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Cadillac’s with the most interior room in your opinion

Started by 64\/54Cadillacking, January 13, 2023, 03:47:43 PM

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64\/54Cadillacking

Quote from: tluke on January 14, 2023, 06:48:33 PMThis mid '50s had lots of space in the back. I had a '55 60 series and not only was the seat tall but the kids could set in the back and stick their legs out and not reach the back of the front seat. My current 75 series of course has even more space before folding out the jump seats. The back floor will sleep an adult comfortably.
To this day I remember my love affair with Cadillac began while visiting friends in Idaho who owned a 4 door 55 Caddy. I remember our whole family of 5 sitting in the back seat going down the 2-lane highway. I was just 5 and was standing up on the floor in the back. It was the first car I had ever seen with electric windows. The whole trip I was just focused on pushing that switch to make the window go down but my mom made it clear I was not to touch it. It was probably 15 yrs later before I finally got to push my first window switch.


Interesting remarks about being a kid and being able to fully stand up on the floor in the back, because the beloved Charles Fares would tell me stories about when he was around 4 or 5 years old, his grandfather owned a '55 Fleetwood, and he would tell me how he could easily fully stand up on the floor and his head wouldn't even touch the headliner. He would even lay down on the floor with a blanket/pillow and sleep when his mom and dad rode with them in the back seat when they would travel long distances.


Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

64\/54Cadillacking

#21
Quote from: James Landi on January 14, 2023, 07:47:58 AM"What I find even more fascinating is how extremely huge the interior is in every dimension in my 54 Fleetwood in comparison to every other Cadillac I have ever owned or have sat in. The legroom and headroom alone is limousine living room size big. But you could say that of even the 62 series and Deville cars which I think have the same interior dimensions as the Fleetwoods. The mid 50's Cadillacs are tall broad shoulders cars, like an offensive or defensive lineman."



An interesting discussion, especially for me, having driven '56 Cadillacs throughout the mid 60's to the  mid 70's. My SDV's (short deck models) looked absolutely ancient thoughout my period of ownership.  In large parking lots full of CARS (no suv's then), finding my '56 SDV was very easy--- the roof was many inches taller than any other car in the lot.... and yes, it was easy to enter, and the couch-like living room seating was all about being comfortable.  Following the 64 model year, Cadillac began designing sedans with higher profiles, and the 69 model year up through the 76 model year was more like my 56 --- designed for comfort and not COMPETITION driving.

The later 60's and into the 70's, Cadillac brought back ease of entry and exiting of their cars, but they were still quite low to the ground. Not 59-64 low, but yes, they were  definitely not as much of a struggle to get in and out of .

I always wondered why Cadillac owners would trade a car that had the perfect height to easily slide into the seats with no bending over to enter the cabin, and interior room for very tall people to sit in complete comfort, to only buy the latest and greatest Caddy models that had less room inside and was harder to get in and out of?

I know styling and of course better performance and the newest features mattered to the Cadillac buyer, but some compromises had to be made along the way.

It reminds of me of how sedans today have a coupe like sloping appearance. This design might look cool and give a sporty appearance, but it seriously detracts from rear seat headroom and visibility.

Which in many ways is why I couldn't stand sitting in the back seat of my '61 Lincoln Continental. The curved C-Pillar and low  roof line, created this cocoon like feeling. That interior had no sense of spaciousness at all. It was cramped and uncomfortable.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

James Landi

"Interesting remarks about being a kid and being able to fully stand up on the floor in the back, because the beloved Charles Fares would tell me stories about when he was around 4 or 5 years old, his grandfather owned a '55 Fleetwood, and he would tell me how he could easily fully stand up on the floor and his head wouldn't even touch the headliner. He would even lie down on the floor with a blanket/pillow and sleep when his mom and dad rode with them in the back seat when they would travel long distances."

