I was going to say the same compliment to Adam, that that was a great line! Cadillac could have used that line in their advertisements back then. It brought to mind a line in their print advertising that said: " do Cadillac owners enjoy life more because own Cadillacs ...or do they own Cadillacs because they enjoy life more?". Cadillac was a master at advertising in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
My mom had a '77 Coupe deVille d'Elegance in Bimini beige [read, Pink...] with the "pillowed" velour interior in rust orange. That car was comfortable, I'll give it that- My dad found it in the dirt lot at the beginning of the Grosse Ile bridge when it was one year old. A Cadillac executive owned it, and it had 17,000 miles. Me and him went and looked at it after dinner and the first thing out of my mouth was "Dad, this car is PINK!". But when I climbed into the back seat I was sure that they had put pillows over the seats, because that it exactly what it looked like. That was the smoothest car I had ever been in, you couldn't tell you were moving. Oh, and it took 16 seconds for the 7.0 liter four barrel V8 to drag the car to 60 mph.... Great video!
My grandfather had a number of Cadillacs (he was a mechanic and service rep at a dealer). He had a light blue 1977 Coupe DeVille with the d'Elegance interior. I loved that car, it really was like riding around on a sofa.
I had a white 1975 Coupe DeVille D'Elegance with a blue Landau top and a blue interior. It was a beautiful car. It was fully optioned. I wish I still had it. If only we knew.
For years I have bought up these seats either used or used cars that have the d Elegance interior. I put these seats in a Mercedes a pickup truck, when I find the sets used I buy them. On my 1978 Coupe DeVille I took the seat covers off and replace the phone pads with memory foam. Took the thick foam and trimmed it out to be the exact same shape and size as the foam pillow I removed reinserted it put the buttons back through. Installed the seat covers onto the seats put the seats back in the car and that is the most comfortable car I've ever owned I drive it everyday. I've enjoyed every color that they've offered black gray white yellow tan and several green. These are the best seats they ever made they were also in the El Dorado Barritz I own 6 delegance cars.they are the best 1977 1978 were the best years for these seats. The maroon ones are georgious.
I said this before, the Lincoln Mark IV & V “Versailles” optional velour interiors were the d’elegance on steroids. You need to do a video on those for sure. The poofy pillow seat cushion design, the velour door & quarter trim panels and all the window garnish moldings covered in velour were the epicenter of quiet motoring. I absolutely loved those interiors when I worked at a local Lincoln-Mercury dealership in the late ‘70’s. Driving those Marks on north Jersey’s pothole covered roads was such a treat in quiet isolation due the the noise cancelling trait of the many yards of majestic velour covering nearly every surface.
And I think it was >1,000 - besting the D'Elegance price by some margain. I know in 77 it ws 'majestic velour' @ 1,300 while the D'Eelgance was a mere 650. Still, it was a nice way to dress up your Caddy - after all you are better than the neighbors right, and if they had a Regency or Park Avenue. without the option your interior would look cheap by comparison :)
I so agree that the interiors of the GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles were so much more interesting and especially more comfortable than the interiors of today's vehicles! Very colorful too, any color of the 🌈 rainbow available! Even though there's more fancy gadgets to play with in the new cars, the boring shades of grey and the lack of comfort with the seats leave something to be desired!
My in-laws had a 1979 light blue Sedan de Ville d'Elegance with the blue interior. We rarely saw the interior when our kids were little, though, because my mother-in-law covered the seats with beach towels to protect them!
Wow!! Never rode in one of these. Once had an '87 Dodge Diplomat SE, though, which was pretty plush, very comfortable, soft velour pillow padded seats. I miss pillow padded velour seats in newer cars😁
IMO the classic button tufted look of the 80-92 Fleetwood Brougham and later Broughams looked very classy. Maybe not as loose cushion looking but the increased buttons and tufting especially in cars with leather was a very rich look.
Despite its faults, something about these spacious quiet interiors nestled inside my mind and became the apotheosis of luxury. Maybe all the long distance distance miles sprawled out alone across the back seat with total comfort in my grandparent's examples. Add a quilt, pillow and/or book and pens+paper ("Don't soil the Seats!!") and you were in your bedroom. No xBox or Internet neeeded, just your eyes and attention span.
Cadillac introduced a premium trim package for the Fleetwood Brougham during the 1973 model year. Called the "Brougham d'Elegance" option, it was very popular with customers and led to the introduction of several more trim options in 1974. DeVille buyers could choose the "d'Elegance" or "Cabriolet" options to give their cars added distinction. The d'Elegance option included Mardi Gras Velour upholstery inside, the first use of velour in the DeVille series. It also featured upgraded carpeting with matching floor mats, deluxe door panels, storage pockets in the front seat backs, hood, body side, and deck lid accent striping, and a see through standup hood ornament. The Cabriolet option for the Coupe deVille included a padded vinyl roof on the back roof section only, bordered by a sheer chrome strap with vinyl welts. The Cabriolet was available with or without the d'Elegance option.
It also included a see thru all chrome hood ornament, instead of the colorful painted one. Also Etched caddy crests in the rear quarter windows. I had one and my dad still has one.
