(first posted 4/24/2014) A recent business trip to California allowed me a little curbside classic hunting opportunity out in the sun rather than in the snow. My favorite find was this retro-inspired custom Cadillac Seville.
A bustle back second generation Cadillac Seville is an usual choice for a base vehicle, but the retro-inspired rear end sculpting perhaps fits into the overall vision for this custom car.
The free standing headlights strongly evoke the wild 1961 Imperial.
That bumper sure looks like it used to be on the rear of something and has been flipped over for duty at the front. Anyone recognize it? The front view shows that the roof has been chopped.
The side view shows off some pretty impressive front and rear overhang. The exposed side exhaust pipes are very much a retro custom touch. A partial covering might save the driver from a nasty leg burn when entering or exiting their ride. Hopefully he or she doesn’t have any children who wouldn’t be as well protected at the rear.
Moving around the back, the bumper is probably the most striking feature with tail lights that look familiar but which I can’t quite recognize. Perhaps they are rotated ninety degrees from their usual orientation? I’m sure one of our first commenters will quickly identify them.
The full rear view shows many more custom touches including dual retractable antennas and further body customizing. I did find it a little strange that the factory wheel covers have managed to stay in intact given the otherwise large amount of alteration.
Overall it is a very interesting car with lots of sixties hot rod touches on a very square nineteen-eighties front-driver Cadillac platform. Good on the owner for preserving such a unique vehicle.
This Cadillac was identified by reader Mbartell as one of classic hot rod builder Bill Hines’ last cars. Further reading on Bill.
Wow so many eye sores in one pic. Worse than what happened to the Seville is what happened to the garage door on this otherwise cool old house. No offense to anyone who owns one of these (they look OK on newer homes) but as a replacement door those useless windows at the top are ugly as hell. My folks live in an older neighborhood where they are outlawed.
I think the rear lights are Cadillac turned on their sides.
Those taillights look like ’77-’78 Eldorado lights turned sideways, and my guess on those grille studs would be ’59-’60 Cadillac.
I didn’t think it was possible to make an originally ugly car even butt-uglier, but there’s no accounting for taste. This thing is frightening, makes that ’61 Imperial look positively tame.
That is one hell of a nasty looking car! To think they actually wasted so much money to make one of those Seville droop backs even uglier? YUK! makes me feel ashamed to live in the same state where this thing is.
And what the heck is up with all those security bars in the house there? It looks like a ranch house jail. Must be a rough neighborhood.
They may have put bars on the house windows to prevent theft, but even if they left that car unlocked and had a sign on it saying “free car” it would still be there the next day.
It didn’t seem like a rough neighborhood but it gave me enough pause not to take any photos of the bone stock interior.
Where exactly was this?
It was about ten blocks from Disney Land.
I think it was built by customizer Bill Hines and this photo may have actually been taken in front of his house because he lived about 10 miles from Disneyland. This was his own personal car as far as I know. I agree with you on it being ugly. Not every custom has been pretty for sure! Lol.
I don’t know about the front bumper, but I think those headlights ARE from a ’61 Imperial.
And I’m calling “fake!” on the sidepipes No worries about burned ankles from those. There is a single rear exhaust visible at the back of the car.
Good golly, it’s fake sidepipes day on CC!! My Sebring MX has them too.
I actually kind of like this, the stock bustle back Seville is a bad looking car to my eyes,maybe they should have gone for grafting a 61 Imperial trunk onto the back too.
I love it. Reminds me of the late 50s early 60s customs. Anyway; it’s a big improvement over the original 🙂
I see a lot of early 1950s Virgil Exner in that early front end.
What in the name of all that is holy……I just….I..wow…..
+1
I never liked the silver wraith Caddies but this one is an improvement its got 58 Buick grille studs on the back.
Are you sure about that? 1958 Buick was my first guess as well, but the shape is wrong from my Google image searches (the Buick had more squared pegs). Maybe from a Cadillac? Anybody else?
My Lord. What’s even worse is that it appears to be a genuine custom, with some real thought, effort and money put into it, only to arrive at… this.
The house I lived in for about a month in the 700 block of East 83rd Avenue in South Central Los Angeles had bars like that put over its windows back in the 1960s.
This quirky car looks like it came out of Robocop or a Batman cartoon and I could never pay serious money for it.
