Learn more about the 74-76 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, GM's longest non-limousine production vehicle of the modern era!
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@hughjass10446 ай бұрын
You get a really great appreciation of just how big these cars were by helping your friend, the amateur body man, re-install and align the hood.
@61rampy656 ай бұрын
That is really a 4 person job. Those hoods were HUGE and HEAVY!
@puffkendrick68506 ай бұрын
I would install hood after replacing engine by myself.
@lestercarter1165 ай бұрын
Back in the 80s me and my gang took one of these hoods and polished the Hellout of it. This was mid winter, so we had plenty of snow. We had an ice storm on top of it, so was a glare of ice. There was 5 or 6 of us. We hung out and passed a massive joint around. Got really baked,and that was one steep hill. Damned near ended up in the river!!😂
@lestercarter1165 ай бұрын
Hood came off a 73
@josephquillian28666 ай бұрын
My sister Shannon inherited our great-aunt Ruth’s 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood. It had beautiful thick red leather seats. It drove so smooth!
@deborahchesser73756 ай бұрын
Nothing floats like one of those that’s the truth.
@eddstarr21856 ай бұрын
Adam, the whole family was returning home from an early 1976 Bicentennial event held at the Naval Air Station. I talked dad into stopping by the Cadillac dealership so I could collect the large coffee table sized showroom brochure. On display was the most beautiful 1976 Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance I've ever seen. Crystal Blue Firemist Metallic with Midnight Blue Metallic vinyl roof and a Midnight Blue Velour interior. Optional Wire Wheel Covers and Wide Whitewall Tires complemented the Brougham. All it needed was an American Flag on the antenna.
@user-ys2wp4cr9g2 ай бұрын
Wire wheels weren't available on the largest Cadillacs until 1977.
@user-ku1hc7zo9b6 ай бұрын
My aunt rented the upstairs of a two family house from 73 to 81. The home owner, a lady about 70 lived downstairs. As a little kid, I didn't know what was in the garage until one day, I was visiting and heard the automatic garage door opening. I looked out the window to see a huge white Cadillac with it's sunroof open, pulling up the driveway into the garage. I ran downstairs as the trunk was opened and offered to help bring in the groceries. I studied and admired that magnificent automobile which turned out to be a 76 Fleetwood Talisman, bright gleaming white with that amazingly plush interior in black. Car had everything, a moonroof, a rotary dial dealer installed telephone, airbags and fuel injection. She still had it when my aunt moved and bought her own house in 81. I never forgot that Cadillac Masterpiece, it was still clean and on the road when the lady quit driving in the early 90s, she must have been pushing 90 herself. I would suspect it still survives out there somewhere. I regret not trying to buy it.
@captainamericaamerica80906 ай бұрын
They were all junked. At the grave yard junk yards. 💀💀💀hers only survived because he was always in a garage!! They were Rambling' Rust' buckets!
@user-ku1hc7zo9b5 ай бұрын
@@captainamericaamerica8090 Actually that's not exactly true. More of this particular model Cadillac, meaning the 74 to 76 Fleetwoods survive today than the majority of other big luxury sedans from this era. They still exist literally everywhere plus, a number of original unrestored examples are starting to show up with extremely low miles.
@sheldonduffy94425 ай бұрын
I regret not buying the 67 Camaro my mother inherited from my grandmother.
@waynejohnson13046 ай бұрын
I own a 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The best riding car ever built. There are lights in the tailfins that illuminate when the lights are turned on. It's a shame that America no longer makes a long-distance highway cruiser. I love mine! The rear footrests are especially nice if the driver has to make a sudden stop. The rear passenger can use the footrest to keep from sliding forward. About the trunk. I can fit a 10-speed bike in the back of mine and close the lid. We won't mention gas mileage. We just won't go there. OMG! LOLOL
@johndaniels6516 ай бұрын
It get mileAGE? So it can go more than 1 mile per gallon? Impressive!
@waynejohnson13046 ай бұрын
@@johndaniels651 From Burlington, CT to the shore is around 110 miles round trip. If I take the Fleetwood, it will burn off 11-12 gallons. :) It is a combination of highway and country roads.
@johndaniels6516 ай бұрын
@@waynejohnson1304 I found it interesting there were fuel injected and carburetor versions, I'm guessing the FE models (if any are still running) would be quite rare. Wonder if it made much difference in efficiency... But heck, having a land yacht has to be the greatest, and 12 gallons of fuel now and again, its still way cheaper to operate than a modern car that only lasts 80K miles.
@waynejohnson13046 ай бұрын
@@johndaniels651 The fuel-injected models got an additional 15 HP but, I'm not sure if gas mileage was improved or not.
@jeffshadow24076 ай бұрын
It gets the same MPG it got in 1976!
@NathanielJames-jk5td6 ай бұрын
Wish these would make a comeback as an alternative to SUVs. The lower slung look is a lot more stylish
@eugenepolan17506 ай бұрын
Some drivers don't appreciate the "Sound of Power" associated with opening the secondaries on a 4-barrel carb.
@kennethanway79796 ай бұрын
Vaaahooommmm!
@marko78436 ай бұрын
Yes, what I always refer to as the QuadraJet roar: Uh-wahhhh...
@corgiowner4366 ай бұрын
We used to flip the air cleaner lid over so you could hear it better!
