have ever owned. Its styling is bold, it has the massive dagmar bumpers, bullet nosed hood with the elegant goddess hood ornament and wrap around windshield, bullet style steering wheel, rear window vent panes, the hidden gas filler behind the tail light housing and its classic Cadillac styling that will always be associated with Elvis’s pink '54-55 Fleetwoods he used to own.
It’s overall fit and finish, quality of materials and interior space is unmatched compared to every big Cadillac I’ve ever owned. The rear seat leg room, width, and headroom is borderline limo status. It’s absolutely massive! If one has its original A/C unit installed, it has to be the best AC designs ever in a car.
It has a huge trunk installed blowers with air plane looking vents mounted in the headliner that blows the ice cold air down on top of you from above. It was a very expensive design that Cadillac eventually did away with after 1956 unfortunately.
What is great about all the '54-56 Cadillacs is that they used a perimeter box like ladder designed X-frame chassis which were only really used on convertibles at the time from different manufacturers because of how rigid/strong they were, but Cadillac used that extremely tough frame on their sedans and hardtops. Although the cars looked low to the ground, you sit up pretty high on the seats and it feels like you’re driving a crossover vs the later low slung Cads of the late 50’s into the 60’s. Ease of entry and exiting is very good as well. No bending or hunching over just to get in and out of these cars. Just slide right in.
The sheer presence and menacing nature of the '54 Cads make them so noticeable and unforgettable on the road. Sure they’re not as flamboyant compared to say the '57-59 Cadillacs, but they still are extremely flashy Cadillacs with all that thick chrome dripping everywhere from its body. Plus the 331 and hydramatic trans, are a wonderful combination. The car performance flawlessly and rides very smoothly with its 133 inch wheelbase.
I will never again own another 70’s Cadillac. The only Cads that interest me now are from the 40’s and 50’s. My '64 Cadillac is my favorite 60’s Cadillac so far in terms of ownership. Much better than '68’s. It rides softer is much more floaty on the road than the '68.
Thank you. I enjoyed reading about your fine Cadillacs. Very nice perspective.
Agree with 1964 being a superior car. Elegant, Bill Mitchell directed stying that did away with excesses of the late 50’s. High quality components and interior build quality, and floating on clouds ride without wallowing excessively. Stacked headlight design starting in 65 to me always seemed to look like Fords and Pontiacs as you mentioned, despite being very handsome otherwise. A 64 or 63 Caddy will never be confused with anything else. Have a 64 Series 62 Coupe since 1990, still love to look at and drive it to this day.
I agree, the "stacked headlight" '65 - '68 was peak Cadillac - with '68 being my favorite. Cadillac must've broken sales records in those four years because I'd see them everywhere.
My grandfather was a Cadillac dealer mechanic and service rep for 40+ years. He would purchase cars from customers after they traded them in (usually after a year or two) and so there were always Cadillacs in the driveway when I was a kid in the 1980s. My favorite was his 1959 Sedan de Ville, which was my temple of car worship. Every visit to their house I would take out the keys and sit in the car and pretend to drive. He also had a 73 Coupe de Ville, a 77 Couple de Ville d'Elegance, and a 1981 Fleetwood Brougham sedan. I loved all of those cars but there was definitely a difference between that 59 and all of the others. The quality that car had was amazing. I think what I realize now was that cars were starting to become much more homogenized through those years. As features that were only available on high end cars were now standard on lower cars the special feeling that you got from really any top car back in the day doesn't really exist anymore (at least in the "common" upper end cars). When the cheapest cars come with AC, power windows, power locks, remote keyless, etc., etc., there's just not much to differentiate the experience, so cars become far more of a tool rather than an experience. When my parents were driving a Plymouth Horizon hatchback, that Cadillac Fleetwood was really something out of another world.
Had a 53 coupe 😊
Love the fact that you mention the 1973 Coupé de Ville. I drove a triple white Coupé de Ville in Denmark from 1986-1995 with white leather, green dash and carpets and NO vinyl roof.
LOVED that car and the over 60K miles I added to it.
I later had a 1978 Fleetwood limousine - all stock, black with grey velour - for 5 years. My current Cadillac is a 1989 Sedan de Ville, all digital with leather seats, rebuilt in Denmark as a hearse. Still in service.
I have driven 1965 and 1966 Cadillacs shortly, but to me the 1973 stands out. Would love to have one again, but they have become very expensive indeed.
There is something about them you don't get in cars today.
@@KoldingDenmark The 1973 was the one we'd travel in when I was in the single-digits age wise. Take some throw pillows from the sofa, throw them in the back and I got to lounge as we drove to the shore. It was dark blue with a white vinyl top and white leather interior. Only rule was I wasn't allowed to put down the rear quarter windows, they had a habit of getting stuck (I guess that speaks to the quality issues in the 70s!)
