I went with my Dad when he was shopping the 1980 Seville and he observed that while the diesel was standard, it was a $700 delete option to get the gasoline engine. He said to me, "$700 buys a lot of gas," and went for the gas version. He never had a problem with that car, and he loved it until the day he died. And I learned something about the importance of calculating the breakeven before making a purchase decision.
Many thanks to Wayne Kady on defining the Cadillac brand as the style leader many decades. These interviews are so appreciated. He takes excellent care of his personal collection.
I had a 79 diesel Eldorado with those Ben Hur spokes, which were treacherous to parallel park. I loved the look of the bustle back Seville, but that diesel engine and a host of other quality control issues soured me on Cadillacs, so I bought a Continental in 82, and again in 84. Not as handsome, but very reliable. Mr. Kady is a real pleasure to listen to, so much talent and a true gentleman with a wealth of history to share. Thank you, sir!
My absolute favorite Cadillac of all time!! I remember exactly the first time I saw one as a 12 year old kid…….was enamored with it then and still am!!! Fantastic car
I remember my boss at the grocery store I worked at in 1982. He always wore a three piece suit and owned a 1981 Seville. I still recall him driving it through the parking lot with a smile on his face!
I fell in love with an absolutely gorgeous 1980 Seville in dark burgundy top with a light sand metallic lower at the Cadillac dealership. It was an absolute LEMON!! It spent more time at the dealer repair shop than it did in my driveway. I spend a lot of money trying to chase it's unending problems with the body and engine electrical system. It would only get 13 mpg and had left me stranded several times. I could go on and on. The last straw was one very cold winter night during a blizzard, I awoke at 2 in the morning to the sound of a car horn continuously blowing. It was that car!! I had to get up and go out and literally unhook the battery cable to get it to stop. I swear it was determined to drive me insane!! A couple of weeks later, I traded it in for a 1986 Nissan Maxima Wagon which I never had 1 problem with. I love the looks of the bustle backs but after my experience with the one I had I will never own another.
Adam -- These Cadillac videos are really tugging at my nostalgia, and I very much appreciate Wayne's insight and perspective. As I mentioned in last weekend's Deville video, my father had owned a 1981 Seville V8/6/4. It was his first Cadillac. It was Jadestone (light green) on green leather, and it had the ubiquitous wire wheel covers. It also had leather steering wheel, "Symphony Sound" radio with cassette, illuminated entry, and other stuff. I believe the sticker price was about $24k and that he paid $21k. I was a little kid at the time, but I already loved cars, and I remember when we went to buy that car at Williamson Cadillac in Miami in September 1981. The salesman, Carl Adams, was a true professional. He would give sodas to my sister and me, so he MUST have been great! He took us in a golf cart to the back lot and we looked at everything they had in stock. There were at least a couple of other Sevilles in the same color, so I don't remember how dad settled on that car in that color. My mother always loved green, so that might have had something to do with it. After buying the '81, we discovered someone at our church had a car that was identical on the outside and almost identical on the inside. The only difference I could ever tell was that the other car did not have a leather steering wheel, so it was always fun to see them parked near each other. Later, our back neighbor bought one too, but his was a completely different look - 2-tone, cabrio top, no leather. Despite the V8/6/4, we never had any engine trouble. The biggest problems were electrical -- and they manifested themselves on a summer road trip hundreds of miles from home. We had driven from Miami to Connecticut (where we had previously lived) to visit family. One day during the trip, the car wouldn't start. The battery was dead, but the battery was not the problem. Something was causing all the interior lights to stay on all the time. The local Cadillac dealer refused to work on the car because we hadn't bought it there. In the end, we continued our trip, but dad ended up disconnecting the battery every time we parked the car -- classy, right? Since the interior lights wouldn't turn off, night driving was problematic. Dad pulled the bulbs from the overhead lights, but we just lived with the white and red lights in the doors being on all the time for the rest of the trip. The '81 also suffered from an issue with the power door locks that caused them to lock and unlock randomly while driving down the street. The joke was that there were ghosts in the car. I think it took a couple of tries to fix that problem. Our '85 Deville had the same issue at one point, but it's not a problem I ever hear anyone else talk about. Because of the issues with that car, my dad got to know the service manager at the dealership pretty well. They became personal friends, and it was a relationship my father valued very much. That Seville was special to my dad. He was very proud to drive it. Despite having more than a dozen Cadillacs through the years, that '81 might have been his absolute favorite. I suppose there's always a special affinity for your first, but it probably didn't hurt that that car was really, really nice and very distinctive. Even as a little kid, I loved the first-gen Seville. I thought it looked great, and it clearly is a design that has stood the test of time, as its proportions were perfect. Therefore, when we went to the auto show and saw the new second-gen Seville, it was quite a shock. I remember not liking the look at all. However, once dad bought one, the look grew on me, and I could even tell you all the subtle visual differences from year to year. Now, all these years later, I'm once again not sure how I feel about the design. That said, I think it’s - by far - the best and most attractive execution of the 80s bustlebacks. I do, however, think the look would have worked better as an Eldorado. Thanks again to you and Wayne for this video. I'd love to hear what he and John Manoogian think of Cadillac's styling evolution through the years and about where it is today.
Sorta funny, my 94 Buick Roadmaster gets a ghost in the locks every couple years. No clue… locks then unlocks three or four times back to back then disappears for years again.
I love this design is one of my favorite cars in history, I grow up with picture of this car on my wall i print it my self when i was 10. I'm 24 now and i'm from Poland, we don't have many old cadillac here but i some how drive one. This car is just beautiful is, so unique and elegant it looks like nothing else ever made...like it come form different reality. I never understand why ppl hate it is just perfect. When i ask my friend about it looks they all love it. Is somthing in old american car design with speks to young generations, they have so much style, so much presontality, so much expressions...I wish one day a get one. They ride so good, they look good i never get why they are so unwanted in US, in my euro pont of view they are so much beter then most euro cars, i know they have some problems but euro car have more. Thanks Adam for this videos, Wayne Kady if you reading this, big thanks for desingin one of my favorite cars designing ever
Still daily drive an 84 Seville two tone silver/Burgundy 166k miles and still have its original bill of sale, sold in August 1984 at the Cadillac of New Orleans for $25,793.61
The two-door scale model looks almost exactly like the early 80s Chrysler Imperial! Always liked that car. Good to see Wayne again. He's got a wit you could shave with. The conversation about business attire really brought back memories. In the 90s and early 2000s, I worked as a salesman for a dinky little company. On the rare days I was in the office, a dark suit and tie were absolutely required. Our product was always used in the dirtiest parts of foundries, power plants, etc. Out in the field, I wore jeans. Show up in a suit, and the customers would delight in ruining it!