@deborahchesser73756 ай бұрын
@@corgiowner436I got in trouble doing that on our Delta88, I forgot to flip it back over and Dad drove it and looked at me and said, boy you been running my car ? Busted 😆 bwaaaaa !
@madmike26246 ай бұрын
I know I did, nothing like the sound of a quadrajet wide open...sound is un-mistakeable!!@@corgiowner436
@Johnnycdrums6 ай бұрын
The "B" pillar looks so right on this. Wouldn't want it any other way.
@markjaynes71516 ай бұрын
Great memories! My mom had a 1976 Brougham, yellow and white with a white leather interior. it was her daily commuter for several years, 200 miles a day, 5 days a week. It was a great highway car.
@KoldingDenmark4 ай бұрын
@markjaynes7151 What makes you drive 200 miles a day 5 days a week for years? That is 4K miles / 6.400 KM a month. I drove 4,150 miles per months for nine months in 1998 in a 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine for a single company. I thought that was a lot. Enjoyed every mile of it.
@desertmodern76386 ай бұрын
My 1974 Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance was the smoothest-riding, most refined car I will probably ever own. Fun note: the large spring-loaded hood ornament would actually lean back noticeably at speeds approaching three digits. Clarifications: The rear vertical element does contain a bulb visible from both outboard (for the required side marker) and inboard. The Calais/de Ville wheelbase was 130.0. The 500 was Eldorado-only until 1975. And - purely conjecture - I believe the panel between the front and back doors for 1971-72 was to allow the front doors to be a common part across all the four-door models.
@gregharvie38966 ай бұрын
Correct , I agree wholeheartedly, the absolute best of the best before the Cadillac brand was wrecked. . Hi from Sydney, Australia. I have owned a black '74 Talisman for almost 42 years & a '72 Fleetwood for 31 years which is a 70th anniversary car so has a more upspec interior. From 1971 to mid '74, if you wanted to own a USA GM full size car you had the choice of 2, either a boattail Riviera, OR , a Fleetwood Brougham. I'm a doctor, and in my late 60's, I was in my mid 20's when I bought the black '74 FWD Talisman. "blackie" has been bullet proof, now with 705,000klms (about 445,000miles) when I bought it was a mere 102,000klms on it as an 8 yr old car. it is a genuine Aussie GM Holdens RHD kit car sent as mere parts to be built here as a factory RHD car in GM's Pagewood, Sydney factory, there are many changes to the US model home market cars, same with my cotillion white '72 model. As a doctor and as business cars, I have claimed back 100% of operational costs to "mr taxman", both look and drive like they are NEW, flawlessly endlessly reliable, why own modern junk. AND , I had the last laugh just prior to x-mas 2023, I was returning home on a very hot 42 degree day to my lovely mid-century modern home on the central coast, about 100klm's north of Sydney. On the F1 freeway there had been an accident and after the big bridge over the Hawkesbury/Nepean river. All the traffic had slowed to a crawl due to an accident some kilometres ahead. Some weeks prior, at the last fuel station prior to entering the freeway, I chose to fill with petrol, went into the office/shop & paid, upon my return to the car, I was attacked verbal tirade by the owner/driver of a new 7 series BMW telling me that all US cars were crap, blah, blah, blah, I said to him that all German NAZI shit boxes should be crushed on arrival to our shores and that as a Talisman with the lot, my old car was way superior to his modern junker. His face went red with ANGER. Around 2 months later, on the REALLY,REALLY, really HOT DAY, I was to see him once more. As his around 3 month old BMW 7 series had decided to immolate itself, so the similar aged owner/driver (to me) and 3 passengers stood roadside and watched as this wonderous new $250,000 + car burned itself to death. I honked the Cadillac's "GM train horns" and waved, then he saw me, his face went beet root color pinky-maroon in PURE ANGER. I saw him again at the same fuel stop recently, this time I was in my white '72 Fleetwood, he saw me and looked away, when I had paid for my fuel I walked past him, he asked re the white car, I said it was my spare when the other one was being serviced and that I'd owned them for 31 & 41 years he was amazed at this year count and black ones mileage compared to its almost new appearance. Like the Irish female singer Sinead O`Connor's song --"nothing compares" that is true on these cars, nothing else does compare. ABS braked, Traction control. ACRS air bags and locking pretensioning seatbelts and built like a road fortress, a true tank. Re clarifications, the Aussie-ized versions certainly have outboard taillights, that small bulb in the US models was altered to be a full size 21 candle power taillight, PLUS we needed a orange/amber rear blinker light so the taillights were more in the centre of the car with the amber blinkers on the outer edge. Our main taillights had to be a mere 3 candlepower, the brake lights had to be 10 times greater at 32 CP, the amber blinkers 21 cp and the outboard side markers in those vertical blades were also 21 cp. Back in the 1960's & '70's the local market Aussie cars ALL had amber reversing lights of 21 CP, same with my 2 Aussie built Caddy's both the '72 & '74. Re the hood ornament. all the Aussie factory RHD ones were all fitted with the US deVille de Elegance hollow hood ornament which I think looks a little more discrete, however at speed the ornaments all lay back, or if there is heavy wind outside.
@DarrenFain6 ай бұрын
@@gregharvie3896 I love that you have owned them both for so long and kept them in such beautiful condition!!! I also love the story about the angry guy, and hopefully now that he's started to get over himself maybe you've made a new friend. :) Hello from Texas btw!!!