@@robertschmalbach9840
Great memories.
I never had electric problems of any kind.
Even the radio with self seeking system.
We had a 1985 Horizon. The car as a whole was just OK, but it had the most comfortable seats I have ever experienced. On the other hand, our 1985 K-car had the most uncomfortable.
I have loved Cadillacs since my childhood. My grandfather's '57 convertable and '64 were awe inspiring to me. But, upon seeing a new '65 convertible Cadillac on a turntable at a county fair, I was completely in love with it's sleek and clean styling! I love the '65/66's to this day!
Nineteen sixty-one! Skegs! A Bill Mitchell masterpiece.
My favorite from a styling perspective is the 1962. Just beautiful!
I agree with Adam, mid 60's to 1968 was the peak for Cadillac. Still regarded as "The Standard of the World", from a time when owning and driving a Cadillac told the world you had arrived. Great styling and luxury, high quality materials and superior build quality. I am also a fan of 1960's GM design. BTW, my best friend had a '72 Coupe de Ville - gorgeous car but the entire door card fell off once while I was attempting to shut the driver's door!
My favorite Cadillac is the 1949 in the Sedanette bodystyle. Back in the late 1970s, I was at the point of buying a 1968 convertible, but my grandfather talked me out of it. I still notice Cadillacs of that era and consider what might have been, but he was probably right.
The '59 takes the cake every time for me. Nothing beats the industrial art with those fins and rocket taillights. America at it's best. JMO.
I love the look of the '67/'68 model years. Both the Coupe DeVille & the Sedan DeVille. Great lines and they look excellent with a convertible top as well.
The 67 Eldorado with your radial inflated to factory specs rides so much smoother than with standard inflation pressures. Owned several of the torsion bar front end Eldorados, and the rides DRAMATICALLY improve with the "under inflated " tires.
Adam, I think you've chosen wisely and explained the virtues and foibles of Cadillacs since 1959. Personally, I prefer the 1977-79 models, though. A better size, very good looking large cars with interior quality that was vastly improved over the previous models.
For me it's about the styling and plushness of interior.
1977 to 1992 are the ones I could stare at for hours.
78 Eldorado and 1979 Coupe are my favorites.
I award the 1979 model year as "peak" not because I just bought one last December but also because I "delivered" them at Southwest Leasing from 1978 to 1979. I worked at Renick Cadillac (Fullerton, California) in 1980 when the new vertical C-pillar style was introduced and drove the first 1980 Seville to the showcase turntable for the reveal the next morning. I know the 368 V8 is fine but the 425 V8 is perfect.
Back in the late 60's / early 70's one of our neighbors had a 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood. That was pure luxury... a rich brown leather interior, 8 window switches on the drivers door as all 4 windows and all 4 vent windows were all power... I got to drive it once as as a 17 year old I was really impressed... my parents were driving a 71 Catalina at that point and there was just no comparison... that Caddy was so smooth... unbelievable
Thank you Adam. You are a great story teller and I learned a lot about Cadillacs that I never knew. My grandfather bought a new one every two years, his last being a 1978 post-it pad yellow Eldorado Biarritz. He gave that to me, his oldest grandson and I enjoyed driving it and appreciating the many cool features.
For me, 1957 two door was a good year for vintage Cadillacs and for a "Modern" Cadillac it would be a Hennessey Performance, Cadillac CTS-V widebody wagon, in Crystal Claret Pearl red and a manual 6-speed.
i fully agree on the 59-60, the 60 fins are more streamlined with the rest of body but 59 is ok too. 60 is my fav by far.
I personally really like the styling of the 63 and 64 Cadillacs right before the vertical headlight styling of the late 60s.
I had one, very nice cars. Luxurious ride, plenty of power, smooth. But man was it a behemoth, speedbumps were just insane as the weight of the car would pull up on the wheels and then everything came crashing down to the earth
@@dennis885600 Then your car had suspension/shock issues because this is before they gained weight and size, coming in at around 3700lbs. and with about the same overall length as the boxy rear-drive 80's models.
@@scottysgarage4393 it was just the massive weight of it. It weighed 5100lbs and was 223 inches long, loaded with all kinds of luxury. The suspension and shocks were brand new.
@@dennis885600 And again, it weighed about two tons. Notably lighter than a brand new Challenger today. 223" is 18 feet, an absolutely average length. I've owned literally hundreds over the past 40 years; they are a rather nimble car and quiet even over the worst roads. If yours was otherwise then something was broke.
Excellent episode!
Please also put together a Peak Lincoln video. These types of in-depth year by year, model by model explanations I find incredibly interesting.