I really enjoy Wayne’s interviews. I mentioned previously that these Seville’s really peaked my interest & imagination as a young kid growing up within the General Motors family. Thanks again Wayne for sharing your development stories and beautiful artwork of this iconic design.
@@RareClassicCars Yessir. Still enjoying your content after several years. Hope it’s a labor of love. I know you have a family and lots to balance, and we viewers appreciate the knowledge and opinions you share.
HI Adam, another amazing interview and episode with Mr. Kady. I salute you for having the initiative and insight to conduct these great interviews with these industry masters to gain such incredible historical knowledge and insight while still possible. Very awesome and a great way to document their work and vision while paying tribute. I also wanted to comment that you deserve an immense amount of credit for conducting such a well organized, prepared, and well produced interview. The vast amount of viewers will never realize the immense amount of preparation, research, time, skill, and effort it takes to conduct a well produced interview that is enjoyable, informative, and entertaining. People just think it "came together" all by itself, which is a compliment to the producer that it appears so easy and seamless to the viewer. Your knowledge, style, research of the topic at hand as well as the individual being interviewed, is amazing and appreciated to those of us with an eye for detail and organization. Well done! On a final comment, if you look at this video time slot at 19:03. the rendering being shown of the proposed Eldorado or Seville, the front ends of the bookend styled fenders with the somewhat large cornering lamp/turn indicator centered within the middle of the fender, is almost identical to the final result of the front fenders of the '75-'78 Eldorado. I spotted that immediately and thought that was interesting, even though those renderings were I assume done in the late 60's. Thanks for making my day and take care!
I’m from Finland and even we got those back in the day and I remember it standing out from everything else. We had few american cars anyway but these were so different from the other american cars we had at the time. I was always drawn to the 70-80s GM cars and owned a few too in the 00s. They were a bit underpowered but I always loved the exterior and interior look to them. So cool hear from the designer himself about the process. It’s always a compromise but it’s interesting to hear what’s behind the choises they had to make at the time. Like the shared hood for example. Same thing was with the 90s GM B-bodies, many sheet metal parts were shared but it was done in a way that most wouldn’t realise. Now everyone is doing it and some successfully and some not so much. Cool channel, these interviews especially!
A physician for whom I worked in college had an '84, silver with blue interior. I loved it, rode in it many times, drove it a few times on errands for him. He'd had the first series of Seville. I found this second iteration to be really sleek with that raked windshield and I thought the rear end was so much better than, to me, the clumsy bustle on the Imperial and the later Continental. As I was driving a Renault 5 at the time, it seemed awfully soft and cozy!
I have my moms 1985 Seville she bought it new an she gave me the car in 1994 I still have it today the car has 58 thousand miles on it I love the design of this beautiful car
Such a thrill to have Mr. Kady tell the back backstory on this generation of Seville. I love it, but I also love the boattail Riviera so perhaps I am a bit of an outlier. One thing I would point out is that the bustleback Seville was introduced into a lousy economy so comparing sales with the previous generation and concluding that it was less successful is not fair. Again, the friendly bantering is icing on the cake!
I'd thought they'd lost their design minds when this replaced the beautiful Seville. But- I've always maintained that this was a "dark horse" future collectible. I actually like the Imperial copy better.
I loved the ‘75 1/2-‘79 Seville when they came out, but when I saw the ‘80 out on the street for the first time I was blown away. I’d love to have one now, but it would have to be the ‘80-‘81 with the 6.0 liter V8. Don’t care for the ones with the HT4100 or the diesels or the V8-6-4 versions. Thanks so much for doing this one, Adam!
I'd like to say this car handled GREAT for a Cadillac. Something about the rear end just feeling planted and solid especially when making U-Turns. What a complete executive car. It was a luxurious business office on wheels. Never once did it feel front wheel drive or cheap. And my HT-4100 was reliable in the 2 years I owned it (2009-2009)
My first car was a 1981 Seville Eleganté in light blue over dark blue. The V8-6-4 was actually a phenomenal running engine once the computer was disabled, I miss that car every day and wish I still owned it. It was such a classy car with a beautiful interior and the huge “Astro roof”. Thank you Wayne for designing that car it was groundbreaking in my opinion so much so that Lincoln tried to copy it without success. I truly loved that car.
AMAZING video! It's GREAT to be able to put a name and face to the auto designer that I have saved all of these pictures of on Pinterest. This is by far one of my favorite car designs. Even the renderings make me want to build a replica. Knowing that some of the renderings were designed as four doors blows my mind! My absolute favorite is the 1982 Cadillac Seville Grandeur Opera (had they retained the original Seville slant instead of going with a more Eldorado look). Add coach style doors and the chrome door handles side-by-side with the matching wreaths, and you have a car that would have rivaled Duesenbergs. Of course, upgrading to an earlier model Eldorado 500 ci drivetrain, would be AMAZING (it's been done, just haven't seen the forum/page in almost 20 yrs), I'd settle for a reworked Olds 350 with transmission out of a Toronado or even the 1996 Olds LSS 3800 supercharged. BUT, if a rear wheel drive version were to be created (as mentioned in the interview) I'd go with an LS drivetrain for practicality, longevity, and ease of repair. Thank you for helping me work out some of my dreams. One day, I will build and drive my own in real life.
Hi from Australia , when I was around 35 years younger, I looked at two right hand drive 1980 model versions here in Australia, a "49" state car with the 6 litre big block de bored to 368 cubes and one at Canberra in the ACT which was a California spec' car with a 350cube 5.7 litre engine. The 368 was 2 tone navy on the base and pale metallic blue on top , the 350 cube one was black on the bottom and a mid metallic gun metal grey on the top both were Elegante's with their elaborate leather interiors I was trying to weigh up which one I would buy as both first year cars with the excellent drive trains. Then a mate called ne and said that the 1979 Lincoln owned by the oil company here in Sydney, Australia was for sale in the motoring section of the Sydney Morning Herald paper. The Caddy's lost out as the 1979 Lincoln was none other than a beautiful Midnite metallic blue 14,083 mile 1owner Collectors Series Town Car. These came in 2bodies one with a more narrow B pillar and a flatter roof top often with a glass moon roof with a chrome rear screen surround, OR the other taller more domed "turret" or greenhouse with a wider b pillar, the half paint , half vinyl roof which has what I call the floating back window, which is both taller and wider, this version has no rear window framing the vinyl & glass mysteriously are glued/held in by a satin black latex seal. With exception to a sun roof, it has EVERY option. Hands down the Collectors series Lincoln won the sale, I still own it . So I never bought one of these Seville's however I was very close I was erring towards the 368 cube 2 tone blue one. They both drove very very well and had decent power as well in that first year with the good , big , old school V8 engines, they handled well , and were as 9 year old cars in excellent condition .
