1978 Cadillac Seville

Sedan

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

Diesel

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY FATHERS FRIEND THINKING AT SOME POINT I WOULD HAVE THE SURFACE RUST REMOVED AND HAVE THE CAR PAINTED...THEN I SPENT A SMALL FORTUNE UPDATING THE GLOW PLUG ELECTRIC SYSTEM, PURCHASED NEW SHOCKS AND FROM THERE THE CAR HAS JUST SAT. THERE ARE NO RUST HOLES JUST SURFACE REST WHERE PAINT HAS FRECKLED AWAY, OVERALL THE CAR IS IN PRETTY GOOD ORIGINAL CONDITION WITH WIRE WHEELS INTACT, NO BROKEN OR CRACKED GLASS, A FAIRLY GOOD LEATHER INTERIOR AND GOOD SHAPE CARPETING. THE CAR AT SOME POINT AROUND 1985 FROM WHAT I AM TOLD RECEIVED A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT GM GOODWRENCH 5.7 350 DIESEL ENGINE AND FOR THE MOST PART HAS SAT SINCE. THE ORIGINAL BAR CODE STICKER IS STILL ON THE ROCKER COVER AND THE BLUE PAINT IS STILL BLUE. THE CAR STARTS AND RUNS, SHIFTS AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN AROUND THE PROPERTY AND UP THE STREET AWAYS, THIS IS HOWEVER A PROJECT BUT A RUNNING ONE. BY THE TIME GENERAL MOTORS FINALLY GOT THEIR 5.7 DIESELS RIGHT THEY HAD PISSED OFF SO MANY CUSTOMERS ALONG THE WAY NOBODY WANTED THEM...THE LATER YEARS PROBABLY AFTER 83 WERE GOOD FOR WHAT THEY WERE AND THE 5.7 DIESEL WENT ON IN GMC AND CHEVY TRUCKS WITHOUT PROBLEMS... HOWEVER THE DIESELS INSTALLED IN THE 78+ CARS INCLUDING CADILLAC, BUICK, OLDSMOBILE AND OTHERS WERE NOT THE BEST DESIGNED ENGINES AND THEY RUINED THE DIESEL REPUTATION FOR GM. NOW FOR THE GOOD, ONCE GM GOT OUT OF THEIR LETTING ACCOUNTANTS RUN THE R&D DEPARTMENT AND GOT SOME INPUT FROM DETROIT DIESEL WHO HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BUIDLING DIESEL TRUCKS THESE ENGINES WOULD GET WELL OVER 20MPG IN LARGE HEAVY CARS, I'VE SEEN DIESEL CADILLACS GET CLOSE TO 28 ON THE HIGHWAY... SO HERE IS A CAR THAT YOU COULD HAVE PAINTED AND INSTALL THE SHOCKS I BOUGHT AND WILL INCLUDE IN THE AUCTION, THROW MODERN TIRES ON AND HAVE AN INTERESTING RIDE THAT GETS GOOD MILEAGE...OR STUFF AN OLDS 350 GAS ENGINE IN (ALOT OF DIESEL CADDIES AND OLDS WERE CONVERTED TO GAS) AND STILL HAVE A NICE CAR. THE PAINT ON THIS CAR CLEANS UP OK BUT A PAINT JOB WOULD BE THE BEST THING TO DO, OR JUST SAND DOWN THE RUSTY AREAS AND PAINT MATCH...I HAVE NO CONCRETE PROOF THIS CAR HAS UNDER 15000 BUT THE PEDALS ARE VIRTUALLY UNWORN AND IT MAKES SENSE THIS CAR SAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE FATE OF MANY GM DIESEL CARS... IF YOU BUY THE CAR I WILL INCLUDE A POWER TRUNK CLOSER I PURCHASED FOR THE CAR & A SET OF BF GOODRICH RADIAL TIRES I HAD TAKEN OFF A ROLLS I SOLD EARLIER THIS YEAR. THESE TIRES ARE NOT NEW BUT THEY HAVE AT LEAST 50% TREAD LEFT AND ARE NOT CRACKED. On Aug-19-10 at 19:37:04 PDT, seller added the following information: THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 1978 BY AN HOME HEATING OIL DEALER IN WEST HARTFORD, CT. I FORGOT THE NAME, AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE CARS ORIGINAL ENGINE PRESENTED MANY PROBLEMS AS THE EARLY GM 5.7 DIESELS DID...THE COMPANY THAT OWNED IT BASICALLY DID NOT GET TO USE THE CAR MUCH AND IT SPENT 7 YEARS ON AND OFF PARKED WHILE GENERAL MOTORS THOUGHT OF NEW WAYS TO SCREW DIESEL CUSTOMERS. FINALLY GM SETTLED ON INSTALLING A NEW GM GOODWRENCH ENGINE IN THIS CAR IN 84 OR 85 AND FROM THERE THE CAR SAT UNUSED AS THE COMPANY HAD NO FAITH IN IT. WHAT A SHAME FOR A CAR THAT COST SOMETHING LIKE $21000 IN 1978. THE CAR WOULD UP BEING BOUGHT BY MY FATHERS FRIEND WHO OWNS A REPAIR SHOP AND AS HE IS FAMILIAR WITH 5.7 DIESELS AND RUNS THEM IN HIS REPAIR TRUCKS HE WAS GOING TO USE THE CAR. IT SAT AND SAT AND SAT INDOORS FROM THE LATE 80'S UNTIL I BOUGHT IT FROM HIM LAST SUMMER. I SIMPLY HAVE TOO MANY PROJECTS AND IM 3000 MILES AWAY IN CALIFORNIA. THE CAR IS AT MY PARENTS HOME IN CONNECTICUT AND I CANNOT JUSTIFY HAVING THAT AS WELL AS 3 OTHER CARS CROWDING THIER GARAGES AND I REALIZE I AM NEVER GOING TO FINISH THIS CAR. THE CAR STARTS, RUNS AND DRIVES ON ITS OWN HOWEVER PLEASE UNDERSTAND IT HASN'T BEEN REGISTERED IN MANY YEARS AND TIRES, BRAKES AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE NEEDS ATTENTION. THIS IS A GREAT EASY PROJECT TO BRING BACK...WITH THE TIRES I WILL INCLUDE AS WELL AS THE NEW SHOCKS AND TRUNK CLOSER & THE BASICALLY NEW GM GOODWRENCH MOTOR UNDER THE HOOD THIS WILL MAKE A FUN CAR TO FIX AND DRIVE. REMEMBER THE LAST OF THE GM DIESELS WERE PRETTY GOOD...IT JUST TOOK GM YEARS AND MANY PEOPLE SCREMAING TO ACTUALLY ENGINEER AND BUILD A DECENT DIESEL ENGINE. TYPICAL GM STORY.