I had a 1980 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with D'Elegance package.. super comfortable seats.. I could drive hundreds of miles and not feel worse for wear. 1980 was also the last year for the 6.0 liter 368 Cadillac V8 that used the 472 cubic inch block. It had the medium blue metallic firemist exterior exterior color with leather interior
The cocoon-like comfort of the fabric upholstered Talisman and D’Elegance interiors is outstanding though I actually prefer to live with the Sierra Grain leather upholstered seating surfaces of my 1973 Cadillac I presently and previously own or owned.
A used cars with this interior the book value is always a lot higher. These seats matter. 1977 and 1978 had the same thick pillows 79 they got a lot thinner in the pads. My memory foam treatment really makes them even more comfortable. I did the little pillows in my 77 Lincoln too bad the old girl doesn't want to run anymore. Memory foam mattress toppers available in different thicknesses. And a hacksaw blade to trim the edges to make it rounded. If you've done any upholstery work yes you can restuff these pillows with the new memory foam.
Think 82 was the first HT4100. Hey, Adam, love to see you start acquiring some of those beautiful deVilles and Fleetwoods from the - the 75/6 period would be nice! So we can look at 'em, you know...
I knew about these d'elegance seats for the deville, but I was only aware of it in 77-79 downsized models. I had no idea they offered them all the way up to 84! And before even! I'll have to be on the lookout now
These interiors(the pillow tops) were definitely an experience that you'll never forget. Couple that with nice cold air in the summer, and it was like settling into your La-Z-Boy for road trips. I had a few friends who drove these on occasion, and still remember the feeling 30-some years later. Seriously. Personally, I have not experienced an equal comfort level in any vehicle since. What a luxury they were. EDIT: Funny that you mentioned the Oldsmobiles. I remember one of these same people having an Olds Delta 88 that was pretty cushy too. No match for the Caddy, but still pretty darned comfy.
Those mid '70s Cadillacs do deliver substance. There's no mistaking them for unsubstantial cars. But those 1970s assembly techniques apparently might lead one to believe that the party began at the time the assembly line was started...😃
My Dad had a 1980 Coupe Deville d'Elegance with the 368 4-barrel V8. It had the most comfortable car seats I ever experienced in my life. That, combined with a smooth and quiet ride, made long trips enjoyable.
The one thing about these fuselage bodied Cadillacs is that the interiors never visually disappoint! I'm with you, the blue green color is the best for this optional interior.
My favorite interiors are in the 1974-75 Imperial, and 1976-78 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham, in any of the cloth or leather choices offered. Those cars actually have my favorite exteriors as well. On a side note there's a guy I follow on Flickr who has the most incredible collection of photos, inside and out, of American cars, mostly full size, from the Big 3, from the 50s through the 80s and beyond. But the vast majority of his photos require you to be friends in order to see them. The account is called Dave S, aka That Hartford Guy. I just figured I'd share that, though many of the followers of this channel may already be aware.
Good video I enjoyed it. I believe the 77-79 D’Elegance had fur like “shag” carpeting also I don’t know if this continues into the 80s at Cadillac but I did see it in 80s Chrysler Fifth Avenues and late 80s Park Avenues.
It sure does go into the 80s. I believe it was referred to as “Tampico” carpeting by Cadillac, though I am not sure when they started using that term. Either way, it is quite plush and is used both for the regular carpet and for the floor mats.
Very informative video as always! I have to disagree on your last statement though - to me the Brougham/Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance interiors up until 1992 are definitely worth considering. A true D'Elegance interior in what to me are the last "real" classic Cadillacs :)
True, I have had a Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance and two Brougham d’Elegances (or is it said “two Broughams d’Elegance”?) from 1986 to 1992 - two with leather and one with velour - and those are some really plush and comfy seats. I also think the button treatment is more handsome on those from that later era as well. The later ones have a bunch of little buttons with a checkerboard pattern as opposed to the five big buttons of the earlier models. Maybe Adam eschews them for lacking the more “loose” look, but they are fantastic seats for sure.
Adam, I always enjoy these videos. I wish you had an area for viewer suggestions. I personally always like the rare over-the-top models from GM that we mostly forgot about. Cars like the 1980 Regal Somerset, 1989 Ultra, 1986 Olds 98 Grande, Toronado Caliente, etc. There's enough to keep you busy for a long time.
Not only do I miss these cars, I miss their names! Fleetwood, Talisman, Coupe de Ville, Sedan de Ville, etc. Now we’re stuck with XT this and CT that. Lame…
The only d'Elegance post 1984 was the d'Elegance trim option on the FWD Fleetwood sedan through 1988, the Sixty Special package with the 60 way powered seats sort of replaced it. The RWD Brougham kept the 1980 style d'Elegance package through 1992. Then there was a d'Elegance sub-series of the 1997-1999 DeVille which didn't really change the interior but it did include chrome wheels and gold colored exterior trim.
Thanks! We had a 1991 Chrysler 5th avenue Gold over tan velour...Great road tripper and even decent MPGs with the 3.3 V-6. Got a great deal from a friends father ...I think it had 19K on the odometer and was always garaged. Was maybe 2004 and paid $1,500 and sold it in 2012 for $1,300! Not the most advanced but that back seat was nearly limousine like! That tufted interior was sat better than a lot of sofas! Thx for your efforts!
