I’m all about car lots. New, used, doesn’t matter. New lots allow me to take in that new car smell…gotta love that…and if you’re really cool with the salesman, you can even get in a test-drive or two, so long as you are careful with the set of wheels they let you off the lot with. How do I know, you ask? There’s a car lot in Southern Illinois that used to be a Pontiac dealer that I’m still blacklisted by name from after they learned what I did with a couple of late-model GTO’s they let me take out. Hey, I paid for new tires!
Used car lots are more interesting because not only are they more willing to let you test drive the car, because hey, you aren’t the first, but because they need to get this vehicle sold like yesterday. Plus, it’s kind of cool to see how vehicles that all started out as someone’s brand new pride and joy end up. I’ve seen beautiful rides at great prices and I’ve seen some cars that look like they are praying for death on a used car lot. Sadly, that’s the way the game is played when it comes to cars. I haven’t hit up lots like I used to in the last couple of years, but when I saw this 1997 Cadillac DeVille stretch on the drive home a couple of days ago, I had to stop in and look. Six doors on one car does that to me.
Yep, it’s a six-door’d Caddy. More than likely it’s a funeral coach, though with where it’s located there is a small chance that this could be a family hauler for one of the farm families. Hey, weirder stuff has happened.
For a family car, this thing had everything…including the controls for partition glass. Given that you could have six people in the back having all sorts of an argument, that could actually be a handy feature.
This Caddy was put together by Federal Coach, who have been stretching out cars for over a hundred years. This is far from a slapped-together kit.
I never knew there were so many red-skinned cows available to make this interior. Unsuprisingly, the interior of this thing was mint. It still had a little hint of new-car smell, which is surprising to find in a car on a used-car lot. Usually they smell like stale fries and pure evil.
So, how much would you think a fairly clean customized Cadillac would go for? This one is up for $7499, and with only 64,000 miles on the clock, that isn’t too bad. There’s a couple of light wear marks and one spot of clear coat peel on a door, but that’s it.
Just the thing for the man with 6 kids that doesn’t like vans and SUVs
Those six door funeral coaches were all about people moving. Getting the whole family, or most of it, into one vehicle. They don’t have the wet bar and stripper poles. Federal Coach is one of the oldest coach builders out there. I think they still do armored vehicles as well.
One nice thing about funeral home vehicles is that they don’t get tons of mileage. They are also maintenanced very well and garage kept.
Scott Liggett yes well mantained we had a funeral home right next to a shop I worked at and did all the work on them ( can you imagine having to call a tow truck on the way to the funeral ) The mortian would even take then out on hiway runs.
the only thing I would do is turn the ” front rear set” around so rear passangers faced each other & ( may be ) suicide one set of rear doors . Can you say BOOZE CRUZE 🙂 sober driver