You know I love these. I think it goes back to two events. One, that my Aunt Candy and Uncle Don loved watching TBS back in the early ’90s, and two, the generosity of my dad.
Candy loved TBS because back then they showed movies all the time, even in the daytime. My mom would frequently pick us kids up from school and we’d head over to Candy and Don’s. Mom and Candy would talk in the kitchen, while us kids settled in in the living room to watch TV. Frequently we’d pick up Dean’s coney dogs or a pizza or McDonald’s on the way there too. Good times.
It is because of this routine that I was introduced to and fell in love with such movies as Smokey and the Bandit, The Wraith, Duel…and License to Drive. The star of License to Drive was a spectacular Adriatic Turquoise 1972 Cadillac Sedan de Ville with white vinyl roof and white Sierra grain leather.
Terrible things happened to that car during the course of the film, but I immediately imprinted on it, the looks, the presence, and that fabulous color combination. I probably watched that movie at Candy’s 25 times…and never got bored.
During that time my dad took me and my brother to an indoor hot rod show in January. One guy was selling a bunch of old brochures, and I dug through them and found 1971 Cadillac and 1971 Lincoln brochures, and Dad bought them for me.
At the time I thought it was the License to Drive car, but I was slightly off – the movie car was a ’72 with slightly different grille, parking lamps and taillights. But close enough.
Now we come to the present and your author was perusing Facebook and stumbled upon this fantastic 1972 Fleetwood Brougham, resplendent in Brewster Green with black top and black interior. While I’d slightly prefer a matching green interior, there’s no denying how imposing cars like these were, before GM decided they hate all their customers.
Anyway, per the ad, “Delivered to Helen Swanson of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1971 with 19 miles on it. It has been lovingly maintained and stored. Believed to be all original the Brewster Green Firemist paint is absolutely striking and magnificent. Nearly without flaw it absolutely gleams in the sunlight and is one of the most elegant colors we have ever seen on a Fleetwood Brougham.”
“It is complemented with a black padded roof and the interior is special order black brocade and leather. Everything on this car is magnificent. There is no pitting on the chrome, the paint is beautiful as is the vinyl top, inside the interior is without flaw. A truly impressive automobile in its own right, The Cadillac Fleetwood was the ultimate statement in grand luxury.”
It is indeed grand. But then I am hopelessly biased. But I’ll argue that even folks who don’t care for cars like these will still agree it’s a damn site more impressive than a silver silvermist 2023 XT5, ha ha!
ENGINE SIZE?
There are changes I would make: Edelbrock Intake, Super fine tune the Quadrajet Carburetor or use a modern day Fuel Injection carburetor replacement, A Davis Unified Ignition Distributor, mild head casting flash removal & mild porting (also possibly a mild cam that takes into consideration the lower compression ratio for 72 [or perhaps the previous years heads and an appropriate cam] or {Edelbrocks heads and an appropriate cam}), a 2.5″ exhaust system with an X cross over with good flowing, low tone mufflers (3 chamber Flowmaster or some other slightly louder than stock but better flowing system, a modern 4, 6, 8 or 10 speed transmission (the most gears that can handle the torque (and the appropriate final drive gearing for better acceleration [which would increase city fuel economy because it’s easier to get the mass moving] and increase Highway fuel efficiency. I would also firm up the suspension moderately, first using KYB or Bilstien shocks, then Graphite impregnated firmer bushings with slightly firmer springs. I would also use better brake materials (disk & pads) on the front and back (which would likely be converted to a disk brake system). And last, use a quicker ratio steering box. Those thing would give it a bit more modern handling, without changing the external or internal wow factor.
One of Cadillacs claim to fame was being able to run close to the muscle car accelerations & top speeds while being in extreme comfort.
I did something similar to my 1979 Pontiac Trans Am SE with a 400, 4 speed (changed the Transmission to a Doug Nash 5 speed and the rear end to a 3.08 (was a 3.23). I ended up with 452 Lb-Ft of toque at 3400 RPM, 473 HP at 5600 RPM, a low 12 second 1/4 mile, 16-18 MPG City & 21.7 MPG HWY at 85 MPH.
Mr. Heins, after you did all that stuff to the 472 and got your muscle car acceleration, do you really think you would be in extreme comfort? You would also be making noise that attracts real muscle cars that are far faster. At the same time you would be repelling people who actually like the 60 Special. but hate to see a survivor in the hands of a one man demolition derby.
I think those changes miss the point of having a car like this.
A great find. 1972 last year before 5mph front bumpers (73) 5 mph rear (74) so the bumpers tend to integrate to the body much better. Also last year of where there was a 3″ body panel between the front and rear door (this was a real issue for the dealers to get the doors and that 3″ body panel to align property). In 73 they added a 3″ extension to the exterior skin of the front doors and did away with the 3″ wide body panel. which made opening them even more of an issue it a tight spot but made gapping the doors easier. Great color but I agree with Tom a three way green would have been a better combination. Gee it never stops supprising me that these cars are still out there. Keep them coming Tom, sorry you did not make it to the Fall Festival. Here are some photos for your and Riverside Green’s viewing pleasure…. 🙂
http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/2022fallfestival.htm
Thanks. I was probably at the Des Moines Concours d’Elegance that weekend.
3 comments so far here. Does that mean I’m 1 of 3 here also 🤔
Oops, guess I would be number 4
Or you know, zero man
Lucky car, ended up somewhere south of Pittsburgh where Palm trees are only found in pots.
I’m not a big fan of most of the lust objects here, but this model actually seems a bit understated in comparison and I wouldn’t mind being at the helm of this yacht.
This is one of the top three cars you’ve posted. I actually like the black interior on this car. Just because they are ubiquitous now doesn’t mean they didn’t have a place. Imagine the effect of one’s wife emerging from that dark interior as the valet holds the door open. Perfectl for making a bright colored dress and some diamonds really pop.
Ford has a new color this year; Eruption Green, I believe, that is very similar to this. I’m sure it doesn’t have the depth of the GM paint from those days. Paint seems to have become very thin indeed these last few years.
Thank you for continuing to keep the torch burning Tom, it’s great to know that there is still an interest in beauty alive in the world.
That is a great color! My great grandmother always drove Coupe d’Villes and always light (Pelham?) blue with white leather. She traded every couple years from as far back as I know maybe’67 through the ‘80s