And I love Wayne's mid 20th century multi-sided fireplace! It looks like it belongs in the ranch house with detached garage, where you have done several videos...
Just saw one of these in Green Bay Wisconsin in the Parking lot of Hy-Vee. It didnt look like it was in great condition. But someone is still using it at least 38-43 years later. That says something.
GREAT videos! I especially love these visits with Wayne Kady. Take as many advantages of opportunities with him as you can. These are super fun! SHOW MORE
I was quite indifferent toward the bustlebacks, but after seeing how the concept grew in Mr Kady's mind and how he tried it on various body styles I have a new appreciation for it. I really liked the gold Eldorado version, that would have been some car!
We had a 1980 two tone Seville with the gas engine. The diesel was standard but nobody wanted diesel. It was a beautiful car. We had the 1980 with regular engine.I had a 1981 Eldorado with the V8-6-4. I traded it a year later for a 380SL.
For a long time (especially as a kid) I was sure that generation was just the previous one with a slant back trunk treatment. It's wonderful to learn all the details...
I really love this channel. You are bringing this automotive history to light especially on cars that don't get any kind of spotlight on them. It's really nice to see this and I've said this before to people. The cars are very important but the people behind them are just as fascinating and just as interesting and just as important and that's what you're doing here and I really love it
This is it - the one 80’s Cadillac that I still hope to own someday. I was just ~6yo when the bustleback Seville landed, but I remember thinking they looked both retro and futuristic at the same time. I think the proportions of the car are simply fantastic, with an elegant and sweeping formal roofline. It was the ultimate “sheer” look GM design. It looked expensive, but not tacky and overwrought like the B-body Fleetwood. Its sizing was perfect, completely lacking the clownish truncated look of the mid-eighties downsized Cadillacs. It’s a shame they were mechanical disasters, because they were one of the most unique and handsome looking Cadillacs of all time.
Another great interview. I really enjoy the original drawings and candid discussion. Words of wisdom from Mr. Kady as well: "I had a mortgage on my house." (Truly good advice on priorities) and "Everyone has a talent, and everyone has something to offer."
All at the same time, my parents had a blue one, my dads sister had a white one with a red top, his other sister had a maroon one, and my best friend’s parents had a two tone caramel and gold one. This was was a hot car!
It is great to listen to Wayne. I had a gold 81 model and would like a 1980 Elegante. Interesting too you mention the 81 Imperial. I love my Mahogany Mist one. Would also love a 1982 Continental with two tone.
Reading about design is SO different from learning of its step-by-step evolution (e.g. creases, taillight shapes) - also people (Drew Hare a nice guy) - in casual, friendly chat
I'd like to know what he thinks of this new Celestiq handbuilt $300k car. That just seems way outside the Cadillac wheelhouse and I don't understand the business case for it.
Our family was looking for a new Cadillac in '81. I remember my first look at the Seville. I thought it was beautiful... looked like a Rolls. We ended up with a light blue Sedan deville with dark blue velour interior. I loved that car also.
I know what I have to say doesn’t hold any water but I could never put my head around this model. I admire and respect Wayne very much but I think it would have been better off on the Eldorado as a two door.
Some of the details mentioned in this video make me realize more why the presence of our 81 was so royal and substantial. The roof and the flush glass had a great impact. And like its predecessor it felt light on its feet and modern to drive. They are so rare now but until the 90s could be seen quite often in Europe. Our 81 was dark blue over light blue with the Euro spec taillamps having the inner third of the light bar red and the amber turn signal being the outer third. The cornering light in front was disconnected as it wasn't allowed back then but could be plugged back in. A silent and elegant cruiser with incredible mileage in 4 cylinder mode. 6 cylinder mode could be felt slightly, but 8 and 4 was super smooth and the cylinder deactivation was hugely entertaining while on trips. 11 liters on 100km was absolutely doable.
What a great video. Wayne is a true gentleman and a real hero for me. I think this is one of the most beautiful cars ever made and I love my 80, with the big grille cap and aluminum wheels. I wish they still designed cars that provoked an emotional response, like the Seville. It’s interesting that when you have this car out that was controversial at the time, people who are too young to remember those years come up to it and just love the style. You should totally do a book of those renderings.
Mr. Adam, I hope you keep these chats with Kady, Maughan etc archived separate from daily online stream. 200 years from now they will matter as unique auto-history info.
Love these cars Adam, I remember them coming out and thinking how good they looked. Wayne is really interesting to listen to too. Keep up the good work Adam
The Eldorado’s original DNA was in the CTS coupe until it ceased production a couple years ago. Don’t forget, the Eldorado was a rear wheel drive luxury performance car from 1954-1966. The CTS coupe was probably what the Eldorado would have become anyway had they kept the nameplate after 2002.
When pricing returns to a more reasonable level, I plan to acquire a 2019 XTS (the final year) and apply three 1990 "SEVILLE" emblems in all the right places. There was a 1983 or so Seville on Copart about four years ago. It was a light yellow color and had only 31,000 miles. It sold for over $3,000. Then about three years ago Copart had a 1981 Coupe DeVille with 27,000 miles. The color appeared to be Oak. I was ready to order "OAK CDV" special plates. I even located the current owner through internet research. That one sold for over $6,000!
Very much enjoy your conversations with Wayne Kady. Such a gentleman and a wealth of knowledge. One comparison that is unavoidable with this generation of luxury cars... Chrysler's execution of the "bustleback" side profile on the Imperial coupe. Overall, It was a last ditch hail mary attempt to re-enter the luxury segment when Chrysler was on the ropes financially. Nevertheless, with a shoestring budget, Chrysler produced a profile and stance for the Imperial that I have always found cleaner and more substantial looking than the Seville. The Seville's two-tone treatment and descending side molding look "fussy" and overdone... the work of product planners with income objectives to satisfy rather than the work of artists. Thanks Adam for another great interview.
Personally I really liked Seville Bustleback, it reminded me of the 1950s Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, but I remember the look was polarizing for Cadillac buyers at the time. Contrary to what you might think by looking at it the Seville Bustleback has a surprisingly large trunk too.