When one begins to "drill down" on (styling) form versus function (COMFORT) over the past 40 years, apparently, Cadillac has truly struggled with the public's acceptance of its uneven approach.  While the "drivers' magazine" articles always place Cadillac at the bottom of the "sports sedan" class (until recently), the absurdity of a couple of seconds of acceleration or a car's ability to withstand absurdly stupid driving maneuvers is widely celebrated and promotes sales of cars costing much more and delivering some kind of "odd" status for folks sitting in the same line of traffic as everyone else--- that  600 hp engine idling along with the rest. At some point in my growth and development, I matured to the extent that I fully enjoy the XLR or Allante as  two seater touring cars, and I have NEVER revved the engines above 2,500 rpms.

Lexi

Quote from: James Landi on January 16, 2023, 08:28:45 AMWhen one begins to "drill down" on (styling) form versus function (COMFORT) over the past 40 years, apparently, Cadillac has truly struggled with the public's acceptance of its uneven approach.  While the "drivers' magazine" articles always place Cadillac at the bottom of the "sports sedan" class (until recently), the absurdity of a couple of seconds of acceleration or a car's ability to withstand absurdly stupid driving maneuvers is widely celebrated and promotes sales of cars costing much more and delivering some kind of "odd" status for folks sitting in the same line of traffic as everyone else--- that  600 hp engine idling along with the rest. At some point in my growth and development, I matured to the extent that I fully enjoy the XLR or Allante as  two seater touring cars, and I have NEVER revved the engines above 2,500 rpms.


Well said James. Unless you go to a track you can't legally drive cars on public roads like they are portrayed in advertisements. Sacrificing comfort to attain a performance not really required by most always puzzled me. Then to have their styling cues filter down to even some grocery getters was just plain bizarre. But that is what advertising is generally aiming for; selling people things that arguably they don't really need. Clay/Lexi

64\/54Cadillacking

Was '56 the last year for the tall Cadillacs and massive rear seat leg room? Or was it '58?

I haven't seen or know how the 57-58 Cads look or feel on the inside, but looking at pics, they do look lower than the previous years, but their interiors still look pretty spacious compared to the 59-64 models.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

Lexi

I have seen my '56 Limo parked next to my buddy's '57 Limo and the '56 is noticeably taller. The '56 just has a more "bubbly" rounded design edge to it. I am not sure about leg room inside though. Don't know. The '57s were built on a new style of frame which if memory serves, permitted GM to further lower these cars. Clay/Lexi

64\/54Cadillacking

Quote from: Lexi on January 17, 2023, 07:42:50 PMI have seen my '56 Limo parked next to my buddy's '57 Limo and the '56 is noticeably taller. The '56 just has a more "bubbly" rounded design edge to it. I am not sure about leg room inside though. Don't know. The '57s were built on a new style of frame which if memory serves, permitted GM to further lower these cars. Clay/Lexi

I can definitely see that comparison favoring your limo.

Correcto. The 57's was the first year of the X-frame, for better or worse, the cars were much lower and more sleek and squared off slightly compared to the previous years.

I'm not against the late 50's Cads at all as it might seem, as a matter of fact I actually would love to own a 58 or a 59 Fleetwood/Deville just for the styling alone if I could afford a nice one, but once my '54 is finally able to drive safely and run reliably, and if a few of my friends wanted to go cruise in spacious comfort, I'd take the '54 hands down over any of my other classics. And like you said, the trunks are absolutely massive in these cars, and can easily hold a small bedroom worth of belongings.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

James Landi

Quote from: 64\/54Cadillacking on January 18, 2023, 06:43:31 AMI can definitely see that comparison favoring your limo.

"..., but once my '54 is finally able to drive safely and run reliably, and if a few of my friends wanted to go cruise in spacious comfort....


I especially enjoyed your remark about taking friends for a cruise in 54 (though 56) model years... there's an inherent practicality regarding the high profile, one's ability to enter the car with w/o bending oneself in half, as well as the lovely, well insulated ride. Perhaps  Americans truly want to ride in large suvs for "comfort's sake" --- I recall during the rush to downsize in the late 70's that some folks were purchasing Checker cabs for that reason.

cadillacmike68

#28
Quote from: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on January 13, 2023, 04:15:30 PMIt would surprise many people to know how little legroom there is in Cadillacs of the '50s through '76 despite their massive exterior proportions. They would be even more surprised to learn that in many cases, interior room actually increased when the cars started becoming smaller on the outside.