@mikevale36206 ай бұрын
@@gregharvie3896 Well Doctor...you sure are living the good life and only in Australia of course. By now you have well earned your Australianised Cadillacs and I have nothing but admiration for you and your tiny degree of pomposity. I too live in Australia and somewhat less extravagantly am also living the good life! 😊
@gregharvie38966 ай бұрын
@@mikevale3620 Hi Mike, what made me buy the first one, well earlier in the piece in the late 70's pre import cars luxury tax I wanted to buy a 4.2 litre series 2 Jaguar XJ Coupe, they only made them for like 3 years finally. I'd been saving like mad, then John Howard when treasurer when they kicked Whitlam out couldn't balance the books so he introduced a mega amount of brand-new taxes, the opec parity on petrol, the luxury car tax, cigarette tax, liquor tax and more. It took it out of my financial reach overnight 44.75% MORE. Time marched on and as a new young doctor working in the gov't area, not private, wages were lowish. Again, I saved EVERYTHING, and when Holden released the 1980 WB Statesman Caprice, I wanted one. Also, I found for a few bucks more it could be sent to HDT/Peter Brock and given a C-spec race engine, better brakes and a US GM front end adaption giving massively cambering front suspension/steering, so at speed on a bend, no scrubbing the wheel off the rim on the outboard tyre. Ordered and paid for in October 1980, I waited, should have been ready for xmas 1980, but not to be arrived mid-jan 1981 a few weeks late. Mike, I loved that car, I'd speck'ed it entirely to my wishes, but only owned it 22 months when it was stolen from a hospital carpark, 2 nice guards that worked there got clipped by the thieves. The Cops got the 2 guys, but my car had been split up for the parts trade for smash repairs. I ordered another one, near identical, metallic red is slightly paler in the 2nd one, and the leather seats just slightly darker. 42 Years later, I still own that too, it has but a mere 93,000ks on it as I ONLY use it where I can see it. These are the only 2 new cars I have EVER bought in 50+ years of driving. So I bought the black Caddy as a daily, never thinking I'd keep it 40+ years, but there you go. Neither one of the 2 Caddy's have ever been damaged, touched nor broken into, cars around mine have but NEVER the Caddy's, -- go figure that out. Finally, as an aside, OZ is the best country, I've for work been to a lot, but I'm always happy to see the North Shore Bridge from the plane when coming back home, and its friend the opera house.
@gregharvie38966 ай бұрын
@@DarrenFain Pal, they are going to "do me out" I will drive them until I drop dead, OR, we are banned from registering and using them. They have 200% of what's required from a car, and yep, I know we have a hot dry climate like Southern California but this just makes cared for cars last forever, like virtually ZERO rust issues, the primary old car killer. Re Mr. Grumpy, in his hire car, he was simply trying to maintain and hold back his rage, but you could see it was still hiding just ever so below the surface.
@althunder42696 ай бұрын
Oh man, I remember these from when I was a teenager and they were massive. That's where I got my love for these boats from.
@corgiowner4366 ай бұрын
We thought they were the cat’s meow at the time.
@kellismith43296 ай бұрын
You could get oars as an option
@TheBigdog8686 ай бұрын
Same! Six adults and we all had our own ashtray 😂
@MrBrianbusch6 ай бұрын
I had the 73 coup deville, had what ever vinyl, pleather, leather dont recall, never cared for the ultra plush seating, more of a practical thing with me. Huge car, wonderful ride, doing the gangsta lean.
@randyfitz83106 ай бұрын
@mrBrianBusch in 1980 I too drove a ‘73 Coupe DeVille as my daily driver, shouldn’t have sold it!
@tyler26106 ай бұрын
I have always loved big cars and therefore have always felt the mid to late 70’s was the epitome of the automobile! There were so many attractive and BIG vehicles to choose from and uncompromising comfort was king unlike todays modern vehicles. I was born in 1984 and so wish I had been driving during this era!
@maniacjack37006 ай бұрын
I totally agree with you! I love 70s big US cars. I was born in 1986 and i wish to have one...
@bobb77806 ай бұрын
A friend’s father had a ‘76 Fleetwood Brougham when we were growing up. What a beauty and a beast!
@Ramcharger856 ай бұрын
These are Cadillacs. Man i miss the old Cadillacs of yore. I got to ride in a 1975 Sedan Deville that my great uncle bought used in 1990. 😊❤.
@kroge0076 ай бұрын
I love,love, love the inside of these Cadillac Fleetwoods. What Pure luxury looked like back then.
@Johnnycdrums6 ай бұрын
133" wheelbase ain't that bad compared to 4 door pick up trucks. Not a Cadillac guy, but love this piece. It probably has everything I need in a passenger car. I would drive it regularly.
@MrSpartanPaul6 ай бұрын
I own a 76 Fleetwood and it's sublime. So smooth over speed bumps like they don't exist. I built the 500 myself so it cranks.
@moejr19746 ай бұрын
Adam's channel gives me hope that some day when my fortunes change I might be able to get a classic car.
