Older Restoration, Owned And Driven By Seller For The Last 31 Years on 2040-cars

Year: 1976
Interior Color: Black Leather
Make: Cadillac
Model: Seville
Trim: Sedan
Options: Cassette Player, Leather Seats
Power Options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
Drive Type: Rear Wheel Drive
Mileage: 107,500
Number of Doors: 4
Exterior Color: Silver and Black, Two Tone

Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

 

You are viewing the last car in my vintage collection. It is my most loved car and the one to which I have the greatest attachment.  It has taken alot of agonizing to finally let go of this prized possession.  I am selling my Caddy because my wife and I are empty-nesters, are retired and are downsizing our lives.  You can't take four newer cars and two vintage  carts with you to a townhouse or patio home. I am listing this car and one other this week on eBay.  They are the last two in my collection.  Take a look at both cars.  Both are special cars in vastly different ways. I have owned and driven this Caddy for 31 years.  Please note that I am selling a car that I have personally driven on a regular basis for over 30 years.  It is not a car that I found in a barn or an old garage.  It is not a car that is being sold for the family of somone who died or can't drive anymore.  This is my own personal luxury car that I have maintained as a vintage car since restoring it in 1989.  The details of the restoration and all I have done to the car will be provided herein. 

You are looking at a listing for a 1976 Cadillac Seville, the first year of Cadillac's "International Car". The car made quite a splash when introduced for the 1976 model year and from the pictures you can see why.  This sales listing includes everything I have that goes with the car.  In addtion to the car, the winner will get all the orginal Cadillac Seville Service Manuals that were used by the Cadillac mechanics at the dealers.  The manuals include Service Manual, Body Manual, Fuel Injection Diagnosis and Repair, Electrical Diagram and Vacuum diagram.  I also have the original Owner's manual and it is included in the sale.  Three or four years ago, I bought the parts to rebuild the front end on the car including: innner and outer tie rods, cross link assembly, steering shock absorber, linkages and front wheel bearings.  All of this is part of the sale.   I am also including six boxes of parts that were left over from the restoration process.  To complete  the restoration, I bought a parts car, used some of it on this car, dismantled the remainder and kept alot of good parts, including the main computer control module, the small module under the steering wheel, A/C evaporator, heater core, wiper motor, brake booster, master cylinder, brake booster and too many other things to mention.  The car, the manuals and all the parts will be given to the winning bidder.  Pictures of everything are included in this eBay listing.

I bought the car in 1982 with 62,000 miles on it.  The car has had the Rolls Royce grille since I bought it.  The original grille is included in the spare parts, but I know of no reason you would want to take it off as it gives the car a really cool look.  The previous owner took out the original radio and replaced it with a cassette player.  It works fine.  A Cadillace radio is available for about $130 on eBay if you want to change it to original.  My wife and I drove the car as our second car until 1988, when the odometer read about 90,000 miles. That year, I took the car off the road for a year-long restoration by a professional body shop. The car got back on the road in 1989 and I have driven it as a  limited use, vintage car ever since. The car has been stored every winter and brought out in the spring.  It has not been driven in the winter since its restoration and has always been garage or barn kept since. The restoration included the disassmemly of the car and replacement of just about everything that was needed. The front fenders were new as was the fonrt wheel wells. The hood was replaced.  All doors were replaced with high quality used doors.  I have included pictures of a couple doors.  There is a little surface rust in the pictures, but by no means is there any bubbling rot.  The driver's side quarter panel was new.  The only two original body panels kept on the car were the trunk lid and the passenger side rear quarter panel.  There are two pictures of rust bubbling in the listing photos.  Both those pictures are from that quarter panel: one area is at the bottom front near the door and the second is at 11 o'clock on the rear wheel well.  The rear inner fenders were repaired with welded metal.  A patch was pop riveted on to the passenger's side floor board on the slanted front part. (long story on that one).  All chorme was redone and newer bumpers were put on the car.  After 23 years, the bumpers look real good, two door handles have some pitting (I will give you spares in the parts) and the front grille is showing some thinning of the chrome (minor) but it still shows well.  The vinyl top was removed during restoration to make the car look like the speciall edition Seville D'Elegante, painting the car silver and black, with a red pin stripe. The car is really sporty looking in its color combination without the vinyl top.  The wire hubcaps are in excellent shape.  Also note the stainless steel visors over the windows, I nice little extra.  During restoration, the interior was redone with new carpeting, headliner and new visor material.  The seats are original leather.   I would give them an 8.5 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 as best. Remember, they are leather!  The paint shows nicely with great finish as you can see in the pictures.  It is not weathered in any way.  After 24 years of post-restoration driving, it has some nicks, but I have always touched them up as needed.  It is still a beautiful car. During restoration, I replaced the wind lace on th car and most of the weather stripping.  Both are in great shape.