Won't find a 60's Lincoln ambulance...
Adam, You hit the nail on the head with everything you said. 😁😁😁😁
I enjoy the channel, keep the wonderful content coming, if you will. I have had 6 cadillacs in my day, if I may; 1988 Fleetwood Brougham with a 500 engine, 1980 Eldorado with the 368 engine, 1992 Seville STS with a 4.9 engine, 1984 Coupe Deville with vaunted 4100..lol and I now own a 1979 Seville with a 350 rocket (non diesel). My dad, my number one hero, had a 1972 Eldorado when I was a kid. I have to agree 1965 to 1968 just may have been peak.
My favorite Cadillac is the 62. GM trimmed the fins and made it much sleeker. My uncle had a 62 Cadillac convertible. Ruby red with white leather interior. I thought it was just jaw dropping beautiful. We tried to get my mother to buy it, but it came from up north and didn't have air conditioning. So it was NO SALE!!
Adam, you could begin a new feature: "Prairie Chats" for summer and "Porch Chats" for winter. Either way, great video. The '65 Caillacs just had something about them that's hard to define that made them catch the eye, give off a sense of restained elegance and power. Great stuff!
Oh yes, what is the difference between a "fluid coupling" and a "torque converter"? Never understood either.
I really like the late 40's early 50's series 62 Sedanet's. Love that fastback styling.
I can't believe I agree with almost everything Adam says, 65 Coupe DeVille is also my favourite Cadillac.
I liked the ‘65 , but throw my hat in the ring for the 1971’s. The front end was toned down from the late 60’s, and the rear treatment was understated but very attractive.
The '71 was one of my favorites also (style wise) with the spaced headlights, sculptured trunk and thin chrome strips in the taillights, just too bad they cheapened them tremendously that year.
A Porch Chat in “The Tranquil Setting”. A perfect nickname for your backyard.
Hey Adam, back in the late seventies I actually had a 60 four door Cadillac that I paid $250 for. It was the factory purple color, I think it was called Rose Mist. It was a very comfortable car with a nice interior!!! Thanks for sharing this exciting video on "The Standard Of The World" 👍👍🙂
@ChristopherKraft327 the color your thinking of is either Sienna Rose Metallic or Cadillac Heather Metallic they've had some other purples later on like Madeira plum firemist metallic from 1968-1970 etc. my choice of peak depends on model for Deville Convertible it's 1964-1966 for Seville it's Bustle Back for Eldorado its 58-60 Biarritz Convertibles for Seville STS its 1995-2000 my childhood best friend's dad had a 1989 Seville STS for about 18 mos. when we were kids he'd had an 84 Sedan Deville previously then he was arrested 26th March 1990 for his involvement in the Mafia her late mother always drove a Mercedes Benz S Class and she currently drives a Mercedes Benz AMG C 63 S Cabriolet.
My favorite is your ‘67 Eldorado, which was once my car. I’ve owned six and have one now, but it’s not as nice as the Black/Red beauty from Tyler, Texas that you now own.
I also agree completely with your focus on mid-60’s cars as the pinnacle of design and performance. We’ll done!
Joe
One of my favorite years are the 91-93 SeDan DeVilles. Owned two. Love the 4.9
1966 Eldo. One of the last of the really well built Caddies.
'57-'58 Eldorado Brougham. No question about it. Not quite within your parameters, but that's one of the greatest Cadillacs ever built.
Peak GM was 65 thru 67'. This applies to Cadillac too. After this the decontenting started and fit and finish suffered. Even Leno in one of his many videos mentions this. 67' was the height and the end.
For me, "Peak Cadillac" is based on the memories I associate with the cars.
Specifically, I put a black '79 to '85 Eldorado Biarritz with red leather and moonroof at the top. That said, I do consider ALL Cadillacs and Lincolns to be beautiful and collectible.
I agree, my grandfather owned a 1966 coupe deville that I loved to be in. Just beautiful inside and out.
I know it's not peak Caddy period, but as a kid in the late 70s I loved (and still do) the 76-79 Seville and the downsized Eldo that debuted in '79. To me, that version of the Eldorado is still as sharp today as when I first laid eyes on it. I'd say both were a home run for Cadillac during the "Malaise Era".
Totally agree. 65-68 were the high mark. Beautiful styling and build quality! I also like the 64. Just not so much the X frame.
Good video. Thank you!
I had a 1968 Cadillac Convertible (loved it) and have always wanted a 61/62...fo the clean lines and skeg fins.