2:00 I think Olds did a much better job with this look than Cadillac; the seats in the D'Elegance look more like the glider-chair in your aunt Martha's summer cabin than something out of a luxury car. I'd have stuck with the leather, which Cadillac usually got right.
I agree, I always thought the Oldsmobiles from that era were nicer cars all the way around. The HT 4100 sealed Cadillac's fate during the end of that time.
I think all of those dash mounted delay wiper switches felt flimsy. At least in the Chevys I owned. 77 Caprice, 78 Monza, 78 Malibu, and 82 Caprice. Never driven a Cadillac of the era, but on the Chevys, if you were on the delay setting, turning the knob all the way clockwise gave you low speed.
It's a bordello on wheels! I used to hate these car interiors but I think they're kind of interesting now. The pinnacle of luxury car interiors. So much wood grain though, couldn't they have used stainless steel instead? Like the cars from the 50s.
I have an all original, garage kept 78 Cadillac Sedan DeVille, Siver with matching Siver vinyl Top with red leather interior, it’s not the De Elegance but I will say the red leather interior with door panels in sort of a saddle looking door handle pull makes for a very attractive interior, the car gets a lot of attention.
Well stated. Quite informative. The D'Elegance package came back in 1997 and ran until 1999 model year. It was more of trim package by that time. I know that is the Deville D'Elegance you are referring to. I appreciate the connection to the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight seats and hearing about that as well. You I am sure you are aware of the Fleetwood Limited from 1997-1999. Thank you Adam.
Having owned both a 78 Eldorado Biarritz - which had this pillow top interior - and a 77 Town Coupe, I have to say that the Lincoln seats are far superior. The Caddy seats look great but are far too thinly padded and soft. The pillow seats in the Lincoln are much firmer and more comfortable and supportive for long drives.
I agree. My late Dad had a 1977 Biarritz at one point triple white and like you say while the seats LOOK very comfortable in reality I was always moving my backside around to find the right spot and never quite could! Do t even get me started on the lack of handling. That car was so lightly sprung that over about 65 mph on a curvy road it felt dangerous and “choppy” over bumps
love those super puffy seats. they should put those seats in todays cadillacs instead of the flat hard ones they have. i swear cadillac went backwards in the seat department. as for the floppy a/c vents i remember people would stick matchbook covers in them to hold them in place.
Nanas car had a vacume powered economy guage. I guess it told you the difference between 1 mpg and 5 mpg. Also had a scrolling temp guage on the outside mirror.
I miss comfortable seats. Leather seats might last longer. But I can't stand them. I would rather have worn out cloth. But 80's velour seats are the best
Absolutely true!!!! I LOVE velour seats. Anyone who hates on them has never owned a car with them. My current car has leather and I can’t stand it - so cold in winter so hot in summer and the constant cleaning and conditioning is for the birds…
Some family friends had an 80s Coupe Deville with Collectors Edition badges on it, extra chrome and 80s Eldorado wire hub caps. Did dealers do special trims unique to them
In the 80's I used to drive for an upscale cab company who had nothing but Cadillacs, Lincolns, NInety Eights or Park Aves. Comfortable and supportive were those seats not.
Mileage is not the only reason the seatbelt guide is in tact on the green Caddy. The biggest reason is that it’s a 4-door and the other was a 2-door and had to undergo much more stress as the passengers entered & exited the car.
Thank you for pronouncing “d’Elegance” the way it should be pronounced. Another UA-camr who regularly sells these cars insists on pronouncing it “dee-EL-egg-ents” even though he knows that is incorrect.
That last image of the interior think that interior fabric was called renaissance velour. Wish my 78 coupe was a d'elegance. But does have leather interior code 783 exterior color code is 11 vinyl top is same color as interior, can't recall code for it.
Hi Adam. Do you consider matching interior and exterior colors more desirable or is it just a matter of personal taste depending on the make and model?
It's hard to believe that Cadillac wanted the Olds 98 regency interior for their cheapest car, Cadillac Calais interiors always looked bare bones "taxi cab" to me - especially the Calais of the '70's.
I had a Calais and foolishly tried to add power door locks (which took a couple of tries, due to the undersized wire I used). If I'd had any sense, I'd have grabbed a set of power leather seats from a junked Deville or Fleetwood, which would have been a much bigger improvement. Years later, when the manual front bench seat in my Father's Pontiac 6000 started to go wobbly, the 6 way seat I installed made it a much nicer car, despite the crank windows and manual locks.
I never really thought that these overstuffed interiors were part comfortable. I thought that they difficult to enter and exit due to the upholstery not being slippery enough. Just my opinion.
I DO NOT GET I IT!!! Two of my Dad's Caddys were a "75 & '76 Sedan DeVille de'Elegances but both had white leather interiors, did he delete these cloth interiors??
Hi Adam, What was the last year Cadillac built a full size rear wheel drive car ? I had an Uncle that had a beautiful Brougham D'Elegance in Maroon red with a poofy cushion interior. It was the most comfortable car I have ever rode in. Thanks for the video.
@@RareClassicCars Hi Adam, Thanks for the info. I think my Uncle's car was a 1993, but I can not be sure. Did you receive the photo's of my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS I sent a week or to back ? Hope you did. Have a nice day.
