Cadillac redesigned its models in 1965 and continued a slow evolution of the new styling in 1967 with reworked contours, which gave the cars an appearance of greater length and muscularity. Underneath, the valve train and engine fan were refined for smoother operation, and a new carburetor was fitted. Body mounts were tuned, with the result being a car that was everything that a Cadillac should be: a smooth, quiet, and compliant driver.

With the Eldorado Convertible not in the offering for the 1967 model year, the honor of being Cadillac’s sole ragtop went to the DeVille, which stood out with its plush upholstered interior for six passengers. While 52,905 DeVille Convertibles were built in 1967, the vast majority of them were used as everyday cars by their original owners, and accordingly, they covered high mileage and were driven into the ground. Most of the examples remaining today are either in rough condition or are, occasionally, well-maintained drivers. Rare is the example that has undergone a show-quality, ground-up restoration.

The car offered here is one of those rarities. It was acquired by the previous owner, a longtime Cadillac enthusiast, from a cousin who had sadly taken ill. The enthusiast promised his cousin that he would return the car to its original condition and set about doing so, literally taking it apart down to the nuts and bolts and giving it the same high-quality restoration he would (and has) performed on a V-16 model. The body was refinished in its original Grecian White and came with a Maroon “strato” bench seat interior. The new, correct leather upholstery and top were both acquired from Jenkins. The engine and transmission were fully rebuilt, with less than 300 miles since, and recently, the original exhaust was replaced with a new, correct system. The car even has most of the factory options and accessories that were available at the time, including speed control, an automatic headlight dimmer, and even air conditioning, which is particularly rare in a convertible of the time.

Not surprisingly, all of that hard work has resulted in this DeVille becoming a Cadillac-LaSalle Club Senior Award winner, which demonstrates its status as one of the finest of its kind remaining. It awaits entry in further shows, and it is perhaps the only “better than new” 1967 Cadillac DeVille available today.