1968 Cadillac DeVille

63K~NORESRVE Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

G8286025

Clear

Gasoline

THE FIRST THING I WILL DO IS TO COPY AN ACTUAL ACCOUNT OF WHAT THIS CAR IS, AS EBEY DID NOT HAVE ITS MODEL NAME AS A CHOICE, THE CLOSEST THING TO IT WAS A COUPE DEVILLE! I WILL GET INTO SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS ACTUAL CAR, AFTER THE INFO YOU WILL READ NEXT! IT IS ACTUALLY A 1968 CADILLAC CALAIS, AND HERE IS THE STORY BEHIND THIS MODEL! The Calais was a full-size luxury car made by Cadillac from 1965 to 1976. For 1965, Cadillac renamed the entry-level Series 62 the Calais, after the French town and resort. It was available as a 2- or 4-door hardtop as well as a "formal-roof" 4-door sedan, which was a hybrid with frameless, hardtop-like windows, but with a pillar between them. With the exception of having no convertible, the Calais mirrored the slightly more expensive and well-equipped DeVille. The primary differences between the Calais and the De Ville were trim levels and standard equipment. While the De Ville was delivered with such amenities as power windows and 2-way power seats as standard equipment, hand-cranked windows were standard on the Calais, with power a US$119 option.[1] At the same time, however, AM radio was a US$165 extra, as was air conditioning, at US$495, on either.[2] For 1967, power windows became standard on the Calais line, although a power seat was still optional even in the later-year models. Leather seating areas and vinyl roof trim were available on the De Ville, but not on the Calais (although a high-grade vinyl and cloth, similar to what was seen on top-line Buick Electras, were). Another item not available on the Calais was the Cadillac-exclusive Firemist paint, an extra-cost metallic paint. Both the high-end Buick and Oldsmobile models shared the GM C platform with Cadillac. Cadillac, always General Motors' technology leader, offered all of their famous optional equipment, such as Twilight Sentinel and the GuideMatic headlight dimmer, on the Calais. In 1965, the new Turbo-Hydramatic, standard on the 1964 Deville, but not the lower-priced Series 62, became standard throughout the Cadillac range – even the Calais. The 340 hp (254 kW) 429 cu in (7.0 l) V8 also remained the standard engine.[2] Pricing of the Cadillac Calais started at nearly US$5,000, almost US$1,000 (or about 25%) more than the Electra 225 and Oldsmobile 98,[3] and about US$500 more than the top-line Buick Riviera.[4] Like all other Cadillacs, the Calais received the 472 cu in (7.7 l) OHV V8 in 1968. In 1971, the wheelbase was extended to 130 in (3302 mm), while the big 500 cu in (8.2 l) arrived in 1975. 1976 was the last year for the Calais NOW THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED BY MY PARTNER IN MY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS QUITE A WHILE BACK, ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO! THE CAR WAS COMPLETLY ORIGINAL THEN, AS IT IS NOW, HOWEVER IT WAS IN A BETTER CONDITION, AS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AS WE GOT BUSIER, THE CAR ENDED UP BEING TAKEN OFF THE ROAD AND PARKED, AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SAME SPOT EVER SINCE! THE SURPRISING PART IS, ABOUT EVERY 2 MONTHS OR SO WE WOULD WALK OVER AND TURN THE KEY, AND PRESTO, IT WOULD FIRE RIGHT UP EVERY TIME! THIS CAR RUNS STRONG, SHIFTS WELL AND GOES DOWN THE ROAD PRETTY WELL! WE WILL NOT BE GETTING INTO PREPARING IT NFOR ANY LONG ROAD TRIP HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD NOT TAKE MUCH! THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS GOTTON A BIT SOFT AND IT STICKS DOWN A BIT, NEEDING TO BE LIFTED WITH THE TOP OF YOUR FOOT, TO RELEASE THE BRAKES, AND THE EXHAUST NOW HAS A FAIRLY LOUD LEAK! OTHERWOISE THOUGH, THIS CAR IS COMPLETLY CAPABLE, AND DEPENDABLE, TO MAKE A GOOD LONG DRIVE ANYWHERE! IT RUNS VERY WELL! I HAVE NEVER HAD TO JUMP START THIS CAR IN 7 YEARS! THERE ARE PLENTY OF PICS OF THE INTERIOR, AND SOME OF THE POWER OPTIONS HAVE BECOME INOP WHILE SITTING, HOWEVER IT APPEARS THAT SOME FUSES HAVE BEEN "BORROWED" OUT OF IT IN ITS DOWN TIME! THE FLOORBOARDS ARE SOLID ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FROM HITTING THEM FROM UP TOP, THE PASSANGER SIDE WAS A BIT SOFT WHEN I POUNDED MY FIST ON IT TO CHECK BEFORE POSTING! I DID NOT PUT THIS CAR ON A LIFT AND INSPECT EVERYTHING BEFORE POSTING! AS EXPLAINED, THE REASON IT STOPPED BEING A WEEKLY ROAD TRIP CAR WAS DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF PERSONEL TIME, AND WE HAVE EVN LESS NOW! THAT SAID, I STARTED THIS CAR, I DID DRIVE IT TO THE CARWASH, RAN IT THROUGH, TRIED SOME OF THE OPTIONS WHILE DRIVING, WENT OVER THE BODY AND PUT A BRIGHTER COLORED BLUE PAINT ON ANY NOTEWORTHY SPOTS THAT RUSTED OR BLEMISHED WHILE SITTING, THE WORST ONE BEING RIGHT UNDER THE MIRROR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE! SO WHILE LOOKING AT THE PICS, YOU WILL SEE THIS CAR IS PRETTY SOLID ALL IN ALL, BUT NOTICE THE PAINT SPOTS FOR AREAS OF CONCERN! IT WOULD NOT BE A REALLY HEAVY RESTRORE AT ALL! ON MY DRIVE TO WASH THE CAR, IT STILL PLEASANTLY SURPRISED ME HOW WELL THE CAR RUNS AND HOW WELL IT WENT DOWN THE ROAD, AFTER A 2 YEAR HIATIS FROM THE ROAD! I WILL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU EMAIL THEM TO ME! GET A GREAT DEAL, ON A GREAT RUNNING, EASILY RESTORED, OLDER CADILLAC HERE WITH MY SHORT, 3 DAY, NO RESERVE AUCTION! THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!