1980 Limousine

The 1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine.

Second Place Trophy Winner -- Livery Class -- 2001 Professional Car Society International Meet, Lebanon, Missouri. Second Place Trophy Winner -- Livery Class -- 2001 Professional Car Society International Meet, Lebanon, Missouri.

Cadillac entered the 1980s with a restyled line of cars. While the 1977 through 1979 models looked transitional, the 1980s models showed their true Cadillac heritage with the larger, Veed Cadillac grill, the continuation of the horizontal headlamps (used since 1969), and a revised rear bumper and deck face. The basic style of the car remained the same through the 1984 model year, with only minor cosmetic changes each year. In 1980, the Cadillac Fleetwood Limousines were either formal or informal. No longer were these cars designated as Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousines; the prestigious Seventy-five nomenclature had been phased out and last used in 1976. The Seventy-Five name returned for a short time in the mid 1980s, and graced the front-wheel drive limousines.

This car is an informal limousine, because it does not have the glass divider. It is sable black with a black elk-grain full vinyl roof, has dark blue ("heather," as Cadillac called it) velour upholstery with thick cut-pile carpeting, two auxillary or "jump" seats for a seating capacity of eight, Fleetwood wire wheel covers, automatic leveling control, six-way power adjustable front seat, electric door locks, power windows, reading lamps for rear seat passengers, rear climate and radio controls, and a working 8-track tape player. It is powered by Cadillac's 368 cubic inch V8 engine, and has less than 70,000 miles on the odometer.

Even though this car is older than almost all other cars on the road today, it is still a head-turner. Perhaps its because of the good condition of the car, or maybe because of its sheer size, over 23 feet long and weighing about 4,630 pounds. Fleetwood Limousines like the 1980 were used extensively in Washington, DC, for heads of state, senators, and other dignitaries. In the late 1970s to late 1990s, one of these cars (black, of course) usually led the Presidential motorcade. You can view cars like this and other impressive Presidential limousines at www.PresidentialLimousines.com.

Fellow PCS member Buck Wendt, Wendt Brothers Funeral Home of Moline, Illinois, purchased this car in 1982. They used the limousine as a family and pallbearer car until its retirement from daily service in 1999. It matches their 1980 Superior Cadillac manual three-way Sovereign hearse. I acquired the car from Wendt Funeral Home in July, 1999.