Featuring: Jack B. and Bark M.
When in doubt, write up a Brougham. That’s always been my motto. At least, it has since 2012 or so. I’ve always liked the classic Cadillacs and Lincolns and Imperials from the 1950s to the 1970s, but it really came to a head once I started randomly typing about cars I like.
It just goes to show, it’s who you know. Like the most excellent Cadillac show held September 22 at the famous Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo, Michigan. I didn’t go (it’s a five hour drive) but a friend of mine from Texas, and fellow Broughamophile, Jayson Coombes, did.
We are now rapidly approaching the end of summer. You know what that means: car shows are dwindling. And soon, will be gone altogether-until next April. And so it was that I attended the cruise night yesterday evening with a friend of mine. Sadly, no Broughams were in evidence. In fact, the show itself was kind of small.
Part of it was the heat-it was about 88 degrees out-but as we heard from fellow attendees, there had been a big show at Green Chevrolet that morning. Apparently most of the usual suspects went to that show instead, leaving North Park Mall in Davenport with relatively slim pickings, car-wise
The 1964 Cadillac was the end of an era. Sure, there would be great Cadillacs for years after, but 1964 was extra special. It marked the final year of the fin. While the totally redesigned 1965 Cadillacs would still have a squared-off blade on their rear quarter panels, and said protuberances would last way, way wayyy up to the final 1992 Cadillac Brougham and Brougham d’Elegance, 1964 was the last year of the true, unedited, unmitigated Cadillac shark fin.
The thing I love the most about Cadillac in the 1960s is that no matter what model you chose, you got a great car. A high-quality car, whether a Series 62, de Ville, Fleetwood Sixty Special or Eldorado.
Note: Today’s spectacular Nimitz-class luxocruiser, a 1970 Fleetwood Brougham, is owned by a friend of mine, Laurie Kraynick. The first time I saw pictures of her 1970 Fleetwood Brougham, I knew I would have to share it here on RG.
Isn’t it cool when your own car is the same color combination as the one in the showroom brochure? I have a copy of this brochure in my collection, and when I saw the Fleetwood Brougham in this color, Lucerne Aqua Firemist, I was smitten! But my love for these cars goes much further back. The 1970 Cadillacs are a favorite of mine. Especially the Fleetwoods. You see, the first Cadillac I ever rode in was a 1970 Fleetwood Brougham.
As has been consistently proven here at RG over the past year and a half, I am a big fan of Cadillacs (and Lincolns, and Imperials, and Olds 98s-never mind, we’ll be here all day!) I am especially enamored of the triple-yellow Cadillacs that were available between the late ’70s and early ’90s. And while the 1986-1991 Eldorado and Seville are a favorite target for half-baked blogger hit pieces, I do have a soft spot for these Mini-Me Eldos. Especially the restyled and re-engineered 1988-91 models. So when I saw what may be the best ’91 Eldo in existence, and in triple Cameo Ivory, I could not help but share its Broughaminess with all you fine folks.
On June 23rd I pointed the Cartier east on Interstate 80 to attend another most excellent Cadillac show. Said event was hosted by Ettleson Cadillac of Hodgkins, IL. Continue Reading →
Ladies and gentlemen, we have here one of my favorites, the 1971-76 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The top-of-the-line owner-driven Cadillac. Luxurious in space, in gadgets, and in power. The best “owner-driven” Cadillac money could buy. Despite the upper-crust European makes seeing increased sales, here in the heartland Cadillac and Lincoln were still the go-to marques for full-sized, uncompromising American luxury.
One 1980s Cadillac you don’t see often is the Fleetwood Brougham coupe. Wait, you may be thinking. Fleetwood Broughams were always pillared sedans or four-door hardtops! At least until the downsized front wheel drive Cadillacs appeared for model year 1985! Au contraire. Mid-year in 1980, for the first time ever, a Fleetwood Brougham two-door entered stage left!
Here we go, ladies and germs, the original Cadillac Seville! Well, original in that this variant of the Cadillac Seville, introduced in May 1975 as an early ’76 model, was its own model and not a hardtop variant of the Eldorado.
The first Seville was the Eldorado Seville, sibling to the topless Eldorado Biarritz. It was available from 1956 to 1960. Starting in 1961, the Eldorado reverted to a convertible only model once again, returning to the convertible-only model it had been from 1953-55. But I digress!