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Can anyone give me more information on "Patriot Edition"?

Started by d307p, February 24, 2012, 08:48:00 PM

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d307p

I'm hoping someone can give me some information on my car.  I have a 1983 Coupe Deville Patriot Edition.  I heard there is a man in York, PA that has a Patriot that is a different color and I saw one for sale on the internet, but I can not get any information on what the Patriot Edition was.  Was it a factory option, dealer option?  My trim plate on the fire wall is blank for colors and I have been told that that means it was a factory custom job.

I was at Dave Forry's garage the other day in Manheim, PA, where I have my Cadillac's serviced and repaired (Dave is a great guy and member of CLC and Central Penn CLC).  While there, I met Richard Sills, another Cadillac guru that suggested maybe someone out there could give me a little more information.

The car was originally owned by a man from the Lansdale, PA area and second owner was a neighbor to him that moved to Lehigh County.  I purchased the car from him in November 2011.










Dave Presto CLC#27070
Mount Joy, PA
1977 Coupe Deville
1989 Brougham Monarch Firemist
2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
2012 Durango Citadel (Wife's)

marc

Can't give you any info on the Patriot, but that is a beautiful car - love the interior eecislly!
Marc Cohen CLC #21125

Alan Harris CLC#1513

I lived in the Philadelphia area for many years. These cars were special trim package edition cars that were packaged and promoted by the local dealers. There was also a Liberty Edition. I think that that was a few years after your car.

I also recall a St. Moritz. That was a 70's Calais with upgraded features and trim.

C.R. Patton II

Hello Dave

That is a real beauty you have. Can I offer a couple of suggestions. Did you obtain the build sheet from GM Archives? You may also want to contact CLC Museum Board Officer Tim Pawl. He has been very successful at conducting automobile research.
All good men own a Cadillac but great gentlemen drive a LaSalle. That is the consequence of success.

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

I think I saw your car at Hershey- either last year or the year before- at any rate it was a PA registered car at the time. I've never seen one before that. Hard to say whether the car was a dealer concoction or factory issue.

If this is of any help- this much I know:

The color is not a standard 1983 color- it appears to be 1977 "Jennifer Blue", code 24.

In my experience, factory installed "Roadster" roofs were done by ASC of California which did not have (non-functional) snaps along the top beltline trim moulding. Cars with roadster roofs that had boot snaps were almost always done aftermarket.

Thirdly, I have seen similar "Patriot" nameplates used on other GM cars- usually on Buick Regals. 
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

d307p

Mine has the snaps along the lower trim of the top.  I was very fortunate to find this car that the 2 previous owners took very good care of it.
Dave Presto CLC#27070
Mount Joy, PA
1977 Coupe Deville
1989 Brougham Monarch Firemist
2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
2012 Durango Citadel (Wife's)

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Perhaps the dealer special ordered the color and no vinyl top then subsequently had the roof installed. That only leaves the question of who did the blue piping on the seats. Perhaps if you get lucky, you might be able to trace the original selling dealership who might have more info. Maybe even find an old timer who once/still even worked/works there.

The car I saw at Hershey was extremely clean as I recall and made a special point of looking it over. For some reason I seem to remember the pinstripe as being two-tone red/white- not all white as your's is so it may be a different car.

Also note the body side moulding is white rather than matched to the lower body color as was normally the case. That would make sense since the factory wouldn't have had Jennifer Blue mouldings- not being an '83 color.

*Also just noticed- the leather steering wheel trim was aftermarket installed.
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

Davidinhartford

I remember seeing some "Patriot" editions done up around here in New England too.   It was a dealer made package.   The roadster top was aftermarket.      What is more interesting is the special order colour.    The contrasting piping on the seats was a special order touch as well.   

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

Davidinhartford

Quote from: ericdev on February 26, 2012, 02:03:28 PM
Could contrasting piping be factory ordered then?

I don't have any ordering books from the 1980s, but in the 1970s you could indeed order the piping in any color.   They referred to them as "Laces".
Below is a page from the 1975 ordering book.    So it is plausible that you could still special order this way on later years.  I doubt you could today though.