Comments: 1-15, 16-20
For an awesome, stunningly luxurious classic Cadillac, only the 'regular' things on this car have gone wrong.
I've never seen a 1968 Cadillac in person with the factory air conditioning functional. The A/C compressors are chronic trouble makers, and mine too was seized upon purchase (I've seen over 30 in person).
Small pits of front fender/rocker panel rust.
Valve guides worn from unleaded gas use (heads needed a rebuild and bronze guides).
Power trunk pulldown.
Vinyl top needed replacement due to average weathering (even though the vehicle was garaged 25 years).
Power door lock vacuum solenoids.
The mileage is... well... measured in GALLONS per MILE.
The 472 cubic inch big-block V8 is astounding. In 1968 and 1969 it was a virgin in the emissions department with 10.5 compression and an 850 CFM Quadrajet four-barrel. The torque is amazing and my burnouts have amazed many.
The comfort is second to none and beach trips are fun in the huge cruiser.
I was lucky enough to find one with all but a few factory options (Cruise Control, Controlled Differential, Seat Warmers, Automatic Level Control) but has beautiful Silverpine Green exterior with White Vinyl Top, Black Leather split benches front and rear, Guide-Matic, Twilight Sentinel, Power Windows/Seats/Locks/Mirrors, Power Trunk Release, Tilt and Telescopic Wheel and other Cadillacky options.
The last year for stacked headlights, first year for fabulous 472 V8, last year for real Rosewood interior trim makes the 1968 an incredible driver and collector's car.
Take the barge to the dragstrip and you'll be surprised what she can do underneath those fender skirts!
Your correct! It is a beautiful automobile but you have to measure gallons per mile. I have a 68 Hardtop Sedan De Ville that my family bought brand new. It is a beautiful car but has been sitting under a car cover in my garage since mid 1979. With gas at almost $2.00 a gallon, who can afford to drive it? I have taken it around the block twice a year for the last 22 years just to keep it running..
P.S. The air conditioning compressor froze.
My 68 Sedan Deville has covered just 32000 miles from new. It was imported to England in 1991 by a friend who never used it!!! Since purchase it has undergone a total repaint in pale yellow. There are only 6 1968 sedans in Britain and mine has the lowest mileage.
P.S. The A/C has packed up.
Ahoy there matey's, hoist the main sail and then throw the anchor!
You may be able to do 0-60 in 8 seconds, but what happens when you get to a corner?
I have a "68" caddy convertible that runs great. Your right the 472ci really has some power to move this car. I have considered selling it recently because of lack of time to keep car maintained properly. I can say everytime that it goes for a ride it turns many heads.
Why do you take it to the drag-strip?? It's not a camaro. You'll need a new "collectors" engine pretty soon. You should treat it better.
Hey! Great to hear of one of the old Cadillac's still going! I personally own a 1970 Cadillac de Ville Hardtop Sedan. Also has the identical 472. Never had a bit of mechanical problems. The only thing I have done to it since I purchased it ($900!!!) was replace belts, break loose the A/C pump with a pipe wrench (works like new after I put new Are-12 in it!), filter/oil, and put new plugs/wires/points. Very dependable car. As far as the guy above me saying that the car will not last on the strip, WHO SAYS?!?! The cadillac will make many more passes than any camaro. Not that a camaro is bad, but the cadillac has a much higher quality of motor. Even after 250,000+ miles of hard driving, the cylendars will usually not show more than.005" of wear, yes you heard me right, five thousanths. The mains are over 3", rendering the crank iindestructible. The block is stronger and lighter than any big-block chevy, and with an aluminum intake, the cadillac motor will weigh only 70lbs more than a small-block. As far as the drivetrain, the rear is a 12-bolt, and the trannies are TH-400's. Try to break that!
Well, enough about that. I love my car. I now have 127,000 miles on it, and this summer I am patching the one small section of rust, and repainting it. It still has the original interior, and is NOWHERE near needing a new one. 375HP and 525Ft-lbs of torque is plenty to move this 4750 lb. boat. Try that in a camaro.
-Plack.
Just purchased a '68 Coupe Deville with 21,000 original miles on it and the car is like new... It runs very nice and very strong... I love it...
Joseph.massey2@gte.net.
Check out the latest edition of Car Craft magazine in which an '82 Deville D'elegance Coupe wins their annual "real street eliminator" contest. This car runs 11.80s at 116mph in the quarter mile and placed second in the auto cross event (by one half of a second), edging out TWO Camaros and finishing only behind a purpose built, corner carving '76 trans am. Where's your Camaro now buddy?
