Somehow I forgot that the bustleback Seville was in fact sometimes paired with the vinyl top. And there are several on this truck. The no-hubcap while on the truck hooptie look is an interesting foreshadowing of the future of many of these as well though.
The bustleback on the Seville has grown on me as a piece of styling, but from a marketing standpoint it was a bold step in exactly the wrong direction. The firstgen Seville successfully appealed to “import intenders”, the bustleback was controversial among Caddy loyalists while simultaneously appealing to exactly nobody who wouldn’t have bought a DeVille or Fleetwood had Caddy doubled down on “international” for the secondgen Seville.
The simcon tops make things even worse in that respect.
This was a concerted effort to snatch defeat from the jays of victory. The first Sevilles were classy Novas. The second generation Seville was based on all of the sophisticated chassis technology of the 1979 Eldorado, which would have allowed for a car that could have been compared with an S-class Mercedes on more than its dimensions. Here was a modern luxury car platform instead of an ancient Detroit compact with enough lead hung on it to approximate the big-car ride. The injected Oldsmobile 350 V8 was giving era-acceptable performance and reliability in ’79 Eldorado. What did GM do? They dressed it as a neo-classic and powered it with a string of notoriously feeble engines.
BOPC shared a common bellhousing bolt pattern while Chevy was subtly different. Chevy TH400’s command a premium over the others, as BBC and SBC’s are more common in hot rod build.
For 1984, the Riviera got a revised taillamp assembly with an actual metal strip bisecting the top and bottom and around the oval “R” backup lights. These Rivs have the flatter style taillights with painted-on “chrome” trim so that makes them 1979-1983 models. Since the bustlebacks are also on board, that makes these 1980-1983. That’s about all I can see though.
1980 Sevilles had the Seville badge between the front wheel and front door, rather than near the cornering lamps as seen here, so not 1980. Fake convertible top offered ’83-’85 from the factory (a fake-convertible-topped, wire-wheelcovered, two-toned, bustlebacked front-driver was just the thing to bring back Mercedes and BMW defectors, lol). CHMSLs were mandated starting in 1986, but Cadillac started using them in 1985 on the FWD C bodies, not sure about the Seville though.
Just learned that Cadillac still offered 8-track cartridge players in 1984!
I find it interesting that out of 9 cars, not one of them has a set of alloy wheels. Does that mean that they all have fake wire wheel covers in their trunks?
Wikipedia says the fake cabriolet roof was offered on the Seville 83-85. Taken in conjunction with the above comments identifying them as 80-83 cars, I guess they are most likely 1983 models?
I’ll take the maroon Riv on the top deck, one of my favorite cars of the ’80s. As a side note, that GMC hauler would be pretty old by then, if I’m not mistaken. Wasn’t 1972 the last year for that bodystyle?
Why was it that cars were delivered without hubcaps or wheel covers? Was there some reason they couldn’t be attached at the factory? Everything else is.
I believe they were shipped in the trunk to prevent theft during transport. In olden times, people would steal hubcaps off luxury cars and put them on their Chevrolets.
I believe all cars, even some to this day are shipped without wheel covers and hubcaps installed. Another reason is that they can fall off during shipment. As you say, they were shipped inside the trunk or somewhere in the back of a hatchback vehicle. I ordered my 2002 Chrysler T&C minivan with aluminum wheels. The centers were stashed inside and installed at the dealership.
I believe GMC used that body style thru 1977 to be replaced by the Brigadier in 78. Looks like an aluminum fuel tank which would be pretty unusual for a GMC. Maybe just painted silver. That’s the type of tank you use when your trying to get as much fuel on board as possible. Maybe a twin on the other side? Hopefully a glorious 8V-71 with a 13 speed stuffed in there. I can still here that special rumble with that slightly hunting idle waiting to get on with it.
As I remember only the 90/9500’s got the 2 piece windshield and the lighter version got the single piece. Reasoning was the 90/9500’s were intended to be a highway truck and as such would be more prone to windshield damage. Cheaper to replace a side rather than the whole windshield. I think that feature continued with the Brigadier, which used an updated version of the cab on the pictured truck with a new hood.
Nice find! About the whitewall tires, pretty much every personal car that was American, at least came with white wall tires. The exceptions would be really sporty cars like the Corvette, but even pickup trucks often came with whitewalls. I am getting ready to get a set of wide whitewalls for my 56 Cadillac so this it is a timely post.
Only fleets, police, and “foreign jobs” came with Blackwall, or those people too cheap to buy whitewalls. Also, city dwellers often chose blackwalls due to street parking and the inevitable curb rash (I even recall seeing some curb feelers on 80s Cadillacs and such). Curb feelers were a sort of analog parking aid, pre-Y2K!
Somehow I forgot that the bustleback Seville was in fact sometimes paired with the vinyl top. And there are several on this truck. The no-hubcap while on the truck hooptie look is an interesting foreshadowing of the future of many of these as well though.
The bustleback on the Seville has grown on me as a piece of styling, but from a marketing standpoint it was a bold step in exactly the wrong direction. The firstgen Seville successfully appealed to “import intenders”, the bustleback was controversial among Caddy loyalists while simultaneously appealing to exactly nobody who wouldn’t have bought a DeVille or Fleetwood had Caddy doubled down on “international” for the secondgen Seville.
The simcon tops make things even worse in that respect.