I always refered to these Sevilles as the pre-rearended Cadillac. I always thought if they changed angles and lengthened it a bit the bustle could have looked so much better.
Thank you for sharing this video. It was great Adam. It was great to see Mr. Wayne Kady again. I am off to watch the second video. I did want to say this generation of Seville must have influenced the 1992-1997 Seville because the themes are the same except for the trunk design which was changed. This car did have a last impact. I recall Lincoln and Chrysler doing the versions of the trunk design on Continental and Imperial. I almost owned a 1992 Cadillac Seville. Thank you again.
my god, when my dad bought a new car in 1976, he bought a brand new, custom ordered Seville (then costing 16,600$), we were, literally, the only people in a city of 124,000 that had one. we were stared at everywhere we went. it was essentially an embarrassing car for that reason. we had that car for 5 years, and still, in that 5 years, maybe only a handful of them showed up in the city. silver colour outside, with grey leather interior the whole ike. i think by 1981 there were several other sevilles in the city, but not many, we still had ours. But my Dad claimed he blew the transmission on it one night on the highway and got rid of it immediately. 3 months later he had a custom ordered, 1981 Olds 98 Regency with every option one could get on it! That car was 17,000$. 5 years newer, yet only $500 more. Clearly the Seville was one hell of an expensive car in is day. My dad's second wife's parents were loaded, owned a m,ajor hotel in the city with a major restaurant and bowling alley complex all as one business. He driver the fully loade d Fleetwood with initialized plates, and his wife drove a brand new Cadillac Seville slantback. She had customized plates too. Both had their initials on the plates. These cars could be recognized everywhere i the city,
Mr Wayne Kady, a definite soft spoken gentleman with pithy, well appreciated humorous comments peppered throughout the interview. Thanks. I have always enjoyed the distinctness of his 1980-1985 Seville. It was a pity that his design work was let down by the questionable mechanical drivetrain issues prevalent in Cadillacs of that era. Will there be any future discussion (hopefully) about the styling of the 3rd generation front-drive Cadillac Eldorado?
I believe those wire wheel covers were actually used for 2-years on Cad, revised for '81. The interesting thing was Toro kept them all the way through '85.
They definitely did their job in coming up with a unique, one of a kind design... and certainly get the credit compared to the "copy cats" that came later. While I will admit the Continental is my favorite exterior styling of the bustle backs, the Seville has grown on me a lot over the years. These cars have an unmistakable presence and gorgeous lines and details you don't necessarily notice when looking at photos or videos.
Hey Adam, I just watched the 75-76 Seville review and as always I thoroughly enjoyed it. By the time the 75 Seville was introduced, the full-size Cadillacs had mostly become just big. They were really boring inside and out. They couldn't compared to the Lincoln Town Cars in that era. They couldn't even be compared to the 73s that I think are arguably one of the best looking Cadillacs since the '65 and '66s. The first generation of Sevilles nailed it as soon as they hit the streets Although they were considered small at the time, they were really just a little smaller, however a home run in styling. They undoubtedly had a "Cadillac look" about them, yet managed to look fresh and modern at the same time. I would also say the name "Seville" somehow managed to fit the cars looks perfectly, that doesn't always happen. I was old enough to drive by the mid 70s and had a friend who's parents owned one so I actually got to drive their's all the time and I will tell you it handled like a very big car, very much like the full-size Cadillacs and other full-size GM cars of that era. They were very popular here in Southern California, I remember seeing them everywhere. I also remember being a little disappointed when I learned they were based on the Nova under the skin since a Nova was never too exciting. Thanks again for their review.
I had many of these used as demos from my employer. They were really nice cars when new, but they did NOT age well. Within a few years these had rust blisters and the paint was dulled out, beyond buffing especially on the hood. The oversized interior armrests would come loose from the doors and the vinyl would split. Still, I loved them as there was nothing else like them.
The "classic era" touches that helped sell cars from the mid-'70's to '80's, like RR grilles, opera windows and wire wheel covers should be obvious, but I've never heard it articulated: The people with buying power at that time were born and bred during the depression. They were all in their mid 50's; their kids were out of school and supporting themselves, and they were ready to spend money on cars that evoked the classics of their early years. A man who had lusted after a Cadillac V-16 in his childhood, who remembered photos of Hollywood stars in custom-bodied Auburns, Packards and Pierce-Arrows, pictured himself in something similar when surrounded by all those sparkly, "malaise-era" effects. Maybe he wasn't catching any young boomer girl's eye, but the point was to look successful to your contemporaries. Matching white shoes and belts, natty sideburns and a mustache scored points with the middle aged kids from the neighborhood.
I went with my Dad when he was shopping the 1980 Seville and he observed that while the diesel was standard, it was a $700 delete option to get the gasoline engine. He said to me, "$700 buys a lot of gas," and went for the gas version. He never had a problem with that car, and he loved it until the day he died. And I learned something about the importance of calculating the breakeven before making a purchase decision.
Many thanks to Wayne Kady on defining the Cadillac brand as the style leader many decades. These interviews are so appreciated. He takes excellent care of his personal collection.
I had a 79 diesel Eldorado with those Ben Hur spokes, which were treacherous to parallel park. I loved the look of the bustle back Seville, but that diesel engine and a host of other quality control issues soured me on Cadillacs, so I bought a Continental in 82, and again in 84. Not as handsome, but very reliable. Mr. Kady is a real pleasure to listen to, so much talent and a true gentleman with a wealth of history to share. Thank you, sir!
My absolute favorite Cadillac of all time!!
I remember exactly the first time I saw one as a 12 year old kid…….was enamored with it then and still am!!! Fantastic car
you just wrote my story.
Interviews with Mr. Kady are the best I like his memories of the legendary Bill Mitchell.
I remember my boss at the grocery store I worked at in 1982. He always wore a three piece suit and owned a 1981 Seville. I still recall him driving it through the parking lot with a smile on his face!
18:24 "Everybody has a talent. Everybody has something to offer." Thoughtful guy, wish more bosses were like Wayne.
These interviews are great. This channel is one of the few gems on UA-cam.
I fell in love with an absolutely gorgeous 1980 Seville in dark burgundy top with a light sand metallic lower at the Cadillac dealership. It was an absolute LEMON!! It spent more time at the dealer repair shop than it did in my driveway. I spend a lot of money trying to chase it's unending problems with the body and engine electrical system. It would only get 13 mpg and had left me stranded several times. I could go on and on. The last straw was one very cold winter night during a blizzard, I awoke at 2 in the morning to the sound of a car horn continuously blowing. It was that car!! I had to get up and go out and literally unhook the battery cable to get it to stop. I swear it was determined to drive me insane!! A couple of weeks later, I traded it in for a 1986 Nissan Maxima Wagon which I never had 1 problem with. I love the looks of the bustle backs but after my experience with the one I had I will never own another.