I love your channel and especially since we have the same interest - American luxury cars from the 50's, 60's and 70's. You are incredibly knowledgeable and revive great memories for me when my dad and aunt had these cars - 1959-64 Mercury, 1965 Chrysler Newport, 1969 Mercury Marquis Brougham, 1970 Olds 98 LS, 1973 Olds 98 LS, and 1978 Olds 98 Regency with a 403 cu V8. Keep up the great work!
Adam I think you are the most amazing person. I always enjoy your episodes with your cars but also like this one which is more historical. I agree with you 100% on the dash redesign in 69and 70. When I was a kid I had an aunt who was an El Dorado driver, I liked them but wasn’t really into them as much as I was into my great aunts Lincoln Mark V or my cousins early 80’s Riviera. I have a 79 Town Car and I will admit it’s probably not the best built car but have been in love with the style since I was a kid.
Man, this is a tough one. I was born in 1953, so the '54-'56 are the earliest Caddies in my memories. I still love the 1954 best of all, along with the Olds 98 of that year. But for perhaps better reasons, I'd choose 1965 as Cadillac's all-around best lineup. The 1967 Eldorado is in a class by itself.
Love the 1957 and 1962 are my favorites
I liked your honest unbiased opinion. You like Cadillac, but you told the truth about Cadillac. I am in agreement with a lot of what you said especially about the troubled times for Cadillac and the recent efforts. They have a Cadillac sedan they sell in China they used to sell here( Cadillac CT6). Cadillac is going all electric, but they at least are trying to find their mojo. I liked many models over the years, but the late 80's early 90 Brougham did get a decent engine from Chevrolet. I liked the 1989-1993 Deville and Fleetwood, 1992-1997 Seville(minus Northstar), 1979-1985 Eldorado, 1975-1978 Eldorado, 1975-1976 Fleetwood and Deville. I also like 1997-1999 Deville despite what is under the hood, the early 70's Cadillacs exterior styling( 1969-1971), the late 1960's Eldorado, 1980-1985 Seville( despite engine issues), 1993-1996 Fleetwood as well. Escalade is a nice looking suv, but I would not own one as I have no need for that. I was not a fan of the downsized era at GM or Cadillac 1985-1989. Thank you Adam.
For such a young gentleman, you Adam have an incredible knowledge and passion for classic cars my friend, this is amazingly impressive.
The 4.1 intake gasket at the dealer was one of the few gravy jobs for a tech back in the 80's. We got fast at them since it seemed most of them started letting coolant in the oil to make a milk shake at about 30K.
They ran decent and smooth though.
It's an easy question to answer, any Cadillac from mid 60's to early 70's are the best looking!
…Well stated viewpoints Adam 👍Fully agree with your considered opinions & choice of the mid 60’s Caddys as likely being peak post WW2 Cadillac years 💫Tho the post WW2 era Cadillacs were not of the same exclusive styling / custom body / V-12 and V-16 power plant set apart pedigree as that of the now renown 1920’s - 1930’s era senior series Caddys they still had “ not everyone could own & drive one “ status out thru the 1950’s and into the mid 1960’s. GM largely had enforced assigned divisional Cadillac exclusivity by virtue of its 5 Division corporate price point & status hierarchy sales and marketing precepts. Start out with a Chevrolet or Pontiac and perhaps one day move into a nicer smoother Olds or Buick whether a 88 or a Special and maybe in time move up to a GM senior series Olds 98 or Buick Roadmaster. Cadillacs were @ the pinnacle of GM’s automobile making & selling status symbol pyramid. The print / radio / television ads for Cadillacs of the 1950’s / early 1960’s show this aspect so very well. Lincoln and Imperial were handicapped by murky “luxury car” status / standing with additional too frequent shortfalls of ?? styling and build quality plus chronic corporate marketing miscues / weak dealer presentation & support plus dubious / weak Kelly Bluebook $$ trade in value retention for 1st owners as used vehicles.
… FoMoCo and Lincoln found lasting redemption with the all new trendsetting transcendent Elwood Engel penned 1961 Lincoln Continental that led to decades of styling and sales sustained successes for FoMoCo & Lincoln. Chrysler Corp. never was able to fully separate the new for 1955 Imperial Division from Imperial’s legacy as being the top end 1920’s -30’s-40’s and up thru 1954 Chrysler model. In 2023 it is not uncommon for people to still be calling Imperials “ Chrysler “ Imperials. Imperial could have been a winning luxury car contender but sadly did not achieve the success it may have earned & deserved. The 25 year run of ChryCorp.’s Imperial Division 1955 to 1975 Imperials however successfully did foster a following of Imperial affecinado admirers & collectors.