These are what Car Seats should be. My 86 FWB had the D'Elegance Trim, but the Seats weren't as nice @3:33 The Gas Gauge is actually at the Far Right of the Idiot Lights
I'm not a fan of any of these "over stuffed" seats for sure, but that is just me I guess. Nonetheless, the original Olds set up looks much better and more expensive than any of the Cadillac offerings you have shown. I would think that the puffy/floppy material would wear out quickly, and end up looking like crap.
My grandma got a new car every 3 years. She has been wanting one but with the fact that they (Buick) only makes SUV’s and they don’t have CD players, is making her not get a new car.
I'll tell you what Adam; I fly a Boeing 767-300 freighter, and the seats in this thing are terrible! I dream of the seats in mom's '77 d' Elegance whenever I'm flying out to California! Hell, the cheap vinyl seats in the crew van are better than those in the $200 million airplane that I fly....
@@RareClassicCars Are you KIDDING me? The seats on those are WAY better than the seats we have in the cockpit of our particular freighters. Ours are hard as rocks! I have to stand up and walk around after 90 minutes in order to get the blood back flowing in my ass. Commercial airliner seats are narrow, but I'm 6'1 and 160 pounds with a 30 inch waist, so that doesn't bother me. I have NO fat on my ass [That's enough, keep your comments to yourself....] and as such after 90 minutes I am hurting.
The wood appliques are alot better in the darker color than that ugly fruit color. The interiors where really elegant than...Long live the 70's. The ony thing with the rib cloth, didn't wear very good and wore out in spots.
I never liked the d'elgance seats on the Deville. They are some of the goofiest looking "loose cushion" style seats I can think of. Buttons are too big. They just look cheap to me. In general I like the loose cushion look but not on these. IMO the standard Deville seats, the standard Fleetwood seats, and the Fleetwood d'elegance seats (from 1980 up anyway) were all nicer looking than the Deville d'elegance seats. The standard 1982-84 Deville seats were the most comfortable Cadillac seats of this vintage in my opinion. They are firmer and better shaped than the other styles. Best looking too. I've owned friends have owned several of these cars. And yes the HT4100 was a DOG!
We’re told progress is good and that the future will be better, but if that’s the case, why does virtually no car today offer seats as plush or comfortable as these? Today’s seats are too firm and covered either with an annoying canvas-type fabric, fake leather, or real leather tightly bound with holes in it. You don’t see furniture stores stocking couches and recliners anything like what is found in most cars, and for good reason. Now, I’ve heard the claim these modern, hard bucket seats are better for staying put in sharp turns, but I’ve never found myself moving unsafely out of comfy velour seats if I take turns too fast in any car from the 70s or 80s, so certainly modern non-sports cars don’t need seats that feel like sitting on slate just so you can go around a bend quickly.
“In a Cadillac, the party starts when you arrive”. Great line.
I was going to say the same compliment to Adam, that that was a great line! Cadillac could have used that line in their advertisements back then. It brought to mind a line in their print advertising that said: " do Cadillac owners enjoy life more because own Cadillacs ...or do they own Cadillacs because they enjoy life more?". Cadillac was a master at advertising in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Oldsmobile in 1972 had loose cushioned seats on the new Regency models.
I loved those type of cushy interiors; much more fun than the boredom of todays blandmobiles...
Absolutely Beautiful Cadillacs....the way it was. !!!!
My mom had a '77 Coupe deVille d'Elegance in Bimini beige [read, Pink...] with the "pillowed" velour interior in rust orange. That car was comfortable, I'll give it that-
My dad found it in the dirt lot at the beginning of the Grosse Ile bridge when it was one year old. A Cadillac executive owned it, and it had 17,000 miles. Me and him went and looked at it after dinner and the first thing out of my mouth was "Dad, this car is PINK!". But when I climbed into the back seat I was sure that they had put pillows over the seats, because that it exactly what it looked like. That was the smoothest car I had ever been in, you couldn't tell you were moving. Oh, and it took 16 seconds for the 7.0 liter four barrel V8 to drag the car to 60 mph....
Great video!
My grandfather had a number of Cadillacs (he was a mechanic and service rep at a dealer). He had a light blue 1977 Coupe DeVille with the d'Elegance interior. I loved that car, it really was like riding around on a sofa.
I had a white 1975 Coupe DeVille D'Elegance with a blue Landau top and a blue interior. It was a beautiful car. It was fully optioned. I wish I still had it. If only we knew.
Those seats are amazing
Adam I hope you segue this into a video of the designer series Lincoln Marks. Also maybe one on the 1981 Imperial Sinatra edition. Thanks!
My uncle had the 76 coupe deville d elegance green with a white top and green pillow seats and that car was so clean and smooth riding miss that car
In car bars, yeah we need those back.
For years I have bought up these seats either used or used cars that have the d Elegance interior. I put these seats in a Mercedes a pickup truck, when I find the sets used I buy them. On my 1978 Coupe DeVille I took the seat covers off and replace the phone pads with memory foam. Took the thick foam and trimmed it out to be the exact same shape and size as the foam pillow I removed reinserted it put the buttons back through. Installed the seat covers onto the seats put the seats back in the car and that is the most comfortable car I've ever owned I drive it everyday. I've enjoyed every color that they've offered black gray white yellow tan and several green. These are the best seats they ever made they were also in the El Dorado Barritz
I own 6 delegance cars.they are the best 1977 1978 were the best years for these seats. The maroon ones are georgious.
