Test Drive Review......1973 Cadillac Coupe deVille!!!

[David5865]

Love the reviews. I can compare a previous '76 Fleetwood and my recent '76 Lincoln Continental Mark IV with my current '73 Coupe DeVille. The Caddy's drive similar and I much prefer them to the Mark IV. This '73 is my favorite so far. Perhaps because she's all original and everything works with less than 20K original miles. Talk about a time capsule, she's like stepping back in time. Anyone know where I can find an online picture of a '73 Caddy original window sticker? I found a blank reproduction and want to fill it out, modeling it after one that is already printed so as to have it look as original as possible.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

So the full size Cadillacs drive "smaller" than the personal sized Lincoln? Interesting...

Go on....

[David5865]

No, I'm not saying the full sized Caddy's drive better than personal sized Lincolns. I was saying that my '73 and '76 Caddy's drive similar to each other, but that overall, I prefer my Caddy's to the Lincoln I had, that's all. But the '76 Mark IV that I had and recently gave away was too much of a project car to really enjoy.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Oh, sorry, I misread what you posted. I LOVE the Mark IV's...the way the look, their interiors, the easily modifiable and well known 460 V-8, etc etc, but I always heard that the Lincolns felt boatier and less connected than the Cadillacs did, which would mean that I'd rather own the Cadillac in the long run..

[David5865]

Well, in comparing the big Caddy's and Lincoln coupes ('76 and earlier) the Caddy's have a much longer wheelbase and so are more comfortable, but yes, the Lincolns ride more pillow-like. The Caddy's, to me, feel more connected to the road, but not in a way to suggest they don't ride well, they do - very luxuriously. I too, love the look of the Mark IV compared to the Caddy. The Mark IV looked more like it's own car and not a remake of a Torino. The Caddy on the other hand looks typical GM, like a Buick or Pontiac that has been rebadged, but I agree with you that I still prefer the Caddy. I find it more reliable as well. I had a '76 Fleetwood with the 500 engine and wished I never sold it. On the highway, it got 18 mpg and was the "grand dame" of American luxury of it's day. In fact, nothing rides as well ever since. It's all about the wheelbase which was 133. My '73 Coupe rides on 131, pretty close to the same ride quality. I think, but am not sure, that the Mark IV was around 124 inches. So, the Caddy has a much more accomodating rear seat. Plus being a hard top coupe, with the windows down, it's much easier to get into than the Mark IV.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

I agree entirely. The Lincolns felt and looked much more seperate from corporate Ford than the Cadillacs did with GM.

[DopeStar 156]

Just did the front brakes on my 76 Coupe and it stops much better than it used to which is impressive for a car of that size......

[77CDV]

^Funny how that happens....

[HAZZARDJOHN]

Originally Posted by DopeStar 156

Just did the front brakes on my 76 Coupe and it stops much better than it used to which is impressive for a car of that size......

Really? My brakes have been better than my tires for the ten year I have owned it. Any more than normal braking and the tires lock up. It is embarrassing sometimes. I was at a store and a car started to back up with no lights, I hit the brakes a little more aggressive than normal and squeal the tires like a pig. Everyone looked at me like I was some jerk or something. It has happened a few times to me.

~HJ

[77CDV]

Sounds like they're a bit too tight, John.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

My Astro does the same thing. It's really annoying. When you say "it's too tight", I assume you mean the rear drums, right?

[HAZZARDJOHN]

Originally Posted by 77CDV

Sounds like they're a bit too tight, John.

How are front disk brakes that are over 20 years old too tight? (I have a receipt from 1987 when the brakes wer last done, they are still like new though) serious question. I didn't know you could make them tighter than stock. I just think the tires are not able to hold back the 5000# car

[77CDV]

Chad's on the right track. It's usually the rear drums that lock up. When I had the brakes on my '69 done as part of the grand mechanical refresh, they were touchy as hell, the rears would lock up at the mildest tap of the pedal. A minor adjustment to the cylinders corrected that. Now, my '77 once did the same thing, but that was because one of the rear cylinders was leaking.

[HAZZARDJOHN]

Oh I see, it is my fronts that lock up. Not the rears.