2021 05 12 CCC Featured External Listing
1969 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Perform your due diligence, of course, but this Cadillac appears to remain original and defy its age of 52 years. In Canada, the best old cars are generally in the west and a scan of the photos featured in this ad features the Rocky Mountains, so all of the pieces fit – at least from a cursory inspection.
CCC Vital Info
Odometer – 53,460 miles
Engine Info – 472 cubic inch V8
Transmission Info – TH400 3-Speed Automatic
Exterior Colour – Cordovan Dark Brown
Interior Colour – Cordovan Dark Brown
Other features – Cordovan Brown Vinyl roof, Power group, Air conditioning, AM-FM stereo
Seller – Dealer
Category – North American
Model page
Note – For CCC live auctions, this space will also include VIN, a map link to seller location, a link to a Carfax report and a lot number
Join Our Mailing List
In 1969, The General (a.k.a. General Motors) was shoehorning a V8 engine with a displacement of 472 cubic inches into its finest Cadillacs, this car being an example. Translate that into today’s more common metric measurement and this car’s eight cylinders displace a whopping 7.7 litres. It is not the biggest engine Cadillac ever produced (the 500 cubic inch Eldorado comes to mind) but this is a solid effort at excess, before the oil crisis of the early ‘70s and the malaise era it brought. This piece’s engine bay looks to be as clean and as well-kept as its interior.
This C-body features a pair of some of the biggest (and heaviest!) doors you will ever see on a mass-produced automobile and one can rest assured that a solid “thunk” accompanies closing one, yielding a feeling of security inside the cabin. Another interesting feature on this car is the vinyl roof. Do your homework to establish that this is the original vinyl, and you are not only corroborating the claimed low mileage of 53,460 – it is a near-guarantee that this car was always stored indoors; the vinyl roofs do not stand up well to the elements, long-term.
The big 472 was rated at 375 horsepower when it rolled off the assembly line, it also boasted 525 lbs. of torque. Anyone who has ever towed a trailer would describe that as “torque for days”. In this car’s era, transmissions were simpler, and a three-speed automatic is testament to this. As one would expect from a land cruiser of this era, the layout is a front engine driving the rear wheels. On those wheels are a set of period-correct Michelin white walls and original matching Cadillac covers.
The wheelbase is a whopping 129-1/2 inches, and the length is an equally impressive 225 inches – definitely measure your garage before considering. Maybe reinforce those garage floors as well, this cruiser weighs in at about 4,800 lbs.
The car’s interior is feature-rich, including power group, air conditioning, three-spoke steering wheel, original mats, original stereo – which looks from photos to showcase an AM/FM head unit, (big) bucket seats and imitation wood paneling. The climate control unit leaves no mystery as to who is in charge of this barge, it is located to the left of the steering wheel, effectively out of reach of anyone but the captain… err… driver. The triple brown car (vinyl roof, paint, interior) accurately reflects the style of the day.
Other original accoutrements accompanying the car reflect well and suggest a careful ownership history. These include: owner’s manual, shop manual, even the original invoice. Supplementing these are maintenance records and an appraisal report.
Find this 1969 Cadillac Coupe de Ville priced at $27,990 in Kelowna, British Columbia on Auto Trader. Thanks to original CCC member Ken for submitting it.
Please share your comments below, be they on the topic of this car, era land yachts as a whole, how Cadillacs compare generally to their period rivals from the other two members of the “Detroit Three” or some of your other favourites.