…Chrysler Corporation seemingly had mixed ideas & often weak follow thru of /on how to promote Imperials at the corporate and dealer levels. For starters the 1955 Imperial front end grille was also put on the Chrysler 300 which needlessly diluted the Imperial’s introduction as the stand apart luxury car ChryCorp. Division for 1955. The 1955 Imperials were then needlessly restyled for 1956 and the 1957 Imperials for 58 and 59. The 1961 Imperials were out of step styling wise for 1961 while the 1962 Imperials well done front & rear styling was needlessly altered for 1963 as was the 1964 Imperial for 65 and 66. ChryCorp. never fully implemented a strong Imperial Dealer sales & service tier of qualified and dedicated select dealers required to have exclusive Imperial showroom and service facilities. It also would have been helpful had ChryCorp.given Imperial more of a halo effect by showcasing special high end Imperial models to better promote the Imperial luxury car image. The 300 should have been an Imperial model in 1955 and going forward which could have then led to the creation of a Riviera / Thunderbird type Imperial during the 1960’s or a Imperial imprinted high end sport / luxury Cordoba sized Imperial during the 1970’s. By 1969 it was plain to see Imperials were becoming less stand alone & more of a just stretched & up trimmed Chrysler C body car and by 1975 it was final curtains for Imperial. Perhaps ChryCorp. should have acquired Packard during early 1950’s instead of trying to spin the Chrysler Imperial into a stand alone luxury car make. As it is I happen to like 1955, 1962 and 1964 Imperials and the often under rated / overlooked 1967 and 1968 Imperials( LeBaron models in particular )very much. I do like the first edition 1958 Lincoln more so than followup facelift diluted 1959 & 1960 Lincoln’s.
…The 1957 Caddys had the best styling of the 1950’s era Caddy’s I think while 1961 thru 1964 Fleetwood Sixty Special Caddys were truly well styled & elegantly detailed with mechanically proven drivetrains. The 1965 Caddy’s when walked up to have a genuine presence of solid build quality from exterior detailing of the grille, fender side turn lamps to the taillights & those distinctive deep dished Caddy wheel covers only the 1965 Caddys were equipped & shipped with . Better still the 1965 Caddys had a superbly 3 D sculpted & styled instrument cluster & controls dash panel layout with the classic Cadillac specific radio face controls and elegant steering wheel detailing. Notably 1965 Cadillac dash & interior trim components were not “plasticky” in assembly details & appearance. 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood / Eldorado models interiors additionally were trimmed with real wood veneers. In general the 1965 thru 1968 senior Caddy Fleetwoods (Eldorado & Sixty Special / Brougham models ) were outstanding for overall styling & design, build quality, exquisite detailing, refined & very reliable mechanical drivetrain components & readily viewable true luxury car status.
…Sadly GM for 1969 and into the 1970’s chose to devalue Cadillac which became more of a “ belly button car “ luxury brand with damaging sought increased factory production output for more new car total sales #’s that eroded Cadillac exclusivity as a luxury make from 1969 onwards. There would be some styling / interesting Cadillac model high points such as the 1976 Seville ( despite Seville being stitched together based on outsourced Chevy Nova platform / chassis pieces with a Olds V-8 ) but Cadillac largely became more & more undistinguished by becoming / being derivative too often in dubious “ me too “ ways.
Perhaps this was unavoidable. A pity how it became so.
…The build quality cheapening & content reductions of the 1970’s Cadillacs was readily viewable. By 1980 onwards GM corporate goals for the crowning of $$ financialization bean counting Roger Smith management style misled generic GM division car making overrode once upon a time GM better done 5 division distinct branding car making. When combined in tandem with Wash DC putting it’s fingerprints all over American car making in time played out / brought / did bring about where Cadillac now is in 2023 with $140, 000 price tagged gussied up Chevy truck based Caddy Escalades. Parking a 2023 Escalade next to a 1965 Caddy Fleetwood Sixty Special underlines this point succinctly. Your spot on expressed views and rankings regarding Cadillac automobiles from styling / build quality to power plant high & low points were well presented Adam. Always enjoy your showcased car picks with extensive reviews and knowledgeable comments.
Thank you for doing what you do so well Adam.👍
I like the 1961 through 1968 Caddies, particularly the ‘67 and ‘68 convertibles.
Skip to ‘73 and ‘74, I loved the Fleetwood 60 Special Brougham, based purely on aesthetics.
Thanks for the great videos.
Thank you for this channel.
It so happens to be a great stress reliever from the complications of modern life.
On side note;
Does anybody know of any Regular Cab, 5.0 Coyote, 2019 and up 4x4 F-150 pickups?
Agreed, the 65 Cadillac is my favorite full-size. And the 67 El Dorado is a masterpiece! Though I was only in fifth grade in 1965 so that wouldn’t be a car I would have ever had.
