Here is the back story. I am a 34 old guy from the rusty Northeastern US. Massachusetts to be exact. I have always wanted one of these cars since 1987 when I was a youngster and my Grandfather bought one new as a retirement present to himself. His was dark blue almost black and had the dark blue velour interior. He would take me golfing with him every Sunday in it and it was quite the car at the golf course.
He drove less and less as the years past and it would sit in the garage. One day, I went over for our golf outing and he backed over his mailbox at the end of the drive. Now mind you, he was over 80 and lived in that same house for 50+ years. He stated, “those kids must have moved my mailbox again”. Come to find out, he had did that 3 times prior. Shortly after he stopped driving at my mother’s request. This was in 1997 he was 84. He died the next year and the car went to my uncle. It only had 33,000 miles. My uncle went through a rough patch and sold the car in 2000 for $1200.00. It still had less than 40,000 miles. I was upset over that but as a senior in high school, I did not have the funds to buy and store it. That brings me to my very unofficial search for my first curbside classic spotting and first article.
I stared searching unofficially last April. I was trying to pay extra attention to the streets, used car lots, and internet sites. My criteria was, 1986-1989 and blue interior. It took a while to spot my first one and it was trashed. I must have looked at 20 different vehicles. Some exteriors were white, grey, blue, and an odd red one. That was very strange indeed with a blue interior. I figured the owner must have been patriotic. I saw some when you shifted it was like an earthquake. When you tried the windows, they would barely move. When you tried to start it, it just would not no matter what I did. The owner would always say it used to start right up. There were some so rotted I saw the road through the floorpan as I drove. I started to despair. None of these could be made into a curbside classic article let alone a solid driver for less than many thousands.
I went to retrieve some items from my storage unit in August. There I saw her! She was perfect a 1987 Cadillac Brougham. She is a light blue with matching metallic top and dark blue velour interior
I met a jovial older fellow and asked to take pictures for my article. His name was Edgar and he stated the car was for sale! It was too big for him and his wife to manage. He then took me to the storage unit to show me the car. When he open the door, I was floored. The paint is perfect. In the picture there is a layer of dust on it too. Imagine when she is clean.
I wanted a blue interior and I got one. Her velour is perfect. There are no signs of wear anywhere on her interior. The back seats still had their plastic covers on the seat belt buckles/latches. All floor mats are perfect and original. She has 85,000 one owner miles.
Come to find out from Edgar, it was his recently deceased fathers car. He was 93 when he died and bought the car new in 1987 and get this, it was his retirement gift! He bought it from King Cadillac Olds in Putnam Connecticut. I know this as he kept the window sticker from 1987. It has the 307 Y Code Olds engine. It states it is Gossamer Blue, with a light metallic blue top, and Federal Blue Prima Vera Cloth. Interestingly the only options were the wire wheel covers and the level ride suspension. He did not even get cruise control, twilight sentinel, or vanity mirrors. I have never seen one without at least cruise control or a vanity mirror. I guess this is what a stripper Cadillac looked like. Notice the bare chrome lever to the left of the steering wheel? This is a turn signal without any cruise control. It is so solid feeling being just a hunk of chrome. The other lever is the standard tilt wheel control.
The sticker was $24,155.47. He also had all the keys in a strange leather envelope with the dealers name on it. I guess that is how they used to come. It also had all service records starting in 1989. I guess he had a 1973 Eldorado he preferred which is why he did not use this car much over the long time he drove it.
I offered him the amount he was asking on the spot. I had never seen anything even half this good. He asked what my plans were with her before he said yes. I told him to keep her an original nice weather cruiser. He asked if I was going to lower her, paint her, or junk her. I said no way. He stated that his dad would have been dismayed had that happened to her. I reassured him again and showed him pictures of the garage where she will be kept and the picture of my Grandpa and me in his Cadillac. At that he said yes and she became mine!
I have since driven her 200 flawless miles and love driving it. The seats are as comfy as a couch and it glides over the rutted streets in the suburbs of Boston. The performance is not barn busintg. It can be tricky merging into freeway traffic but I love every white knuckled moment. Around town the engine just has a sound about it. It is a gurgling sound and hard to put into words. It just sounds different than the modern cars out there. I scored free valet paking in Boston, a rare occurance indeed. The valet was so happy to get to park it, he did not charge me and he parked it right out front too! It beat out a new Jaguar for that spot. I bet he likes looking over the long peaked hood gleaming with chrome and guiding her down the road using the proud wreath and crest as a way point.
She needed very little mechanically apart from a steering belt that was dry rotted. She is at the body shop now getting a polishing compound, clay bar, and cleaning wax. As well as a full shampoo of the interior. Her chrome is getting polished too. When done, I think she will look as new. I intend to cruise around Boston and bring her to the car shows.