I said this before, the Lincoln Mark IV & V “Versailles” optional velour interiors were the d’elegance on steroids. You need to do a video on those for sure. The poofy pillow seat cushion design, the velour door & quarter trim panels and all the window garnish moldings covered in velour were the epicenter of quiet motoring.
I absolutely loved those interiors when I worked at a local Lincoln-Mercury dealership in the late ‘70’s. Driving those Marks on north Jersey’s pothole covered roads was such a treat in quiet isolation due the the noise cancelling trait of the many yards of majestic velour covering nearly every surface.
And I think it was >1,000 - besting the D'Elegance price by some margain. I know in 77 it ws 'majestic velour' @ 1,300 while the D'Eelgance was a mere 650. Still, it was a nice way to dress up your Caddy - after all you are better than the neighbors right, and if they had a Regency or Park Avenue. without the option your interior would look cheap by comparison :)
A splendid interior in a lovely Cadillac!.. Reminds me of My 1976 Riviera in the same color shade!...
I just loved seeing these Cadillac interiors!!! This was great!!! I hope you do other special luxury interiors on other cars like Lincoln!!!
HT4100. Who on earth thought that was a good idea? My first car was an ‘86 Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance. Glad it had the Olds 307 with some torque
I so agree that the interiors of the GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles were so much more interesting and especially more comfortable than the interiors of today's vehicles! Very colorful too, any color of the 🌈 rainbow available! Even though there's more fancy gadgets to play with in the new cars, the boring shades of grey and the lack of comfort with the seats leave something to be desired!
I had a 79 Fleetwood brougham de elegance it was a very good car wish I would have kept it.
My in-laws had a 1979 light blue Sedan de Ville d'Elegance with the blue interior. We rarely saw the interior when our kids were little, though, because my mother-in-law covered the seats with beach towels to protect them!
Wow!! Never rode in one of these. Once had an '87 Dodge Diplomat SE, though, which was pretty plush, very comfortable, soft velour pillow padded seats. I miss pillow padded velour seats in newer cars😁
IMO the classic button tufted look of the 80-92 Fleetwood Brougham and later Broughams looked very classy. Maybe not as loose cushion looking but the increased buttons and tufting especially in cars with leather was a very rich look.
Despite its faults, something about these spacious quiet interiors nestled inside my mind and became the apotheosis of luxury. Maybe all the long distance distance miles sprawled out alone across the back seat with total comfort in my grandparent's examples. Add a quilt, pillow and/or book and pens+paper ("Don't soil the Seats!!") and you were in your bedroom. No xBox or Internet neeeded, just your eyes and attention span.
Cadillac introduced a premium trim package for the Fleetwood Brougham during the 1973 model year. Called the "Brougham d'Elegance" option, it was very popular with customers and led to the introduction of several more trim options in 1974. DeVille buyers could choose the "d'Elegance" or "Cabriolet" options to give their cars added distinction. The d'Elegance option included Mardi Gras Velour upholstery inside, the first use of velour in the DeVille series. It also featured upgraded carpeting with matching floor mats, deluxe door panels, storage pockets in the front seat backs, hood, body side, and deck lid accent striping, and a see through standup hood ornament.
The Cabriolet option for the Coupe deVille included a padded vinyl roof on the back roof section only, bordered by a sheer chrome strap with vinyl welts. The Cabriolet was available with or without the d'Elegance option.
It also included a see thru all chrome hood ornament, instead of the colorful painted one. Also Etched caddy crests in the rear quarter windows. I had one and my dad still has one.
They were very nice cars, my grandfather had one.
I had a 1980 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with D'Elegance package.. super comfortable seats.. I could drive hundreds of miles and not feel worse for wear. 1980 was also the last year for the 6.0 liter 368 Cadillac V8 that used the 472 cubic inch block. It had the medium blue metallic firemist exterior exterior color with leather interior
The 6.0 was still standard for 1981, you just had to disable the odd-firing 6 cylinder mode, or disable the cylinder deactivation altogether.
@@pcno2832 I know, I know.. But it was so problematic, I chose to ignore that one.
Always Enjoy your videos; you talk about the cars from my youth.
The cocoon-like comfort of the fabric upholstered Talisman and D’Elegance interiors is outstanding though I actually prefer to live with the Sierra Grain leather upholstered seating surfaces of my 1973 Cadillac I presently and previously own or owned.
those seats look so cozy
A used cars with this interior the book value is always a lot higher. These seats matter. 1977 and 1978 had the same thick pillows 79 they got a lot thinner in the pads. My memory foam treatment really makes them even more comfortable. I did the little pillows in my 77 Lincoln too bad the old girl doesn't want to run anymore. Memory foam mattress toppers available in different thicknesses. And a hacksaw blade to trim the edges to make it rounded. If you've done any upholstery work yes you can restuff these pillows with the new memory foam.
Now there's a fine cornering light! Nice curve on the front corner.