My folks had a 65 impala SS convertible at that time, and had it for 30 years, so I still have a fondness for that car.
love a porch chat, thanks
I'm a fan of something from all brands provided that they were big. As far as Cadillac is concerned, for me it's 41, 49, 61& 62 Fleetwoods and 65 and 66. I own a triple black 66 Fleetwood that I've found to be a well built, reliable car.
Your story about the taillight bulbs is mostly true. I had to do it once and what a PITA. I found that if I didn't tighten that bulb retaining ring too tight, I could rotate counterclockwise and get them out from below without removing the bumper. Still though, could have been a better design. Another similar F'up is the upper rear control arm bushing replacement in that you have to cut a hole in the floor pan to get the bolt out.
In the 1980's I bought and briefly abused the hell out of a one-owner 1967 Coupe DeVille with a black leather bucket-seat, center console interior that had tilt-telescope column and essentially every option imaginable, very comfortable and ergonomic for its time.The 429ci engine and TH400 was a torque monster combo that was essentially bulletproof. Peak Cadillac year but for their propensity to rapidly oxidize. Unfortunately it was already a rust bucket until I got it, for $200. Had there been any performance parts like intakes and headers available I would gladly have put that powertrain in my 1956 F100, but that plan never quite came together. I've driven a ton of luxury cars since (as a limo driver for some 7 years) and found most Caddie sedans of the 1990's and later are atrociously bad for long drives. The steering column is canted inward making the shoulder to wheel distance unequal left to right, no way to square up. Too, no amount of seat adjustment is corrective of bad pedal placement, for me anyway. Peak Escalade gets this right for the driver, at least, by mid 2000's, and the LS-derived 6.0L is great. The 8-speed transmission later ones are equipped with unfortunately break by 80K-100K. 4sp automatic versions are better, and commonly see 250-400K miles on powertrain before needing rebuilt.
The Lincoln Town Car of the early to late 1990's was superior to the Caddies in every luxury car metric that mattered. I've logged close to a million miles driving the above-mentioned vehicles, FWIW
Peak Cadillac was an era which was 1949 through 1976 (they were all good for their perspective year) after that they started looking like other GM vehicles with front and rear end fascia changes.
And although the Seville was a huge hit in the late '70s causing the rush to square cars It really did not have a real high bill quality like the previous cars that all the rock and roll and country musicians sang about.
Was just looking at one of these in pink that was parked outside of a Cuban restaurant in South Florida. With skinny side pipes you barely noticed exiting the fender from under a shroud and running the length of the wheelbase down the side. Was subtle enough you didn't even notice them at first, and somehow didn't look ridiculous or out of place. Haven't seen one of these parked on the street in ages until now.
Great question. There’s an argument that this is really two questions: peak Cadillac design and peak Cadillac engineering/ construction. My family had a 68 El dorado. That era I see as peak design. But the materials and engineering of that car and era? Not so peak. Good point about the ride. In addition, it was rare to have all work on the car without pretty frequent visits to the shop. Thanks for another great video Adam!
I had a customer that was a used car manager at a GM dealership. He told me that his brother worked for many years at a Cadillac dealership and that each time that the cars were given a total restyle content was taken out. He especially thought that the ‘65’s were really cheapened from the ‘64’s and’71’s were “trash” in his mind.
The decline between the 64 and 65 is painfully obvious.
@@scottysgarage4393 Agreed, '64 was peak.
I've said it elsewhere on other threads on Adam's channel: 1965 was the apotheosis of Cadillac as the Standard of the World. Design, Construction, Attention to Detail, Materials Quality (inside and out), Performance and Handling, Comfort.
I couldn't agree more about the 68! ! I've owned classic cars my entire life, something I learned from my dad. I've had dozens of classic cars throughout the decades (GM, Ford, Chrysler, even BMW and Mercedes), and always did most of my own servicing and wrenching on them. My average length of ownership about 3-4 years before moving on to the "next thing". About 18 years ago, I had sold my 66 GTO convertibe and my 68 Camaro convertible and took a break from classic cars for a minute. That lasted about a year! LOL! Then, I really wanted something classic, but different. No more convertibles, no more muscle-cars. Did a TON of old-fashioned research, and decided on a mid-60's personal luxury coupe. (Being 6'5", the longer door, frameless window hardtop, and ability to re-mount the seat farther back makes a classic coupe far more practical, for me anyway!) I checked out Lincolns, Continentals, Chryslers, and Cadillacs. Test drove a bunch, including a 67 Eldorado, which I LOVED the look of, just didn't care for once I actually drove one! Tried a 67 Coupe deVille, and it was OK...close, but no cigar. Drove a 70...nope! Kept doing research, and the 68 Coupe deVille seemed to interest me more and more, ESPECIALLY if I could find one with the front disc brake option! And I finally found one! And it had spent its entire life within a 25 mile radius (here in L.A.) No rust, well maintained, two previous owners, and every service record since new. And front disc brakes! AND...that incredible 472 mated with the Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission! Power, safety, looks, comfort and style...sporty elegance! 1968 is definately the PEAK for Cadillac! And, after 14 years, I still own and drive this car regularly today!
