1970 Cadillac Coupe DeVille 🇮🇹

It’s not that hard to find a Cadillac of this age; it is, however, difficult to buy one in good condition. Often they no longer have the original color or have been passed from one owner to another with resulting visits to various mechanics over the years, or else they are in need of complete restoration. This Coupe DeVille Cadillac is one of the 76,043 built as model year 1970 that has retained its original state. It was ordered by the first owner directly in the automobile capital and spent most of its life in Detroit, until 2000 when it was purchased for the Nicola Bulgari Car Collection and shipped for importation into Italy. This car arrived with just 11,000 miles on the clock, and all the original characteristics were intact: body color in Byzantine Gold (code 54), matched with a fabric/leather interior combination (code 344S/384) in Medium Gold Dynasty, all in perfect condition. The only necessary replacement was the radiator and water pump, due to infrequent use of the vehicle, which caused the cooling liquid to condense, blocking the circuit.

Everything is in perfect working order, including the air conditioning, electric seats and all the accessories included in a Cadillac of that year. It now has about 20,000 miles on the clock and is pleasurably used for the occasional scenic run over the gentle Tuscan hills.

Company
General Motors

Wheelbase
129.5in

Interior trim
Medium Gold Dynasty cloth/leather

Brakes
front disc, rear drums

Make
Cadillac

Length
225in

Engine
V8 - 472cid

Tires
L78x15

Model
DeVille

Width
79.3in

Carburetor
1 Rochester 4MV 4-barrel

Original Price
$5,884

Body style
2-door Hardtop Coupe

Weight
4650lbs

Horsepower
375hp @ 4400rpm

Production
76,043

Model year
1970

Exterior paint
Byzantine Gold

Transmission
TH-400 automatic 3-speed

Towards the end of the Sixties, Cadillac continued its ascent keeping its place as leader in the luxury category as far as sales were concerned. The General Motors marque of the heraldic shield was constantly pursued by its competitor Lincoln, owned by the Ford Motor Company, and by Imperial owned by the Chrysler Corporation. For the model year 1969, the Cadillac range was given a new restyling, keeping the same 129.5 inch chassis (133 inch for the Fleetwood and 149.8 for the limousine), except for the front-wheel drive Eldorado model which stayed more or less unchanged from 1967 until the early 70s. The major part affected by the Cadillac restyling was the anterior, where the 4 headlamps were placed in the classic horizontal position (instead of the vertical position of the Cadillacs produced from 1965 to ’68), while a new grille adorned the front. The basic line and dimensions remained roughly the same, but numerous details were modified, such as the rear lamps and side markers, resulting in an all-round improvement on previous cars and in a more moderate use of chrome.

The model years 1969 and 1970 inherited the reliable V8 big block 472 cubic inch engine from the 1968 model, with its 375 hp and a top speed of 124 mph, while the Eldorado came into 1970 with 500 cubic inches and 400 hp. The only transmission available was the 3-gear automatic, which only differed by the rear axle ratio of the differential according to the model. The 1970 model was practically identical to the previous year, apart from small details such as a slight difference in the design of the front grille and rear lights, the latter still with the same segment shape, but built into the body. The range was divided into: Calais, DeVille (Sedan, Hardtop and Convertible), Fleetwood (Eldorado, Series 60, Series 75) and Commercial Chassis. The interior was offered in a selection of leather and fabric, with an embroidered damask pattern, and a choice of 15 different combinations. The molded dash is covered in a plastic material toning with the upholstery, dominated by the horizontally placed milometer with wood grain inserts.

The top sellers were, as always, the 2-door Coupe DeVille Hardtop (76,043 units for 1970) and the 4-door Sedan DeVille Hardtop (83,274), contributing to an overall figure of 238,745 Cadillacs built for 1970. Meanwhile, in the same year its competitor Lincoln totaled 37,695 units and Imperial just 11,822. The true superiority of General Motors in the production of a luxury brand like Cadillac clearly emerged from these figures, while still remaining true to its slogan “Standard of the World”.