It is a tidy and well protected neighborhood to be sure. One thing you never want to do in a place like this is walk up on the lawn to take a close up shot of someone’s car. If you get caught that standard CC line of “I’ve always been into art cars” may or may not work. An interior shot would have been really pushing it.
Well I do not know what California’s Castle Doctrine is so I am not sure how likely one is to get shot, but people do not always follow the rules. What throws me off about Los Angeles is the neighborhoods look nice enough even if they are rough which is totally not the case in New York.
In CA if you’re going to shoot someone it had better be inside the house. If you shoot them outside you could be facing criminal and civil wrongful death suits and lose everything.
Going on the lawn is more of a respect thing. I guarantee you the neighbors noticed DS looking at the car. That’s probably a $400k tract and people look out for each other. LA has the lowest crime rate of any major city and well kept neighborhoods are one reason. The broken windows theory.
Another reason to tread lightly is the type of window bars on the house. Those make a strong don’t f with me statement. A prettier wrought iron type is just as effective but doesn’t send the same message. BTW window bars are coming down in many places, especially if the house is a flip.
The customization is actually well done. I like how the flying buttresses take the notch out of the bustled back. This guy would have been interesting to talk to.
The reason I’m hard on custom jobs is because they consume so many classic cars. Cadillacs are the most abused especially the RWD coupes. The customs and HT4100 have thinned the herd to the point where nice cars are $16.5k, like Tom posted this week. It’s not right, just like those McMansion garage doors on a Ranch are not right. If we can have preservation zones for houses why not cars?
Most custom coupes consume two cars, the Coupe de Ville and then the ’90-92 Brougham for the front clip. I feel like saying “Dude, just give it a paint job. It will look just as nice, save you a ton of money and at the end you will have a valuable classic car.”
The saddest thing about looking for my Brougham was seeing how many of the CL ads were for custom cars. They linger for months even at give away prices. A total waste if you ask me.
Same thing happens with old military rifles. Of the few really nice custom jobs, I see lots of hacksaw garbage out there. Its a pity, really.
It’s right next to the sidewalk, which is a public right of way. No problem.
Anyway, do you really think someone is going to shoot you for looking at their car? I’m not that paranoid. Given that it’s right up against the sidewalk,I definitely would have had no compunctions about an interior shot.
I didn’t think it was possible to make the back end of a Seville any more awkward and clunky-looking, but they have succeeded.
Wow! This thing is soooo ugly that it’s really cool. But what do I know, I actually like the bustle back Seville. I’d like to see what the “Count” would do with this thing.
There’s a lot of work gone into it but it’s horrible.The original car was no oil painting though.David has just shown CC the safe house where Tommy the Rat is under witness protection
There are interesting elements, but I think the chop top doomed it.
From time to time, the oddball ’61 Rambler Ambassador comes to mind. Here it does again…
Somebody please kill that thing with fire.
I’m pretty sure that the front bumper started life on a 1960 Chevrolet.
Certainly looks like a decent match. The Cadillac install would have been narrowed a bit in the middle. Nice id.
What a polarising find! I hate and love it in equal measure – by conventional terms it’s not pretty, but by 50s/60s custom terms it’s fantastic. Customising a bustle-back Seville is such a fascinating concept in both theory and practice. My total respect to whoever did this – it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it reflects a very creative and talented mind.
Nicely stated. I wouldn’t want to own it myself but it does make the world more automotively interesting.
And it makes the stock Seville of that generation look tastefully restrained, which is not something I would have thought possible.
I dunno, I like it. reminds me of the goofy customs of the late 50s when it seemed everybody went over the top because the factory cars had gotten so wild…
I actually like the original 2nd Generation Seville, especially those two tone silver and black ones pictures above but you have to appreciate it in an ironic way. It looks very 80s kitsch, like something Robin Leech would roll up in. I’d gladly roll around town in one blairing one hit wonders from the same era.
The custom? Sorry, I have yet to see any custom of this sort that actually improves upon the looks of the factory car. Its some frankenstein menagerie that takes an already controversial design, emphasizes what make that design questionable, and then loads it up with even more out place bits. I mean, what the hell was he even going for? 60s hotrod like mentioned above? Kinda silly, especially if it has the 4100 boat anchor. Some Duesey or Stutz wannabe? Just as well donk it up while we’re at it.
Aw hell nah…
Yikes. All I can say is: Yikes.
