A Weekend With A Welder: 1979 Cadillac DeVille Wagon

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Cadillac didn’t build wagons in the 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s…in fact, the first factory wagon offering from Cadillac from the modern era is the 2010 CTS SportWagon, but you wouldn’t know that given the number of “coach-built” Caddiwagons you’ll find passing between buyers and sellers on ebay or craigslist or whatever. The fact that Cadillac built most of their cars on shared chassis with Chevrolet/Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac meant that after 1970, you could easily find a wagon shell to weld onto the back of a Cadillac sedan. Today’s example isn’t perfect, but it is powered by a 425 cubic inch Cadillac V8 and there is nothing wrong with that. Find this 1979 Cadillac DeVille Wagon offered for $15,500 in Brick, NJ via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

From the seller:

1979 Cadillac Wagon
condition: fair
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 122000
odometer broken
odometer rolled over
paint color: custom
size: full-size
title status: clean
transmission: automatic
type: wagon


This 1979 Cadillac Sedan DeVille d’Elegance is one of a handful of station wagons by R.S. Harper Custom Coachbuilders. Described as having been refurbished in 2015 with rust repair, a repaint, and a reupholstery job completed, equipment includes power amenities and luxury features such as automatic climate control, woodgrain trim, cruise control, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat among more. Power comes from a 425ci Cadillac V8 backed by a Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed, and the seller describes sound running condition. The fifth-generation Cadillac DeVille was sold as a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan. This station wagon started life as the latter but was modified to become a station wagon in period by R.S. Harper Custom Coachbuilders, who produced at least one other example for the same model year. The seller describes a refurbishment as having been performed in 2015 which included rust repair and a paint respray. Photos capture the rear bumper as showing corrosion and missing its rubber impact strip, while the driver’s side rear quarter also shows rust around the beltline trim and the fuel door. The rear Cadillac crest is also absent. The vinyl roof is fitted with a roof rack with an integrated rear air dam seen on other Cadillac station wagons. Aftermarket wire wheels are wrapped in Vogue-style narrow whitewall tires. The interior is fitted with power-operated brown seats that were reportedly reupholstered in 2015, along with replacement dark red carpeting that was installed at the same time. The instrument panel features a woodgrain appliqué that is carried through to the door panels and bears a scripted DeVille d’Elegance badge at the passenger side. This package was available at added cost and came with a 50/50 split front seat, door pull handles, and the aforementioned badging. Additional electronic conveniences include a tilt and telescoping steering column, cruise control, an electronic trunk release, automatic climate control, and power windows, mirrors, and door locks. A Premier AM/FM radio has been installed in the dash in place of the factory unit. A sweeping 85-mph speedometer is accompanied by a fuel gauge and warning lamps for other vehicle systems. A digital clock is fitted, and the five-digit mechanical odometer displays 22k, which is believed to represent 122k. New carpeting has been installed in the cargo compartment

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