Draft, subject to change
Fifty years ago, Cadillac made a big attempt to lure younger buyers to the fold with the arrival of its Seville model, a compact Cadillac compared to the division's full-size and limousine models. Led by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, European imports started to make serious inroads into the United States during the early 1970s.
Successful customers began rolling up to country clubs or the valets at the newest hotspots in a BMW three-series (320i), five-series (520i) .....
or a Mercedes 280, 350 or 450 SEL. Jaguar's XJ6 also became a common sight on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Enter the Seville, based loosely on the workaday X-body platform, which underpinned Chevrolet's Nova compact (among others) with a 3.2-inch longer wheelbase. General Motors stylists did a great job masking the car's plebian origins. Styling took strong cues from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Cadillac stylists added a crisp, angular body that set the tone for GM styling for the next decade, along with a wide track stance, giving the car a substantial, premium appearance. A wide chrome grille flanked by quadruple rectangular headlamps with narrow parking and signal lamps just below the header panel, while small wrap-around rectangular tail lamps placed at the outermost corners of the rear gave the appearance of a lower, leaner and wider car.
Made in early February 1977 at General Motors' Detroit, Michigan factory, this car has since undergone some modifications to become a Seville Renaissance, courtesy of Andrew Hotton Associates, or A.H.A., a coachbuilder out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is an original, one-owner car. It was previously used in parades and car shows.
Key Renaissance features include a more prominent, Rolls-Royce type stand-up grill, a prominent spare tire and wheel holder mounted atop the trunk lid, a “flying lady” hood ornament and unique, two-tone paint schemes. On this example, a lighter shade of green echoes the wheel arch design from the 1930s and 1940s as it overlays the factory Edinburgh Green Metallic exterior (code 49). The car's paint and trim are in overall very good order, considering its age.
Seville unibody construction included a bolt-on subframe with a rear suspension based on the rear-wheel drive 1968–74 X-body platform that underpinned the Chevrolet Nova. It also featured a rear differential with thicker front subframe bushings similar to the second-generation F platform used in the Camaro, Firebird, and the 1975–79 X-body platform. Also shared with the X-body platform was part of the roof stamping and trunk floor pan (for 1973 and newer vehicles).
This Seville rolls on a set of Cooper Trendsetter white stripe radials. A factory wire wheel with a lock is mounted on each tire. The tires and wheels are all in good, original order.
Under the counterbalanced hood is a Rocket 350 CID V-8 engine sourced from Oldsmobile that features a hybrid Bendix/Bosch analog port fuel injection system, which led to smoother starts and better drivability than most other cars of that era. Backing this motor is a Turbo Hydramatic 400 three-speed automatic transmission. Driver convenience features are plentiful, as expected in a Cadillac. Air-conditioning, power steering, power four-wheel disc brakes, cruise control (ACC code C), power windows, power locks, power sideview mirrors, six-way power driver's seat, power antenna, Twilight Sentinel, rear window defroster and tilt steering column.
Other factory accessory items include: door guards (code D); front carpeted floor mats (code F); illuminated vanity mirror (code G); trunk mat (code I); Control-cycle windshield wipers (code K); rear carpeted floor mats (code R); Guide-mount headlights (code U); Six-way power passenger seat (code V); (50/50 split front bench seat (code W); and front license plate bracket (code X).
Inside, the car is decked out in Antique Sage Leather (code 442). The front bench is split 50/50 and has dual fold-down center armrests while the rear bench seat has its own fold-down center armrest. The seat bottoms of both front seat positions need some TLC, especially on the passenger side. The inner door liners are in good condition while the headliner may need some attention. The dash and door panels feature wood accents for contrast and warmth. Two straps mounted to the backside of the front seats pay homage to the 1930s and 1940s Cadillacs, when backseat passengers used those straps to store blankets, coats, hats and other winter gear while traveling. The green carpeting is in good order, as is the two-spoke steering wheel and dashboard. Out back is a trunk mat with matching spare tire mat.
Starting with the 1977 model year, production Sevilles used the larger five-lug bolt circle common to full-size Chevrolet passenger cars from 1971 to 1976, Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and half-ton Chevrolet/GMC light trucks and vans. It also received rear disc brakes, a design which would surface a year later as an option on the F-body Pontiac Trans Am. Due to customer demand, a painted steel roof was offered in 1977, requiring a new full roof stamping. Seville production increased slightly in 1977 to 45,060 vehicles.
Competition to this Seville in 1977 included BMW's 3-series and 5-series, Buick's Electra Limited, Jaguar's XJ sedan, Mercedes-Benz's 280, 350 and 450 SEL models, Mercury's Marquis sedan, Oldsmobile's 98 LS Sedan and Rolls-Royce's Silver Shadow II.
VIN: 6S69R7Q470307
This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 62,211 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!
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