That's because they started counting the area under the back of the front seat as rear seat legroom.

The front seat legroom was also compromised after 1976 by pushing the floor area forward and you no longer have that large flat front seat footwell area of the 1965-1976 RWDs. The FWDs still had the large flat front footwells; I had a couple mid 90s full size FWDs and their front seat footwells reminded me of the 1976 & earlier footwells. Even El Dorados up to their end had wide flat front footwells, although for only two people because of the large center console that went all the way up the floor to the dash.

For me the 1965-1976 Fleetwood 60 Special, & Brougham had the most spacious interior of any non limousine car built. Flip up those rear footrests and the tallest NBA players could stretch all the way out.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

64\/54Cadillacking

Quote from: James Landi on January 18, 2023, 07:50:16 AMI especially enjoyed your remark about taking friends for a cruise in 54 (though 56) model years... there's an inherent practicality regarding the high profile, one's ability to enter the car with w/o bending oneself in half, as well as the lovely, well insulated ride. Perhaps  Americans truly want to ride in large suvs for "comfort's sake" --- I recall during the rush to downsize in the late 70's that some folks were purchasing Checker cabs for that reason.

Exactly. I always wondered how all the older ladies and gentlemen of an advanced age with physical health issues, were able to handle the change from being able to slide right into their older Caddy's, to all of sudden having to crouch down into the lower profile Cads that came later?



Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

64\/54Cadillacking

Quote from: cadillacmike68 on January 19, 2023, 02:22:28 AMThat's because they started counting the area under the back of the front seat as rear seat legroom.

The front seat legroom was also compromised after 1976 by pushing the floor area forward and you no longer have that large flat front seat footwell area of the 1965-1976 RWDs. The FWDs still had the large flat front footwells; I had a couple mid 90s full size FWDs and their front seat footwells reminded me of the 1976 & earlier footwells. Even El Dorados up to their end had wide flat front footwells, although for only two people because of the large center console that went all the way up the floor to the dash.

For me the 1965-1976 Fleetwood 60 Special, & Brougham had the most spacious interior of any non limousine car built. Flip up those rear footrests and the tallest NBA players could stretch all the way out.

It's possible that the 65-76 Fleetwoods had slightly more legroom than the 54-56 Fleetwoods, but as far as the overall spaciousness, such as headroom, visibility, hip room, it's hard to beat the older 54-56's. Although I would love to own a '66 Fleetwood Brougham with the pull down trays in the back. Those cars are absolutely amazing and gives a feeling of someone of high importance owns the car. The '66 Fleetwood Bro was probably the best Fleetwood made in terms of having it all with luxury appointments, quality of materials, and features of the 1965-76 model years.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Quote from: cadillacmike68 on January 19, 2023, 02:22:28 AMThat's because they started counting the area under the back of the front seat as rear seat legroom.

Unless there's official documentation of this I don't buy it. For whatever it's worth I recently rode in the back of a '76 Brougham and the rear seat legroom isn't at all what I would've expected it to be. 
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

scotth3886

Quote from: 64\/54Cadillacking on January 19, 2023, 08:39:00 AMIt's possible that the 65-76 Fleetwoods had slightly more legroom than the 54-56 Fleetwoods, but as far as the overall spaciousness, such as headroom, visibility, hip room, it's hard to beat the older 54-56's. Although I would love to own a '66 Fleetwood Brougham with the pull down trays in the back. Those cars are absolutely amazing and gives a feeling of someone of high importance owns the car. The '66 Fleetwood Bro was probably the best Fleetwood made in terms of having it all with luxury appointments, quality of materials, and features of the 1965-76 model years.

I had a friend who was heavy enough and with knee plus other health problems that he couldn't get in the front of my 66 Fleetwood but could slide right into the back because of the longer doors and more legroom.  And I say 'had' because he passed away last year due to complications of diabetes, heart and covid.

