[Night Wolf]

talking about DeVille vs. Brougham here.

So I have a '79 Sedan. My mother has had an '89 Brougham for about 8 years now, I learned how to drive on that. Her finace' has an '87 Brougham... both cars in kinda rough shape by now.

But every time I see an 80's Brougham, I can't help but....well..... wish I had one instead of the '79, don't get me wrong, the '79 is a hellova car.... but I dunno....

Firstly, the roof line, the 80's is much more squared off, I like that, then the other main factor is the quarter panels... on the '79 they are angled down too much, makes it look chopped off... the 80's look more in proportion.

Then the back end, I like the 80's trunk lid better, and the tail lights are bigger... though the tail lights of the '79 are nice too.

Then the front end.... this is what I like most about the '79, I like the lower grilles in the bumper, and the generation design.... but I just like the 80's better, with its bigger grille, and bumper that goes lower for the grille, along with the smaller header panel up top... all this adds to the effect that when you see a Brougham coming at you... fast or slow... it gives it a demanding but graceful look.

Not to mention the Brougham also had the very cool chrome rocker/lower edge stripes... now I know the '79 Fleetwood had those, but the DeVille did not (I would like them someday)

then the interior... kinda the same, but the '89 had much better wood pattern (which I changed) but the dash, radio and climate control was better... though over 10 years they both changed alot.

What I like most about the '79, and where it excels far ahead of the '89 is the enigne and while drivetrain. With the 425, it makes it a whole bunch faster and more powerful then the 307. The TH400 is far better then the 200R4, and the 8.5" 10-bolt rear is stronger then the 7.5" on the Brougham... though they never seem to be a problem. Lack of computer and alot of extra electronic stuff helps with me liking the '79 more as well.

Oh yeah, the Brougham also has the chrome going down the side of the hood and doors and to the rear window etc.... IMO all that makes the car look better.

I gotta say though, the '79 is nice because it has the classic Cadillac style, looks like the 80's Brougham, shares the same exact interrior, so you can easily swap and mix and match (as I have done) but has a worthy power plant, as well as lots of 70's styling, so it looks like the 80's Brougham, but isn't.... it is a different era which is cool.

So I was wondering, between the 2, which do y'all like better and why? anything you can say to make me love my '79 more?

The only reason I kep the '79 is because... well, I paid $300 for it... it has a nice story Also I have big plans for with that involve a hot rod 500.... and it is in such nice shape, it is actually my most presentable car I own, by far.... plus, the joy I get of driving the thing.... and when I did use it as a daily driver... just to kinda prove the point that standing the test of time... here is my 26 year old GM car still kickin'.

So lets here it from all of you guys...

 

[Night Wolf]

Here are some pictures comparing the two... using my '79 Sedan DeVille d'Elegance and DopeStars Brougham.... hope ya don't mind

And mine:

* eh, ya gotta click the links on the first set.

 

[Night Wolf]

Here is a '79 Fleetwood.... not too sure if I like the chrome on the bottom that much now...

My DeVille does have a chrome strip, but it is below the doors, on the body of the car.

Also on that Fleetwood ('79) the pillar between the doors tapers in at the bottom... I don't like that, glad the DeVille is normal.

 

[DopeStar 156]

Lemme help ya out there. Hosting pics off this site is pretty beat. By the way I'm flattered! *Vanity*

In my opinion I love the style of the 80's Broughams (obviously) the 79's are something else though. Your car is sweet but I like the 79 Coupes more than the sedans. In my opinion, just fix up your mom's Brougham and convince her to get something new and have her fork it over. That way you get the best of both worlds with out having to buy something else. I think the 89's were the most attractive lookin out of all the 80's verieties of that body. I picked the 89 because I really liked the mirror finish vertical grille with the "Cadillac" script in the lower corner as opposed to the header strip or the left middle of the grille. Also i prefer the stock head unit and climate control display with the digital read out, I only with I had the MPG sentinel that the HT ones had. I hear they're not possible to install on the carbed ones.

 

[davesdeville]

I like the headlight, running light, and signal arrangement, as well as the taillights of the 79 much better than the 80+s. I like the roofline of the 80s more, though.