This was a concerted effort to snatch defeat from the jays of victory. The first Sevilles were classy Novas. The second generation Seville was based on all of the sophisticated chassis technology of the 1979 Eldorado, which would have allowed for a car that could have been compared with an S-class Mercedes on more than its dimensions. Here was a modern luxury car platform instead of an ancient Detroit compact with enough lead hung on it to approximate the big-car ride. The injected Oldsmobile 350 V8 was giving era-acceptable performance and reliability in ’79 Eldorado. What did GM do? They dressed it as a neo-classic and powered it with a string of notoriously feeble engines.
Little did we know the Seville’s distinctive design was actually to serve an air deflector for transport trucks.
I wonder if an LS V8 can be made to play nice with the TH-425 or 325-4. 4.8 ought to be plenty. 4.3 would probably be fine.
I’d speculate that the big issue would be if crankshaft counterweights will clear the RH drive axle at the point where axle pierces the oil pan.
BOPC shared a common bellhousing bolt pattern while Chevy was subtly different. Chevy TH400’s command a premium over the others, as BBC and SBC’s are more common in hot rod build.
I don’t see any CHMSL’s, so these are ‘80 – ‘85. Can anyone with a better eye than me narrow that down?
For 1984, the Riviera got a revised taillamp assembly with an actual metal strip bisecting the top and bottom and around the oval “R” backup lights. These Rivs have the flatter style taillights with painted-on “chrome” trim so that makes them 1979-1983 models. Since the bustlebacks are also on board, that makes these 1980-1983. That’s about all I can see though.
The Seville fake convertible top became optional with the 1983 model year.
1980 Sevilles had the Seville badge between the front wheel and front door, rather than near the cornering lamps as seen here, so not 1980. Fake convertible top offered ’83-’85 from the factory (a fake-convertible-topped, wire-wheelcovered, two-toned, bustlebacked front-driver was just the thing to bring back Mercedes and BMW defectors, lol). CHMSLs were mandated starting in 1986, but Cadillac started using them in 1985 on the FWD C bodies, not sure about the Seville though.
Just learned that Cadillac still offered 8-track cartridge players in 1984!
I find it interesting that out of 9 cars, not one of them has a set of alloy wheels. Does that mean that they all have fake wire wheel covers in their trunks?
And 100% whitewall tires to go with those glorious fake wire wheels.
Standing back and squinting, it’s basically a mixed load of C-pillars.
I wonder if the designers of the T-bird roof in ’55 knew what they were starting?
Strange to put a “Cabriolet Roof” on a 4-door sedan.
Should have called it “Convertible Sedan”.
Wikipedia says the fake cabriolet roof was offered on the Seville 83-85. Taken in conjunction with the above comments identifying them as 80-83 cars, I guess they are most likely 1983 models?
At least two or three Toronados on board. Need to step into my time warp machine and rescue them.
In ‘83, I was just starting my career and all I could afford was a ‘75 Toyota Corolla, but aspired to own a Toronado one day.
I’ll take the maroon Riv on the top deck, one of my favorite cars of the ’80s. As a side note, that GMC hauler would be pretty old by then, if I’m not mistaken. Wasn’t 1972 the last year for that bodystyle?
That hood until about ’77, the cab until about ’89.
What’s interesting are the “flags” on the front uprights and the red stripe side marking.
Maybe the flags were steps to put an end to standing on fenders?
Maybe the red is an early conspicuity marking?
Thanks, Jim!
Why was it that cars were delivered without hubcaps or wheel covers? Was there some reason they couldn’t be attached at the factory? Everything else is.
I believe they were shipped in the trunk to prevent theft during transport. In olden times, people would steal hubcaps off luxury cars and put them on their Chevrolets.
I believe all cars, even some to this day are shipped without wheel covers and hubcaps installed. Another reason is that they can fall off during shipment. As you say, they were shipped inside the trunk or somewhere in the back of a hatchback vehicle. I ordered my 2002 Chrysler T&C minivan with aluminum wheels. The centers were stashed inside and installed at the dealership.
I believe GMC used that body style thru 1977 to be replaced by the Brigadier in 78. Looks like an aluminum fuel tank which would be pretty unusual for a GMC. Maybe just painted silver. That’s the type of tank you use when your trying to get as much fuel on board as possible. Maybe a twin on the other side? Hopefully a glorious 8V-71 with a 13 speed stuffed in there. I can still here that special rumble with that slightly hunting idle waiting to get on with it.
No “eight” this time, wrong hood.
Say xr7, do you have any idea on what dictated single or double windshield? I never heard any good explanation for it.
As I remember only the 90/9500’s got the 2 piece windshield and the lighter version got the single piece. Reasoning was the 90/9500’s were intended to be a highway truck and as such would be more prone to windshield damage. Cheaper to replace a side rather than the whole windshield. I think that feature continued with the Brigadier, which used an updated version of the cab on the pictured truck with a new hood.
Exterior styling from best to worst: Riv, Eldo, Toro, Seville
Interior styling from best to worst: Toro, Eldo, Seville
I actually like the Seville’s styling from the C pillar forward. The back ruins it though, plus the drastic slope reduces luggage space.
oops, the Riviera should have been at the tail end of interior styling
Nice find! About the whitewall tires, pretty much every personal car that was American, at least came with white wall tires. The exceptions would be really sporty cars like the Corvette, but even pickup trucks often came with whitewalls. I am getting ready to get a set of wide whitewalls for my 56 Cadillac so this it is a timely post.
Only fleets, police, and “foreign jobs” came with Blackwall, or those people too cheap to buy whitewalls. Also, city dwellers often chose blackwalls due to street parking and the inevitable curb rash (I even recall seeing some curb feelers on 80s Cadillacs and such). Curb feelers were a sort of analog parking aid, pre-Y2K!
Iirc, those cars would have come from the Linden, NJ plant
As far as I know, you are correct.