Hello all. Just purchased a 1969 cadillac eldorado with what looks like 165,000 on it. The car is from Missouri and is solid. Paid $100 dollars for it. Some kids vandalized it and smashed out all the windows except for the power wing windows in back. I was going to put in a demolition derby, but I would have to say that the car really grew on me and am now going to keep it. I like these big old cruisers. It has the 472 in it with 10.5:1 compression. Is there anything that I will need to do to it to run it on todays gas. It does run with very strong exhaust emissions, the kind've emissions you can see. Is this cause of the high compression and unleaded gas or out of adjust carburetor or worn engine I do not know yet. The engine sounds kinda Ticky,, like the heads need to be rebuilt, but the bottom end of the motor sounds good. I will say that this car gets up and moves when you step on it. It has many, many new parts. New dual exhaust,4 new tires, new alternator, new carburator, platinum plugs, and many more. Not bad for $100.00 /Going to make it a hard-top cause I like that look. It needs new seats cause it sat outside for a few months with the windows smashed out,, lovely mother nature took it's toll. Anyways, These old cadillacs and there engines are something els. Good to see people with them yet and still driving them. Mine is going to be my daily driver. Yeah gas is expensive, but life is too short to let gasoline govern my enjoyment, or anything els for that matter. Plus I work only 8 minutes away :-) Later,
I know in your page you said that full size caddy didn't have a 500cu. in. block, does that also include the two door deville hardtops and convertibles? If it does not which one is more rare, the eldorado or the two door deville hardtops and convertibles? Thankyou, I appreciate your help. My email address is EJSuperchief@aol.com.
I love my 1968 Cadillac I picked it up for $500 all it needed was paint and the Fender Skirts. If any one knows where I can find the Fender Skirts e-mail me at arlington_brock@hotmail.com I have been looking for a year now and cannot find any thank you!!!
I purchased my 1968 Sedan DeVille Hardtop from the original owners, my parents, in 1982. My car has 62,000 original miles, the air conditioner is still working perfectly and the vinyl roof looks new. The power door locks will unlock, but will not re-lock. This is the only feature that is not fully operational. With the exception of the tires and some new hoses everything is original including the paint.
It is a great car and provides a lot of enjoyment with very little expense.
Regards, Tom
Tennian@comnet.ca.
I just wanted to add, as far as racing a cad engine, I've seen these things in the 10's, in caddys, on the motor! These motors are nearly indestructible and almost as light as a small block chevy. As far as bronze guides for todays fuel or any other reason, Bill Mitchell claims that they are a myth. If they smoke just rebuild or use GM's top engine clean. As far as mileage, a tune-up, timing adjust and a carb rebuild make a huge difference. I put mine on a gas analyzer and have seen 15 mpg and a ton more power. You want to see as close to 14.7:1 air to fuel as you can. Also caddy lifters will tick on an engine that has been sitting. The cams can wear or there is some trash on the lifter check ball, but I would just drive it and see if it gets better.
I have a 1968 Coupe DeVille with 40k original miles as of this week. The A/C still works and the car is my daily driver back and forth to college and work. I bought it about eight months ago literally from the dead original owner. He had purchased the car new from a dealer in Orange County, CA and kept it covered in his yard when not driving it. Unfortunately, it wasn't driven much in the years before I bought it as the previous owner was old and unable to drive for a long period of time before he died and had died 4 months before I purchased the car. Hence, the rear-main seal is leaking oil like there's no seal at all and I'm going to have to pay over $700 to have it fixed as the tranny must drop to get to it (the only design flaw in the 472). Also, in the time I've had it I've had to replace the water pump and fan clutch, brake master cylinder, and the alternator. It had new tires and shocks when I bought it.
It's had some body repair done to the fenders behind the front wheel wells and the skirts on the rear are starting to rust too. Above all this the paint job to cover the repairs was... bad... very bad.
The interior looks great though!! Only the driver's seat shows any wear at all and you can tell it's from the leather and padding being dried out from lack of use and care. The carpet and headliner are perfect. Although, the faux-wood dash has dried up and is peeling off of the bezel, so I'm looking for a cloth interior'ed parts car bezel I can swap it for.
I have plans... Custom Autosounds stereo w/extra speakers mounted in the doors, re-painting of the original light green color after I peel the vinyl padded roof off (rust magnet and looks meaner w/o it), the rear-main seal (of course) : (, and either a re-upholstering and stuffing of the front bench or (my dream) custom reupholstering of power seats from a newer GM truck or Buick Park Avenue to match the original seats and a custom console grained to match the dash (the new seats have the shoulder belt mounted on the seat eliminating the choking from the standard roof-mounted shoulder belt).
I LOVE the 472!!! But yeah, at over $2.40 for a gallon of premium in SoCal... it's killing me. But I have my chin up. I'm graduating and will be back in Texas soon.
I bought a 68 Coupe de Ville last summer (2003). It is a great car, especially in germany where cars are generally small people always turn their heads when I cruise with it. You worry about a price of 2,40 $ per gallon? OK, I pay 1,15 € per liter (i think that would be about 4 Dollars per gallon in america...) THAT´S HARD!!! I´d be glad with your gas prices... ;-)