1964 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
by: Brian Keith Compton
Posted on: Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm by: Brian Keith Compton
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The third generation of Cadillac and the last of its era, the 1964 Cadillac Sedan DeVille was a popular 62 Series car. While Cadillac has been making cars since the turn of the century, the DeVille hadn’t gotten its start until 1949 when it was the Coupe DeVille. By 1956, the Sedan was introduced and it just kept getting bigger and better.
However, the decadent car design was in decline and about to disappear or at least shrink from the luxury car autoscape. The 62 Series Cadillacs with the FR (front engine, rear-wheel drive) design could be propelled by either a standard 390 cubic inch V8 or the stroked 429, bolstered with its 340 horsepower; the only engine option for the Sedan DeVille. At a lengthy 223.5 inches long, these cars measured 129.5 inches at the wheelbase.
Minor revisions were in store for a 1964 model that would be the last for its generation. Tail fins were lowered to create a straight-through belt line that seemed to stretch its already monstrous length. The car had a bi-angular grille that formed a V-shape. The main horizontal grille bar wrapped around the body sides, while outer grille extension panels housed parking and cornering lights.
Styling changes for the DeVilles followed the 62 Series for 1964. Though changes were few, one notable inclusion was the Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. Equipped with new auto heating and cooling, this car could keep a set temperature regardless of the weather outside. It was “Comfort Control”, which was controlled by a dial thermostat on the instrument panel.
The Sedan DeVille body styles included a 4-door with six windows or a 4-door with four portals to the side view world. The four-windowed machine outsold the six that year, 39,674 units to 14,627. Both cars listed at $5,655 before luxurious add-ons, and weighed in at around 4,600 pounds.
If you find a ‘64 Cadillac Sedan DeVille to restore, the more rare six-window model has a higher value. One that needs a makeover might fetch about $3,000. Not a car to profit from, ready-for-show car values are about $17,000 for the six versus $7,600 for the four-window version.