@patrickmaloy52626 ай бұрын
My elderly in-laws owned the Talisman version. Not able to see well at night, they let me do all of the driving as if it were my own. But, I much preferred the back seat which was a nice place to be. It was superlative. Solid, stately, the Cadillac drove as it was rails, and the engine had plenty of power. Handling wasn't bad for a car its size. The only thing I worried about was the auto headlight dimmer switch would get very hot, but also on all of the Cadillacs that had the option.
@giantrobot90006 ай бұрын
Adam, you are a madman…lol…I love seeing a new video drop so regularly, keep em coming! The recent oddball engines were especially cool
@DSP19686 ай бұрын
What a beautiful color and interior on this car! Very '70s. And it is equipped with just so many unique features that made it a Cadillac.
@roberthoffhines54196 ай бұрын
I grew up in a '72 Brougham, a few notes: That little 2" body panel between the front and rear doors served to let the world know that this was NO DeVille in case you missed the thick B pillar. We called the footrests "kneelers" (We were Episcopalians, so...). The WORST part was the armrests. The cheap vinyl grew brittle by 1976, cracked, and was extremely rough on the tender underside of your forearm! After I inherited "Alma" for my years at Conservatory, I fit an entire brass quintet WITH instruments in her for gigs. That's two trumpets, trombone, french horn and...TUBA!
@nathanlind45096 ай бұрын
Nice! You could use this for gigs for most music ensembles instead of a bus or van! Sound equipment; guitars; keyboard etc... Just stack it in the truck like cord wood.
@cadillacnan5 ай бұрын
Another great video .
@jeffscomp6 ай бұрын
Those were awesome cars. Out of my toy matchbox sized car collection when I was little the 1976 Cadillac was my favorite, made by Tomy.
@spooderdoggy6 ай бұрын
In 1986 the closest I got to a Fleetwood was a 1976 Coupe Deville I bought 2nd hand, in good shape, with a 500 CID V8, and I loved it! Ran so smooth and commanded a real presence on the road. Could pass anything on the road but the gas station. LoLs Sold it after 7K miles because I left for the Army. My friend’s mom brought it for $500 more than I did. She loved it too. I wished I could have kept it but I was young with no $$$. Excellent car.🏆🎉🎊🤩
@bml336 ай бұрын
The purpose of that smaller tube coming down from the air cleaner was to pull in air that was heated by the exhaust manifold. There was a metal plate over the manifold, air came in from underneath, passed over the hot manifold then up to the cleaner and into the carb. This helped the car warm up faster I think as the choke was able to slowly close and it would help the mpg. This system included a door in the air cleaner that would shut off the outside air completely and only take in this warm air till it warmed up. They called it "auto thermac" Lots of GMs had this. My 74 Delta 88 that I drove in high school had it but many mechanics didn't think it was important and would lose it or leave it off when putting things together after service so it went missing on many cars. The car still ran ok but took longer to warm up since it was sucking in cold air from the front.
@kc9scott6 ай бұрын
I took flying lessons back in ‘85, and a thing that carbureted aircraft engines have is carb de-icing, operated manually by the pilot. When the outside temperature is cool or cold (near the dew point), and the intake air passes through a restriction such as a throttle, it becomes colder as its pressure drops, which can make ice form. Carburetor de-icing switches the intake to get its air from metal shields around the exhaust manifold, to melt (or prevent) the ice. I’m pretty sure that the items you’re talking about do this same function on a car engine, but automatically controlled, so that the driver doesn’t have to worry about it. On a plane engine, when you switch it to the warm intake air, you can hear its power drop just slightly, so you only turn on the carb de-icing when you think it’s necessary. On my ‘92 DSM cars (with port fuel injection), they run coolant through the throttle body, and I believe that’s pretty commonly done as icing prevention among fuel-injected car engines of any make.
@randyfitz83106 ай бұрын
Let’s not forget the heat-riser pushing exhaust from right exhaust manifold up through the intake manifold chamber in a heat exchanger and out through the left exhaust only during warm-up. These were operated with a disk type of valve on a shaft like a throttle closed by a bi-metallic spring and counterweight. Sometimes they would stick and become noisy. Saw one which sounded like a cracked flex plate. They did reduce carburetor icing and improve warm-up.
@marko78436 ай бұрын
Yes, they spelled it ThermAC, to denote the AC Delco roots.
@mark48275 ай бұрын
The carburetors on most cars were calibrated with say 100° air temp that was provided by mixing the cold and hot supplies via the valve in the snorkel and a temp sensor located in the air cleaner housing. It does help prevent carburetor icing but is important for drivability. Many shade tree mechanics tore all that off.
@kc9scott5 ай бұрын
@@mark4827 Interesting, very good point. I’m so used to fuel injection where, to increase the HP, you try to keep the intake air as cool as possible to get more of it into the engine, and the ECU sees the increased air mass and automatically adjusts the fuel amount. No such thing with a carburetor, so with the old tech, apparently an easier way would just be to keep the air at a thermostatically-controlled temperature.
@gene9786 ай бұрын
I had the ‘73 Fleetwood in leather. It was only 5 years old. It was my dad’s uncles Florida car. They lived here in the NE in the summer and had a SUmmer car up here. The Fleetwood had very low miles and no marks at all on the body or interior with 50K miles. They Added the Large ALL CHROME Hood piece that had the Flying Goddess on top. Dark Brown Beige top. Those Reading lights on the front doors were also on the Rear Sail Panels on each side. In 1973 There was no added strip between the front and rear door. 1972 was the last yer for this. Everywhere I drove this car especially at School my senior year the teachers thought my parents spoiled me and even called my parents to tell them off. My mom blasted them out and told them how I saved my money and held a full time job since age 14.
