Vehicle Description
1973 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Series Special Brougham Sedan
In the 70's, Cadillac was synonymous with big cars; Deville,
Eldorado, Fleetwood. They were also associated with wealth,
success, and "community" leaders. These land yachts conjure up two
cultural icons of the mid-70's. When Rocky was working collections
for the family, his boss Gazzo pulls up in a big brown Caddy. A
rolling office where business was done with Rocky in the back seat.
And of course, how many film clips are there of Elvis being rushed
into the back of a big Cadillac after another sold out performance?
That's just the tip of the iceberg as big Cadillacs filled our TV
screens for a solid decade.
For consignment, a time capsule that captures that period like
we've never left it. An incredible one owner 1973 Fleetwood with
20,106 title verified actual miles, in that familiar brown, (Burnt
Sienna), color and light vinyl top. A museum piece, show car,
addition to a collection, dealership showroom fixture, so many
opportunities. When the axiom "the Cadillac of" is expressed,
they're still talking about the opulent cars of the 70's when GM
was still king. This is a fine example in stock configuration
looking for a good home.
Exterior
Brown was a popular color in the late 60's and 70's and nearly
every manufacturer used it. Burnt Sienna was one of more than 19
color choices, and this car wears it well. Though not explicitly
stated, it's clear from this single stage paint that this car has
likely been garaged its entire life. The headlights are round and
horizontal, carrying the change from vertical that occurred between
the '68 and '69. The grille is a series of vertical blades and the
marker lights are between the high beam and low beam lenses,
distinctly Cadillac. The chrome bumper is impeccable as is most of
the metal work on the exterior. The massive hood is flanked by two
light indicators on the top of the fenders and amazingly the car
has just one side mirror, the driver side and no backup camera! The
iconic vertical taillights cap off a large trunk lid and the beige
vinyl top is in excellent condition. The 15-inch wheels are covered
with factory hubcaps and the rear skirts give this car an air of
class and status. The only imperfection of note is a small scrape
mark on the right rear fender, just behind the body molding.
Interior
You know you're in the lap of luxury when the door pulls have
ornate "carved" wood applique and wood grain trim is included on
the door. Everything is power operated from the driver's door
including the wiper controls. Only the side mirror is manually
adjusted with a control rod. The passenger gets a brushed nickel
ashtray in lieu of a control panel. All doors have interior lights
and reflectors for outer visibility. The split bench seats are
power adjusted too and covered in Light Sandalwood leather. The
back bench copies the button back and pleated design and has room
for Elvis and two bodyguards. A marble applique rings the steering
wheel for an extra classy touch and the dash is as simple as it
gets with a horizontal speedometer, A/C controls, gear indicator,
lights, and the original AM/FM radio. The passenger looks straight
ahead at more carved faux wood features and an analogue clock. The
bronze carpet is plush and the perforated headliner is flawless and
has plastic shelves for the shoulder belts. Overall, it is roomy,
wide, and comfortable in the car. Though many features would be
seen across the GM line, there's something about the application in
a Cadillac that is a step above. The trunk is lined with a gray
flannel material and a fitted rubber mat and looks good.
Drivetrain
The original 472ci V8 is under the hood and fed gas by a single,
4-barrel carburetor. This engine was rated at 220 horsepower and
transferred that power to the rear wheels via a Turbo Hydramatic,
(TH400), 3-speed automatic transmission that is numbers matching.
Handling the power in the back is the rear axle with 2.93 gears.
Power disc brakes up front and power drums in the rear halt this
behemoth vehicle and stop the 235/75/15's from spinning. The engine
bay, including the insulator pad, are in driver quality condition
and would benefit from some freshening for display.
Undercarriage
Garaged or not, surface rust happens underneath and it's all here,
the frame, suspension, driveshaft, rear axle are all exhibiting
levels of surface rust. It's a bit heavier on brake components and
also shows up on the oil and transmission pans where attention
should be given. The single exhaust is pitted but complete and has
a stock style muffler and resonator in the back where hidden
tailpipes exhaust the fumes. Coils springs provide the legendary
smooth ride with independent front suspension and 4-link in the
rear.
Drive-Ability
Dad's Buick was nice, but this Cadillac is on another plane. The
adage of "living room" comfortable is applicable here, it's like
sitting on a Lazy Boy with wheels. The big and balanced V8 started
with a hush, and we rolled this 19-foot car out of the garage and
floated our way around the test loop. Overall the car is virtually
silent and rolls on big sidewalls that absorb road imperfections.
With a hood this big, you have to anticipate turns, but you get
used to it, and she took turns with all the body roll and pitch
you'd expect. Braking was good and gratefully, power assisted.
70's land yachts are coming into their own for collectability and
despite some minor imperfections, this is still a one owner, low
mileage time capsule from 1973 and there simply can't be that many
left like this. If you love the coolness of big Caddys, this one is
worthy of a look. No need to break any thumbs to get it, it's right
here at Classic Auto Mall. Now, Rock, go collect from DelRio...he's
three weeks late!
6B69R3Q219866
6-Cadillac
B-Fleetwood 60 Series Special
69-4 Door Pillared Sedan
R-472ci 4bbl V8
3-1973
Q-Detroit, MI Assy Plant
219866-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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