And since it's a given I'd be dropping a 500 in either car if I got it, I could care less about the motors

 

[DopeStar 156]

Here's where the 89 totally beats the 79 to me: Roofline, profile, trunk lid, interior (d'Elegance), wheel covers, and chrome accents.

Here's where the 79 totally beats the 89 to me: Front, engine, the coupe version, and over all performance.

Having driven a 79 coupe and owning an 89 sedan I picked the 89 because of it being 10 years newer since I intended to drive this car more than I really do now and at the time I prefered the look of the 80's over the 70's. However over the years since then my tastes have fallen into more of a nostalgic direction. Also I prefered all the electronics in the 89 over the lack there of in the 79. I feel a luxury car needs its gadgets. To sum up my feelings, I would buy a 79 coupe and still keep my 89 sedan because there's so much that I love about that particular one, especially my paint. That red does something to my blood...

 

[Night Wolf]

damnit Dope.... that car is nice!

the 500 would go in the 80's... but in the '79, it is just more easy... because it is a direct bolt in

The '79 Coupe... ya know... throughout history, I have liked the Coupes better then the Sedan... like my '93... the Coupe, IMO makes the car totally different....

but I dunno... I never did like the '79 Coupe. My father had a brown '79 Coupe... towed his boat with it too... I don't like the sloping rear window...and IMO these cars look weird with 2 doors... where as a '55, '59, '63, '68, '75 and my '93 look amazing in 2 door, and good in 4 door... the '77-'84 just seem to look better in 4 door to me...

About the interrior... the d'Elegance interior is nice (leather) but the base leather interrior... I dunno, I don't like them that much.... I must say, I am glad my car dosn't have leather interior.

About the gadgets... the '79 has quite a few for it's day... only real thing less then the Brougham is the lack of electronic climate control. they even had an outside tempratue gauge on the driver side mirror (though mine does not have this option) but power, power seat, 8-track (good stuff ... but I have a cassette now) illuminated entry, power closing trunk etc... my car has that.

I do gotta say, the '89 hub caps are really nice... and I would like to get a set if I ever put steelies back on my car.... but in my case, I have 15" real spoked wheels... no hub caps, so IMO they are better then steelies, and I really like them... I just don't know if they would hold up to the built 500 that will be going in it.

my mothers car was one of those pimped-by-the-delaer jobs... has the gold rolls royce grille, aftermarket black fabric top (that I actually really liked) the spoked wheels that are on my '79 came with that car, it has the gold badges, an after market moon roof etc... the car is light grey and light grey leather.

I gotta say, when she got it, 8 years ago... that car was mint! it was from FL, and shiney and real nice... but now after being in NY for 8 years and a women drivers car.... it is beat... the rear bumper is rusting, front bumper has a dent and is fadded. Paint is shot and actually peeling, the black fabric roof now has lighter spots in places... the windows and moon roof are slow, some rust starting. nothing is shiney on the car any more. Both front arm rests are ripped, the driver seat is ripped bad... she never really treated the car like a high end luxury car, and just threw stuff in it, used the nice factory floor mats to put under the tires to get traction in the winter etc... I mean for a 1989 car in NY, it is ok... and it WOULD be worth to restore.... but I dunno... I feel like restoring it would basically just be fixing all the wear that has been done to it... which actually is the case, but I dunno how to explain it...

*IF* I ever wanted the car, I know I could get it for pretty much nothing.... she is going to be getting a new car in the next 1-3years or so, so I could just ask them to store it on their property (they just bought 10 acres to build a house here in FL) the speedo stopped working a long time ago... but the car must have around 180k miles, she bought it with about 70k... the trans was rebuild a few years back, and the engine is origanal.

That car used to have such grace.... but I dunno.... I guess compared to other Broughams I see... actually all the Broughams here in FL are busted up pretty good... but I kinda got set on the mind set that I gave up on doing anything with that car a few years back...

 

[Night Wolf]

Here are a couple old pics.. I'll ry to find the others.. still old, but more detail.