76 is my absolute favourite Design not only for the Eldorado but for the FullSize Sedan DeVille or Fleetwood too. The quality is unfortunately lacking behind (when I even compare them to same year Lincolns) but for me they are the best looking ones. I just bought a 76 Eldo and yes, I'm quite impressed how less hp these 500s make. I had a 74 Lincoln 460 and that was a rocket compared to the 500.
Btw. I was also daily driving a 83 FWB HT4100 for 9 years. Quite an experience to make. I love the 80s RWD cars with their design but I don't ever want one back with the original engine and transmission.
Completely agree! I had a ‘67 Coupe de Ville and I miss it all the time.
I've never owned a Cadillac but I always loved the 61's. Especially the bubble top 2 door.
all of the Cadillac's I've owned. 1978 Seville, 1971 Coupe Deville, 1984 El Dorado, 1991 Sedan De Ville and a 1962 Sedan Deville.1961-62 all around favorite because I love the Mid-Century Modern styling and tasteful interior. The most pleasurable to own and drive was my 78 Seville. The 71 and 91 were decent but nothing to wright home about, and the 1984 Eldo was elegant, but spent more time in the shop than on the road and the engine ruined any pleasure of owning it. My bucket list Cadillac is a 1948 series 62 convertible. Everything about it, from its P38 Lightning styling to its unique one year only instrument cluster was a grand slam.
Peak CADILLAC - depends on the definition of “peak”.
I would define peak as when they were globally known as THE great American luxury car brand.
And I would estimate that to be in the late ‘50s. It was also just before parts sharing with lesser brands began to creep in more and more.
Currently their performance models are running circles around BMW and Alfa Romeo, but nobody buys them
@@Iamthestig42069 not sure they run circles around them. Luxury cars are now either SUVs or a few very large (and low sales numbers) sedans. The S class MB, Lexus LS BMW7 and Audi 8 have no competition from CADILLAC
I agree with you. I prefer the mid-sixties Cadillacs.
That was a very sound discourse on the topic of when Cadillac was at its best in the modern era!
Thank you for explaining why you hold to the opinion that you have.
At 60 years old I've been a Cadillac fan since my teenage years. I loved the `59s so much that I tried to buy one in 1983, but my parents wouldn't let me because their mechanic didn't like it, and that's because it had some rust and had a bent control arm. After that I bought a `63 hearse, behind their backs. (Once I brought it home it was too late for them to worry about, lol). Anyway, that hearse had the Hydramatic with fluid coupling. What a cool transmission that was. I loved that car. But `59 is the ultimate year for me. But then I love `59 across all GM makes. My love for Cadillacs goes up through the 1999 model year, and that's it.
I had a 1990 Sedan DeVille that I got used, and it was awesome. It had plenty of power, and had amazing traction and braking on slippery roads in the winter. It ran and drove perfectly. But then I got into a huge accident with it, and that was the end of that car. 😢 My current Cadillac is a 1996. Right now it needs a traction control/antilock module, and the climate control blower won't start, though I believe it can still run. The problem was intermittent, but now is constant. Anyway, I've had none of the problems with the Northstar that people usually talk about, but I don't drive that much either.
Adam, interesting chat. Peak Cadillac for me would be a '64 CDV. Just a beautiful, high quality luxury car. Going way out in left field, I also loved my late Mother's 1992 Seville (polo green with a parchment interior) with the great 4.9 V8.... Pre-Northstar. A stunning and timeless design IMHO. 😊
I had a loaded black 89 Fleetwood I bought in 91 - loved that car but started to experience myriad and expensive repairs so bailed after about 4 years. My all time fave Caddy hands down would be the 57 ‘steel-topped’ Biarritz with those shiny tru-spokes. Thanks Adam.
1961 Coupe de Ville. There is a video of a green one in a museum, and the everywhere high quality of the Car was just amazing, and so where the many design-details.
Another great, spot on video. I've had many. My favorite looks wise 1965 Coupe DeVille, I had a 65 Eldorado fleetwood convertible silver blue with white interior and top. Design at its peak with brushed aluminum inside. I had 2 1967s one coupe and one 4 door Calais, I love the Calais or as a salesman called it "a poor man's Cadillac". It had great cloth interior. And I owned 68,69, a few 70's, 79 coupe, 92 STS. I now have new ones, I just traded a loaded 2019 XTS PremLux, nice but just didn't have the Caddy ride, I have a 2020 XT5 and it reminds me a lot of the 1967, I love it. And my 23 CT4 luxury that actually reminds me the most of an old school Cads, rides great. Anyway you have the best channel thank you so much for doing it!
