Penalty of Ownership (Road Sofa Content)

[hauserplenty]

So.

Mr. Junkman of this here parish thinks interval wipers are decadent, loike. Well, who am I to argue?*

* I've told you once...

Well, squire, they're not decadent:

 

 

...THIS IS!

A 1988 Brougham D'Elegance. (D'ecadence?) Of course this car has interval wipers, but that's not really the point, is it?

 

Feeel thee reeech Coreenthion leather:

 

 

 

 

The point is, this is truly decadent. On Broughams D'Elegance, you got an extra-soft leather cushion on all the seats. The extra money people paid for 'em was well worth it, I can assure you. It's really a posh Sedan DeVille near to the end of the car's run. Since Cadillac was committed to front-wheel-drive at this point, I get the feeling they were simply using up all the leftover parts to build these.

 

I traded my GMC Slonoma for this car. It needed a bit of TLC when I got it of course:

 

 

It was a week before I could set the timing properly. Since these cars run like shit when it's not right, I decided to improvise...

 

Single-digit mileage at this point too, courtesy of this 5L (307ci) 'loominum-block mill:

 

 

...as well as a near-two-ton curb weight. Changing the oxygen sensor doubled the mileage. The one I replaced was likely the OEM sensor. Plus a tune-up. It co$t, but nothing like a Northstar would have. Yep, I learned that one the hard way, when I was delivering pizzas in a '97 Eldo. Each of the jobs on it cost $500. All the TLC on this was a bit less than that.

 

 

 

 

It was just too good to walk away from. It's only my ninth Cadillac, so even though I knew what I was in for, I went ahead and rescued it. Because I knew what I was in for. DECADENCE, Cadillac style, mon frere.

 

Because rational thinking is just not the Autoshite way...

 

Dashboard shot from before I installed the factory tunebox:

 

 

 

...and, after. It matches the car, but it sounds like shit. Symphony sound my ass. The FWD models got the better stereo and climate control panels. This one has the amber LED display they used in the early 80's. The later ones had a florescent-green display which was easier to see in the daytime.

 

 

With the money I saved, I could splash out for some posh floor mats. But...nah. Cell phone, GPS, a cup holder and blue mood lighting is about all I need for my road sofa. Hope no birds shit on it...It was garage-kept and has a full* service history. Little old lady, only drove it on Sundays. 143K miles...WCPGW?

 

 

P.S. I don't make a habit of calling folks out on this board, but I must say, @Junkman: Your Psalm was brilliant, but I found your comment about cleaning tires with toothbrushes offensive*.

 

*Buicks are for saints, dude. God drives a Cadillac. (Well, a chod god anyway!)  [/pisstake]

[eddyramrod]

Now THAT, my friend, is a proper car!  Good deal.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

That is one HANDSOME car!!

[Jim Bergerac]

I bet those seats are even more comfortable than they look. Awesome.

[Junkman]

So.

Mr. Junkman of this here parish thinks interval wipers are decadent, loike. Well, who am I to argue?*

This must be a misunderstanding. What I find rather degenerated are automatic wipers, i.e the ones that switch themselves on when they detect rain.

When it comes to intermittent wipers, I prefer the infinitely variable ones, like those in your Caddy and in my Rover P6 - if they would work...

 

I'm the last one who doesn't subscribe to Cadillacesque decadence and have a proven track record, with a '58 Fleetwood 60 Special, several 59s, a 62 convertible De Ville, '70, '71 and '76 Eldorados, a '76 Coupe De Ville, several '78/'79 De Villes and Fleetwoods, and a '93 Seville STS.

One tip regarding rough running and OMGMPG: These HEI ignited ones are extremely sensitive to wrongly set spark plug electrode gaps, which must be set to 0.040 in.

Please make sure to check and adjust this before you install them, even if they are labelled to be factory set. Also, the plug leads do have a shelf life and are critical for smooth running. Please only use original AC-Delco ones. I know they are expensive, but you won't regret it.

[saucedoctor]

That is a fabulous automobile.

[hauserplenty]

Sorry, squire, I did misunderstand you.

Agreed: Rain-sensing wipers are all wet.

But not automatic (Twilight Sentinel) headlamps...

Thank you for the advice about the plugs and leads, BTW--I'll be putting that to good use. I did change the plugs but I gapped 'em to .060, like the label said. I needed new leads so got the cheap ones...better than what I had (tho not much.)

.040 for all Cadillacs? Wert a go, innit...

I started with a '77 Seville, then had one '87 and three '88 DeVilles, also a '77 Phaeton (a stretched DeVille) with a 425. That car hauled ass. Hauled my ass all over town until I sold it...Got a '97 Eldo which had its charms but was a mistake I won't soon repeat.

I had to replace the washer motor, and the replacement part was a solid-state one which did away with the mechanical cam setup they used to allow the wipers to park. Good thing too, 'cos while I was faffing about with that bit...uhh...it broke. I can see clearly now...

