Classic Wheels Spotlight: 1964 Cadillac Coupe De Ville

Having a love for big cars with fins, Terry ‘TJ’ Brown found a beauty on eBay about eight years ago. Although the eBay auction had a minimum bid requirement that was not met, TJ was not deterred, and he contacted the seller directly. They agreed on a price and the car was put back on the block with a ‘buy in now’ designation.

After the deal was concluded, the waiting game began. The seller, an elderly gentleman who was the second owner, shipped the Cadillac from California. When the car arrived, TJ went over it from bumper to bumper, making sure that what the seller had told him was correct. Thankfully, it all checked out.

One of the great things about this Cadillac DeVille was the fact it had only 76,000 miles on it. In addition, it was an award-winning vehicle. In with the paperwork and records on the car, there was a trophy from a local show, the placard said, National Meet, Venture Cove 3rd Place.

From the factory, this California DeVille was white with a red interior. The only available engine was the 429 cubic inch powerplant with a Carter 4-barrell carburetor and a Turbo 400 automatic transmission.

The car had some nice options for the day, including air conditioning, power windows and locks, climate control, 6-way power seats, dimming headlights, cornering lights, and an AM/FM radio.

Over the years, TJ says not much has been changed. He has replaced the carburetor and an electronic ignition was installed, along with dual exhaust to make it more dependable. The tires were replaced with wide whitewall Coker tires. The brakes are still the original power drum brakes. He says it is quite possible the rear shoes are the original ones! Sometime in the future, he plans to convert the DeVille to disc brakes.

Because it has an “X” frame, the last year Cadillac offered it, the car has a unique ride as it seemingly lumbers down the road. TJ and his wife have taken it on a few long road trips, and he has plans to make it his transportation upon retirement. in a few years.

Some of the features that TJ likes about his DeVille include the huge fins, as well as the old styling that featured a lot of chrome. He likes to keep the car in good shape, which includes not letting it sit around too much. He and his wife like to take this “survivor” to local car shows, or on the occasional road trip. The odometer reads, 85,000 miles now. Still, many miles left to be driven in this beautiful specimen of General Motors ingenuity!

If you have a car you would like to see featured in Classic Wheels, contact Rudy Host, Jr. at Classic.Wheels.Rudy@gmail.com.