Ya know, even in it's dimented, trashed shape its in... there is still something about the color combo, grille, and everything else that stands out... I dunno... maybe because it is my mothers car and I grew up with it or I learned to drive on it... who knows...

since this picture we got 4 new filler pieces and painted them both front and rear bumper ones... and the Olds hub caps are gone, the car now has a nice matching set of Caddy hub caps... sadly the car has goten is worse shape every other way....

it all started when they decided... for some crazy reason, to park the car on the front lawn, alongside the road in the winter, so it would be more easy to clear the driveway.... well, the car got buried by the plow truck, and with it, all the salt the city puts on the road... so in the nice grey paint it left light spots all over it... then it went down from there....


heh, this is when the Coupe had the 15" steelies, hub caps and white walls.... gosh she looks so much better now.... no, I take that back... she looks worse, but the wheels look better

 

[Night Wolf]

Here are some interior shots of the '79....

I gotta say, I like the '89 steering wheel witht he gem type emblem... sadly the leather on my mothers wheel is beyond worn, it is sticky and nasty and.... yuck... finally they put a wheel cover on it.

This is with the 1985 Brougham dash trim... SO much better... I have since put, but nbot pictured... the upper dash trim parts from an '88 Brougham... you know, the idiot light/fuel gauge/chrome trim stuff... so now the idiot lights are not 70's style, they are 80's, same with the gas gauge, and it has the amber low fuel light... but most of all, the chrome is real nice and shiney

oh yeah, the GPS mount is no longer on the dash... but now the dash is soft in that spot and has a slight crack... oh well, this is not a mint show car, never was, and I am not trying to make it be... its a fun toy for me to enjoy

Next for me to add are power mirrors from an 80's Brougham... both of mine are cable, the passenger side is completly broke and the driver side is nearly frozen... it's a shame as my mirror housing and glass is perfect... I'll hace to see if I can mount the motor and controls to my existing hardware, then just wire it up... that would be cool.

Oh yeah, living in FL, I do not have this car right now... it is almost 1,500 miles away and I gotta say... I miss the damn thing! as it is now I am flying up and visiting everyoner for Spring break, then driving the beast down... but I kinda want it sooner.....

At first i never liked the colors of my car.... now i really like it alot... it is Laramie Beige, not Colonial yellow like I thought, the interior is Ceder Red... how often do you see a red interior on a beige/yellow car? not very, but I like it alot...

 

[Night Wolf]

Well, I found the other pics of my mothers car.. but who wants to see them? ripped seat.. ruined paint etc...

Here are a couple other pics.... MY OLDSMOBILE!!!! gosh, i miss that car too!

the brown Caddy is my mothers finace's '87 Brougham, also bought in FL with 80k miles or so.... that car is kinda trashed too... it has been in 2 accidents... fixed both times, it is at least 3 different shades of brown, surface rust now, the interior (velour) has lots os stains and stuff... the hood now has a couple dents from wal nuts or something falling on it. it currently has 205k miles, a rebuilt trans with 40k miles and a brand new engine with about 8k miles, has went from FL-NY and back countless times, and tows a utility trailer (now enclosed) that weighs about 2,000lbs loaded often... it is treated as a work car.

When ever he would come over, I would go to my fathers (since i usually kept the '79 there) and drive that for the weekend.... 3 big body Caddy's in the driveway was just cool.

 

[Night Wolf]

gosh, now I am just hijacking my thread...

but... as ya'll know, I am here in FL without the '79, and I miss it...

then I was in Wal Mart and I saw something that I HAD to have... sure it was $15, but I didn't care, I needed it....

a 1979 Cadillac!

lol... of course it is all gangsta bling bling and stuff... but I didn't care, it was a '79 Caddy.... First I noticed, it was a Coupe, I have a Sedan, but this was only made in Coupe... oh well. This has an Astro roof, mine does not. This has a white top with blue body, mine is beige/beige, and finally this has stupid stickers on it, that for some reason I decided to leave on,

The funny thing is, I was gonna repaint it... I have a whole bottle of real color-matched paint to my '79 (when the door was done) so I was gonna paint it in that, but I figured with it being a Coupe, I am not going to bother... plus I like the blue.

Plus, it really hops... I got a kick out of it. oh yeah, it has those small spoked wheels with skinny tires too

I keep it here on the desk, I am always looking at it... just glad I bought it.

the detail on this thing is really good too... nearly everything is on the thing... including where it says Cadillac on the grille (top) and trunk lid, Coupe DeVille and other stuff.... only things not on it are the side mirrors, the lines for the fender extensions... and the biggest boo boo... look at the hood and trunk... the '79 never had the chrome stripe down the center (good thing) that was 1980-1984 IIRC...other then that... it is accurate.

