This Caddy had been sitting on my mechanic’s lot for months. “This fellow drops it off here and asks me to do a mechanical restoration,” my mechanic said, “but the first time I call him with a question he never called back. So I stuck it out there and left it. He came by here a couple weeks ago promising to haul it away but now he’s gone missing again.” It sat there for several more months, the weather doing its thing all over it. I snapped this cell-phone shot one snowy morning after I’d dropped my car off for an oil change. I had plenty of other opportunities to shoot the whole car; I’m not sure why I never did. It eventually disappeared. Here’s hoping it’s out cruising the streets somewhere today.
Actually, the nose shot is a nice image. Somewhat melancholy.
It looks to me like the abominable snowman preparing to attack!
There is a blue 1969 Cadillac deVille convertible parked on the street in my neighborhood (a very old neighborhood where parking on the street is customary). I have left my business card inside the wipers of the car (mostly just the get to know the owner) but never heard from the owner. The card is gone and the car is driven at least semi regularly and is in pretty good shape overall.
I have come to find that old car ownership falls into two camps: 1) The truly dedicated that purposely own that car and well it becomes a primary interest in their lives (as their spouses will attest); and 2) Cars that are usually acquired through secondary means, inheritance, planned father-son projects that fall through, etc. Of which usually do not have priority but the owner cannot make a firm decision on what they are doing. I suspect this owner is probably the latter, or perhaps the former that something in their life intervened.
The brief glimpse of the car that we see from the pic looks like it may be in good shape (especially for the area) but mostly as a driver. Probably has some wear to the body and interior but doesn’t look like an unsalvageable case. A 1969 Cadillac Coupe is on the cusp of point where the car could fetch a decent price in the market in good shape now that the car is 44 years old.
1969-70 Cadillac deVilles were a transition generation between the sharply angular finned years of the 60s and the fuselage (to borrow a Chrysler term) years of the 70s. IMO, the 69-70s were among the best Cadillacs in balance between classic design and drivability. The 472 was refined and powerful but not yet choked by low compression and emissions equipment, modern mechanical and safety conveniences like power front disc brakes were employed allowing the car to be driven in normal fashion. The most interesting feature for 1969, besides the restyle, was the rim blow steering wheel horn which, unfortunately, often does not stand up well to time.
Of course the most famous 1969-70 Cadillac is Boss Hogg’s deVille Convertible.
Craig, you might want to check out our CC on a ’70 Fleetwood Brougham: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1970-cadillac-fleetwood-brougham-last-of-the-true-cadillacs/
Be still my heart a 69 Coupe deVille, one of my all-time favorite Cadillacs! I like it even better than the convertible.
My first car was a 70 SDV. Loved the front end, it was so powerful looking. They did a great job transitioning from the stacked headlamps to this new look in 69. I liked how the lamps were inset from the corners. That plus vertical volume in the middle and some prow is what gave it strength.
Today’s Caddys continue that look except for the headlamps which ironically were inspired by the pre-69s. How often does a mash up like that work?
The fins were also perfect and nicer than the ones on my 70. Cadillac did the same thing Ford did with the Mustang, puffed out in 69, indented in 70. I always thought that was interesting. And that Cadillac did it again with the 77 and 78. I wonder if anyone else gave that thought.
Although my SDV was huge it did not look or feel bloated like the later cars did. It had high mileage but did not feel worn out in any way. I bet the weather did little to hurt the feature car and hope it found a good home. Great pic and great post!
This white Caddy’s softly squared off shapes already look like snow. The real thing compliments it wonderfully.
The 69 is the last “modern” antique Cadillac that I lust over. Then the 64, 62, 59, 57, and 55 (or 56). Of course, I’d have to include my ultimate fantasy Cadiilac, a 1932 V-16, either a Phaeton, or a Roadster.
I hope the feature 69 found a good home.