Most beautiful Cadillac ever!
Love these interviews.
Adam -- These Cadillac videos are really tugging at my nostalgia, and I very much appreciate Wayne's insight and perspective.
As I mentioned in last weekend's Deville video, my father had owned a 1981 Seville V8/6/4. It was his first Cadillac. It was Jadestone (light green) on green leather, and it had the ubiquitous wire wheel covers. It also had leather steering wheel, "Symphony Sound" radio with cassette, illuminated entry, and other stuff. I believe the sticker price was about $24k and that he paid $21k.
I was a little kid at the time, but I already loved cars, and I remember when we went to buy that car at Williamson Cadillac in Miami in September 1981. The salesman, Carl Adams, was a true professional. He would give sodas to my sister and me, so he MUST have been great! He took us in a golf cart to the back lot and we looked at everything they had in stock. There were at least a couple of other Sevilles in the same color, so I don't remember how dad settled on that car in that color. My mother always loved green, so that might have had something to do with it.
After buying the '81, we discovered someone at our church had a car that was identical on the outside and almost identical on the inside. The only difference I could ever tell was that the other car did not have a leather steering wheel, so it was always fun to see them parked near each other. Later, our back neighbor bought one too, but his was a completely different look - 2-tone, cabrio top, no leather.
Despite the V8/6/4, we never had any engine trouble. The biggest problems were electrical -- and they manifested themselves on a summer road trip hundreds of miles from home. We had driven from Miami to Connecticut (where we had previously lived) to visit family. One day during the trip, the car wouldn't start. The battery was dead, but the battery was not the problem. Something was causing all the interior lights to stay on all the time. The local Cadillac dealer refused to work on the car because we hadn't bought it there. In the end, we continued our trip, but dad ended up disconnecting the battery every time we parked the car -- classy, right? Since the interior lights wouldn't turn off, night driving was problematic. Dad pulled the bulbs from the overhead lights, but we just lived with the white and red lights in the doors being on all the time for the rest of the trip.
The '81 also suffered from an issue with the power door locks that caused them to lock and unlock randomly while driving down the street. The joke was that there were ghosts in the car. I think it took a couple of tries to fix that problem. Our '85 Deville had the same issue at one point, but it's not a problem I ever hear anyone else talk about.
Because of the issues with that car, my dad got to know the service manager at the dealership pretty well. They became personal friends, and it was a relationship my father valued very much.
That Seville was special to my dad. He was very proud to drive it. Despite having more than a dozen Cadillacs through the years, that '81 might have been his absolute favorite. I suppose there's always a special affinity for your first, but it probably didn't hurt that that car was really, really nice and very distinctive.
Even as a little kid, I loved the first-gen Seville. I thought it looked great, and it clearly is a design that has stood the test of time, as its proportions were perfect. Therefore, when we went to the auto show and saw the new second-gen Seville, it was quite a shock. I remember not liking the look at all. However, once dad bought one, the look grew on me, and I could even tell you all the subtle visual differences from year to year. Now, all these years later, I'm once again not sure how I feel about the design. That said, I think it’s - by far - the best and most attractive execution of the 80s bustlebacks. I do, however, think the look would have worked better as an Eldorado.
Thanks again to you and Wayne for this video. I'd love to hear what he and John Manoogian think of Cadillac's styling evolution through the years and about where it is today.
What a crap dealer that wouldn’t work on the car
It was nice reading Your story, thank You for sharing. Wish You best from Poland!
Sorta funny, my 94 Buick Roadmaster gets a ghost in the locks every couple years. No clue… locks then unlocks three or four times back to back then disappears for years again.
Great story! 👏👏👏
Delightful guest. Great interview.
These laid back interviews are perfect . Keep them coming .
I have a 1980 Seville, and I appreciate you teaching us the history of these cars. I've watched this episode over ten times lol thanks...
Glad you enjoyed it
Wonderful video. You guys are great together.
I love this design is one of my favorite cars in history, I grow up with picture of this car on my wall i print it my self when i was 10. I'm 24 now and i'm from Poland, we don't have many old cadillac here but i some how drive one. This car is just beautiful is, so unique and elegant it looks like nothing else ever made...like it come form different reality. I never understand why ppl hate it is just perfect. When i ask my friend about it looks they all love it. Is somthing in old american car design with speks to young generations, they have so much style, so much presontality, so much expressions...I wish one day a get one. They ride so good, they look good i never get why they are so unwanted in US, in my euro pont of view they are so much beter then most euro cars, i know they have some problems but euro car have more. Thanks Adam for this videos, Wayne Kady if you reading this, big thanks for desingin one of my favorite cars designing ever
Still daily drive an 84 Seville two tone silver/Burgundy 166k miles and still have its original bill of sale, sold in August 1984 at the Cadillac of New Orleans for $25,793.61
"Best Of All, It's A Cadillac"!!! The 80 Seville looked like nothing else on the road!!! It's improved over the years like a fine wine!!! 😁
The two-door scale model looks almost exactly like the early 80s Chrysler Imperial! Always liked that car. Good to see Wayne again. He's got a wit you could shave with.
The conversation about business attire really brought back memories. In the 90s and early 2000s, I worked as a salesman for a dinky little company. On the rare days I was in the office, a dark suit and tie were absolutely required. Our product was always used in the dirtiest parts of foundries, power plants, etc. Out in the field, I wore jeans. Show up in a suit, and the customers would delight in ruining it!
I really enjoy Wayne’s interviews. I mentioned previously that these Seville’s really peaked my interest & imagination as a young kid growing up within the General Motors family. Thanks again Wayne for sharing your development stories and beautiful artwork of this iconic design.
Thanks for all your great work Adam. Let’s get this channel to 100,000 subs .
Thanks for this. Sorry I missed it!
@@RareClassicCars Yessir. Still enjoying your content after several years. Hope it’s a labor of love. I know you have a family and lots to balance, and we viewers appreciate the knowledge and opinions you share.