Personally, I prefer the smaller buttons of the Olds 98 seats.
I'm actually picking up a 92 Cadillac Brougham D'Elegance it has a really nice interior.... leather with the tufted pillow seats...
Think 82 was the first HT4100. Hey, Adam, love to see you start acquiring some of those beautiful deVilles and Fleetwoods from the - the 75/6 period would be nice! So we can look at 'em, you know...
I knew about these d'elegance seats for the deville, but I was only aware of it in 77-79 downsized models. I had no idea they offered them all the way up to 84! And before even! I'll have to be on the lookout now
These interiors(the pillow tops) were definitely an experience that you'll never forget. Couple that with nice cold air in the summer, and it was like settling into your La-Z-Boy for road trips. I had a few friends who drove these on occasion, and still remember the feeling 30-some years later. Seriously. Personally, I have not experienced an equal comfort level in any vehicle since. What a luxury they were. EDIT: Funny that you mentioned the Oldsmobiles. I remember one of these same people having an Olds Delta 88 that was pretty cushy too. No match for the Caddy, but still pretty darned comfy.
Those mid '70s Cadillacs do deliver substance. There's no mistaking them for unsubstantial cars. But those 1970s assembly techniques apparently might lead one to believe that the party began at the time the assembly line was started...😃
My Dad had a 1980 Coupe Deville d'Elegance with the 368 4-barrel V8. It had the most comfortable car seats I ever experienced in my life. That, combined with a smooth and quiet ride, made long trips enjoyable.
The one thing about these fuselage bodied Cadillacs is that the interiors never visually disappoint! I'm with you, the blue green color is the best for this optional interior.
I wish they still offered velour interior.
I believe GM included a box of bubble gum with each purchase to stick the vents where you wanted them. Very thoughtful!
OMG. That’s so funny.😂
Hopefully one day you will do a "what was Cadillac thinking with the Calais." Especially with some of the interior fabrics.
I looove the No vinyl roof Calais
My favorite interiors are in the 1974-75 Imperial, and 1976-78 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham, in any of the cloth or leather choices offered. Those cars actually have my favorite exteriors as well. On a side note there's a guy I follow on Flickr who has the most incredible collection of photos, inside and out, of American cars, mostly full size, from the Big 3, from the 50s through the 80s and beyond. But the vast majority of his photos require you to be friends in order to see them. The account is called Dave S, aka That Hartford Guy. I just figured I'd share that, though many of the followers of this channel may already be aware.
Great video as usual Adam. I own my dad's 1979 Sedan d Ville de elegance with Cedar paint and interior. The cloth is named Tangier.
@@jacknapier7740 You are right!
@@morgandollar7146 I loved that carpet best of all! The seats on my 79 were difficult to slide across
Great vid ! I never knew those cushion seats were made past 1976. Very rare option. I can recall only seeing one '76 with these seats.
Good video I enjoyed it. I believe the 77-79 D’Elegance had fur like “shag” carpeting also I don’t know if this continues into the 80s at Cadillac but I did see it in 80s Chrysler Fifth Avenues and late 80s Park Avenues.
@@jacknapier7740Thank You!
It sure does go into the 80s. I believe it was referred to as “Tampico” carpeting by Cadillac, though I am not sure when they started using that term. Either way, it is quite plush and is used both for the regular carpet and for the floor mats.
The interior of my Dads 76 Electra Limited was very pleasing.
I had a '77 Toronado with this loose cushion. It was red orange and felt like a sofa.
Very informative video as always! I have to disagree on your last statement though - to me the Brougham/Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance interiors up until 1992 are definitely worth considering. A true D'Elegance interior in what to me are the last "real" classic Cadillacs :)
True, I have had a Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance and two Brougham d’Elegances (or is it said “two Broughams d’Elegance”?) from 1986 to 1992 - two with leather and one with velour - and those are some really plush and comfy seats. I also think the button treatment is more handsome on those from that later era as well. The later ones have a bunch of little buttons with a checkerboard pattern as opposed to the five big buttons of the earlier models. Maybe Adam eschews them for lacking the more “loose” look, but they are fantastic seats for sure.
@@DavidPysniklate 80s navy blue leather Brougham de’Elegance interiors are some of my favorite of all time. The navy blue leather just looks RICH
Make seats great again
Adam, I always enjoy these videos. I wish you had an area for viewer suggestions. I personally always like the rare over-the-top models from GM that we mostly forgot about. Cars like the 1980 Regal Somerset, 1989 Ultra, 1986 Olds 98 Grande, Toronado Caliente, etc. There's enough to keep you busy for a long time.
Cadillac, when their interiors were more comfortable than most overstuffed living room furniture.
LOVE this channel!
So glad I found and subscribed months ago :)
Not only do I miss these cars, I miss their names! Fleetwood, Talisman, Coupe de Ville, Sedan de Ville, etc. Now we’re stuck with XT this and CT that. Lame…
The only d'Elegance post 1984 was the d'Elegance trim option on the FWD Fleetwood sedan through 1988, the Sixty Special package with the 60 way powered seats sort of replaced it. The RWD Brougham kept the 1980 style d'Elegance package through 1992. Then there was a d'Elegance sub-series of the 1997-1999 DeVille which didn't really change the interior but it did include chrome wheels and gold colored exterior trim.