Joseph Dennis, Thank for your kind words about my car and the care I am taking to preserve her. Depsite my grandfathers choice of car, we were very modest in means. He owned a paiting company from 1936 to 1987 and worked hard to save for retirement. My uncles now own the company, thought they are in their 70’s. I have a few cousins who work for it so I am hoping it continues on. It is nice to still see his name on the trucks.
Rudiger, it is awesome that there is a car for everyone. Thanks for your compliment about the shape she is in. It is hard to argue with the inherent practicalility of the minivan.
Mya Byrne, Thanks and I wish you much success in your car hunt!
Joe Yoman, Good luck with finding your elusive car! I am glad that you “get it”. driving one of these is like nothing I have ever done before.
Chris M. Thanks for sharing your Grandpa golfing memories! They were great times! Good luck on the Malibu. Think of the memories the first time you drive it again. I agree about this car. I picture myself in 1987 being successful and thinking this was the only way to go. There are subtle details that remind you of the quality. The chrome garment hooks and visor mounts are amazing feeling. The carpet is lush and must have been amazing feeling when new. The quality of the cigar lighters with a cadillac crest on each one. There are 4 lighters and 4 ashtrays by the way. It was quite a shock to my 10 year old nephew who has rarely seen even one in a car today.
Back in 85-87, I used to get occasional lifts from the gentleman (a Knight of the Realm no less) whose company I worked for, in his 83 (?) Fleetwood Brougham.
The owner was then over 80 and still worked a 7 day/ 60+ hour week and drove the car around the factory and the airfield it was builtaround. At one time, I had the job of getting it washed and filled every Friday morning.
Riding in it (I never drove it) was quite an experince, to say the least. I can certianly understand why you wanted one. Enjoy!
Very nice story, thanks for sharing. It was a pleasure to read! The family connection makes it even better. I would encourage you to join The Brougham Society, a Facebook group Richard Bennett and myself run. It is all about classic domestic luxury cars, and your Cadillac would fit right in!
Roger Carr, Thanks for sharing your memories of the ride. It is something quite extrordinary. I have a gas station story. I am not sure if all old cars are like this but the first time I flled it up with gas, apart from bending over almost to the ground as I am 6 foot 2, it kept going and going. I figured it would stop when it was full. All of a sudden some gas came shooting out of the filler neck. It did not stop. So now I know, that it is a 20 gallon tank and only fill it to 75% full just to be sure.
Tom Klockau, Thanks for your kind compliments. I am glad you enjoyed it. I have requested to join your facebook group at your kind invitiation. Happy driving in your beautiful ride as well.
Well, I actually have two Town Cars now. Just got this 2004 Town Car Ultimate. One owner, and only 53,000 miles.
And I see Richard has already added you. Welcome!
Beautiful exterior / interior color combination, congratulations !
The garage seems to be a bit too small though.
Beautiful indeed! Looks like another keeper…definitely a striking color.
It is a two-Town Car household now–traded in the V50.
Nice fleet you have Tom! How would you compare the ride quality of the 2000 Cartier and 2004 Ultimate? Is there much difference in the steering and handling? A lot of Lincoholics say the 2003+ ride a lot stiffer than the 98-02 and that those ride stiffer than the 90-97.
I HAVE A 89 CADILLAC BROUGHAM ONE OWNER THAT I PURCHASE IN 98 AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I JUST HAD THE 307 5.0L ENGINE OVERHAUL AND THE BLOCK WAS BORED OUT TO A 5.4L. I’M LOVING THE NEW POWER. YOU CANT BEAT THE D-BODY STYLE CADDY.
I purchased a new brougham identical to this one in 1987 ,I put 175,00 miles on it . It was like a new car when I traded it in on a 1991red brougham. I was 25 years old and all of my peers thought it was the greatest car a young man could own. I wish I still had that car as it was one of my favorites. I have driven Cadillacs and Lincolns ever since. I currently have a 2011 DTS that I did not trade in on my current XTS . The big Cadillacs are sadly gone now.
Fantastic! I’ve been looking for this interior color code for years. I once saw a 5.7 Brougham in black with this exact interior and less than 30.000 miles on it. I couldn’t afford it back then and living in Sweden, Broughams are about as rare as Bentleys in Boston. Never ever saw the car again, let alone an interior like that. Absolutely love it. At least now I know it’s Federal Blue Prima Vera Cloth. I’ll probably end up importing one from the US if I can find a nice one. A sunday car.
My ’87 Brougham – not a Cadillac I would ever go looking for – but one owned by an elderly gentleman friend of a friend. I paid $3,000 in 2015. I rarely drive it as I have a ’75 Coupe deVille; ’69 DeVille convertible and my daily driver, ’98 DeVille Concours.
Issues: Leaky transmission, Problems with electronic climate control. Rotting window frame gaskets. Driver’s window fell into frame and I had to have it manually pulled up. Can’t lower it now.