@howebrad46016 ай бұрын
The tan/brown interior you showed looks incredibly inviting. Talk about a comfy place to relax and ride. I sure miss those days.
@philmescrotum436 ай бұрын
I don't remember my 73 fleetwood being that much "shorter", but loved the curved rear bumper and proper tail lamps
@ChadQuick270W6 ай бұрын
Now this is a real car! Big and beautiful. Having done a video on the Seville, have you thought about one on the Lincoln Granada, err I mean Versailles? That would be interesting to see.
@TalismanPHX6 ай бұрын
Cadillac called that horrendous 1975 standard velour interior "sheared Monticello velour". It was available in 5 colors , including the "Rosewood" shown in Adam's video. My parent's owned a 75 Sedan Deville, silver with a deep red leather interior. It was a rolling isolation chamber with incredibly deep soft shag carpet, even in the trunk. Such a handsome car, they had for several years though. They took a long time to warm up to the downsized Cadillacs before trading in the 75 and buying a 84 Eldorado in Hatteras blue firemist.
@JHPine6 ай бұрын
My best friend’s father had a 1976 Sedan DeVille. Beautiful car! They had to modify their garage for it to fully fit! We kids could stretch out and easily sleep on that backseat!
@DavidPysnik6 ай бұрын
Thanks for explaining WHY the 73 Imperial gets that length superlative. As you mentioned, it was the ridiculously thick rubber bumper guards that were attached to meet the new bumper standards that did it for that one year, not that the car was actually meant to be that way as the 72 was the same car and many inches shorter. The 1974-76 Fleetwoods, which were second in length to the 73 Imperial, WERE designed to be the length they were, though admittedly the fascia changes were influenced by the bumper standards as well.
@petermartinijr.10126 ай бұрын
The 1974-1976 Fleetwood was a GM D body. The GM C body was the Caddy Deville, Buick Electra, Olds 98. The Buick was the largest C body and only I think 1/10 inch shorter than the Fleetwood. The Caddy C body was actually the shortest of the GM C body cars.
@MrSpartanPaul6 ай бұрын
The deVilles had a 130" wheelbase making them bigger than any other GM car except for the Fleetwood. @petermartinijr.1012
@petermartinijr.10126 ай бұрын
@@MrSpartanPaul 1974-1976 Sedan Deville 231.0 inches long. 1975-1976 Buick Electra 233.4. Of the 3 GM C BODIES CARS, the Devilles are the smallest The Buick was the largest and the Olds in the middle
@MrSpartanPaul6 ай бұрын
@@petermartinijr.1012 Thanks for pointing that out, I never realized the Electras got that long.
@petermartinijr.10126 ай бұрын
@@MrSpartanPaul the Buicks were just a smidgen shorter than the Fleetwood Brougham. You would think GM would make them the same size or the Devilles being the longest, but they were the shortest.
@captmack0076 ай бұрын
"Back of a dream car, 20' long" - David Bowie
@pcno28326 ай бұрын
"Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin the scene with a gansta lean, ooh hoo." - Wiliam DeVaughn
@user-ll1sr4lm2f6 ай бұрын
Oh Adam, thank you, I love the very LAST of the "BIG ONES"! If I'd have bought my land out in the "county" as 0pposed to the City, I've have definitely WOULD'VE bought/OWNED several OLD Caddy's..... all "BIG ONES". So I could slowly, but surely remake them over the years, I love them so much!
@pattschetter6 ай бұрын
At a past job when I was between long-term assignments as a mechanical engineer at a contract firm during the Great Recession, I was once tasked with providing a range of car lengths that might be hauled on a conventional Class 3/4 bumper-hitch car trailer behind a half- to one-ton class pickup/SUV. I remember these, the early 70s Imperial and the mid-70s Cadillac Series 75 being at the top of the list.
@Sevenfeet06 ай бұрын
My grandparents owned one of these big ‘76 Fleetwoods…for all of about 10 minutes. As the story goes, they were taking delivery of the vehicle for my grandmother to drive (my grandfather was driving a ‘74 Coupe DeVille). While they were preparing to drive the vehicle off the lot, the rear axle broke. Talk about a quality control problem. My grandmother didn’t want anything to do with a Fleetwood at that point so they instead drove off the lot with a ‘76 Sedan DeVille that was sitting on the dealer lot. It was smaller…I guess but it was still massive. It turned out to be my grandmother’s last vehicle, driving it for 15 years until she couldn’t drive anymore. After that, the car sat behind the old family house in rural Alabama for nearly another decade. The car spent all of its life under carports which isn’t completely shielded from the elements and by the time I inherited the DeVille it was a tired old car which needed a lot of body work that I was not prepared to take care of back in 1999. The drive train was in good shape and just about everything worked, so I’m sure the new owner just parted the car out. I miss it though…lots of my childhood was spent cruising in the monstrous back seat with my brother.