This is more my style:
Oh wow…a bustleback Seville and a 53′ Hatteras? Thank you, Tom. I’ve never seen this ad. Uh-mazing.
Oh yeah, what the hell were we talking about…?
I remember this ad, you never saw those wheels on a Seville, they were optional but almost every slant back Seville had the wire covers.
Doctor, I was looking at this custom Cadillac online and ever since my eyes have had this burning sensation.
I agree with Mr. McPherson; whoever did this has earned my respect.
That car looks like a mutant offspring of a Chrysler and a gremlin. And I like the way the stock Seville looked originally until they Ruined it I 86. Make mine an 80 silver over black.
Okay, it took me a while to find it, but here’s the “Seville Airflyte” I posted on a Cadillac What If? post a couple years ago. If I was going to customize a 1980-85 Seville, I’d want it to look like this!
That looks sorta slick in a modern jet-ish sort of way. Perfect for the person who only wants to go straight!
Mr. Spacely’s Brougham!
Lose the wheels Tom, and it’ll be the Cadillac Hoverville!
The Seville Airflite is screaming for wide whites and curb feelers.
The only thing the subject Seville needs is a toilet seat on the trunk.
Hover conversion from “Back To The Future II”?
This Seville only goes straight! It can’t make turns.
Prepared by Barris for the sequel?
I’d drive it.
Into the quarry outside of town, à la “Groundhog Day.”
I gotta agree with JPC regarding the Exnerian ambiance. The grille, combined with those Imperial headlamps make it look like a Chrysler concept car from the 1950s, at least from the front.
It’s pretty interesting to see one of these Sevilles given the Rod & Custom treatment. I can’t make up my mind about this car. I don’t like it, but my inner child wants to go for a ride in it…
I like the front clip and the side pipes. Too bad those pipes are fake.
Hey if you have a cheap car with an oddball shape…shit fire, customize the hell out of it and go have fun!
The thing … it didn’t look cheaply done. I wouldn’t be suprised if someone sunk big bucks into this thing at creation time.
“Sunk big bucks” you got that right! Those poor Benjamins were drowning in ugliness. 🙁
Boy, this one sure got ’em all wound up !!!
Proving once again that ‘ in matters of taste , everyone else is wrong ‘ .
Lotta hard work went into this car , I respect that .
-Nate
so….the crowd awaits…was it a diesel?
I couldn’t tell what sort of engine it had.
Well that’s…something. Gotta praise the amount of work that went into it, and it looks clean and extremely well-finished. But the vision is, umm, interesting. I actually like the Imperial homage on the front, but the bustleback-turned-hunchback is odd. And I actually like that generation of Seville, in stock form!
That seville looks like one of Bill Hines later cars. http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bill_Hines
I remember seeing a magazine feature in the mid 90’s about him building one. Also has his trademark candy apple red and silver. If it is, it’s old old school, done with lead.
This is another similar car http://www.kustomrama.com/images/c/cc/Bill-hines-1980-buick-riviera.jpg
Nicely identified. Looks like your are absolutely correct as someone remembers it (near the bottom of the page).
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445716
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80643375@N00/2564043448/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80643375@N00/497763326/
A bit sad to see it sunburnt and weathering away outdoors
Mbartell, I salute your car-spotting abilities! A quick search found the photo below with both car and Bill. No wonder it was so well done with someone of his caliber building it.
And the man himself inside the Caddie. I’m baffled as to why there’s an extra window between the front door and the A pillar – I didn’t even notice it in David’s photos above until now, but it’s going to give me sleepless nights…
Well, curved glass is hell to chop, and that top has at least 3 inches cut out. You gotta fill the gap somehow.
You can sometimes get the front window cut, ground or otherwise shortened, but the side windows not so much. Plastics won’t stand up to being rolled up and down, especially if you want to see.
It’d be awesome if it was a functional vent window.
Mbartell and David Saunders, thank you for both identifying Mr. Hines and linking that article about him. That was a very interesting read, as this was also a very interesting post.
Bender, what happened to you?