 

I saw God the other day. In His Cadillac. He had a NOTW bumper sticker and a license plate frame which read: MY OTHER CAR IS A ROLLS-ROYCE.I think they gave St. Francis a Cessna...A Park Avenue would suit Mother Teresa though methinks...

[Junkman]

I thought .040 is for all HEIs, but if they say .060 for the later ones, I'd adhere to that. The important thing is that all eight are really set the same.
Yes, those 425s were bloody awesome, the only one I had with even more oomph was the 70 Eldo with the still largely unrestricted 500.

 

I really like the colour of yours. Just suits it to the ground.

[eddyramrod]

I feel like a beginner in the company of you two, having only had a 79 Fleetwood and a 62 Sedan de Ville!  However, let that take nothing away from the arrival of this blue sofa.  You have a lush car there Lou, long may it serve you.

[purplebargeken]

My now sadly deceased sister had a Chevy Caprice hearse. It was the only one at the time that could take 2 coffins in one hit. She used to go shopping in it (without coffins). Yes, she was an undertaker.

 

I nearly bought a Siera once. I'd love a proper rat look stepside pick up. 

 

That looks like the true path to waftiness, you are to be congratulated.

[DVee8]

WOW That is some car. Are you in the uk

That is  Autoshite DFS.

[danthecapriman]

That is awesome, love it.

 

One of these is on my bucket list!

[Wilko220]

I love the attempts at French in hideous luxury American car names. Very Del Boy!

[Jim Bell]

Nice bro ham. UK?

[scooters]

Pm me when you sell! I want golf ball arse cheeks!

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[eddyramrod]

WOW That is some car. Are you in the uk

That is  Autoshite DFS.

Not quite... he's in San Diego, California!

[hauserplenty]

Well, having enjoyed driving this car it's now time to sell. Before resorting to fleabay or dregslist, thought I might offer it up to you lot. A bit rough around the edges is the worst I can say about it. But it could use a new driver...IF the PRICE is RIGHT! Please, do Email me: [email protected]. My computer is bricked due to malware inversion so I'm using my phone which I dislike typing on...

[hauserplenty]

What?? No takers?? I guess this place ain't wot it used to be innit &c.

[hauserplenty]

P.s. I believe the French nomenclature had to do with the DuMothe family, founders of Dee-troit motor city, for whom the company is named. They have done away with it of late, and downplayed the family crest as well. Brougham d'Ecadance, anyone?

[hauserplenty]

Oh, and a note to my relatives: If my last ride is in a SODDING Crapice I will come back and haunt the lot of you. /plagiarism

[vulgalour]

I don't think I can get this posted to me on a single first class stamp, I reckon it falls into the 'large parcel' category of the arcane system of weights and measures that is Royal Mail posting.

[rml2345]

^ UPS? It looks a smashing buy for any US based shiters or those who have a very very large excess baggage allowance/ 

[Jim Bell]

Tell to us the numbers required.

 

4 k£sh

[hauserplenty]

$2-4K USD is the proper range. I think this car will make its new owners quite happy, especially in your country as one of the finest examples of a "California car" I have ever seen, let alone owned. And I have spent 32 of my 40 years here. It needs 4 shocks, the exhaust is blowing so may also need a whole new muffler, as there are several holes right along a bend in the pipe. It looks like a challenge to weld. The transmission is a new GM unit which seems to be breaking in splendidly. Could use new paint, with some light surface rust only. Vinyl top has no rips. I think it must have been garage kept, but it will deteriorate too quickly if I try to keep it.

[eddyramrod]

South-west California to south-west Cumbria... no, it's never going to work, shipping is the killer.  Would have loved to turn up at work in a Cadillac and see my boss's face when he parks his grey diesel Audi beside it...  Ah'm oot, sorry Lou!

[hauserplenty]

Bummer, dude. Wooser damage on the voyage? Maybe we could take up a collection or do a fundraiser or somat. I CBA to do a proper for sale thread on here, as the mobile version of this site (as well as any other) does my head in.

[eddyramrod]

I haven't even attempted to get a shipping quote, but you can bet it's going to at least double the price of the car, and then there will be taxes and stuff to pay for Over Here, as well as all the rigmarole of registering it.  It'll need an MoT, and for that it'll need the shocks doing, and probably other stuff... won't take long to triple the purchase price.  If it was over here already, registered and nearby, it would still be over my budget, I'm afraid; I blew it all on a Mercury Sable.  The days of me having two or even three American autos cluttering up my beautifully-paved front garden (some even in regular use) are long gone.

[hauserplenty]

Yeah, I guess the new normal is a worldwide occurrence. It'll be on dregslist in a week.

[hauserplenty]

Edit: I can't prove it, but the mileage may in fact be only 46k instead of the 143k quoted previously.

Still low mileage for the year.

Just testing the waters, seeing if there's any interest...