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Starting back in 1936, when GM went to "A","B," & "C" Bodies, the designers had to either stretch seat measurements via padding, etc, or tighten the fabric covering to increase or decrease seat measurements so that they could say a Pontiac had more "room" in the front/back seating areas than a Chevrolet. Ditto for Buick/LaSalle/Cadillac.

Hey, half an inch is a half an inch... They could also make the seat framework & springs slightly different to get more headroom.

They didn't want to pass up having identical bolt holes for seat attachments in the floor pans, so they had to invent new ways of measuring while still "telling the truth."
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

Mike Shawgo

Hi everyone,

Interesting post!  I can only speak to "newer" Cadillacs of the 70s - 90s.

I have owned 78-79, 84-85, and now a 93 Seville. As you might expect, the 78-79 Sevilles were pretty tight in the back seat.  The 84-85 Sevilles were a little roomier in the back. But to my surprise, the 93 Seville has noticeably more room in the back seat than the previous Sevilles, although they are still quite low to the ground, and a bit difficult to get out of from the back seat (and certainly not as stylish of course).

I have also owned 70s Eldorados, which were a little tight in the back seat leg room, but they were wide enough to seat 4 in a pinch--and no floor hump!

I also owned an 89 Brougham, which also had good width in the back, but could be a little tight with the leg room. When I later bought a 92 Sedan Deville, I was amazed by the amount of leg room in the back seat! I think they had the most spacious rear seat areas of any Cadillac from the 1980s and up. Not only that, but the front passenger seat could be moved forward so far that if you needed to haul something large, there would be a huge amount of room in the back on the passenger side.  This was the only Cadillac I remember owning where I didn't feel the need to move the front seats forward a bit if I had rear seat passengers.

Mike
#20545

64\/54Cadillacking

#35
Quote from: Mike Shawgo on January 23, 2023, 02:40:13 PMHi everyone,

Interesting post!  I can only speak to "newer" Cadillacs of the 70s - 90s.

I have owned 78-79, 84-85, and now a 93 Seville. As you might expect, the 78-79 Sevilles were pretty tight in the back seat.  The 84-85 Sevilles were a little roomier in the back. But to my surprise, the 93 Seville has noticeably more room in the back seat than the previous Sevilles, although they are still quite low to the ground, and a bit difficult to get out of from the back seat (and certainly not as stylish of course).

I have also owned 70s Eldorados, which were a little tight in the back seat leg room, but they were wide enough to seat 4 in a pinch--and no floor hump!

I also owned an 89 Brougham, which also had good width in the back, but could be a little tight with the leg room. When I later bought a 92 Sedan Deville, I was amazed by the amount of leg room in the back seat! I think they had the most spacious rear seat areas of any Cadillac from the 1980s and up. Not only that, but the front passenger seat could be moved forward so far that if you needed to haul something large, there would be a huge amount of room in the back on the passenger side.  This was the only Cadillac I remember owning where I didn't feel the need to move the front seats forward a bit if I had rear seat passengers.

Mike
#20545



I completely agree with you. To my surprise, the FWD Sedan Devilles and Fleetwoods had a ton of rear seat leg room. Much more than my 87 Brougham and 94 Fleetwood Brougham.

For being such a small car with a short wheelbase, and overall length, Cadillac engineers really focused on interior room in those smaller Caddy's and did an excellent job at it.. Even the headroom was really good.

I think Cadillac for whatever reason didn't utilize the interior space as effectively in the next generation FWD Devilles that came in 1993 or was it 94 like they did with the previous gen. Because they didn't feel as spacious as the prior years.

Plus the floor was really flat on the 80's-92  FWD Devilles and Fleetwoods that made sitting in the middle seat not an issue as there was no transmission tunnel hump.
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

jwwseville60

My 1960 Seville coupe has great room because I had the seat moved back 3 inches. Now its a 3-seater, which is fine with me.
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

64\/54Cadillacking

Quote from: jwwseville60 on January 31, 2023, 01:51:32 PMMy 1960 Seville coupe has great room because I had the seat moved back 3 inches. Now its a 3-seater, which is fine with me.

 ;D
Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