I gotta since, since I bought this, I like the Coupes a little better now... ut it is just cool for me to have around, owning a '79 Caddy and all.... I had to put it together, which wasn't a hard thing to do.

*** ya know... the '79 started out as an ugly duckling with it's small share of problems.. over the last year and a half I have put a minimal amount of time and money into it, and it is now far better then it was... while it was in better cosmetic shape then my Oldsmobile, it was alot worse then my '93.... but now that's changed as the paint on the '93 has cancer, it is getting worse and worse every day and just disgusts me... the Olds with the new paint job isn't that bad, but it isn't a car to go showing off... but now with the rust on the door of the '79 fixed.... that car is mint, nice shiney paint, shiney chrome etc... I actually feel more proud in driving that, and pulling up to something then in my '93 Coupe, just because it is in much better shape... I dunno... I guess I just miss it alot... once I get the thing down here I'm gonna be driving it all over... frig 12mpg, I don't care... I just want to drive it again

 

[davesdeville]

...and in contrast, look how SHORT my post is.

 

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

-1989 Brougham.

What I like about it- Gorgeous body, I love how straight and formal all the lines on that car are, the car looks so majestic cruising down the road, this for me, is the quintessential Cadillac. The interior has so many Cadillac logos, the interior is so plush and luxurious, especially in d'elegance trim. There is a LOT of fake wood and chrome, reliable 307, its a huge car, more interior space than on the '79.

What I don't like about it- Very Slow, 307 is a good reliable motor, but it has that quirky computer controlled carb, and the 200R4 is a subpar transmission, I'm pretty sure this was the last american carburated V8 made (1990 was last year) tiny 85 mph speedo, and tiny gas guage.


-1979 Brougham/ Sedan deVille.

What I like about it- pretty powerful, quick, TH400 transmission, It has a CADILLAC V8

What I dont like about it, different roofline, the quarter panels slope down, ugly interior wood grain trim, grille isnt as prominent (for me atleast) climate control is controlled not by buttons, but by slider wheels, the exterior temperature gauge is on the driver's side mirror, and its the rotating wheel design. The interior on the 70's models never looked as good, especially in d'elegance trim.

 

[DopeStar 156]

Here's some pics of my interior for you I just took. I had to put a wheel cover on since my leather was starting to flake off the wheel, it's really the only interior blemish. It's temporary until I can find a new burgundy leather wheel. Also a shot of my gold keys.

 

[DopeStar 156]

Hahah oh yeah, I stumbled upon that same 79 about a year ago. I detailed both and painted the one and made it stock. I also painted the white top on the blue lowrider a dark blue. Also I put gold rims on the blue 79 that I had from a 60's Impala. I also printed up little NJ plates on my computer and glued them to the cars.

 

[DopeStar 156]

Wow sorry the pics are so big. I'll try to shrink them...

 

[Night Wolf]

-1989 Brougham.
What I like about it- Gorgeous body, I love how straight and formal all the lines on that car are, the car looks so majestic cruising down the road, this for me, is the quintessential Cadillac. The interior has so many Cadillac logos, the interior is so plush and luxurious, especially in d'elegance trim. There is a LOT of fake wood and chrome, reliable 307, its a huge car, more interior space than on the '79.
What I don't like about it- Very Slow, 307 is a good reliable motor, but it has that quirky computer controlled carb, and the 200R4 is a subpar transmission, I'm pretty sure this was the last american carburated V8 made (1990 was last year) tiny 85 mph speedo, and tiny gas guage.
-1979 Brougham/ Sedan deVille.
What I like about it- pretty powerful, quick, TH400 transmission, It has a CADILLAC V8
What I dont like about it, different roofline, the quarter panels slope down, ugly interior wood grain trim, grille isnt as prominent (for me atleast) climate control is controlled not by buttons, but by slider wheels, the exterior temperature gauge is on the driver's side mirror, and its the rotating wheel design. The interior on the 70's models never looked as good, especially in d'elegance trim.

both cars have the same speedo/ gas gauge

I am pretty sure interior space is very close to the same... in fact the '79 may even feel more roomy (for backseat passengers) because there is alot more space between your head and the rear window.