Thanks! We had a 1991 Chrysler 5th avenue Gold over tan velour...Great road tripper and even decent MPGs with the 3.3 V-6. Got a great deal from a friends father ...I think it had 19K on the odometer and was always garaged. Was maybe 2004 and paid $1,500 and sold it in 2012 for $1,300! Not the most advanced but that back seat was nearly limousine like! That tufted interior was sat better than a lot of sofas! Thx for your efforts!
2:00 I think Olds did a much better job with this look than Cadillac; the seats in the D'Elegance look more like the glider-chair in your aunt Martha's summer cabin than something out of a luxury car. I'd have stuck with the leather, which Cadillac usually got right.
I agree, I always thought the Oldsmobiles from that era were nicer cars all the way around. The HT 4100 sealed Cadillac's fate during the end of that time.
Surprising to see one with the wheel rim "wood" intact. Must have been temperature controlled.
The clear piece around the seat belt webbing is the “Comfort Clip”. Very useful in reducing the tension of the belt on your shoulder.
I think all of those dash mounted delay wiper switches felt flimsy. At least in the Chevys I owned. 77 Caprice, 78 Monza, 78 Malibu, and 82 Caprice. Never driven a Cadillac of the era, but on the Chevys, if you were on the delay setting, turning the knob all the way clockwise gave you low speed.
I wish i had these seats in my 2014 XTS Vsport Platinum!
It's a bordello on wheels! I used to hate these car interiors but I think they're kind of interesting now. The pinnacle of luxury car interiors. So much wood grain though, couldn't they have used stainless steel instead? Like the cars from the 50s.
Funny how trends developed like this. Had a 78 Bonneville Brougham with those types of seats.
I have an all original, garage kept 78 Cadillac Sedan DeVille, Siver with matching Siver vinyl Top with red leather interior, it’s not the De Elegance but I will say the red leather interior with door panels in sort of a saddle looking door handle pull makes for a very attractive interior, the car gets a lot of attention.
Check out those cornering lights!!! LOL
Well stated. Quite informative. The D'Elegance package came back in 1997 and ran until 1999 model year. It was more of trim package by that time. I know that is the Deville D'Elegance you are referring to. I appreciate the connection to the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight seats and hearing about that as well. You I am sure you are aware of the Fleetwood Limited from 1997-1999. Thank you Adam.
Having owned both a 78 Eldorado Biarritz - which had this pillow top interior - and a 77 Town Coupe, I have to say that the Lincoln seats are far superior. The Caddy seats look great but are far too thinly padded and soft. The pillow seats in the Lincoln are much firmer and more comfortable and supportive for long drives.
I agree. My late Dad had a 1977 Biarritz at one point triple white and like you say while the seats LOOK very comfortable in reality I was always moving my backside around to find the right spot and never quite could! Do t even get me started on the lack of handling. That car was so lightly sprung that over about 65 mph on a curvy road it felt dangerous and “choppy” over bumps
love those super puffy seats. they should put those seats in todays cadillacs instead of the flat hard ones they have. i swear cadillac went backwards in the seat department. as for the floppy a/c vents i remember people would stick matchbook covers in them to hold them in place.
It is because they share everything with the other brands- Chevy, GMC, Buick, etc.
Nanas car had a vacume powered economy guage. I guess it told you the difference between 1 mpg and 5 mpg. Also had a scrolling temp guage on the outside mirror.
I miss comfortable seats. Leather seats might last longer. But I can't stand them. I would rather have worn out cloth. But 80's velour seats are the best
Absolutely true!!!! I LOVE velour seats. Anyone who hates on them has never owned a car with them. My current car has leather and I can’t stand it - so cold in winter so hot in summer and the constant cleaning and conditioning is for the birds…
Some family friends had an 80s Coupe Deville with Collectors Edition badges on it, extra chrome and 80s Eldorado wire hub caps. Did dealers do special trims unique to them
In the 80's I used to drive for an upscale cab company who had nothing but Cadillacs, Lincolns, NInety Eights or Park Aves. Comfortable and supportive were those seats not.
Size is the reason for the thinner cushion. The downsizing in ‘77 required thinner seat backs.
Mileage is not the only reason the seatbelt guide is in tact on the green Caddy. The biggest reason is that it’s a 4-door and the other was a 2-door and had to undergo much more stress as the passengers entered & exited the car.
And then GMs bean counters got involved and Cadillac introduced the stone washed blue jeans interior known as the Elegance de K Mart. Another big hit.
Hey now, those Levi interiors were cool back in the 70's! Used to ride to high school in my friends Gremlin X with that interior!
Thank you for pronouncing “d’Elegance” the way it should be pronounced. Another UA-camr who regularly sells these cars insists on pronouncing it “dee-EL-egg-ents” even though he knows that is incorrect.
Jazzy kinda day 😂😂😂
These interiors always reemind me of Archie Bunkers La Z Boy and the headrests are a joke unless your head sits on your left shoulder
Are you going to do the Eldorado biarritz Interiors next
Bring back the magnetic sippy cups......
