(first posted 9/17/2018. Update: The Cadillac doesn’t seem to be any longer in this spot)
Back when I was living in New York City, one day I went walking through Brooklyn’s Windsor Terrace neighborhood – adjacent to sprawling Prospect Park – and saw something that stood out from the swarm of late-model Camrys and crossovers. It was a ’70 Cadillac Sedan de Ville that had more stuff in it than a Manhattan Mini Storage lockup or, to be less charitable, more junk in one place than a Midtown street corner on trash collection night.
This Sedan de Ville had rocker panels that were dissolving like snow on a salted sidewalk. Its rear was sagging like a sweaty New Yorker in this interminable September humidity. It was such a stark contrast to other cars in Windsor Terrace, a fairly homogenous group of late-model sedans and crossovers that had the usual NYC scratches and dents but were generally in good shape.
I figured this de Ville had to be some kind of local fixture. There’s an old Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme – I believe a ’78 or ’79 – that resides in Chicago and is so thoroughly rusty that it’s become a bit of a social media star. I imagined the de Ville was probably the same, that it rarely left its neighborhood and that local residents were very familiar with it.
I happened to be in Windsor Terrace this month and I decided to try and find the old Caddy. It didn’t take long as it was parked in almost the exact place as when I photographed it four or five years ago. This time, I was able to take some more photos.
From the front, it doesn’t look all that bad. A little dirty and faded, sure, but the grille is intact and the chrome is recognizable as chrome. The right-hand side looks to be in better shape than the left-hand side, too. The side moulding is still intact and there’s less rust. And this Caddy still has a full complement of wheel covers.
Ah, but that left-hand side. Woof. Talk about rust!
I know NYC apartments tend to be a bit on the smaller side and storage lock-ups are expensive but I’ve never seen a car so full of stuff. You might think somebody lives in this car but I don’t think that’s possible. You can’t even recline the front seat.
With street cleaning and parking rules here, this de Ville must be capable of moving under its own power. This isn’t the South Bronx in 1977 – you just don’t see abandoned cars in New York City nowadays.
Every car has a story. I’d love to hear this one.
Photographed 4 September 2018 in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, NY.
It’s a shame to see such a fine old car in such dilapidated condition. Thanks for the photos and comments. The car is a 1970, by the way.
Thanks Fred, fixed.
Gotta say, I prefer the rear of the ’69!
Man, that poor car looks like it’s trying to be a Miss Belvedere tribute.
Reminds me of this Caddy that has been sitting outside of a body shop here in Italy for God knows how long. I took these pictures in 2014, it’s still there…
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This is the difference between an old Cadillac and an old Mercedes or BMW. This stupid old Cadillac will still start, run, move and stop all by itself, and probably with cash infusions that are few and far between. Something that can be said of pretty much no old German luxury car, at least in similar shape.
I have occasionally seen what I call a hoarder-mobile – that car where the back seat and passenger side of the front are full of who-knows-what. And to think that I get all crazy when there is an empty plastic water bottle in one of the cup holders in my own.
This brings a new aspect to hoarder-mobiles, since the driver’s compartment is also full of stuff. Looks like this car serves as an additional closet for its owner. Given NYC prices, that might be a smart move — on a per-cubic-foot basis, the cost of buying, registering, and occasionally moving a 50-year-old Cadillac probably beats the cost of leasing a bigger apartment.
Ha ha, as as a german native I should disagree. But I think you´re right. That´s one of the reasons I love american cars.
Surprised it has not been towed by the city. Since you indicated that the car has moved since your initial viewing, I guess this is enough to prevent a trip to the city pound.
In my neighborhood, all it takes is a complaint and a large bright sticker is adhered to the driver’s window with a 20 day notice. After that, its gone🤨🤨🤨
btw ,Its a 1970 sedan deville. the tail lights give it away it comes from an ere where you could tell the model year of a car by looking at the rear or fron lights!! it’s got that survivor instinct!!
Reminds me of this picture, also in Brooklyn:
(1961 Mercury Meteor 800 two-door hardtop).
**I don’t think it’s there anymore**
this is not uncommon in nyc. it definitely moves under it’s own power or it would have been towed away long ago. one of my neighbors does the same thing with a ford escort. it’s a storage locker alternative. if you have time and know the parking rules, you move the car twice a week. moving often means waiting for the street sweeper pulling out 20 feet and backing into the space as soon as they clean your spot. https://youtu.be/VeG6iT6IIC4
on parking holidays you don’t have to move it.
2018 Dates Alternate Side Parking is Suspended
Monday, January 1 — New Year’s Day*
Monday, January 15 — Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
Monday, February 12 — Lincoln’s Birthday (Observed)
Wednesday, February 14 — Ash Wednesday
Friday, February 16 — Asian Lunar New Year
Monday, February 19 — Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day)
Thursday, March 1 — Purim
Thursday, March 29 — Holy Thursday
Friday, March 30 — Good Friday
Saturday-Sunday, March 31-April 1 — Passover (1st/2nd Days)
Thursday, April 5 — Holy Thursday (Orthodox)
Friday, April 6 — Good Friday (Orthodox)
Friday-Saturday, April 6-7 — Passover (7th/8th Days)
Thursday, May 10 — Solemnity of Ascension
Sunday-Monday, May 20-May 21 — Shavuot (2 Days)
Monday, May 28 — Memorial Day*
Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 — Eid al-Fitr (Idul-Fitr)
Wednesday, July 4 — Independence Day*
Wednesday, August 15 — Feast of the Assumption
Tuesday-Thursday, August 21-23 — Eid al-Adha (Idul-Adha)
Monday, September 3 — Labor Day*
Monday-Tuesday, September 10-11 — Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 19 — Yom Kippur
Monday-Tuesday, September 24-25 — Succoth (2 Days)
Monday, October 1 — Shemini Atzereth
Tuesday, October 2 — Simchas Torah
Monday, October 8 — Columbus Day
Thursday, November 1 — All Saints Day
Tuesday, November 6 — Diwali
Tuesday, November 6 — Election Day
Monday, November 12 — Veterans Day (Observed)
Thursday, November 22 — Thanksgiving Day*
Saturday, December 8 — Immaculate Conception
Tuesday, December 25 — Christmas Day*
It’s definitely a hoarder mobile. I’ve seen many cars filled to the brim with stuff from riding a bicycle around Chicago. Usually every inch of the passenger compartments are filed to were the windows start (so the driver can see) with the driver’s seat left clear. I was going to take pics of these cars, but found it too depressing. I did have a favorite hoarder mobile – a mid nineties Escort wagon that was usually park by a large regional library- the small Ford was filled with tons of books.
