Cadillac DeVille 1985 to 2005 including: 1985-1992 Fleetwood, 1993 Sixty Special, All FWD ForumForum for discussions regarding the front wheel drive 1985 to 2005 DeVille, 1985-1992 Fleetwood and 1993 Sixty Special.
I have a question about '99s. Some came with 6 bolt wheels while others came with 5 bolts. Anybody know the other differences between 5 and 6 bolt cars?
I know the answer.
The 98s' were all built on the Cadillac heavy duty coachbuilder underpinnings, and recieved the 6 bolt wheels among many other items. Many buyers complained that their cars did not ride "like a Caddy", and were stiff & unforgiving. So, for '99 they built them on the regular chassis, however they continued to offer the Cadillac installed "Coachbuilder's Package" as a NO CHARGE "option" ...
SOME (this indicates not a total listing) ... but SOME of the items in the Coachbuilder's Pkg. were the heavy duty 6-bolt wheels, heavy duty chassis, heavy duty braking, heavy duty radiator and heavy duty cooling system, sintered metallic brake linngs -rear, heavy duty power window motors, firmer shocks and heavy duty suspension, heavy duty turn signal switch, and more.... They can be spotted by the different wheels. Otherwise, no visual cues.
Cars with 6-bolt wheels were built on the V4U/B9Q "commercial" chassis, and the ones with 5-bolt wheels were built on the W20 "livery" chassis. There is a world of difference between the two but the main reasons for using the lesser W20 chassis were:
1. Cost (the W20 chassis is MUCH cheaper and doesn't force the customer to pay the dreaded "gas-guzzler" tax.
2. Ride quality (the W20 car is designed to be driven "as is", whereas the others are designed to have a lot of weight added to them, hence the extra heavy-duty components)
3. The cost of repairs on the commercial chassis cars is much higher and appearance upgrades such as wheels are virtually non-existent.
Add mine to the anomoly section, then - my '97 came with the coachbuilders pkg (heavyduty everything, as per thebuild sheet) yet has 5 bolt wheels,,,,,
That means that your Uncle ORDERED the car from a dealer and then it got sent to the conversion company, RATHER than being a "pool car" in an assigned pool.
You're REALLY testing my memory here!
As far as I recall, the Fleetwood Limited first appeared in 1998, so if there's somebody claiming to have a '97, chances are the car is just a standard Deville with some badges.
The issue of what "specific" model gets used for a limo conversion has nothing to do with what the customer wants unless he or she wants to go with what's basically considered a "bandit car".
Both Cadillac and Lincoln have specific programs that are committed to the professional vehicle market. To this end they both developed programs that were aimed at controlling what cars got converted by coachbuilders. The reason for doing this was mainly to be able to exercise at least SOME control over end product safety. Lincoln has the QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier)program, and Cadillac has the CMC (Cadillac Master Coachbuilder) program. These groups are made up of people who "specialize" in professional vehicles and have been charged with making sure that anyone who converts their respective base cars into limousines, does so along strict guidlines developed by the OEMs (in this case GM and FORD). In order to get the properly developed chassis, technical support and warranty coverage, coachbuilders must be certified by the OEMs. The OEM sends people out on a continuous basis to monitor the coachbuilders and make sure they maintain certain levels of quality control and overall build quality.
If for some reason, let's say a customer wants a certain vehicle stretched that is NOT offered by the OEM under their respective coachbuilder program. That customer will have to go to a coachbuilder that is NOT a certified one and risk having a car that is not only most likely unsafe but is without factory support of any kind. THESE are the "bandit cars". Personally, I wouldn't even get in a car built by a NON-certified coachbuilder. I've seen the differences up close and believe me they CAN be down right scary!
Im not sure how it was done, i do know that it was already stretched when it arrived in the UK, i also know that he bought two Lincolns that are the same. One he kept as a standard wheelbase for use as a discreet limousine, and he had one "super stretched" This, as far as i can see is a good quality conversion. I havent looked closely, but it semms to have been done well,
I am unsure of how the other cars were converted, but they are all "executive" series cars.
I doubt he would risk his business on buying a poorly converted and unsafe car though....
