Hi,
This was my dad's car. 1966 2dr Calais in a rusty brown color. He sold it a couple of years before he passed away. The kid he sold to blew the motor and its been sitting out side for 2 or 3 years so the rust has been growing. It needs paint, a dash pad, kick panels, and the seat has a wear through to.
The car has every option since my dad and put them in some 30 years ago.
What would you think it's worth? I'm thinking like a grand maybe 15 hundred. The kid who owns it is thinking 4500.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
You better look close at the frame and inner structure/floors before even thinking about tackling this at any price, not 4500 for sure.
Hello Joe
Glad to hear you are in the market for another Cadillac.
On a scale of one to six with 6 to 5 as a parts car not running, the price guide says $700-$1800. There is value in knowledge knowing the history with your father's workmanship. It would be a fun family project.
Also remember this is metropolitan Detroit so the seller probably does not have another offer.
Joe,
In the late 70's I found my father's 1964 Sedan DeVille. I tracked it down when my mother found the original purchase papers to the car cleaning out some drawers.
My dad bought the car new in 1964 and we took the car on a family road trip From Phila PA to California and back in it. It was his last car, sadly he died of heart problems in 1967 at 52. I was 9 at the time. So, the car had a lot of meaning to me. If it was still around, I wanted to have it.
I had a friend run the VIN and I called the guy that owned it. Remember, this was the late 70's, and I made the mistake of telling this guy why I wanted the car. He held out for $450.00, the car was worth about $200.00 at that time.
I drove it home on the 7 firing cylinders and parked it in front of my mother's house where I lived at the time. I had access to a dealer tag and drove it around a bit on the dealer tag for a while, just in the neighborhood.
It had rust in all the normal places, rotted out bumper ends, bad interior, not running well, and looked really shabby sitting in front of the house. A neighbor complained and it got towed away by the township.
I could have "bought" it back from the yard that towed it in but the guy asked me where I was going to park it. I had nowhere other than at my house and he said it would probably get towed away again unless it was licensed, inspected and insured.
I didn't have the funds to do all of that, so I left it there, it's fate was certainly to go to the crusher. I took off the 4 hubcaps and yanked the auto dimming sensor out of the dash, took a last look and left.
I know I am guilty of thread hijacking, but the point it, make a deal with the kid, and if the frame and the body isn't too far gone, go and get the car and fix it up.
I sure wish I would have been able to stash that 64 in a garage somewhere all those years ago, I could have one fine loaded 64 SDV right now.
Brian
PS... I still have the hubcaps and the "ray gun" from the dash.
Quote from: 76eldo on March 23, 2013, 10:04:22 PM
Joe,
In the late 70's I found my father's 1964 Sedan DeVille. I tracked it down when my mother found the original purchase papers to the car cleaning out some drawers.
PS... I still have the hubcaps and the "ray gun" from the dash.
You sure the car was a '64? The Guidematic sensor was moved to the left front fender crown moulding in 1964. There shouldn't have been a dash-mounted photocell "ray gun".
Hello Joe,
It's very important to weigh the satisfaction of saving the car against your personal finances. It's always a challenge to reconcile preservation of a family memento with cold hard economics. It's your decision but it should be made very carefully.
Eric,
I grew up in that car. The 64 had the auto-dimming sensor on top of the dash. AND I ripped it out of the dash as I said. I have seen others with the sensor in the front molding as you said, but they must have made them both ways. It was an ordered car, and could have been early in the 64 run. THIS 64 had the sensor on the dash.
Brian
Quote from: 76eldo on March 24, 2013, 10:19:38 AM
Eric,
I grew up in that car. The 64 had the auto-dimming sensor on top of the dash. AND I ripped it out of the dash as I said. I have seen others with the sensor in the front molding as you said, but they must have made them both ways. It was an ordered car, and could have been early in the 64 run. THIS 64 had the sensor on the dash.
Brian
Brian,
I don't wish to make an issue of this. Here's a link to the page of the 1964 Prestige Catalog. It clearly states, "Guidematic Headlamp control has been relocated on the left front fender just above the headlamps." accompanied by a photo of the change. (Bottom right of the linked page).
Sales catalogs would have been printed well in advance of actual production; 1963 in this case.
How a conspicously advertised "new" feature would have not made production on all new cars escapes me. It would be like a 1964 with 1963 a/c controls.
I believe you when you say you seen both versions on 1964 models. Perhaps the Guidematic in your father's car was dealer installed then? I have no explination.
http://oldcarbrochures.org/index.php/NA/Cadillac/1964-Cadillac/1964-Cadillac-Prestige-Brochure/1964-Cadillac-Prestige-25-26
I can't explain it but the car was a 64 Sedan deVille, and its possible that the auto dimming was added by the dealer. I know I got yelled at a lot for touching the "ray gun" and its currently resting in the top of my tool box with a hunk of dash around the mounting nut.
The rest is a mystery.
Brian
Mystery solved.
See photos...
Brian
Thanks.
If it hasn't already, a note of this should be made in the authenticity manual.
Thanks for the advice guys. I thought it was crazy idea. I know that its basically still solid but nearly 30 years ago we put used quarter panel and had to rebuild the trunk floor as the mounts were all gone. It would be cool have only if I can get it cheap.