That last image of the interior think that interior fabric was called renaissance velour. Wish my 78 coupe was a d'elegance. But does have leather interior code 783 exterior color code is 11 vinyl top is same color as interior, can't recall code for it.
Hi Adam. Do you consider matching interior and exterior colors more desirable or is it just a matter of personal taste depending on the make and model?
It's hard to believe that Cadillac wanted the Olds 98 regency interior for their cheapest car, Cadillac Calais interiors always looked bare bones "taxi cab" to me - especially the Calais of the '70's.
I had a Calais and foolishly tried to add power door locks (which took a couple of tries, due to the undersized wire I used). If I'd had any sense, I'd have grabbed a set of power leather seats from a junked Deville or Fleetwood, which would have been a much bigger improvement. Years later, when the manual front bench seat in my Father's Pontiac 6000 started to go wobbly, the 6 way seat I installed made it a much nicer car, despite the crank windows and manual locks.
I never really thought that these overstuffed interiors were part comfortable. I thought that they difficult to enter and exit due to the upholstery not being slippery enough. Just my opinion.
I DO NOT GET I IT!!! Two of my Dad's Caddys were a "75 & '76 Sedan DeVille de'Elegances but both had white leather interiors, did he delete these cloth interiors??
Hi Adam, What was the last year Cadillac built a full size rear wheel drive car ? I had an Uncle that had a beautiful Brougham D'Elegance in Maroon red with a poofy cushion interior. It was the most comfortable car I have ever rode in. Thanks for the video.
1996
@@RareClassicCars Hi Adam, Thanks for the info. I think my Uncle's car was a 1993, but I can not be sure. Did you receive the photo's of my 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS I sent a week or to back ? Hope you did. Have a nice day.
And let's not forget the cigarette lighter is the cigar lighter.
Even when he's trying to be positive about Cadillac he can't help being negative....
GOD I F**KING LOVE THOSE SEATS! I had an 84 and it was like being kissed by God. ... On the bum.
These are what Car Seats should be. My 86 FWB had the D'Elegance Trim, but the Seats weren't as nice
@3:33 The Gas Gauge is actually at the Far Right of the Idiot Lights
Hook and Tow...I see what you did with that 🤣🤣🤣
All I can think when I see the black photo is, grim reaper, appropriate, don't you think?
Hot in Detroit today.
As nice as they were, I believe the Imperial did a better job earlier than Cadillac on both leather and non-leather interiors.
I'm not a fan of any of these "over stuffed" seats for sure, but that is just me I guess. Nonetheless, the original Olds set up looks much better and more expensive than any of the Cadillac offerings you have shown. I would think that the puffy/floppy material would wear out quickly, and end up looking like crap.
75 to 76 cadillac fleetwood series 75
Pretty big cornering lights sir.
My grandma got a new car every 3 years. She has been wanting one but with the fact that they (Buick) only makes SUV’s and they don’t have CD players, is making her not get a new car.
A friend of mine who grew up in New England with Volvos called this “the whorehouse interior” lol.
I'll tell you what Adam; I fly a Boeing 767-300 freighter, and the seats in this thing are terrible! I dream of the seats in mom's '77 d' Elegance whenever I'm flying out to California!
Hell, the cheap vinyl seats in the crew van are better than those in the $200 million airplane that I fly....
Just like the passenger seats on commercial aircraft!
@@RareClassicCars Are you KIDDING me? The seats on those are WAY better than the seats we have in the cockpit of our particular freighters. Ours are hard as rocks! I have to stand up and walk around after 90 minutes in order to get the blood back flowing in my ass. Commercial airliner seats are narrow, but I'm 6'1 and 160 pounds with a 30 inch waist, so that doesn't bother me. I have NO fat on my ass [That's enough, keep your comments to yourself....] and as such after 90 minutes I am hurting.
The wood appliques are alot better in the darker color than that ugly fruit color. The interiors where really elegant than...Long live the 70's. The ony thing with the rib cloth, didn't wear very good and wore out in spots.
I never liked the d'elgance seats on the Deville. They are some of the goofiest looking "loose cushion" style seats I can think of. Buttons are too big. They just look cheap to me. In general I like the loose cushion look but not on these. IMO the standard Deville seats, the standard Fleetwood seats, and the Fleetwood d'elegance seats (from 1980 up anyway) were all nicer looking than the Deville d'elegance seats. The standard 1982-84 Deville seats were the most comfortable Cadillac seats of this vintage in my opinion. They are firmer and better shaped than the other styles. Best looking too. I've owned friends have owned several of these cars. And yes the HT4100 was a DOG!
Still can't hold a candle to Lincoln interiors. Later Cadillac interiors were so boring.
We’re told progress is good and that the future will be better, but if that’s the case, why does virtually no car today offer seats as plush or comfortable as these? Today’s seats are too firm and covered either with an annoying canvas-type fabric, fake leather, or real leather tightly bound with holes in it. You don’t see furniture stores stocking couches and recliners anything like what is found in most cars, and for good reason. Now, I’ve heard the claim these modern, hard bucket seats are better for staying put in sharp turns, but I’ve never found myself moving unsafely out of comfy velour seats if I take turns too fast in any car from the 70s or 80s, so certainly modern non-sports cars don’t need seats that feel like sitting on slate just so you can go around a bend quickly.