...can we talk about Cadillacs for a minute...

Alright guys...I want to open some dialogue on 80's Cadillacs!

I am not going to lie....they are hands down some of my favorite cars, and with so many changes at different times...to me it was some of the best crafted models ever produced....

SO....whats your favorite model. What was some of the options that may have caught your eye (they seemed almost infinite in this generation). Show me some stuff that maybe I missed!

http://www.mcsmk8.com/81-FLTWD/81-FLTWD.HTM

My dream car right there....

^Matt Garrett has an insane, revolving collection of cars that most people wouldn't think of preserving. I believe I've posted it before but if people have the time you really need to peruse what's on that site.

The car you posted is my favorite of the 80s ones, really. I like the 77-79 ones too, but the 1980 and newer just seem to have cleaner lines to me. That is an '81, so it's really the last of the cars worth buying if you don't want to deal with the horror of an HT4100, and want a coupe. Mine was an '80, and a CDV, that same color inside and out, but the Deville had the different more standard vinyl padded door panels and different seats. The dash was all the same though. That 6.0 liter was the last real Cadillac "big-block" engine...it was basically a debored or destroked (I forget) 425, which was a 472 and 500 before that.

As evidenced by those pictures, there really is no bad angle to those cars. I like my 74 Impala, but from some angles I don't like it so much. Those Caddys are just a good looking car from every vantage point. Sharp. I want another one really bad.

I loved the ringing bell sound of the seatbelt reminder chime that these things had. If you listen closely in the scene in Goodfellas when Henry Hill is backing out of his driveway in the 1979 Phaeton coupe, you can hear that noise in the background after he starts the car. Also liked the little turn signal indicators on the tips of the fenders, and the little LEDs above the back window that let you know if you had a burned out taillight. Even if one bulb was out, the little LED would be dimmer to let you know it happened.

Also may have posted this before, but if not, it's a good read to those worried about the 8-6-4 engine, which isn't really even a bad drivetrain, when the HT4100 is the real ticking time bomb...lol

http://www.mcsmk8.com/8-6-4/8-6-4.HTM

Honestly unless you specifically want a coupe, go with a 89-92 (or better yet a 90-92)
They have the better looking front clip and the chevy v8's.
I like:
- the euro tail lights
- the hidden warning lights "behind" the woodgrain
- and the less hassle with engine issues

Mine was an 89 with the 90-92 clip added and all the reflectors shaved.



Rear reflectors shaved and skirt extensions

My Fleetwood has the fender mounted turn signal/headlight/brights indicator and the one above the rear window too.

I was gonna suggest the Euro nose ones too...I don't think they actually look better, but I personally like them better.

When the composite headlights came out in 1990, the standard engine was still the 307 while the TBI 350 was installed if you got the tow package...in 1991, they started putting the TBI 305s in them because it was just easier, plus the 307 powered boxy Caprice and Olds wagons were no longer made...something to be careful of if you're scanning CL for the updated nose.

I think the TBI Chevy powered Caddys are just great, they're pretty much as reliable as a TBI Caprice and you can't find a much better looking car built around the drivetrain, lol.

I have heard several times to avoid 1988 models because of some quality control problem with the 307s that year, but I don't know how specific or true that was.

The 80's/90's rwd fleets all have the fiber optic head/tail indicators.

Matt it doesn't matter what engine is in the damn car. We're talkin about Brandon here. It's gonna get an Ls motor anyway.
90-92 header panel doesn't have the really boxy lookin corners or the "ghey orange turn signals"
It's just better lines in my opinion. The 90-92 tails do NOT interchange with the 80-89 without modification. But they are awesome,

Ironfistdog wrote:

The 80's/90's rwd fleets all have the fiber optic head/tail indicators.

Matt it doesn't matter what engine is in the damn car. We're talkin about Brandon here. It's gonna get an Ls motor anyway.
90-92 header panel doesn't have the really boxy lookin corners or the "ghey orange turn signals"
It's just better lines in my opinion. The 90-92 tails do NOT interchange with the 80-89 without modification. But they are awesome,

True, but that's not what forums are about- what if someone in 2014 googles about what to look for in buying one of these, and wants to drive it for a while first, then sees this thread? Also, If you buy an HT4100 powered car, you could probably get away with dropping another engine that fit the bellhousing in there, but the transmissions coupled to them were weak, along with the rearends apparently. My '80 had a TH400 in it.

I know the had the indicators on even the newer ones, I'm just saying I dug the borderline tackiness of them. Shit like that is why I want a '76 Electra with the speed alarm on the instrument cluster.

Ironfistdog wrote:

it doesn't matter what engine is in the damn car. We're talkin about Brandon here. It's gonna get an Ls motor anyway.

Dude...I laughed out loud when I read that! haha

I am pretty set on getting a clean clean coupe some day and doing some type of economical swap for driver purposes. The Caprice is too far down the race car lane to go backwards now, and I really want a clean classy driver that floats down the road, but moves out.


I wouldn't be opposed to a 90-92 4 door if one feel in my lap for decent money....but I just feel like if I had a four door, I would want to hire someone to drive me around because the rear seats look so damn comfortable LOL

Bowtiepimp had his 91 listed here for $1000. I've see it it's CLEAN!
I think the interior is out of it still but it's nice. Needs a rear window.
The front is just as comfy as the back.