@WC01256 ай бұрын
Beautiful cars. I have owned two 1976 Brougham deElegance models over the decades. Both 500 CID electronic fuel injected and could climb to the Eisenhower tunnel on I-70, at 11013' at well over 80 mph with power spare. You could also get Track-Master ant-lock brakes and even Air Cushion Restraint System. These are still some of my favorite Cadillac models.
@DanEBoyd6 ай бұрын
I remember that wide greenhouse-to-rocker B pillar, but never realized that later models concealed the lower part of it like that!! That Talisman is pimptastic!
@allisons36636 ай бұрын
When I hear Cadillac, this is what I think of. Big, beautiful and luxurious. Nothing today even comes close to the soft, comfortable ride of old Cadillacs.
@johnpezzullo96446 ай бұрын
Simply The Most Beautiful Cadillac and American Car ever made, this Fleetwood Brougham and the 1976 Seville, I believe were the most Beautiful Cadillacs ever built, Period. Thanks for this Adam.....Great Video...
@loutruckmd6 ай бұрын
It was 1980 my neighbor had a 75 Cadillac coupe deville. Her husband passed away, and she wanted to sell it. I bought it, I absolutely loved it. It was a complete contrast to my 67 GTO. We had it in the family for the better part of eight years.
@brenthill32416 ай бұрын
I worked in a garage at the time and changing tires on the bigger GM cars meant lifting these massive heavy wheel assemblies.
@GrotrianSeiler6 ай бұрын
As a little kid the seek function on the radio was my favorite feature.
@Cam-vp3xd4 ай бұрын
at 16 i was blessed by my grandfather giving me this, now i got a 07 benz and a 76 caddy, im living it
6 ай бұрын
"Largest Passenger Cars: The 1974-76 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Was Huuuuuge!" That's what HE said! Huge land yachts!
@jayweiss43786 ай бұрын
That color always looks class on older cars….👍🏻
@veronicahawthorne34526 ай бұрын
Another great video. I always loved these huge Cadillacs of the 70s. Always enjoy your videos.
@zigforjustice6 ай бұрын
Friend had one in 2005 and the top of the rear quarter panel rusted out on the top, making a 5in hole. So he put a Christmas tree 🎄in it and cruised around for a Christmas parade. We all had a good laugh. HUGE car.
@michaeledwards29196 ай бұрын
Marvelously wonderful video. I truly appreciate all the fantastic subject matter. I must respectfully mention one statement from the channels commentator, which I believe was incorrect, respectively. I'm referring to the 1974, through 1976 cadillac Devilles, the coupes, sedans, and up to the fleetwoods.the commentator states that the rear vertical bumper fins had no lights. The fact was that these vertical outer bumper fins did actually have small "Side Marker illumination lights set midway up the fin, inner, and outer. I remember this from when the cars were new. In 1984 I bought a white 1975 cadi coupe Deville and I remember those little rear fins lights.
@RareClassicCars6 ай бұрын
You’re right
@Doc18556 ай бұрын
After my parents divorced my mom got the Fleetwood (dad got the 68 Corvette Stingray). The Fleetwood became my mom’s 2nd car, so my sister and I used that car to race the Ford LTDs, Oldsmobile 88s and 98s, Buick Electrica’s. That Caddy won every race. Six months before my mom sold the Fleetwood, she bought new radial tires. Six months later, the front tires were still new, but the rear tires were bald. 😂
@phantom04566 ай бұрын
Did the Kurgan rip the roof off of the Caddy, turn to your mother and say “MAAAAM!” and then take her on a joyride with Queen blasting on the cassette deck while playing chicken with other cars throughout New York City, circa 1985?
@Doc18556 ай бұрын
@@phantom0456 The Caddy was long gone in 85. Mom was driving a Datsun 280ZX by then
@kennethanway79796 ай бұрын
You go dawg!!!
@DennisNieves-fm4sl6 ай бұрын
I actually like the b pillar panel. I looked up some pictures of two tone tops and the vinyl top color runs down that b pillar. Looks good, different than other caddys. I have more appreciation for these land yachts than i did as a kid, growing up in a delta 88 royale. The front of cadillacs are really nice, and i like the fins. Not crazy like 50s fins but on these era caddys are nice. As a kid, i liked the muscle cars and yes, Japanese sport coups. Now. I'm old and fat and land yachts are fast becoming a favorite. And i could never fit into a tiny mazda.
@komradkolonel6 ай бұрын
I also love these big Detroit cars. My friends and I were more or less brought up on them when we were young. They had a smooth and quiet ride and had really good a/c. If you were going on a road trip you would want one of these without any question over a Vega or Pinto.
@markharkey24802 ай бұрын
My parents had a 1972 Cadillac Fleetwood and it was amazing. Wonderful car. Thanks for your video Adam!
@TJS826 ай бұрын
An honorable mention is also the 1971-1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham (don`t let that face-lift for `74 fool you, it was basically the same car from `71-`76; in fact, in terms of styling changes, the Fleetwood Brougham remained the most consistent).
@dawndelrocco20786 ай бұрын
As usual Adam, very informative video on beautiful cars that we will never see built again. New Caddys now look like every other car on the road, And I'm happy to hear you pronounce "Brougham" correctly. Being a gal who's loved cars since she was 10 years old, I watch a lot of car videos and a lot of the hosts under 30 pronounce it incorrectly as "Bro-ham!" I never got to drive one of these beauties, but in the 90's, my neighbor's let me borrow their 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, Silver with a maroon interior and vinyl roof, so I could pick up my brother in style at the airport. Even though the car was over 15 years old by then, it still rode so, so smooth! Nice memory!