I was disappointed in the '65 when it arrived. I was eleven, though. Fins were still everything to me. I've matured enough to appreciate it now. I thought the '59 was the ultimate but now the sight of one makes me laugh.
I love most the '67 and '68, and I love those '71-'73 pre-opera window Couple DeVilles!
Hey Adam, love the videos you make! So much info on and spotlight on the solid, underrated/underappreciated cars! 1978 Cadillac Sedan DeVille for me, but I have a soft spot for that particular year and model. It was my first car! Sure, she had some rust, Colonial Yellow was hideous in my opinion, the quarter panel extensions were blown out, but boy was she a smooth ride. That land yacht just floated for days. I replaced the quadrajunk with a new carburetor after I attempted to rebuild it and it was beyond repair. shocked it ran as bad as it was. Went 850 cfm, and man did that 425 wake up. Love the sound of those secondary's opening! Its funny you mentioned in the video those years were "Short" or at least the dealers complained. Mine measured almost 19 feet! At least I got to take her to a couple of Dream Cruises before I had to part ways. One of my biggest regrets.
The first Cadillac I thought of here on the subject of avoidance was the 1981 Cadillac with the V8-6-4 engine. The vibration going from 8 to 6 cylinders was a topic of constant irritation and nothing could be done about it. On the other hand a good Cadillac I agree the 1967 was a good one. I was a Cadillac mechanic for a while around 1981.
I learned to drive in 1981 Sedan Deville D' Elegance. It was a V*-6-4 car. My grandad was a body man trade and dabble in the mechanical repair arena. He kept that car very clean in the early 90's. because i learned to parallel park this particular car when i was driving my grand parents around, my parallel parking test during my driving test (as well as backing and merging) was rather easy. We tested in a 1993 chevy caviler. My 1st car ended being a 1983 Buick Rivera.....I would love to get my hands on another one of those.
For sheer quality, id say 65 or 66. In terms of exterior styling, id have to say 67 was the peak (between the full size cars and the inteoduced eldorado). I think Cadillacs remained really good through 1970. 71 Through 76, i still like the cadillacs although they arent on the same level as the earlier models, with more questionable styling ans a drop in interior quality. The 77-79 downsized models are pretty nice and still have good engines and transmissions. Ive always liked the 1980 refresh for the coupes in particular, and while the 6 liter was a bit down on power, it wasnt plauged with the major medhanical ossues they would curse cadillacs for the next few decades. The big exceptions being the later 4.5 and 4.9 front drivers, the Broughams with olds and chevy engines, ans the detuned Corvette Fleetwoods of the 90s. However, while these were still good cars, they are not as durable and distinct as the cadillacs of the 1950s or 60s.
Love the channel Adam! I had two 90’s Cadillacs with Northstar’s and absolutely thrashed them for 100k miles with no problems. I must have been one of the lucky ones. Keep up the great content.
I have a 98 Eldorado ETC and love it. That Cadillac ride and handling is top notch. It has 86k miles now and I bought it at 77k 4 years ago. It's a beautiful car and honestly the last of the true luxurious Cadillac before Art & Science took over and turned them all into sports sedans.
I say 49-50 is peak Caddy for me great looks and the introduction of the legendary small block Chevy that truly changed automotive history.
I agree with everything you said. It represents my exact experience with my beloved Cadillacs. GM was very good at being destructive with perfection. Was it just greed or fear of the multitude of foreign influences that were perceived as threats to AMERICAN engineering. We should have stuck to our guns. After all, we won the wars and bled from them.
1964 for me. Distinctively Caddy styling that cleaned up the late 50’s styling excesses via Bill Mitchell’s influence. Stacked headlights of subsequent cars reminded me too much of Fords and Pontiacs, despite being very handsome in own right. Vault-like doors, components and interior components that were still clearly superior to other GM divisions and other makes. Feel that year was last to rightfully be considered the “Standard of the World”. From then on, combination of gradual de-contenting of Caddys and up-tiering of Buicks, Olds, Pontiacs and even Chevy (introduction of Caprice) just closed the gap too much.
My favorites are the 1965-66 lineup. Clean, classy, very understated for the era. I would add on the 1967-70 Eldorado as the best of that brief unique car. Cadillac at its finest.
I agree 100%…1965 was the best CADILLAC for style and quality.
1970 was the peak for many manufacturers