Never liked rust on a big Cadillac, as a kid I recall seeing lots of rust on the doors of ‘71-‘74 Coupe de Villes – not a pretty sight.
Reminds me of an early 70s Coupe De Ville that used to sit in the parking lot of an abandoned restaurant near me.
Nice car but I believe it’s a 1970 model judging by the taillights, I’ve always loved the Cadillac’s built from 1967 to 1970 a lot and wish this particular Cadillac was in better shape.
Even in its dilapidation, bags more class and style than any of the Asian tin around it.
This fine car, in and of itself, represents the Old South plantation estates after the Reconstruction. They all fell to pieces after either the heads squabbled over what next to do for too long or desperate ex-Confederate soldiers ransacked them. Once grand mansions left soiled and forlorn. Oh well. Riches to rags is just as much of a thing as rags to riches.
What an interesting car. It amazes me that it could last so long on the streets of NYC. It looks as though it would be rather difficult to move around, moving the junk out of the seat, bringing the old engine to life, keeping fuel in the tank and air in the tires, let alone paying the cost of insurance and registration on a decomposing hulk.
Though the subject of the article seems not to be a hoarder car, at least not one that is driven very often, it reminds me of two hoarder cars I saw last year. Both of them were filled to the level of the windows with layers of stuff, which I recall had a lot of fast food containers and mail, leaving an open area just big enough to fit the driver.
On a recent trip to Portland OR, I spent two days bicycling around the city, and photographed quite a few vehicles. A memorable one relevant to this article was a Dodge Dart Swinger, circa 1974 or so, filled with all manner of stuff. There was a wall hook screwed into the ignition switch, so, if the car started it was anyone’s for the taking. If you wanted to use it, though, you would have to find a place to store the stuff in the driver’s seat. Because the windows were down, it left open the possibility that the car was, rather than a vessel for the owner’s detritus, a community collection site. Though I didn’t see anything obviously useful, I imagine that nobody would complain if an occasional article was removed. Take what you need, drop off what you don’t.
A view of the contents from the driver’s side.
See anything you want?
Have something to donate?
From the passenger’s side.
Looks like a near twin to the green ’69 Caddy my dad took out a power pole with in ’73. It was the end of his driving after that. It knocked out power to a pretty big section of Toledo.
Even like that, a majestic presence
Found it on Google Maps, street view…it’s in a different spot, so it’s mobile(?)
It has not moved in a year, rear tire is flat, but it has a 2020 inspection sticker and does not get ticketed. Anthony (the owner) has connections it appears. Formal complaints get closed without explanation. I wonder if I can find out who issued the inspection sticker. Soil is forming around the car.
Gone now.
https://www.motor1.com/news/360008/cadillac-brooklyn-street-towed/
Since this car had sat for so long I looked at Google Street View to see where this car was sitting when the Street View photos were taken. Those Street View photos are dated Nov 2017. They show this car sitting 2 parking spots farther down the street from the location shown in this article’s photos. This article’s photos show the car in front of 1521 11th Street. Street View shows it in front of 1511 / 1513.
This was also previously reported by Bill S. back in September 21, 2018 at 1:49 PM. I missed his comment. Sorry for the duplicate posting.
It was moved 2 parking spots – somehow.
It’s nice that they kept whitewalls on it as long as they did. The rear sag is probably caused by the water that’s seeped in and not the stuff itself.
In a few years, my dad spent over $6k on storage units in two states, plus the bother of hauling it when he moved in with me, and I gave or threw away over 90% of it. Still have to clean out his parents’ house next door with 3 generations of stuff. His family was relatively well off in the Depression (built a lake cottage in ’34 that is now surrounded by trailers), so it wasn’t that mentality.
What ever water that has seeped (poured) in, has leaked back out. How does a car like this survive high scrap prices? There has to be a tidy profit in this car for just picking up the phone and unburdening yourself from it. No?
1970 Cadillac in Bayberry Green. In my book that was the last year a Cadillac was still a Cadillac. Something about the 1971 and forward Cadillacs that lost the magic. My favorite remains the ’68 in Caribe Aqua but the 70 and prior year cars were so much better than the post ’70 successors.
Southern California used to have huge old American made station wagons stuffed full like this, almost always owned by an elderly woman who lived in it .
Woe betide the Mechanic that had to do the occasional repairs as they were RIPE inside .
Similarly those whose home they parked in front of and failed to get to move along, after a week or two they’d unload the smelliest garbage you can imagine onto your parkway at 0-Dark:30 then putter off leaving a hazardous material dump .
-Nate