My experience with the ECC on the 80's Broughams has been that the computer controlling them fails alot, leaving auto, high and defrost not working... though it is cool to have, I trust my vaccum-controlled climate control more... it is still auto too, but you get the cool lever and temp dial.

Oh yeah, I think I have more Cadillac crests inside then the Brougham... on all 4 of my door panels, the lights in the center have a crest, on the Brougham, it is just a square box. My high beam indicator is the outline of the crest (so cool) the Brougham is just the typical light beam. On both my front seats, I have a crest medallion on the side facing the pillar... though I think the Brougham has that too...

Dope - I have the SAME exact steering wheel cover on the '93 Coupe! it was like $8 at Wal Mart... I love the pattern and color and stuff, so I bought a 2nd one as a spare ... it is really nice.

heh, the '79 Coupe lowrider... these little things are cool!

You are missing the little wood cover on the radio knob I should have pulled the ones I saw at the junkyard and send one to ya, but I didn't think about it.... they seem to get lost easy.

How come your arm rests have that extra pad with the buttons? were they fixed at one time or is that the Brougham d'Elegance arm rest (if there is a difference)

Once I get ahold of the '79 again, I think the next thing i need to do is get the center dash part (radio/climate control) from the Brougham and put that in my car.... I think that would make it ook alot nicer. Only problem is, my climate control is a different size then the 80's, and the radio is different, so I would install a cd player at that time... then the color-matched trim is designed differently, so I would have to cut mine (damn, I should have got the center part to the '79 Coupe... same interior color as mine at the junkyard... who woulda thought?) Then maybe that'll help my inteior look a little more lively.

Dope... something to help clean up your interior, that looks like nothing but makes a BIG difference... see the plastic chrome dish where the door handles are? they are dirty and dusty, so get a rag with glass cleaner and clean that... you woudln't believe how shiney it gets... IMO it really helps make it look better inside.

Also, I see your center consol dash hasn't warped yet... the warp up right over the left AC vent (like mine has) my mothers '89 is just starting to do that... that also adds the effect of the older or mint looking of these cars... but like I said, that dosn't bother me

That car is in nice shape though.... don't see too many around anymore like that.

gosh it feels good to be back online

 

[BIG 305 CAL]

i feel the same way about 79 vs 89... ive had 4 80s style 4 doors and 2 doors and this is my first 79 4 door... the front end of the 80s isnt much better (90-92 is alot nicer then both) but i think with some changes the 79 can be made to look alot cleaner up front like a e&g grill and the yellow parking lamps i am trying to find something clear to put there so it looks cleaner...maybe a single lamp headlights instead of the dual ones... other then that the roof does look off but it just depends on how u look at it... it isnt as nice as a 89 roof line but the more and more i look at i the more i like it..for some reason it feels bigger then a 80s style and i think its cause of the roof... the 80s are more straight so it kinda makes it look thinner and these 79s look more "fatter" lol....i didnt like the taillights at first but they also are growing on me... its nice 2 see a caddy that looks like the rest...but has something different


+ the engine is so much better lol

 

[Night Wolf]

I personally like the orange parking lights.

but '77 or '78, IIRC had clear lens, atleast the beat up '77 I saw did... and amber lights.

Also, something new to maybe change the front end, they just came out with the classic square (and round) headlights that use the newer types of bulbs, so the lens is clear but has the cool reflective type thing... kinda cool.

I dunno, I don't think I'll ever like the '79 in general (styling inside and out) more then the '89.... but all things considered, the '79 is one hell of a car, personally for my use, I think I would prefer the '79, because it is not a daily driver... just a toy... for a daily driver, I think the '89 Brougham would be a sweet choice.

so I guess it just goes back to the '79 being like the 80's, but with a hint of the 70's and a sweet drivetrain. I have yet had anyone mistake my car for an 80's model either... so I like owning a car form the 70's.... kinda like an entry-classic car

 

[brougham]

You posted almost the exact same thing as this before complaining about the same things. I like the 80s Broughams better then the 70s ones. I definately like the 80s grilles that has bars better then the ones that have squares. But overall I still like the 1990-1992s best.

I wondered about DopeStar 156's arm rests too. That's not a D'Elegance thing and I never seen that on another car before. It looks more like someone did that to fixed cracked arm rests or something.