6th Nov 2011, 11:24
My 1975 Cadillac had a sticker on the engine that read "502 cubic inches," no abbreviations. The sticker faced you as you lifted the hood.
It handled great, much better than it should for its size. Doing 75-80, if I floored it, it kicked like it was downshifting, but what was really happening was that the four barrel carburetor was opening up the two unused barrels.
I loved that car, even though it burned $5 worth of gas in the morning traffic jam.
8th Nov 2011, 12:50
I would 'give my eye teeth' as the old saying goes to see times like the 1970s again - before the country was wrecked, just to benefit the rich.
I had a 1973 Cadillac during the late 80s and early 90s - what a car! As the above poster pointed out - they handled great, and obviously one felt like a king driving that much heavy mass. I remember back then all the foolish people thought I might actually dislike my car, and envy them their ridiculous 80s Japanese hatchbacks. Oh my, it is hilarious what the lemmings do think, n'est-ce pas?
9th Nov 2011, 15:12
Yep, the only cars that even compare these days would be the Rolls Royce, and those go for about $300,000. Just think, in those days you could buy a brand new Cadillac or Buick for about 7-8 thousand. That was definitely a lot of car for the money. Oh how times have changed.
11th Nov 2011, 04:58
Yes, $7,000-$8,000 was also a lower percentage of the average worker's income in those days - maybe 50% of median income in 1976. Nowadays a new Cadillac (as you point out, they don't compare in quality or substance at all with those old ones anyway), is maybe 1.5 times the median income.
Basically the standard of living for all but the very rich has collapsed in the USA.
8th Nov 2012, 12:17
Yeah, back then we had a skilled, unionized working class group that bought Chevys, Fords, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, and maybe Mercurys. Then you had an upper class, professional group of people who made up the managers/supervisors, who bought Buicks, Lincolns, and Cadillacs.
Today, we have very little of that left due to constant corporate downsizing and outsourcing. While national GDPs have gone up, now it all goes to the rich. Back then, it was a real democracy. Today, it's a plutocracy like the late-1800s again.
15th Nov 2012, 20:19
Doubtful that anybody will look back on today positively. The corporations control everything, and have squeezed the soul out of everything for higher profits. There's no fun anymore, and not much to be proud of either. The cars are one of the biggest insults of today's world.
27th Oct 2017, 14:23
The sixties and seventies were fantastic times for automobiles in the US. I graduated high school in 1970 and just love the Cadillacs. The 1970 Coupe DeVille is my favorite, but would love to have a 1976 also. People think these are hard cars to drive, but it's just the opposite. If you were to get one, you would see what I mean.
27th Oct 2017, 21:59
Very true, they are actually very easy cars to drive after getting accustomed to the feel in a few days.
I own a 64 Cadillac and it drives and rides beautifully. The power steering is so smooth and light and it doesn’t ride like a boat like many people like to assume. It doesn’t bob and weave everywhere either. Just smooth sailing with a slight hint of float, but the car stays completely flat and stable on the road.
The car shrinks around you after driving it for a while, and going back into my midsize car after a long cruise in the 64 makes it feel very small inside and uncomfortable.
These were real cars, you feel the quality and heft getting behind the wheel. Something that you don’t find anymore in most of the new stuff out there.
28th Oct 2017, 13:05
I had the 70 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine on this review. I bought it used when I was in my early 30s just for fun. Took it on family outings, and even skiing in the Poconos. Magnificent car, kept in a heated garage. There was no way it would ever fit in mine however. The only newer car I would compare it to was my father's 88 Lincoln Town Car as a later, bigger model. Of course mine was a limo.
One car I also wished I had today was his 62 Lincoln 4 door suicide doors Convertible. It wasn’t a limo either, but was a beautiful car. JFK was unfortunately assassinated in the limo version. All these cars had great comfort and ride. My dad got a 400.00 trade in as I recall on his Convertible long ago. That’s how it often was in those days. We always say that many unique ones we sold; as least we had them.
4th May 2011, 17:53
I am 26, and I agree that this generation of cars is just about the pinnacle as far as style and comfort is concerned (my personal opinion of course). However, these cars aren't very practical in this time of $4+ gasoline. I was once an automobile aficionado, however with the cars on the market today, I really don't follow the industry anymore, and fear that it is only going to get worse. I really wish I was fortunate enough to be alive and able to drive during the 50's -70's. That was just a great time here in the U.S. in just about every way, and the cars are certainly no exception. I wonder if anyone will ever look back with nostalgia at our times.