Cadillac Memories

[billyoung]

In 1971 I sold my first car the 1961 Series 62 convertible, well rotted, for $ 200.00 and bought a 1955 Cadillac Series 6219 sedan for $200.00 from a Man named Norm Behrens on Crossgates Road in Greece, Rochester, New York. I asked him why he owned the car and for how long and he said since 1961 and that he was from Detroit and had ordered a New 1955 Coupe DeVille in Ruskin Blue with royal blue roof in Detroit. He said he ordered it with every option as well as the Eldorado Engine and Sabre wheels and that the Dealership owner made him put down 10% in case he welched on the deal. He worked for Kodak and they required him to move to Rochester so he could not take delivery of the car and the angry Dealer kept the 10%. So my new to me not as rusted 1955 was Ruskin Blue with royal blue roof and blue Gabardine interior had fog lights, Autronic Eye, power windows and manual seat. I later found out that it was originally bought new from Vernon M. Gridley Cadillac in Newark New York. I found this out because I was with my Mother one day at Whalen Cadillac Pontiac in Newark, New York while my Mothers 1968 DeVille convertible was in for service and Leo Whalen was talking to an older man and called him Vernon M. and I asked him if he had owned the Dealership as my 1955 had his name on the warranty booklet and he said he remembered my car and that the original owner traded an Imperial for it. I owned and drove it for 2 years till it was so rotted that it got junked in 1973.

[jwwseville60]

Great story! Any pics?
Heres mine.

[Dave CLC#16900]

1962 Pride of Possession Dealer Video

Interesting how they pronounce Coupe as Coupay, among other things like all of the factory footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiot3sAlpj0

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

1962 Pride of Possession Dealer Video

Interesting how they pronounce Coupe as Coupay, among other things like all of the factory footage.

Well, the word Coupe is written correctly with an acute over the "e" so it becomes pronounced as an "ay".   But, since the basic Typewriters don't have sufficient keys to allow for the use of acutes and the like, things lose their meanings over time.

I used to have the listing of all these codes, but cannot find it.

Bruce.

[Big Fins]

Simple enough to make correct. Just type it this way... Coupe'.

[James Landi]

Bill,
I enjoyed your narrative, and my Cadillac ownership history is similar to yours.  First Cadillac was a '56  given to me by my parents when I was in college in 1965... loved the car and all the childhood memories that it still conjures... my father, brought up in poverty, raised in 'hell's kitchen', became a successful attorney in the early '50's, and his first expensive and uncharacteristically luxurious purchase was a fully loaded '56 SDV with a/c.  Suddenly, everything changed for me and my family...so that first drive as a 10 year old passenger remains writ large in my emotional life.  I've always purchased fully depreciated Cadillacs, and I've enjoyed all of them.