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Pick of the Day: 1979 Cadillac Seville Opera Coupe by Grandeur

Remember that scene in Live and Let Die where a mysterious henchman was driving a pimpalicious Cadillac Eldorado (actually a Dunham Coach Corvado)? Neo-classical cars have a history in the U.S., the most famous being Excalibur and Stutz. Our Pick of the Day is in a similar vein—perhaps you’ve seen one but didn’t know what it was: the 1979 Cadillac Seville Opera Coupe by Grandeur. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Monroe Township, New Jersey.

The Cadillac Seville, a name originally applied to two-door hardtop versions of the 1956-60 Eldorado, was the first small Cadillac, something that no one would have ever imagined until it actually happened. This new model, introduced for the 1976 model year, was a modified version of General Motors’ X-body platform, which included the Chevrolet Nova, Pontiac Ventura, Oldsmobile Omega, and Buick Skylark. Did Cadillac take a compact, fluff it up, and give it the highest price tag of all its mainstream models? Indeed, and America loved it.

The Seville’s introduction came at a time when trim, luxury imports—mostly from Germany—were making an impact in the American market. The Seville was a response to these upstarts. Though successful, the Seville didn’t come off as reaching for the same youthful buyers. Today, our paradigm of luxury is due to the Germans and not the Seville, as evidenced by Cadillac’s current lineup.

As the Seville was a Cadillac, it was no surprise that enterprising companies used it to create specially modified version. One such company was Grandeur Motor Car Corporation. The Pompano, Florida (again, no surprise) coachbuilder took the four-door Seville and turned it into a 1930s- and Shaft-influenced two-seater. It appears that Grandeur surgeons removed the front seat and moved the cowl and instrument panel back, so the driver was technically driving from the rear (and only) seat; the hood and fenders were extended, with the fake sidemounts added to the extended fenders. Standard power was a fuel-injected Oldsmobile 350 V8, though a Diesel was an option for some years. It is said that 600 Opera Coupes were built from 1976-83, though it’s not clear if that also includes other platforms like the Lincoln Versailles.

This 1979 Cadillac Seville Opera Coupe by Grandeur is painted in the absolutely perfect hue of Light Yellow with a matching leather interior. Though the seller doesn’t specify features, we note the Rolls-Royce-inspired Cadillac grille with special hood ornament, yellow vinyl top, bucket seats with dual armrests, power windows and seat, air conditioning, remote mirror, and genuine wire wheels with spinner hubcaps. Four-wheel disc brakes, electronic level control, and automatic climate control were standard Seville fare.

If your pinky ring has been gathering dust, we can think of no better reason than to unearth it and grab $19,500 so you can live a life of Grandeur.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

Supercharged 350-Powered ’32 Ford 5-Window Highboy Coupe

This ’32 Ford is a steel-bodied, five-window coupe that was acquired by its current owner in 2000 and built into a hot rod over the next 12 years. The body is mounted on a Barry Lobeck frame and has a chopped top and metallic red paintwork, and the car rides on a modified suspension with a chrome drop front axle and a four-link rear end with coilovers. Gasser-style wheels and front discs were added, and power is provided by a 6-71 supercharged 350ci V8 linked to a three-speed automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end. Inside is a powered cowl vent, power windows, a tilt-out windshield, a chrome tilt column, and Dolphin gauges. Following completion, the owner drove the car from Ohio to the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. This ’32 hot rod is now offered by the seller on behalf of its owner with spare parts, a car cover, and a clean Ohio title listing the car as a 1932 Ford.

The steel five-window coupe body is mounted on a Barry Lobeck frame. The top was chopped before it was repainted metallic red, and chrome spreader bars are mounted at both ends. The windshield tilts out, and the cowl vent is powered.

Gasser-style 15″ alloys, staggered tires, and front disc brakes were utilized. The chrome drop front axle has radius rods and a transverse leaf spring, and out back is a four-link setup with coilovers.

Tan upholstery covers the bench seat, and power windows were fitted along with lap belts and a B&M shifter.

The billet banjo-style wheel is mounted on a chrome tilt column. The ~1,800 miles on the Dolphin cluster represents the mileage driven since completion in 2012.

The 350ci V8 is topped by a 6-71 GMC supercharger and two four-barrel Edelbrock carburetors mounted on a BDS adapter. The firewall is mirrored, and the car has tubular headers and side pipes.

The three-speed automatic is linked to a Ford 9″ rear end.

A four-speed Muncie transmission, a Lakewood bell housing, an aluminum flywheel, a Centerforce hydraulic clutch, and a Hurst shifter are included.

The car is titled as a 1932 Ford using VIN 181396885, which aligns with a 1932 model. This serial number appears to have been also used on a ’33 hot rod listed on the site in 2019.

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