I only say Ls engine for fuel efficiency and to simplify things. A 5.3 or 4.8 HAS to be better than anything from the 80's on fuel!

I know where there's a grey 80's one with 19,000 miles for sale if you'd take an older 4 door.

Ironfistdog wrote:

Bowtiepimp had his 91 listed here for $1000. I've see it it's CLEAN!
I think the interior is out of it still but it's nice. Needs a rear window.
The front is just as comfy as the back.

I only say Ls engine for fuel efficiency and to simplify things. A 5.3 or 4.8 HAS to be better than anything from the 80's on fuel!

I know where there's a grey 80's one with 19,000 miles for sale if you'd take an older 4 door.

I am guessing big money for the 19k mile one?

I would consider anything for the right price if the quality is there. They were all very similar in design and I am not entirely partial to one model over the others.

bfurches wrote:

Ironfistdog wrote:

it doesn't matter what engine is in the damn car. We're talkin about Brandon here. It's gonna get an Ls motor anyway.

Dude...I laughed out loud when I read that! haha

I am pretty set on getting a clean clean coupe some day and doing some type of economical swap for driver purposes. The Caprice is too far down the race car lane to go backwards now, and I really want a clean classy driver that floats down the road, but moves out.


I wouldn't be opposed to a 90-92 4 door if one feel in my lap for decent money....but I just feel like if I had a four door, I would want to hire someone to drive me around because the rear seats look so damn comfortable LOL

The 90-92 FWB is the way to go. It has the right minor details and over all seem's like a better built vehicle. Ive owned 3 87' FWB with 307 olds in them, nice ride, but a fat kid heading to a the buffet was faster. , plus I remember spending more time tuning and maintaining the 87's vs my 91.

When I finally gave up on the 307 FWB and bought a 305 TBI 91 FWB I was in heaven, I could finally lay rubber. Thought I was the man to one day after work I left the shop following a fellow Badass whore We lit them up side by side, mine was all stock, his was not With in seconds he got about 10 car lengths ahead. Caught up to him on RT 3 during 5 o'clock traffic, doing 80mph past everybody in 2 of the cleanest rust free 91 FWB in NH. His 91 FWB had the same motor, but he had SS wheels, exhaust, changed timing, and minor tweaking he still keeps secret

Go with one of these and you'll be happy, you can get the added power you want for cheap, even cheaper cause most is minor BS stuff you already know how to do. Add a posi, exhaust, headers , tweak it and ride out.

^One of my vivid childhood memories was going to the 1991 auto show at the Bayside Expo center.
At the Cadillac display, they had one just like Chris has there, it was the D'Elegance package with the white leather seats and door panels but the red dash, carpet, seatbelts, etc...I remember all the buttons in the seats...as me and my brother were jumping up and down on the back seat and my dad was behind the wheel saying something like "I should have one of these here"...

That thing was so awesome, it was like a big piece of candy with wheels. I remember it had those "ROYAL SEAL" tires with the gold stripe and everything. I still have the dealer brochure from that day! I'm just glad I got to sit in a brand new one of those...and then jump on the seats.

Seriously consider the TBI ones. While I loved that 1980 model, the 90-92 really would be such a better daily driver.

Matt Trakker wrote:

^One of my vivid childhood memories was going to the 1991 auto show at the Bayside Expo center.
At the Cadillac display, they had one just like Chris has there, it was the D'Elegance package with the white leather seats and door panels but the red dash, carpet, seatbelts, etc...I remember all the buttons in the seats...as me and my brother were jumping up and down on the back seat and my dad was behind the wheel saying something like "I should have one of these here"...

That thing was so awesome, it was like a big piece of candy with wheels. I remember it had those "ROYAL SEAL" tires with the gold stripe and everything. I still have the dealer brochure from that day! I'm just glad I got to sit in a brand new one of those...and then jump on the seats.

Seriously consider the TBI ones. While I loved that 1980 model, the 90-92 really would be such a better daily driver.

Any way you could get some photos of the sales brochure up for me?

...and Mr. Pimp.....any more pics of your brougham?

I'd have to dig it out, but this is the most memorable part of it for me.

Love those royal seal tires. Like a reverse vogue.

GasTT wrote:

Love those royal seal tires. Like a reverse vogue.

those and the double white walls, ...... I love the fact that a set of clean factory wire wheels are worth more than a complete car.

Miss my '91 the most out of all the cars I've sold (and you don't have to have whitewalls )

Hands down the most reliable & comfortable car I've ever owned

^^^^^ That FWB was the cleanest Ive ever seen in New England as a daily driver, even nicer than my florida FWB I just bought.

The only pic I can find of mine when it was flaw less is the one I used in my sig. Just picture those two badass machines racing out the caddy dealership. I want to say it was around 2005 -2006.

Like he said, the most reliable big body to own, all work I did was preventative, not cause sh*t was broke. My caddy has been off the road for almost 5 years now. I tinkered with it a few months ago, but it wouldn't idle right. I went out today put the battery in it, it fired up and stayed at idle
I'm thinking a new coolant temp sensor and it will be fine. I love the LT1 FWB, but they can not stand up to a 90-92 FWB reliability.

You can get white walls in a Michelin energy lx4 in a 225 60 17 for ss wheels