(First Posted August 3, 2013) Compadre def: A close friend, a buddy. “They’re longtime compadres who have been through a lot together”
It’s not much of a stretch to imagine that cars have feelings and like us long for a little companionship. Take for example these two parked at the curb, a 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury Fast Top and 1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance: curbside compadres.
I have watched these guys for a long time. They sit day after day in front of a condo complex in a row of about 30 cars. They are the oldest by far and it doesn’t take a car guy to notice them in the group.
For the first time, yesterday the cars were parked nose to tail. This was a real treat as they rarely move and are usually separated by at least five late model Hondas. Both are dusty, dirty and have expired tags. Whoever owns the cars doesn’t give them much love but somehow I feel they do just fine on their own. I got your back Bro.
The Plymouth is a full-sized fourth generation Fury that debuted in 1965. The Sport Fury sat just below the VIP and the Fast Top was new for 1967. These cars are pretty rare; only 17,000 Sport Fury Fast Tops were built in 1968.
The Sport Fury grade consisted of the requisite graphics and emblems, bright moldings for the wheel openings and sills, bucket seats and a floor console.
This one wears its original white over gold color scheme. The car looks positively mid-size compared the Fuselage models that followed. A Plymouth had no business being any larger than this, if you ask me.
All Sport Furys got a V8. The Commando emblem suggests it’s 383 V8. Maybe they all got the Commando emblem, I don’t know.
What I do know is that there is a torsion bar front suspension under the raked nose and you can see the leaf springs peeking out back. It has the classic Chrysler starter motor sound too.
Rounding out the look are these hard-to-find vintage American Racing wheels, with 235/60R15 tires.
Here is a clear shot of the bucket seats through the broken vent window.
This Fury has factory A/C which is proudly announced by the Airtemp decal on the quarter window.
The “notch back” rear seat and courtesy lamps on the C-pillar did their best to keep up with the Impalas and added to the premium impression.
Like a fading wise guy, this Fury has a serious but not-so threatening face, and a few battle scars. I wonder how the fender took a knock right there at knee cap level?
You can’t talk about the Caddy without mentioning its gorgeous color; it’s called Western Saddle Firemist. When I think Firemist this is the color that comes to mind.
This one is the desirable 1980 model, the only year with the non-V864 368 Cadillac big-block and THM400. 1980 was the first year for the formal roofline on the Broughams.
Up front all RWD Cadillacs received a new drop down grille. These changes plus the stainless rocker trim and hood spears on the Brougham really transformed the car and it went on relatively unchanged for another 12 years. See JPC’s CC here, as well as others in the archives.
A quick look inside shows that it’s a d’Elegance with the velour cloth seats. The guy still uses his 8-track. I wonder what’s playing?
The lovey turbine style wheelcovers would soon give way to wire wheelcovers on all Broughams. I like the way they work with the oversized 235/70R15 Cooper Cobra GTs. The look is classic: don’t F with me, or my buddy.
I’m not sure if this sticker is an advertisement, or a warning.
Cool Mopar, plus a tidbit for Carmine. 🙂
Easy way to tell an 80 is the use of the carryover steering wheel. 80 (Fleetwood) models also used wreath and crest emblems on the courtesy light lenses instead of the more plain square piece on later models. I believe the 80s also used carryover door trim what was redesigned for later models.
Wheel covers were technically standard on Fleetwood/Broughams through the end of the classic body style 1992, although rarely seen after the early 80s.
I wouldn’t pass up an 81 in fact I would prefer it over an 80. Most all the 81s had the v864 disabled leaving the motor an otherwise fuel injected version of the 368 with THM400.
Casa de Cadillac is a well known Cadillac dealer in Sherman Oaks. When Arnold Palmer Cadillac built a new facility in Charlotte in 1998, they used Casa as some inspiration. It is pleasant to drive down an otherwise anonymous commercial strip and see a California style art deco inspired architecture appear in view surrounded by many pleasing cars.
I would take either, what’s interesting is that the trim on these was recycled through the model run, the 1981 grille returned in 1986 or 87. The 80-81 is the last year for the TH400 in any car, plus its the last domestic car with a “big block” engine, go Cadillac! even if it only made 140 or so hp, there still was torque however. The 368 was a great engine, I wished that Cadillac hadn’t panicked so much about MPG concerns and worked on refining the 368, it could have become like Rolls-Royces 6 3/4 litre V8.
Casa de Cadillac has made an appearance in several films, it’s the Cadillac dealership in the 1985 Schwarzenegger flick Commando, its appears in one of the Transformers movies and in a Tom Petty video.
