1965 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine

1959 was a big year for the Series 75, as the car was given a radical redesign to help usher in the fast-approaching 1960s. A new decade meant new trends to be early on, and new design elements to get ahead of. Larger tailfins, twin bullet taillights, and jewel-like grille patterns got the 7th generation Series 75 off on the right foot. Standard equipment included both power brakes and steering, a GM Hydramatic automatic gearbox, windshield washers with two-speed wipers, and power vent windows. GM’s goal was to smooth out the styling of the Series 75 in anticipation of the new decade, and they completely knocked it out of the park.

This Caddy is navy blue with red pinstriping. There are several areas with some kind of damage thanks to the car’s massive size, but from the first look, the exterior is clearly in good condition. There is no major damage to be seen on the outside. There is a baseball sized dent at the bottom of the driver’s front quarter panel, and there is also some bubbling occurring on the driver’s door. Along the main crease line, there are a handful of areas where the paint has been chipped. Scratches and chips in the paint can be found in the following areas: all four doors, the door gaps, the rear quarter panels, atop the rear fins, the trunk. The paint gets particularly foggy at the rear quarter panels, suggesting work may have been done to the car at some point. Over the driver’s side rear wheel, the chrome trim seems to have bent out of shape. Other than that section of the trim, the remaining chrome is straight and free of wrinkles. The glass is clear and free of cracks, and the leather top appears to have survived quite nicely. All four of the hubcaps are free of curb rash and the tires appear to have a solid amount of tread left although we always recommend a new set. Overall, this Cadillac has enough bumps and bruises for two cars, but its not enough to scare anyone off.

The inside is black leather up front, red velour in the back, and red carpet all throughout. Compared to the exterior, the condition of the interior is much nicer. The black leather bench up front is in pleasant shape, showing minor creasing and no holes or tears. The deep red carpets appear to be unbothered and lay flat in each of their respective positions. The black leather dash pad has no cracks, and the dashboard is particularly shiny. All of the various gauges are easily readable. Bare metal trim throughout the cabin has aged nicely and shows no dents or tarnishing. The half-leather half-carpet door panels are in good condition. The red velour headliner is a fantastic surprise inside the Caddy, and it hangs tightly in place – as do the sunshades – while also showing no damage. If you plan to ride in the back of this massive machine, we hope you like red. Everything in the rear compartment a varying shade of red velour. Both the folding seats and the rear bench show no holes or tears, and the material looks particularly clean. The half-leather half-velour door panels have survived brilliantly, and all of the bar metal trim in the backseat shines like freshly buffed cutlery. The carpets might need a deep cleaning, but overall this interior is in fantastic shape.

We are happy to report that the cavernous underside of this Cadillac is clean and free of major damage. The frame and floorboards are solid, suspension components are all in order, and exhaust exhibits an average amount of discoloration which is expected given the age of the vehicle. Under the hood, the engine bay is remarkably clean and all of the various pieces seem to be in their proper positions.

Not much is known to us about this Cadillac’s travels, but we do know for certain that the seller acquired this car in June 2020.

The Series 75 is a vehicle lost on the modern consumer, but it is no exaggeration to say that it played a major role in making Cadillac the brand it is today. Originally built in 1935, the Series 75 has been with Cadillac for every major step of the company’s life up until its discontinuation in 1987. Today’s example pairs out-of-this-world styling with a particularly patriotic color combination that is certain to spice up anyone’s 4th of July. Today’s example is a little rough around the edges, but since no work appears immediately necessary on the inside, there will be more than enough time to fix the outside. We are abundantly confident this Series 75 will have little issue reaching its $10,000 - $20,000 estimate.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS

It should be noted that this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.