@Torsee6 ай бұрын
0:07 Hope that car is kept in a museum. Great color combination.
@Sparky-ww5re6 ай бұрын
My uncle owned a 1990 Cadillac Brougham when I was really young in the late 90s, and I remember it having the fiber optic indicators for the exterior lights, aside from the downsizing for 1977 and the European style headlamps and digital speedometer, in many ways was much like this massive fleetwood Brougham.
@jaydlytning6 ай бұрын
The 1990 Brougham was a very nice car. I consider it up there as a classic in terms of luxury.
@flubberlane84376 ай бұрын
I like those same color Caddie hubcaps 😀
@roscomare85796 ай бұрын
I always admired the elegant color-coordinated hubcaps, even the black ones that were paired with different body paint colors. Great video!
@paulparoma6 ай бұрын
I don't mind exposed screws in the dash. They make it easy to take apart. The snaps used in modern cars break easily.
@Flies2FLL6 ай бұрын
There is the little slanted panel above the headlights that is part of the hood; That always reminded me of a casket. Since old people owned these, I guess when I was a kid I thought it was appropriate.
@randyfitz83106 ай бұрын
The unique B-pillar for 1971 & ‘72 was an interesting element and we saw another Fleetwood Brougham-only B-pillar in the 1977 - ‘79 Fleetwood Brougham sedan which narrowed from top of doors to belt-line where it was covered by door sheet metal.
@Bobmcjoepants6 ай бұрын
The Fleetwood Brougham has a 133'' wheel base. The length of a Smart FourTwo is 98.4'' That means you can fit an entire smart car in the wheelbase of this car, and still have enough space for two full adults on *each side*
@jamesengland74616 ай бұрын
Also, wheelbase plus Smart = overall length ! Smart x2 plus 3 feet =overall length! I suppose you could park a Smart on the hood and another on the roof.
@screwthecabal64536 ай бұрын
These were so comfortable to drive as well as ride in, they remind me of a heavy rolls Royce. The only reason the Rolls Royce rode so well is because they were very heavy.
@oconnorsean125 ай бұрын
Ah the good old days! Thank you for sharing your hobby and passion!
@kevbrown18676 ай бұрын
Those interiors sure did make them the best pimpmobiles money could buy
@rovervitesse19856 ай бұрын
Like em but I strongly prefer the Electra and 98. Nearly the same overal length, bit shorter wheelbase but looking so much more sleek and smooth
@MrKinglauro5 ай бұрын
I had a 1976 Fleetwood 60 special that had the optional fuel injection, Trackmaster anti-lock brakes and the air cushion restraint system. It was ordered special for the owner of a local Cadillac dealer and I bought it from him. What a great car it was and I miss it
@kennyclark2846 ай бұрын
I think both sides of our rear fender bumper extensions were illuminated as running lights. The outer served as the side marker lights but both were clearly viewable from the rear as thin vertical strips.
@philipfm6 ай бұрын
I worked for a limo company in the 90’s. They had one that We used to pick up people in Manhattan and bring them to the Hamptons. Humongous trunk.
@jonathanbarron846 ай бұрын
1975 Monticello interior.....i own one....Rosewood Firemist paint....❤....i love my interior....
@steves99056 ай бұрын
I love the mid 70's boats. I have one and when I take people out for a ride the are amazed by the ride. Also love that crazy psychedelic upholstery...would buy the whole car just to get it.
@adamsneidelmann89766 ай бұрын
Rode on one. Buddy’s dad had one. We called it the love boat. 😂
@markcain51686 ай бұрын
Working at Heritage Cadillac in Atlanta in the early 1970s. 20 years old getting to deliver these vehicles from Atlanta to the Miami area. At least 12 times. What a great time. The new Miami turnpike driving overnight. Set cruise control at 90mph.
@brt987train5 ай бұрын
The last car my grandfather bought before he passed away was a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood. The car you have, I remember with the white leather well, almost white interior. Driving that thing was a boat in moderate water waves. But that car interior had plenty of room. Years later, I saw one crushed between 2 tractor-trailers. Guy walked out like nothing happened. The car was crunched, but the interior not a crack.
@dano512226 ай бұрын
Thanks for your hard work. I enjoy your videos so much.
@michaelhilson41956 ай бұрын
Wow my uncle and auntie from Tridelphia WV always drove GM products. She liked Buicks and he liked Caddilacs. One of his Caddilacs was EXACTLY like this one, color hubcaps and everything. He got rear ended buy an 18 wheeler thankfully no one was hurt but he ended up replacing that one with a 76 Seville. Beautiful car.
@gregt86386 ай бұрын
Actually, there were verticle running lamps in the rear fender extensions of these models.. they served as the side marker lights also. ! We love your videos Adam !
@puffkendrick68506 ай бұрын
Yup
@screwthecabal64536 ай бұрын
Some of these things were very innovative at the time. I love it!
@shiftfocus16 ай бұрын
I’ve always liked the way the greenhouse on these recalled the elegant treatment of the greenhouse on the original 60 Special, from 1938. It was a bit of design continuity that had been lost in the intervening years. The filler between front and rear doors on the earlier Fleetwoods was obviously to allow use of the same door skins as the deVilles. I would think that making a longer door skin for the relatively low volume Fleetwood must would have been more expensive. But, that would mean GM would have chosen to make something more expensive…which can’t be true. Therefore, the longer door skins must have been cheaper overall!