Casa de Cadillac
In an era of uniform design dealer showrooms dictated by corporate diktats, the Casa de Cadillac is a refreshing throwback to yesteryear. Long may it live!
Thankfully Casa de Cadillac is still around. Lou Ehlers Cadillac (1955) was demolished in 2008 to make way for the Beverly Hills BMW service center. Their showroom is across the street. They torn down one of the original Bob’s Big Boy restaurants to make room for that.
People in Los Angeles do not seem to have any respect for historically significant things. Perhaps it’s the fact the everyone seems to have come from somewhere else at one time or their slavish dedication to shallow trends. Elvis bought 11 Cadillacs from Lou Ehlers which should be enough testimony to get the Graceland posse riled up. Here is a quote from Michael Pearson who worked at Lou Ehlers that seems to be fitting:
“I had the pleasure of working at Lou Ehlers Cadillac when I was only 25yrs. old as a salesman.(the youngest Cadillac salesman in the country).This was a story of bad-luck/good luck.My ’56 Dodge’s engine “blew up”(it through a rod) auspiciously right in front of Lou Ehlers Cadillac showroom on Wilshire while I was driving to an accounting job interview downtown L.A.So after pushing my old car around the corner and leaving it for a future tow truck (luckily I had a suit on) I did the next-best thing and walked into that famous showroom and asked for a job.It so happened the sales mgr.Leon Siboni finally interviewed me after a 4hr wait.and said since Lou Ehlers had just been awarded the Cadillac dealership after GM lost an anti-trust lawsuit for being vertically integrated(Mfr.,Wholesale,Ditribution and Retail Sales) exactly what the Japanese,German atc.manufactures do today I was given a job as a new salesman(all the old GM salesmen were over sixty yrs.old at that time after attending GM’s training center in Burbank.After 30 days of no sales in walked Brother Dave Gardner who had 15 comedy albums and bought 3 Cadillacs at once from me saving my new found job and Lou Ehlers presented me with a brand -new 1968 black Coupe deVille with Stereo Radio,air-conditioning ,leather seats and Vogue tires which in turn helped me catch a Playboy bunny Swedish blonde Barbro as a girlfriend.I went on to have several celebrity clients such as Lorne Greene,Everly brothers and Evis which I delivered (11) cadillacs to at once when he was on one of his buying sprees and promptly gave them away to his posse. This can be confirmed by Tawny Arnaud another young Cadillac salesman who is currently V.P.of sales at Galpin Ford in the Valley.I have since retired in Hawaii.Yes I certainly remember the upscale Hancock Park area of L.A. and the bad luck-good luck era of that beautiful Cadillac showroom.I am now 68yrs.old and can still remember the day I recieved my U.S.Army orders at that same showroom re-activating me to the Vietnam war. So it was actually a (bad luck-good-luck-bad-luck) story ending in Good Luck since I am still alive-live in Hawaii with my wife and kids and grankids and am producing a movie “Seola’sJournal” after retiring from 30 yrs in the art gallery business .Aloha”
Great story, Lou Ehlers Cadillac also makes a brief appearance in the movie Fight Club.
I live in NM and even I know of Casa De Cadillac!
As far as L.A. area dealers, there was plenty of business to support so many. They went, one by one, as that business dried up. A few more – Martin Cadillac in West L.A. turned to leasing only (all makes). The legendary Hillcrest Cadillac in Beverly Hills (original seller of my ’69 de Ville, described elsewhere in CCC) suffered a most ignominious defeat, that of being remodeled into a Lexus showroom.
Possibly the most interesting was Thomas Cadillac, not far away in an old 8-story building downtown. There’s a connection with Harley Earl:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Lee_(broadcaster)
It’s amazing that all of these dealers, including Lou Ehlers, were within about an 8 mile radius and all sold Cadillac only.
By the way, Casa de Cadillac was also “Casa de Saab” for awhile, although I don’t think they would have appreciated being called that.
I love the Fury from this generation of C body. I like some of the details of the 67 a bit better, but would certainly not pass one of these by. The fast top is my favorite of the closed 2 door roofs.
As for the Cadillac, I like those wheelcovers so much better than the later wires. A nice pairing.
The wires were always available on these, there was the full wheel cover shown above, the flat locking wire wheel and the REAL wire wheel. These were available all the way through the end of this series in 1992, though the base wheel cover changed from the style above to the much plainer deVille base wheel cover over the models run.
