HomePick of the DayPick of the Day: Big Caddy coupe needs just a little TLC

Pick of the Day: Big Caddy coupe needs just a little TLC

Heavy lifting’s done on 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville restoration

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The Pick of the Day presents an interesting challenge for the right buyer. The car is a 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, “all numbers matching,” notes the private seller in Montrose, Colorado, advertising the long and elegant two-door on ClassicCars.com.

“I am the four owner of ‘Lucille’ my beloved ’60 coupe,” the seller reports. “This was and still is my dream car, but it is time for someone else to love on her.  

1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville | Big Caddy coupe needs just a little TLCv

“An extensive restoration process was undertaken by the previous owner to bring her back to her original glory,” the seller continues. “We have receipts accounting for $48,000 worth of work on this beauty.”

But the work isn’t quite finished, although to date it includes:

  •  Full engine and transmission rebuilds.
  • Complete body restoration (sandblasting and paint restoration to original specs) of hood, doors, core support, and wheel wells, fender support, interior floor, trunk (over 50 total shop hours of prep work and painting).  
  • Complete chrome refinishing (sandblasting, chrome, and polish) of all trim, grille, and fenders. The chrome on this coupe is truly amazing.
  • Reupholstered interior to original specs.
  • 4-barrel Edelbrock carburetor, upgraded radiator (keeps it running cool even on hot summer days — I can include original radiator if desired).
  • Starter rebuild, new fuel tank, and lines, electronic fuel pump, replace all gaskets and hoses.
  • Coker classic wide, whitewall bias-ply tires.
  • Fresh windshield, back glass and quarter panel windows.
  • Custom dual exhaust including headers and glass-pack mufflers.
1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville | Big Caddy coupe needs just a little TLC

Due to health issues, a full restore was not possible by the previous owner and I have lacked the time to complete it myself,” the seller says.

So what’s left for the next owner to do?

“There remain these items that need to be finished: minor paint touchups, lower hood extension grill molding needs to be reinstalled, several small trim pieces were not reinstalled after being chromed, windshield wiper motor and horn need to be reinstalled, glove box and speaker covers need to be reinstalled, 2 small holes in the headliner. I’d be happy to FaceTime and show in detail any imperfections or work remaining.”

The seller notes that the car has always been garaged, and also reports on each of the previous owners and that date he or she purchased the car, one of 21,585 produced for the 1960 model year.

The car has been driven 96,720 miles, presumably its lifetime total. 

Although not specified in the advertisement, Coupe de Villes in 1960 were equipped with Cadillac’s 390cid V8 rated at 325 horsepower with a 2-barrel carburetor (note that this car’s engine has been rebuilt and upgraded with a 4-barrel Edelbrock unit).

The asking price is $39,000 for a car that still needs some work, though the heavy lifting appears to have been completed. 

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Larry Edsall
Larry Edsall
A former daily newspaper sports editor, Larry Edsall spent a dozen years as an editor at AutoWeek magazine before making the transition to writing for the web and becoming the author of more than 15 automotive books. In addition to being founding editor at ClassicCars.com, Larry has written for The New York Times and The Detroit News and was an adjunct honors professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Yes, always happens, if you pay to have people do the work for you, it rarely pays in the end if selling.

    Just an FYI, the 390 always had a 4 barrel, there was never a 2 barrel stock from Cadillac.

  2. Yes its a very nice car but never do you get back all the money you invest in a project, just ask any model A or T owner..lovely specimen of a Cadillac. I too would love to own her but at half the cost.

  3. Saw that picture and it brought out a wow! Even as a youngin back then the big fins were sort of mystical!
    As a cared and loved big heavy beast of a kind and time, it seems to have survived well and true to form showing a lifetime in itself. It will need that forever, but “concourse sanitary” would not be an improvement.

  4. Yes when I read a factory 2 barrel carb I knew that was not right. The only 2 barrel you could get in 1960 was the optional Eldorado 3×2 tri-power setup which was optional on other models at extra cost.

  5. O.K. so. Let me get this right. I’m not sure if I’m reading ALL THESE SAME EXACT REPLY’s correctly, All Caddy 390’s came with a 4bbl carb unless you ordered the optional Eldo tri-power set up? (LOL)

  6. Very very nice car. I agree the price your asking is a bargain. Look at it this way–if you had this car manufactured today cost could go as high as 90 K. or maybe in 125 K. Today cars at 40 K are nothing in workman ship. Agree the electronics today are much much better.

  7. …. never saw many coupes of this year; great color combo…. no idea why it should have been running hot; incorrect radiator/carb are glaring faults (were cheap/easy ways to get it streetworthy) – hopefully original carb is still available

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