Have fallen for my DEVILLE

[Scotty]

When I got my Deville in October 2003, I did not like its ‘feel’. It felt too big and too loose. I had a 91 Seville that was tight, level on turns and nimble, especially since I totally rebuilt the front end a couple of years back (ball joints, poly strut rod bushings, stabilizer bar bushings, OEM struts and hub bearings). I was once told that the 91 was built to go up against the BMW type competition. With the Michelin HGT Pilot H-rated tires the handle was incredible. Having to junk that car kills me but too much is wrong with it to get it running and looking good again. I will with out a doubt tear up when she gets towed away.

I have had my Deville now for 6 months and I have grown to love it. When I park it in the far reaches of a parking lot and approach it, it is a beautiful car. (We all park in no-man’s land in malls and walk, don't we?).

I wish my Dad who loved Cadillac’s could drive it, he would be in heaven. My parents were entertainers (Dad - a Julliard trained singer, comedian, MC and Mom a tap dancer, roaring 20’s, and singer and she was once a Rockette). We lived in Philadelphia and they traveled throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland and even the Mid-West in the summer of 64 to entertain at numerous air force bases. We took the 55 Fleetwood on that trip. Since they were entertainers, my Dad believed it was important to arrive on-time, in comfort and relaxed. During those years we owned many flavors of the 55, 59, 62, 64, 65, 66, and 68 Cadillacs. I inherited the job of pit crew at about 12 years old after years of watching my Dad who was a B-17 mechanic in the Philippines in WWII. On a typical Saturday night engagement, they would travel to McKeesport, Pa, a 600 mile roundtrip do a show and return in the wee hours of the morning sometimes when the sun was rising. Before they left I would start, inspecting, tweaking and tuning their car. In those days things like changing the points and condenser, setting the dwell, cleaning and resetting the plugs, flushing the radiator, changing the stat, repacking the inner and outer bearings, freeing up the heat riser, and adjusting the brakes, etc made a world of difference. I can remember doing a full tune up, brakes, water pump, radiator flush and rebuilding the Carter AFB carburetor one Saturday before their trip. My Dad seeing the car ripped apart showed little or no concern or negative emotions that he was about to take it on a 600 mile round-trip (he was amazing that way). When he got home, he woke me and said "the car was amazing you did a great job, it FLEW"! Those were amazing cars.

The point I am making is that, my Deville is so much a connection to those cars despite its modern electronics and systems. The long quarter panels, its effortless acceleration and awesome power, its surprising nimbleness and beauty bring me back to those days. If you look at this car, you can easily see the 60’s and 70’s influence in its looks. I clearly can see the 1968 Caddy in my 96, especially the rear. I have grown to love this car and while I would like to have an STS one day, I am very happy with this car for now. It’s amazing that a ‘distinctive Cadillac feel’ can be retained over the years in what is basically a machine.

I am going on vacation next week to Scottsdale, Arizona (109 degrees today!) and will miss this group. I ordered my AC Delco AC Compressor and idler wheel today and plan to install it when I return home. I’ll need some pointers! You all have a great week! Relax and Enjoy! Mike

[bigfoo]

Ahh that's so awesome (about the deville, not the seville hehe).

I absoultely love the 1968 deville .. It's such a big, badass, hunkin boat of a car and it rides so nice :> Plus it looks really cool.. the late 50's were ok but they didn't look as nice to me. I like the 'suicide doors' with no medium in between the front and back , although it's not 'safe' any more

Plus the 472 (i think it was a 472, wasn't it?) is fun.