THE BASS IS BUMPIN' OUT THE BACK OF MY F EETWOOD

THE BASS IS BUMPIN' OUT THE BACK OF MY F EETWOOD

Somewhere out by the elevated Broadway tracks in Brooklyn I found yet another huge old Cadillac. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the streets of Brooklyn are littered with Caddys from the '60s and '70s in every sort of condition.

This formidable beast is a 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 in Tropic Green Poly. The 70 Series was the Caddy line that included a factory limousine so the appointments and comfort level were top notch. Without hubcaps or fender skirts this looks a lot tougher than if it was properly dressed.

This was the third year for the stacked headlights, but the forward leaning aggressive rake of the front end was new for '67. Most of the Cadillac line would look the same for '68 before a major restyling the following year. The big news for Cadillac in '67 was the Eldorado which, in addition to hidden headlights and a new body, adopted the front wheel drive layout of the Oldsmobile Toronado.

This wide lens is the side cornering lamp which illuminates the area you're about to turn into when the turn signal and headlights are switched on. The bumper is classic Caddy: unabashedly huge and deeply chromed. The little indentation on the top of the fender is the fiber optic indicator housing that shows when you need to replace a headlight or turn signal bulb.

F (L) E E T W O O D spelled out in individual letters is a classy departure from the frilly script on Caddys both before and after this year. This ride is actually in remarkably good shape with little rust.

Formal and stately are two words applicable to the full size Fleetwood with its straight back quarter panels and squared off roofline.
With no license plates or stickers in the windows it's anybodys guess what has become of this beast. Maybe it's holding down this edge of the garage lot in perpetuity? It was missing some small trim items but overall sat level and looked nice. This was the last year for the 429 V8 but that motor is a monster of torque and smooth power so driving this would be lots of fun. Hopefully it's found a new owner or set of plates to roll on.