Gray Giant: 1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – Sold?
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January 15, 2023, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.
1976 marked the swan song year for the largest post-World War II Cadillacs produced by General Motors. What we find interesting about these cars is how many original owners maintained and babied them for years before finally aging out of being fit enough to drive them. Our latest example is this silver over great leather 1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille we spotted in December 2022 on Craigslist in Chicago, Illinois. Nicely optioned with only 41,495 original miles, this example presents nicely. While the seller did a great job of photographing their car during the “Golden Hour” (i.e., one hour before sunset or one hour after sunrise), some of the pictures fall short when the seller took some shots facing into the sun. This is a lesson in remembering to move your car around as you take all of the pictures with the sun behind you.
Last offered for $12,900, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is slightly below the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for fourth-generation Cadillac Coupe Devilles produced between 1971 and 1976. By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the DeVille featured here:
As a second data point, the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #2 Very Good” estimate of $12,575 and its #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $18,950.
Cadillac produced eight generations of the DeVille from 1949 through 2005. Cadillac launched the fourth-generation DeVille for the 1971 model year. The new GM full-size bodies, at 64.3 inches front shoulder room (62.1 inches on Cadillac) and 63.4 inches rear shoulder room (64.0 inches on Cadillac) set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size GM rear-wheel-drive models of the early to mid-1990s. 1976 was the final year of the fourth-generation DeVille and, to many, marks the end of the classic American full-size land yacht.
In 1976, Cadillac stylists revised their fill-size lines’ grilles with a new and finer crosshatching pattern. Cornering lamps and taillamp Bezels all gained new chrome-like trim. Eight different color accent stripes were available. Vinyl tops were now integral padded Elk grain material. New trims included sporty plaids, plush velours, knits, and 11 distinctive genuine types of leather. Coupe de Villes had a new vinyl roof whose top molding was a continuation of the door “belt” molding. A controlled (limited-slip) Differential was included for extra traction. An optional illuminated entry and theft deterrence system were optional. The new Delco Freedom battery never needed water added. New turbine-vaned and wire wheel covers were offered. A new option locked the doors when the transmission lever was shifted to “Drive”. Cadillac also offered Track Master, a computerized skid prevention system that automatically pumped the back brakes in an emergency to shorten the stopping distance. New options included a push-button Weather Band built into the AM/FM stereo signal-seeking radio, loose pillow-style seats for d’Elegance packages, plus power passenger and manual driver seatback recliners for 50/50 front seats. Of the 15 standard and six optional Firemist body colors, 13 were new this year. New standard features included Soft-Ray tinted glass, spare tire cover, trunk mat, washer fluid level indicator, and steel-belted radial whitewall tires.
The JW Car Reviews YouTube Channel features this modern-day review of a 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood:
With only 41,495 original miles, this nicely optioned 1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille for sale is a nice survivor example that needs not much more than a thorough detailing over the winter in preparation for the 2023 car show circuit.
Here’s the seller’s description:
Show or go: What would you do with this 1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille survivor for sale? Please comment below and let us know!
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