Time to pay attention to the Standard of the World products in our series of galleries featuring marques and their folk in the 1960s. As the gallery will make clear, Cadillacs of the 1960s undeniably had an elegant and tasteful character. Gone were the jet-age gimmicks of the late ’50s, and in their place a newfound restrained feel of luxury appeared, coupled with a substantial chiseled presence.
There’s no need to say that the brand loomed large in people’s minds during that decade. And it wasn’t just hype; period reviews extoll Cadillac’s quality, ride and care for assembly. However, compared to our previous gallery of Cadillacs from the 1950s, the folk in these 1960s photos aren’t nearly as spiffy. A sign of loosening mores, more acquisition power, or of Cadillac coming down its high perch to reach more customers?
Probably a bit of all of those factors. Still, the pride of Cadillac ownership is felt in every single one of these images.
The first picture could have been one of my father’s though his 1967 Cadillac was blue and a four-door. Also, he would most likely have been wearing a sport shirt and trousers and been in the mountains instead of by the shore. [grin]
Somewhere in my father’s vast array of 2×2 slides is an image of the Cadillac at the top of Pike’s Peak (yes he drove the car to the summit in 1969) in front of an eight-foot high snow bank.
The woman in the last picture, next to the 1967 deVille convertible looks like she is posing for an advertisement; perhaps for the car itself.
Photo #3 & #4 are of the same lady (light brown sweater) and black Cadillac. Must be on a road trip based on background in photo #4.
Photo #5 I guess this guy is in Florida based on the white gravel he’s standing on and the foliage in the background. Look like he’s soaking up the sun 🌞. If he had been up north, he’d have his shirt on.
’63 Fleetwood Sixty Special. My favorite Cadillac of the decade.
So much ‘presence’ in these fine cars .
-Nate
Every Cadillac in this series is a winner. My favorite is the black ’63 Sixty Special, the finest “owner driven model.” All the owners look very proud of their cars. Twenty years later Cadillac would go through some trying times. I’ll add my photo from 1975. Just as the advertisement proclaimed. “The finest new car, makes the finest used car.”
Was this a Coupe DeVille hardtop or convertible?
Coupe de Ville is the 2-door hardtop. The convertible was labeled DeVille.
Livin’ the life!
Photos 3 and 4:
“Northern California, where the palm tree meets the pine”. Danny O’Keefe, 1977.
These make me nostalgic. I have fond memories of times spent in my grandfather’s white 1962 Sedan DeVille and the 1967 Calais 4 door owned by some other relatives. Then there was my own 1963 Fleetwood, black just like in the photos – though mine lacked the modern touch lent by that new, luxurious vinyl roof! Cadillacs really were special then.
I still think of those vertical taillights that were on Cadillacs for quite a few years.
That last pic does look almost professional. Both the car and the owner (?) most attractive.
Several of our neighbors in Towson had Cadillacs: ’53, ’56, ’57 (2) ’59 (2), ’61, ’64, ’66 and ’68s were all within a house or 3 away so had much time looking at and riding in them. We always had crappy Ford wagons and these were a breed apart. This was the era of Peak Cadillac and their reputation was well deserved.
Though I like all of those, the restrained ’61 and particularly ’62 are my favorite. A friend in Lutherville’s Mom had a pale pink metallic ’61 and it was a mightily impressive automobile indeed. This was quality that didn’t need to shout, exuding what The Standard of The World was all about at the zenith of it’s greatest era… for all intents and purposes the finest family car in the world.
’61 Fleetwood:
I wish someone would explain how they painted those hubcaps–and how many of them survived in good shape. Too bad they stopped after two years, though some late 70s Fleetwoods had body-colored circles in imitation of MB.
I own a ’68 Calais, ex Oakland SF. Very original except for a once only repaint in 2005. Has all its bits of chrome and jewellery! Unmarked dash and original upholstery and even trunk card and carpet, jack decal. Rides well.
I very much enjoyed the pictures of the Cadillacs in this article. My dad bought Cadillac Coupe DeVilles in 1962,63,64,65,66 and 67. I still have the letter he received from Prentice Cadillac in Wyandotte Mich thanking him for his loyalty. In 1968 I was over at his place and, he had brochures of the Eldorado and the Lincoln Mark. Both very nice automobiles. I told him both are sice but, you are use to GM Buicks and Cadillacs. You might not like the feel of the Mark. Sorry to say he died later that night.
I cringe at photo #6 (silver convertible loaded with people). It looks like she stopped backing up when she tapped the concrete wall.
Cadillac’s of this era definitely were a breed apart. I knew several people who had them when I was a kid. They all said the same thing, “Once you drive a Cadillac you will never be satisfied with anything less!”
1969 for me with the ’60s being the topic. But my all-time favorite Caddy is the 1971-72 Coupe DeVille, followed by the (believe it or not) 1989-93 Sedan DeVille. The Coupe because my grandpa had a light aqua ’71 Sedan DeVille when I was a lad of 4 or 5 years old in the mid-70’s. I felt tiny when standing in the back seat looking out the rear window (seatbelts and booster seats nowhere to be found). And the ’89 style because it was what I wanted for graduation in 1990 (didn’t get, obviously… ended up with a Mazda 626LX Coupe lol). I did manage to buy my own ’89 in 1993 after much saving (down-payment) and a loan officer who felt sorry for me! Navy Blue with Blue cloth and wire wheel covers! Heaven! Would buy a twin to it if I could find an ultra low mileage example today! Ahhh, memories of the good ole days…
Truly the standard of the world back then. Cadillacs today can’t even come close to being the same. This is my 1971 Cadillac Eldorado convertible.an absolute pleasure to drive. I also have a 1965 Cadillac sedan Deville which my dad bought when I was in high school.A 1968 Fleetwood and a 1986 Fleetwood
1971 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
If you’re trying to attaching an image, try making it smaller. If it’s 1,200 pixels or less, it should attach here.
1971 Eldorado convertible