HI Adam, another amazing interview and episode with Mr. Kady. I salute you for having the initiative and insight to conduct these great interviews with these industry masters to gain such incredible historical knowledge and insight while still possible. Very awesome and a great way to document their work and vision while paying tribute. I also wanted to comment that you deserve an immense amount of credit for conducting such a well organized, prepared, and well produced interview. The vast amount of viewers will never realize the immense amount of preparation, research, time, skill, and effort it takes to conduct a well produced interview that is enjoyable, informative, and entertaining. People just think it "came together" all by itself, which is a compliment to the producer that it appears so easy and seamless to the viewer. Your knowledge, style, research of the topic at hand as well as the individual being interviewed, is amazing and appreciated to those of us with an eye for detail and organization. Well done! On a final comment, if you look at this video time slot at 19:03. the rendering being shown of the proposed Eldorado or Seville, the front ends of the bookend styled fenders with the somewhat large cornering lamp/turn indicator centered within the middle of the fender, is almost identical to the final result of the front fenders of the '75-'78 Eldorado. I spotted that immediately and thought that was interesting, even though those renderings were I assume done in the late 60's. Thanks for making my day and take care!
This is awesome. You're vey lucky to have made a friend like Wayne!
I’m from Finland and even we got those back in the day and I remember it standing out from everything else. We had few american cars anyway but these were so different from the other american cars we had at the time. I was always drawn to the 70-80s GM cars and owned a few too in the 00s. They were a bit underpowered but I always loved the exterior and interior look to them. So cool hear from the designer himself about the process. It’s always a compromise but it’s interesting to hear what’s behind the choises they had to make at the time. Like the shared hood for example. Same thing was with the 90s GM B-bodies, many sheet metal parts were shared but it was done in a way that most wouldn’t realise. Now everyone is doing it and some successfully and some not so much. Cool channel, these interviews especially!
Old Black guys love to drive around in Bustleback Sevilles.
Nice to see a visit and a video where you are in it Adam. It's a different format that works.
I've always liked the bustle back Seville it is different then anything else on the road now or then!
Another outstanding interview from my go-to automotive historian. Outstanding work Adam.
A physician for whom I worked in college had an '84, silver with blue interior. I loved it, rode in it many times, drove it a few times on errands for him. He'd had the first series of Seville. I found this second iteration to be really sleek with that raked windshield and I thought the rear end was so much better than, to me, the clumsy bustle on the Imperial and the later Continental. As I was driving a Renault 5 at the time, it seemed awfully soft and cozy!
I always thought these cars looked out of place anywhere they were except downtown New York City.
I have my moms 1985 Seville she bought it new an she gave me the car in 1994 I still have it today the car has 58 thousand miles on it I love the design of this beautiful car
Such a thrill to have Mr. Kady tell the back backstory on this generation of Seville. I love it, but I also love the boattail Riviera so perhaps I am a bit of an outlier. One thing I would point out is that the bustleback Seville was introduced into a lousy economy so comparing sales with the previous generation and concluding that it was less successful is not fair. Again, the friendly bantering is icing on the cake!
God those concept drawings are gorgeous.
I'd thought they'd lost their design minds when this replaced the beautiful Seville. But- I've always maintained that this was a "dark horse" future collectible.
I actually like the Imperial copy better.
I loved the ‘75 1/2-‘79 Seville when they came out, but when I saw the ‘80 out on the street for the first time I was blown away. I’d love to have one now, but it would have to be the ‘80-‘81 with the 6.0 liter V8. Don’t care for the ones with the HT4100 or the diesels or the V8-6-4 versions.
Thanks so much for doing this one, Adam!
does Wayne have a book of his sketches and renderings? I would buy it. I love that stuff
I'd like to say this car handled GREAT for a Cadillac. Something about the rear end just feeling planted and solid especially when making U-Turns. What a complete executive car. It was a luxurious business office on wheels. Never once did it feel front wheel drive or cheap. And my HT-4100 was reliable in the 2 years I owned it (2009-2009)
Thanks so much for posting these videos with Messrs. Kady and Manoogian. I have always been fascinated with the eighties Cadillacs.
My first car was a 1981 Seville Eleganté in light blue over dark blue. The V8-6-4 was actually a phenomenal running engine once the computer was disabled, I miss that car every day and wish I still owned it. It was such a classy car with a beautiful interior and the huge “Astro roof”. Thank you Wayne for designing that car it was groundbreaking in my opinion so much so that Lincoln tried to copy it without success. I truly loved that car.
AMAZING video! It's GREAT to be able to put a name and face to the auto designer that I have saved all of these pictures of on Pinterest. This is by far one of my favorite car designs. Even the renderings make me want to build a replica. Knowing that some of the renderings were designed as four doors blows my mind! My absolute favorite is the 1982 Cadillac Seville Grandeur Opera (had they retained the original Seville slant instead of going with a more Eldorado look). Add coach style doors and the chrome door handles side-by-side with the matching wreaths, and you have a car that would have rivaled Duesenbergs. Of course, upgrading to an earlier model Eldorado 500 ci drivetrain, would be AMAZING (it's been done, just haven't seen the forum/page in almost 20 yrs), I'd settle for a reworked Olds 350 with transmission out of a Toronado or even the 1996 Olds LSS 3800 supercharged. BUT, if a rear wheel drive version were to be created (as mentioned in the interview) I'd go with an LS drivetrain for practicality, longevity, and ease of repair. Thank you for helping me work out some of my dreams. One day, I will build and drive my own in real life.
What a time to be a designer in that industry!
Hi from Australia , when I was around 35 years younger, I looked at two right hand drive 1980 model versions here in Australia, a "49" state car with the 6 litre big block de bored to 368 cubes and one at Canberra in the ACT which was a California spec' car with a 350cube 5.7 litre engine. The 368 was 2 tone navy on the base and pale metallic blue on top , the 350 cube one was black on the bottom and a mid metallic gun metal grey on the top both were Elegante's with their elaborate leather interiors I was trying to weigh up which one I would buy as both first year cars with the excellent drive trains. Then a mate called ne and said that the 1979 Lincoln owned by the oil company here in Sydney, Australia was for sale in the motoring section of the Sydney Morning Herald paper. The Caddy's lost out as the 1979 Lincoln was none other than a beautiful Midnite metallic blue 14,083 mile 1owner Collectors Series Town Car. These came in 2bodies one with a more narrow B pillar and a flatter roof top often with a glass moon roof with a chrome rear screen surround, OR the other taller more domed "turret" or greenhouse with a wider b pillar, the half paint , half vinyl roof which has what I call the floating back window, which is both taller and wider, this version has no rear window framing the vinyl & glass mysteriously are glued/held in by a satin black latex seal. With exception to a sun roof, it has EVERY option. Hands down the Collectors series Lincoln won the sale, I still own it .