In about 2002, I sand blasted the undercarriage, patched a couple of rusted areas and undercoated the car.  I then painted the entire undercarriage black.  Last year, I wire brushed the back half of the car again and recoated it.  I would recommend that the new owner wire brush and undercoat the front half of the car sometime in the near future.  For now, just drive and enjoy. 

The air conditiong system has been completely rebuilt with the condensor and evaporator being about ten years old.  The hoses are all new, the compressor is about three years old and the VIR assembly is two years old.  Last year, the whole system was flushed and new ester oil used to replace the PAG oil in the system.  The refrigerant was also converted to R134 from the old R12.  The A/C worked last year and works this year.  I make no guarantees on its operation, but have included a photo taken this month showing it chilling down to 43 degrees. This car has a climate control system.  1976 was the last year that this system was used on Cadillac. It can be erratic. The current readings have been good on it, it doesn't register any leaks on the detector, and the tubing is cold to touch. I will walk the new owner through the A/C design and operation. Again, it is chilling pretty well right now and the conversion to R134 seems to be sound.

The car has been driven about 17,000 miles in the last 24 years. Major mechanical repairs that I have had done during those driven miles since 1990 include:

-new brakes and rotors on the front,

-new brakes on the back including new wheel cylinders and rear brake lines

new transmission about 10,000 miles ago

-Last year, I took the gas tank off the car, had it sandblasted, cleaned and patched with metal weld.  These cars were notoriuos for rusted gas tanks and I have taken care of that as mine had some leaking when the tank was filled to top. Its fixed now, without problem.

-The exhaust system has been replaced and is in excellent condition.  It should give you no problems.

-The auto leveling on the car was also troublesome for GM.  It didn't owrk in 1982 when I got the car. I put air shocks on the car and they work fine.

-One rear axle was replaced and the gear oil has been changed in the rear-assembly.  The car is posi-traction.

-Halogen headlights were put on the car

-New speakers were put in front and back.  The originals dried out after about 25 years

-New antifreeze was put in the system last year 

-Last month, I replaced the headlight control switch:  The dash lights are now brighter, the auto dimming and twilight sentinel work as designed.  A major improvement on the car.

The car is 38 years old.  I believe in disclosure and as such, list the following problems:  The dash has a corner crack that I fixed and sent a picture in the listing.  There is also a crack in the top of the dash above the glove box.  Neither is a big deal.  Drive the car and enjoy it or spend $90 and put a dash pad on it.  They are readily available on eBay.  It has been that way for 20 years and hasn't bothered me.  The steering wheel is covered with a leather after-market cover on the ring as the wood grain inlay fell apart-a common problem with these early Sevilles.  The clock doesn't work-a replacement clock is included in the parts inventory.  Aside from that, a couple of the electric door locks stick and probably just need some lubricating.  A good job for home mechanic owner of a vintage car.  The front tires are good and the rears are getting down to the wear marks.  Probably good for this driving season.  I have never gotten around to refurbishing the engine compatment.  Its decent and clean.  I would drive the car and not worry about it.

That is everything I can think of.  The car is sold as is without  warrranty or representation.  It is available for anyone who wants to see it in person.

Let me close with this: I have always loved this car!  It is a beauty and is a classic ride.  It still drives and rides like a Cadillac.  I hope it goes to someone who will love it as I have for all these years.  You are bidding on a car that is what I call a date car.  Take it for a drive to the movies or a Sunday picnic.  It gets alot of great comments.