I’m mindbent that no one recognized Bill Hines’ car. He’s an effing legend. Serious. Earned it, wasn’t some reality tv star bulls**t, he made his reputation the hard way. Work, sweat, repeat. Compliments to Bill, and sorry for all the people that haven’t had the moment in their life where they meet a true icon of American working guy that didn’t Facebook/twitter/youtube/reality show their way to fame… and he did it chopping car tops and perfecting the chop on Merc like no other. Don’t believe me? Read what Gene Winfield, Barris, etc etc have said about Bill somewhere else, but I was there at Winfield’s annual open house when Bill was driven up, and yeah, that car is a face only a mother could love, but no one will ever forget http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/09/bill-hines-was-at-ventura-nats-this-car.html
After I got past the front end and went back to look at the rest of the car it was obvious the styling and workmanship came from someone talented. I said I wanted to meet the guy who did it but had no idea it was someone famous. Can’t wait to ask my Dad later today if he’s heard of Bill Hines, I’m sure he has.
Someone here did recognize him actually; right?.
And in my comment at the top, I said it looked like a custom form the 50s or early 60s. I’m not an expert on the old custom scene, but it was clear to me that this was by someone either from that era, or replicating that look.
We all have our respective area of expertise. Is your mind unbending a bit now? And there’s really no need to feel sorry for all the people that didn’t have that “moment in their life”, when they met Bill. We’ve had our other “moments”. But I’m happy for you that you did.
Ironically the only time I’ve come across Bill Hines was on a ‘reality’ show (Monster Garage). The episodes he and other custom legends featured on were actually good.
+1
A master with a torch and a stick of body solder
AMEN!!!
One of the things I always point out to friends about Jesse James is the chopped, channelled, and Windfield faded Kustom that he brought in Mr. Hines, Windfield, Jefferies, & lil’ John Buttera (I think), in to build on his show. Just to get them a little recognition!
I’m shamed that these guys aren’t better recognised, at least in the gear head community!
I saw that. Always nice to be featured on the Hemmings Blog.
This CC post on the Seville custom showed up on the Hemmings site today. It’s an enjoyable if somewhat sleepy site, like Bring-a-Trailer without the OCD.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/04/26/four-links-murderous-mopar-stauffer-chevrolet-roadtrip-multipla-mustang-remixed/
I see a lot of the baroque rococo style of this 70’s era Stutz in this car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stutz_IV-Porte
The ‘bullets’ on the tail light surround look like 1961 Cadillac to me. The 58 Buick had square shaped ‘nail heads’ on round like in the picture. Looks like a lot of time and $$ were spent here. His/her car so who are we to say it is good or bad? As long as the owner enjoys the ride that is all that matters.
From certain angles this car looks like a stretched out Gremlin to me.
I always say with customs like this, it may not be to my taste, but if the owner likes it that’s all that matters.
The body colored window frames make the car look cheap. I am also not crazy about the side scallops that are painted on as they seem to point out that drooping trunk.
Paint this with a contrasting color, maybe black, across the roof and trunk down to the rear bumper…yeah, it borders on a styling cliche, but it might help modernize the look. And I would re-do the tail lights. Vaguely mimic the front end with those chrome bullets(?) BESIDE the red lenses, not on top of them.
Many of the British cars this Seville tries to emulate had partially enclosed wheels, it might be interesting to add that design fillip….or not.
My $0.02.
Yeah, that lame side stripe does the car no favors. A real shame since a decent custom stripe would definitely have improved the overall appearance and done a much better job of highlighting the quality, old-school hot-rod work.
IOW, the stripe really cheapens the car.
Front reminds me of a Leyland P7
Not to my taste, but the story of Bill Hines in the link was fascinating.
Good goats; I think I’m gonna hurl. The front’s sort of like a ’61 Plymouth as seen in a fever dream while tripping on bad acid during a bout with the flu.
Wow, someone turned a Caddy into a custom 4-door Gremlin…
That front kinda looks like that menacing looking ,customized `71 Continental Mkll from that classic cult horror film ‘The Car”.
Five years on I think I like this even more. Hopefully the car has found better living conditions.
Here’s an article on Bill Hines, what a guy..
https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Bill_Hines
IMO, the rear skirts (as found on the Seville Airflyte, posted by Mr. Klockau) would have made the “bustle-back” Seville better looking. 🙂
I like this a lot. Way more than the original, and I usually like Caddys of this era but the Seville doesn’t work for me. Now this is cool.
This makes me think what if the 70s TV horror movie “The Car” had been made in the ’80s
Sort of like the mid level nazi staff car they featured the other day mated with the car from the movie the car. I would drive it.