So I never bought one of these Seville's however I was very close I was erring towards the 368 cube 2 tone blue one. They both drove very very well and had decent power as well in that first year with the good , big , old school V8 engines, they handled well , and were as 9 year old cars in excellent condition .
My mom had a 1982 gold with red interior and she absolutely loved it… my dad ended up getting a bustle back Continental not long after..
And I love Wayne's mid 20th century multi-sided fireplace! It looks like it belongs in the ranch house with detached garage, where you have done several videos...
The model of it as an Eldorado @ 5:10, the front of the car bears a strong resemblance to the 81 Grand Prix
That header panel with the beaked grill and casket line hood definitely does remind me of the 1981 Grand Prix redesign.
I had the gold and copper one. Still kicking myself for selling it.
My Dad had an HT4100 in dark blue with dark blue leather, I thought it was amazing and sophisticated looking.
Just saw one of these in Green Bay Wisconsin in the Parking lot of Hy-Vee. It didnt look like it was in great condition. But someone is still using it at least 38-43 years later. That says something.
I always thought these Sevilles were beautiful, also extremely comfortable.
GREAT videos! I especially love these visits with Wayne Kady. Take as many advantages of opportunities with him as you can. These are super fun!
SHOW MORE
Thanks ! Love your show ! Hope you dont run out of CARS ? Straight Ahead ✌😎
Thanks for the history lesson, love hearing Wayne's storys on how these car came to be.
I was quite indifferent toward the bustlebacks, but after seeing how the concept grew in Mr Kady's mind and how he tried it on various body styles I have a new appreciation for it. I really liked the gold Eldorado version, that would have been some car!
Wayne looks great and the house is very stylish. Hoping for an invite to dinner!
We had a 1980 two tone Seville with the gas engine. The diesel was standard but nobody wanted diesel. It was a beautiful car. We had the 1980 with regular engine.I had a 1981 Eldorado with the V8-6-4. I traded it a year later for a 380SL.
You two make awesome videos together! I could watch these history videos all day long! Thanks Adam!
For a long time (especially as a kid) I was sure that generation was just the previous one with a slant back trunk treatment. It's wonderful to learn all the details...
Love this car Adam! The alloy wheel example that you show was the later alloy, there was an earlier, more formal version as well.
Super informative. I really enjoyed this, and all of your videos!
That’s an excellent interview. Very informative and interesting.
I really love this channel. You are bringing this automotive history to light especially on cars that don't get any kind of spotlight on them. It's really nice to see this and I've said this before to people. The cars are very important but the people behind them are just as fascinating and just as interesting and just as important and that's what you're doing here and I really love it
This is it - the one 80’s Cadillac that I still hope to own someday. I was just ~6yo when the bustleback Seville landed, but I remember thinking they looked both retro and futuristic at the same time. I think the proportions of the car are simply fantastic, with an elegant and sweeping formal roofline. It was the ultimate “sheer” look GM design. It looked expensive, but not tacky and overwrought like the B-body Fleetwood. Its sizing was perfect, completely lacking the clownish truncated look of the mid-eighties downsized Cadillacs.
It’s a shame they were mechanical disasters, because they were one of the most unique and handsome looking Cadillacs of all time.
Another great interview. I really enjoy the original drawings and candid discussion. Words of wisdom from Mr. Kady as well: "I had a mortgage on my house." (Truly good advice on priorities) and "Everyone has a talent, and everyone has something to offer."
Off-topic, but I would love to see your interior decor collection. Nice Plycraft Mr Chair, Laurel lamp and various vintage modern art.
All at the same time, my parents had a blue one, my dads sister had a white one with a red top, his other sister had a maroon one, and my best friend’s parents had a two tone caramel and gold one. This was was a hot car!
Awesome interview!!!
👏👏👏🏆
Loved these cars especially with the diesel. Great that you have the original designer. So cool!
Great video….I love these cars and having the design chief on to talk about the birth of the car is awesome. Thank you for producing these videos.
It is great to listen to Wayne. I had a gold 81 model and would like a 1980 Elegante. Interesting too you mention the 81 Imperial. I love my Mahogany Mist one. Would also love a 1982 Continental with two tone.
Reading about design is SO different from learning of its step-by-step evolution (e.g. creases, taillight shapes) - also people (Drew Hare a nice guy) - in casual, friendly chat
I'd like to know what he thinks of this new Celestiq handbuilt $300k car. That just seems way outside the Cadillac wheelhouse and I don't understand the business case for it.
Our family was looking for a new Cadillac in '81. I remember my first look at the Seville. I thought it was beautiful... looked like a Rolls. We ended up with a light blue Sedan deville with dark blue velour interior. I loved that car also.
This is the car that villains in 1980's movies would invariably be driving.
I know what I have to say doesn’t hold any water but I could never put my head around this model. I admire and respect Wayne very much but I think it would have been better off on the Eldorado as a two door.
Some of the details mentioned in this video make me realize more why the presence of our 81 was so royal and substantial. The roof and the flush glass had a great impact. And like its predecessor it felt light on its feet and modern to drive. They are so rare now but until the 90s could be seen quite often in Europe. Our 81 was dark blue over light blue with the Euro spec taillamps having the inner third of the light bar red and the amber turn signal being the outer third. The cornering light in front was disconnected as it wasn't allowed back then but could be plugged back in. A silent and elegant cruiser with incredible mileage in 4 cylinder mode. 6 cylinder mode could be felt slightly, but 8 and 4 was super smooth and the cylinder deactivation was hugely entertaining while on trips. 11 liters on 100km was absolutely doable.
What a great video. Wayne is a true gentleman and a real hero for me. I think this is one of the most beautiful cars ever made and I love my 80, with the big grille cap and aluminum wheels. I wish they still designed cars that provoked an emotional response, like the Seville. It’s interesting that when you have this car out that was controversial at the time, people who are too young to remember those years come up to it and just love the style. You should totally do a book of those renderings.
I prefer the 89-93 Deville, or the Fleetwood's up to 96. These are growing on me over the years. Just picked up an 89 Coupe DeVille for myself.
That Seville was hideous, but i like this guy, he seems like alot of fun, always enjoy his input.
Mr. Adam, I hope you keep these chats with Kady, Maughan etc archived separate from daily online stream. 200 years from now they will matter as unique auto-history info.
Love these cars Adam, I remember them coming out and thinking how good they looked. Wayne is really interesting to listen to too. Keep up the good work Adam
One of my favorite Cadillacs was the 1980-1985 Seville. What would Wayne design today if Cadillac brought back the Seville or Eldorado?