I have to agree. Can’t think of a better looking luxury 4-door than a Fleetwood Brougham + real wire wheels. A set of new ones from Truespoke costs $1,700. Then there’s the issue of maintenance. Stainless spokes help with that but that’s another $200 a wheel. Ouch!
Used ones in good condition are hard to come by. I’ve always wondered if a set of wires would feel different through the steering system than the stock steel wheels. If anyone knows please let me know.
Also curious if there is any drawback on the 15×7 size, the Truespokes come in that and 15×6.
I have no experience with the Hobbycar wheels, but the OE wheels we are talking about drive ok, but it is highly recommended that you avoid high speed maneuvers as well as potholes and rough roads. The wheels are notoriously difficult to balance, especially after the before mentioned stress and wheel cause vibrations. That does not mean that I would not recommend them, but they are sensitive to driving conditions and especially since it’s been over 20 years since they were installed new, they are best now used for leisurely driving.
15×6 should be fine since the OE tire during the 4100 years was 215-75-15 and during the Olds/Chevy years 225-75-15.
I have Appliance wires on my 81 Imperial, the OE tire was 205-75-15 the drive is fine only occasional vibration I do have to check the pressure periodically but I am careful when I drive.
Thanks Craig. People think we have great roads in LA because of our freeway system but actually our roads suck. Wilshire in particular has so many potholes that you either have to drive super slow or be in a truck.
The Cadillac wire wheelcovers I have are pretty damn good copies. I remember my Dad always laughing at the early ones, the ones from Chryco were particularly bad. Then the Caddy fake one hit and he was amazed at how real it looked, me too.
I like the Fury a lot,I used to work with a guy who gave me a lift home in his dark blue 68 in the 70s.He was a Mopar fan and had a green 69 Polara before that.He also had a badly damaged Sport Fury like this one which was a parts car..
Od take the Sport Fury though I see sport is only a badge
That’s a handsome old Cali couple, a little sun-worn but still loving life.
Never quite loved the Fast Top. Give me the ’66 Polara from the other day, or maybe a convertible.
I thought they were joined at the hip but noticed today they found a new playmate. I’m telling you there is a chemistry thing going on with these three, can’t explain it but it’s there.
Ok Cadillac, on 3….1….2…….3 CRUNCH!
I know it’s Mopar Week and all (and I helped get it off the ground), but I’d take that Caddy over the Fury. Sorry JP!
And I spotted another great ’80 last night at the Maple City Cruise Night in Monmouth. A red-over-white CDV with white leather. Want!
At tonight’s hot summer nights a 1980 Coupe deVille was spotted in the crowd of cars. Low mileage and lowly equipped (no cruise/tilt, AM/FMM radio, appears to be just vinyl top ordered). It was originally from California wore California plates that were apparently installed just for the car cruise as they had no up to date stickers.
Rear
Interior
No cruise?!?!?
Cadillacs with low options are one of those things I’ll never understand, if your going to lay out the bread it takes to get a Coupe deVille why are you going to skimp on the options?
It has a certain “Mary Kay” look about it. Did those promo cars go out the door loaded or had minimum options?
I was thinking the same thing. Years ago there was a pink Cadillac traded in at our local Ford dealer. Cloth interior, no cruise/tilt, and a V6. I wondered back then if it was a “Mary K” Cadillac…
Nice write up and I’ll take the Fury myself as one, I love 2 doors for just that, being 2 doors is much sportier than most 4 doors, and it’s the fast top. This was I believe also available on the 67-68 Dodges, and definitely the Chryslers as I’d have wanted the 68 300 2 door fast top, though a plainer ’68 Newport fast top would be just fine.
I had the more formal pillared 4 door ’68 Newport as my first car, tired and weathered notwithstanding back in 1982-83.
I do like this Mopar. Nothing hard to find about the AR Hopster wheels they are currently in production and all over Ebay, Jegs, and Summit. Personally I’d have went with the AR Ansen Sprints for this car which would go really nice with the rake. It could also use some 275/60s out back to complete the period look.
I learned how to drive in my dad’s ’68 Fury. I miss that car and would love this ’68 fast top beauty.
As far as any Cadillac…I wouldn’t own one if it was given to me for free.
1968 Plymouth Furry 111 VIP fastbac! How many where made in 1968? 383
I stumbled upon this page on accident to find two of my former cars featured. They were both wonderful cars for the years I had them. My daily commute was over an hour so these guys sat around alot. Great little write up and a nice trip down memory lane. cheers..
“It has the classic Chrysler starter motor sound too.”
And you know this how…..?
As I recall, the Commando is the 383, probably a 4bbl. (I think the “Golden Commando” moniker had been dropped for 1968.)