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1968, Fond Memories

Started by billyoung, February 16, 2023, 07:32:23 AM

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billyoung

Although I Love all old Cadillac's My favorite of favorites is the 1968 and especially the DeVille Convertible. I treasure my memories of my Mother who on her 49th birthday October 7th. 1969 bought a lightly used 1968 Cadillac DeVille convertible in code 30 Silverpine Green with a code 382 Sandalwood interior and a code 6 Sandalwood top. Climate control, Tilt and Telescope wheel, six way seat, am/fm radio and controlled differential. She owned the car in Rochester New York till the spring of 1973 when she traded for a used 1971 Eldorado convertible. We spent many precious hours driving in that car where she shared her life with me. She has been gone now since 1991, I am now 68 and a day does not go by that I don't miss her. I am currently attempting to get my '68 repaired and repainted in the correct code 48 San Mateo red and new code 1 white top. Limited budget being what it is, stay tuned.
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

billyoung

Some photos. I have been working on the interior since these were taken. I have replaced the wood on the dash and repainted the black surround. I next will tackle the dash top and the steering wheel. Unusual, definitely an ordered car Climate Control, Am/Fm Stereo, Six way seat and Twilight Sentinel and nothing else. Assembled 1st. week of October 1967. Body no. 2401 of 18,025 convertibles built for the year.
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

jwwseville60

I like the recessed logo on the steering wheel in 67-68. Nice touch.
1960 Eldorado Seville, Copper, "IKE"
1961 CDV, gold, "Goldfinger"
1964 Eldorado, Turquoise, "Billy the Squid"
1963 De Ville Station Wagon Vista roof, silver blue, "Race Bannon"
1963 Fleetwood 60S, turquoise, "The Miami Special"
1959 Sedan Deville flat top, tan, "Jupiter-2"
1947 Caddy Sedanette 62, black, "Johnny Cash"
1970 ASC Fleetwood wagon, dark blue, "Iron Maiden"
Lifetime CLC

billyoung

I Love the 1967, '68 steering wheel also. The recessed area had the crest on the Calais and DeVille models and in addition added the Wreath on the Fleetwood models.
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

James Landi

Bill,

Thank you for sharing your deeply felt personal narrative about you, your mom,and her Cadillacs. Folks of our parents' generation, who survived real poverty during the Great depression, and privation and tragedy through WW2, were rewarded with boom times through the 50's and 60's with amazing economic national growth and dramatic growth in their standard of living. Owning a Cadillac was an "emotional high" for my parents, too. And every time we used that car, (and only on occasions) those outings were celebratory and the emotional impact on our young lives was writ large in our growth and development. Reconnecting with those golden moments with your mom by way of your present project affirms and validates your humanity and your deep and enduring connection with the past.  James

billyoung

Well spoken James. My Mother spent the first 5 years of her life in an orphanage in Manhattan, she was born in queens in 1921. What was your parents Cadillac that you referred to ?
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

James Landi

I was raised in Edgewater, New jersey-- a town on the Hudson River with nearly a dozen heavy industries that, for the most part, polluted and churned out war time and post war manufactured products. My father, raised in NYC's "hell's kitchen" worked as a laborer for ALCOA, and in the evenings attended law school. By the mid 50's, I could discern  much brighter emotional attitudes from my mom and dad after he successfully passed the bar exam. He was driving his father-in-law's 1940's Oldsmobile, and one warm spring day in 1956, he surprised us when he came home with a short deck '56 SDV with a/c. I vividly recall the first drive...my mother who was embarrassed  by our ""old Shellelagh," could not have been more pleased by this midnight blue stately machine, with a glorious interior. As a ten year old, I was entirely hooked on Cadillacs-- in part because, as you stated, the emotional attachment to my parents' overwhelming joy is lasting.    Thanks for asking,  James