The Eldorado’s original DNA was in the CTS coupe until it ceased production a couple years ago. Don’t forget, the Eldorado was a rear wheel drive luxury performance car from 1954-1966. The CTS coupe was probably what the Eldorado would have become anyway had they kept the nameplate after 2002.
When pricing returns to a more reasonable level, I plan to acquire a 2019 XTS (the final year) and apply three 1990 "SEVILLE" emblems in all the right places. There was a 1983 or so Seville on Copart about four years ago. It was a light yellow color and had only 31,000 miles. It sold for over $3,000. Then about three years ago Copart had a 1981 Coupe DeVille with 27,000 miles. The color appeared to be Oak. I was ready to order "OAK CDV" special plates. I even located the current owner through internet research. That one sold for over $6,000!
Very much enjoy your conversations with Wayne Kady. Such a gentleman and a wealth of knowledge. One comparison that is unavoidable with this generation of luxury cars... Chrysler's execution of the "bustleback" side profile on the Imperial coupe. Overall, It was a last ditch hail mary attempt to re-enter the luxury segment when Chrysler was on the ropes financially. Nevertheless, with a shoestring budget, Chrysler produced a profile and stance for the Imperial that I have always found cleaner and more substantial looking than the Seville. The Seville's two-tone treatment and descending side molding look "fussy" and overdone... the work of product planners with income objectives to satisfy rather than the work of artists. Thanks Adam for another great interview.
Beautiful car.
Great interview, love the design
I didn't like the looks back in the day, but now I own a 1980 model.
Personally I really liked Seville Bustleback, it reminded me of the 1950s Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, but I remember the look was polarizing for Cadillac buyers at the time. Contrary to what you might think by looking at it the Seville Bustleback has a surprisingly large trunk too.
Very interesting. The car was absolutely a styling success, accomplishing the intent of prestigious arrival.
Wonderful video Adam!
I always refered to these Sevilles as the pre-rearended Cadillac. I always thought if they changed angles and lengthened it a bit the bustle could have looked so much better.
Thank you for sharing this video. It was great Adam. It was great to see Mr. Wayne Kady again. I am off to watch the second video. I did want to say this generation of Seville must have influenced the 1992-1997 Seville because the themes are the same except for the trunk design which was changed. This car did have a last impact. I recall Lincoln and Chrysler doing the versions of the trunk design on Continental and Imperial. I almost owned a 1992 Cadillac Seville. Thank you again.
my god, when my dad bought a new car in 1976, he bought a brand new, custom ordered Seville (then costing 16,600$), we were, literally, the only people in a city of 124,000 that had one. we were stared at everywhere we went. it was essentially an embarrassing car for that reason. we had that car for 5 years, and still, in that 5 years, maybe only a handful of them showed up in the city. silver colour outside, with grey leather interior the whole ike. i think by 1981 there were several other sevilles in the city, but not many, we still had ours. But my Dad claimed he blew the transmission on it one night on the highway and got rid of it immediately. 3 months later he had a custom ordered, 1981 Olds 98 Regency with every option one could get on it! That car was 17,000$. 5 years newer, yet only $500 more. Clearly the Seville was one hell of an expensive car in is day. My dad's second wife's parents were loaded, owned a m,ajor hotel in the city with a major restaurant and bowling alley complex all as one business. He driver the fully loade d Fleetwood with initialized plates, and his wife drove a brand new Cadillac Seville slantback. She had customized plates too. Both had their initials on the plates. These cars could be recognized everywhere i the city,
Thanks for sharing!
Mr Wayne Kady, a definite soft spoken gentleman with pithy, well appreciated humorous comments peppered throughout the interview. Thanks. I have always enjoyed the distinctness of his 1980-1985 Seville. It was a pity that his design work was let down by the questionable mechanical drivetrain issues prevalent in Cadillacs of that era. Will there be any future discussion (hopefully) about the styling of the 3rd generation front-drive Cadillac Eldorado?
I believe those wire wheel covers were actually used for 2-years on Cad, revised for '81. The interesting thing was Toro kept them all the way through '85.
The rear of the car at 7:36 reminds me of a 1973 Monte Carlo.
I love the design of the bustleback
They definitely did their job in coming up with a unique, one of a kind design... and certainly get the credit compared to the "copy cats" that came later. While I will admit the Continental is my favorite exterior styling of the bustle backs, the Seville has grown on me a lot over the years. These cars have an unmistakable presence and gorgeous lines and details you don't necessarily notice when looking at photos or videos.
Hey Adam, I just watched the 75-76 Seville review and as always I thoroughly enjoyed it. By the time the 75 Seville was introduced, the full-size Cadillacs had mostly become just big. They were really boring inside and out. They couldn't compared to the Lincoln Town Cars in that era. They couldn't even be compared to the 73s that I think are arguably one of the best looking Cadillacs since the '65 and '66s. The first generation of Sevilles nailed it as soon as they hit the streets Although they were considered small at the time, they were really just a little smaller, however a home run in styling. They undoubtedly had a "Cadillac look" about them, yet managed to look fresh and modern at the same time. I would also say the name "Seville" somehow managed to fit the cars looks perfectly, that doesn't always happen. I was old enough to drive by the mid 70s and had a friend who's parents owned one so I actually got to drive their's all the time and I will tell you it handled like a very big car, very much like the full-size Cadillacs and other full-size GM cars of that era. They were very popular here in Southern California, I remember seeing them everywhere. I also remember being a little disappointed when I learned they were based on the Nova under the skin since a Nova was never too exciting. Thanks again for their review.
I had many of these used as demos from my employer. They were really nice cars when new, but they did NOT age well. Within a few years these had rust blisters and the paint was dulled out, beyond buffing especially on the hood. The oversized interior armrests would come loose from the doors and the vinyl would split. Still, I loved them as there was nothing else like them.
The "classic era" touches that helped sell cars from the mid-'70's to '80's, like RR grilles, opera windows and wire wheel covers should be obvious, but I've never heard it articulated: The people with buying power at that time were born and bred during the depression. They were all in their mid 50's; their kids were out of school and supporting themselves, and they were ready to spend money on cars that evoked the classics of their early years. A man who had lusted after a Cadillac V-16 in his childhood, who remembered photos of Hollywood stars in custom-bodied Auburns, Packards and Pierce-Arrows, pictured himself in something similar when surrounded by all those sparkly, "malaise-era" effects. Maybe he wasn't catching any young boomer girl's eye, but the point was to look successful to your contemporaries. Matching white shoes and belts, natty sideburns and a mustache scored points with the middle aged kids from the neighborhood.
Thanks!