@michaelpfaff60096 ай бұрын
There were reading lamps for each rear passenger in the sail pannel.
@marko78435 ай бұрын
Yes, that's where they swiped them for the front door auxiliary lights.
@reglook12 ай бұрын
Had a 76 Fleetwood, I t was 10yrs old when I bought it, still miss it, and yeah best riding car Ever!
@stevenj99706 ай бұрын
Great Video, HUGE 1970's Caddy fan here.......... I still say the BEST stop lights were the big red lantern stop lights only available on the 1973 DeVille and Fleetwoods........my Dad had one - I LOVED it, plus the all the way around inside the steering wheel rubber horn blower, SUCH a great idea.
@jeffshadow24076 ай бұрын
Martin Cadillac (from the license plate frame at 3:46) was located right across the street from the Southwest Leasing main location. I worked at SoWest in Anaheim, California and made several trips to the HQ in 1978 and 1979. The downsized Eldorado and first generation Sevilles were hot sellers then!
@markwoodley7126 ай бұрын
Really like the body colour accent on the wheel covers, forgot about these. A friend's family from high school owned one of these and their garage door was always partially open due to the car's length.
@fmphotooffice55136 ай бұрын
Today driving around some neighborhoods with narrow streets I wonder how these beasts and the big Buicks didn't get stuck in each other's way.
@jamesbosworth419114 күн бұрын
I loved the these cars. I was a in High School when the 71s came out. The only negative is the total lack of gauges other than the gas gauge. The Lincoln offered complete instrumentation as an option and the Imperial, and lesser Chryslers, came standard with nearly complete instrumentation. Only an oil pressure gauge was missing
@jamesfrost52616 ай бұрын
My mom has a 1973 Fleetwood brougham. That same bronze color. Only has 11,000 miles. She can't drive it any more so my brother will drive it to car shows or I will. Very nice car still drives great. The 1973 Fleetwood still only got the 472, the 500 was still only in the Eldorado.
@kennethanway79796 ай бұрын
472 is better by far!
@mikekaplan51706 ай бұрын
Hey Adam, I think the Fleetwood 75 sedan (not the formal with partition) was the largest passenger car 😉 We need a video on those!
@joeriniker82136 ай бұрын
My parents had a '76 Fleetwood Talisman that I grew up driving. On the brake pedal it read 'Trackmaster' which was one of the first forms of anti lock brakes. I have never seen another with that option. I remember that water got in and showed rust just below the back of the vinyl roof which they had redone. Not a ton of power but what a car that was!
@kennethanway79796 ай бұрын
I had a 74 Buick Electra 225...it was huge! I put duals on it, made it breathe better...that 455 would move!
@berkeleyfuller-lewis34426 ай бұрын
Electra -- the mythical Greek goddess who helped her BROTHER murder her own MOTHER. Great "vibes" for a huge wallowing tank of a (killer?) automobile. HA HA HA."
@kennethanway79796 ай бұрын
@@berkeleyfuller-lewis3442 was a good movie also!!!
@MrPoppyDuck6 ай бұрын
My dad had a 76. Was like driving a living room sofa.
@user-qt5cm1qf3mАй бұрын
My all time favorite and most beautiful best Cadillac ever made!!
@adamcampbell87946 ай бұрын
I had a 76 75 series Fleetwood it was fun to drive and effortless acceleration it might not have been fast but it was a blast to drive.
@Cadillac616 ай бұрын
This was the car I (and many others)aspired to own. This was the top of the line anywhere. The ride the interior this was the “grandady caddy! Man what a car! Thanks Adam!
@AlexanderSerrano-gr9kr6 ай бұрын
Holy freaking God! Best car ever made my dream! This is how cars should be ❤❤❤
@uptoolate27936 ай бұрын
I had a 75. That hood ornament was very useful. As long as you could see it, it wasn't raining or snowing too heavy to drive. And as long as you didn't pass it, you weren't too drunk to drive....
@uptoolate27936 ай бұрын
Also get the horse power and gas mileage back by rodding out the ceramic honeycomb in the catalytic converter.
@donaldwilson26206 ай бұрын
My 2020 Honda CR-V has automatic high beams that turn on automatically on dark country roads. It's so amazing that a 1974-76 Cadillac Fleetwood also had that similar feature almost 50 years ago. Cool!
@BXXification4 ай бұрын
My brother was a porter at Cleveland Cadillac during this time and said most of the cars that came in off the trucks had their trunks full of parts to be assembled or installed by the dealership
@budmatto92056 ай бұрын
Great video. The 76 Fleetwood is at the top of my wish list. I loved them with the white leather interior and white top. There were several base colors that were great. I also liked the black with black top and red leather interior. The D'elegance and Talisman interiors were amazing.
@hydorah5 ай бұрын
Fine looking cars. Love classic '70s Pimpmobiles. They look like they were designed by architects rather then vehicle stylists
@darolfitch89176 ай бұрын
I had 74 Coupe Deville And seats were black& white, stripes much like a zebra, it was pretty wild looking. But what a car, I loved it