1978 - 1979 POWER MIRRORS and AUTO DOOR LOCK Rare options on these cars ?

[R Schroeder]

Just wondering how many of you own a 78 or 79 DEVILLE with POWER OUTSIDE MIRRORS and AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS.
 All the shows I have been to , I have never seen these options on the cars.
Roy

[Dave Shepherd]

Back then when I was with Cadillac I seem to remember most of the Devilles had pwr locks, not many pwr  inmirrors though. This was NYC.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I believe Roy is referring to Automatic door locks; power locks were standard equipment at least 1974-up. Cars equipped with Auto door locks would lock the doors when the car was put into gear; unlock when placed in park. Power outside rearview mirrors were optional beginning in the 1979 model year. Once owned a 1979 Fleetwood Brougham with them; have never seen a '79 DeVille with them to date.

Both are quite rare options along with power reclining seats which became available starting in 1977. Have seen a couple of DeVilles/Fleetwood with passenger power recliner only. Have never seen power recliner driver seat on any RWD Cadillac 1977-1989. Have never seen a 1990-1992 Brougham without them.

[Walter Youshock]

Back in college, I found a BEAUTIFUL '78 Brougham d'Elegance in Bethlehem, PA.  It had EVERYTHING--the automatic locks and Security System, dual power recliners, economy indicators, FI, sunroof...  Had the standard cloth interior.  The car was a medium metallic green with a dark green roof.

I sort of remember the locked door or doors would unlock if, say, the front seat passenger exited the car and then it would automatically relock when the door was closed.  Maybe it had something to do with the auto locks and security system combination.  My '91 Brougham doesn't do that, however, I do like the Central door Unlock feature which debuted in '65, ran that year and didn't return until the '90's.  We also had a '77 Chrysler Newport with that feature.

Power recliners were made standard starting in '90 on the Brougham.  Cadillac probably had so many mechanisms left over that it was the best way to burn up the supply.

[R Schroeder]

Eric and I were talking about this on the phone the other day. I was just wondering if anyone had these options on their car.

 Yes , it would be automatic locks , when you drive away. Most cars today have them.
 I do have the power reclining seat on the passenger side.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I sort of remember the locked door or doors would unlock if, say, the front seat passenger exited the car and then it would automatically relock when the door was closed.  Maybe it had something to do with the auto locks and security system combination. 

All doors would relock automatically only if the car remained in gear when all doors were shut after passenger(s) exited. The system operated in the same manner whether or not the car had the Security System option.

*The digital signal seeking radio with 8-Track was available exclusively on the Fleetwood Brougham in 1978.

[Walter Youshock]

I remember it was something like that.  I was going to check the Owner's Manual tonight.  That system was much like the Eldorado Brougham set up.  Far more convenient than having to unlock and relock the car manually.

[joecaristo]

I had a 1979 Coupe DeVille with power outside mirrors. The Drivers side even had the thermometer. I got about 160,000 miles out of that car and the only reason I junked it was the body started to rot away. I did save some parts from it though. I kept the doors with the power mirrors.
Joe

[R Schroeder]

Well, so far Joe is the owner of part of a Cadillac with power mirrors.
Anyone else ?
 Roy

[Guidematic]

 Right out of high schoool I worked in the clean up deft of the local Cadillac dealer. I remember a lot of new '79 Cadillacs coming through with the auto door locks. I think they became an option in the mid 70's, but were not terribly popular until later in the '70's.

 By the mid 80's they were pretty much on every Cadillac. My '84 CDV had them, the power reclining passenger seat. The first Cadillac I had with the power driver's recliner was the '90 Brougham d'Elegance I have now.

 But how many have seen memory seats on early 80's Cadillacs? Aside from the Eldorado Brougham, when did this option become available? I recall seeing only a couple pre-93 Cadillacs with this option.

 Mike

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Well, so far Joe is the owner of part of a Cadillac with power mirrors.
Anyone else ?
 Roy

You're primarily interested in hearing from 78-79 DeVille owners with Auto Locks and/or Power Mirrors (79 only)- is that correct Roy?

[Walter Youshock]

Memory Seat returned for '81.  I have seen a few DevVilles and Broughams with it.

How about the door-mounted seatbelts on the V6 equipped RWD Cadillacs?  I've only seen one of those.

[R Schroeder]

Yep, wanted to know who might have one.  78 or 79
 Roy

[Guidematic]

Memory Seat returned for '81.  I have seen a few DevVilles and Broughams with it.

How about the door-mounted seatbelts on the V6 equipped RWD Cadillacs?  I've only seen one of those.

 Thanks. I have only seen it a couple of times.

 And I have seen but 2 V-6 powered RWD Cadillacs, didn't note the seatbelt location, though. I have those in my '90 Brougham, though.

 Mike

[planetcadillac]

Thanks. I have only seen it a couple of times.

 And I have seen but 2 V-6 powered RWD Cadillacs, didn't note the seatbelt location, though. I have those in my '90 Brougham, though.

 Mike

Power mirrors might be rare for 1979 but they seem to have grown popular quickly after as by the early 80s at least 50% or more of the cars I have seen have them, as does my 83. As a matter of fact, I dare say I have seen far more 79-85 E/K with power mirrors than without. Auto Door Locks never seemed to have caught on until they were standarized in the early 90s by the carmakes as a safety feature. I have only rarely seen that option until the 1990s. The rarest option I have ever seen on a car in person (albeit not a Cadillac) was the spray tire deicer on a 1969 Chevrolet. I once saw a 1985 deVille with a non-split bench seat in red cloth. The auto belts I have never seen but from the tech lit that I have seen were an option on V6 Sedan deVilles only for 1981.

[Barry]

My 76 Bicentennial has the Automatic Door locks which lock when put in gear,and unlock when you pull the inside handle to open the door. Power recliner on passenger seat, manual on Driver's side.

[R Schroeder]

Learning a lot about a few other options here.

 Mainly wondering how many of you have the 78 - 79 Devilles with either of these options.
 Roy

[g27g28]

I have a 1979 Coupe with automatic door locks.  I bought it as a parts car in the 90s sometime for 100.00 not running.  I got it started and drove it around a little but it had a bad freeze plug and they had run it hot so never fixed it.  It's dark green and a d'elegance.  I don't know about other options.  I will look as I am going to OK for Thanksgiving.

[R Schroeder]

Thanks Greg, maybe it was more of an option on the D'elegance.
I was poking around in the wiring diagrams , to see if they had wiring in diagram , for the car. Doesn't seem to be in the 78 wiring. I think Eric told me something about that. 79 only maybe.
  I did see something else though. POWER seat belt retractors. I don't think I have them.
Must have been another option.
 Also found ashtray lights. Have to check my car. Never drove it at night.
Also found a POWER window block out switch. Have to check that too.
Learn something new everyday.
 Roy

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Congrats Roy on your milestone post (1000).

Seat retractors that were power operated you say? Never heard of that one before. Fairly certain there should be lamps in each of the ash tray/lighter units (4). It may interest you to know a buddy has installed power mirrors in his '78 CdV plus a bunch of other goodies as well. He's quite the clever one, I'll say. Probably not more than a few handfuls of folks worldwide wouldn't know p mirrors weren't available on his car. 

Many mistakenly believe d'Elegance meant a Cadillac had every available option but this was not the case. However, equipment level is likely higher given it's a d'E which included additional standard equipment above base- depending on year and model.