Carlos is looking for help finding the Cadillac that was used on his parents wedding day.
Carlos is asking if you can help him regarding the location of the chassis number of a Cadillac Sedan De Ville 1961, 4-door, 6 window model.
One of these Cadillac’s took my parents to their marriage in 1971.I found the license plate in one photo from my parents’ marriage at that time, and after 40 years I think I found him, in a bad condition, at a junkyard.
I just need to confirm his chassis number, but I don’t know where to find the number in the Cadillac.
Can you please help me?
As you can imagine, I will do my best to save this (very special) Cadillac to me.
I’ve included some photos of the Sedan De Ville in my parents marriage in September 1971, and as I have found him (I think it is the same) in a sale online.
Thanks for your attention.
Best regards,
Carlos
Let’s help Carlos out. I am not familiar with the year and model but I am sure someone from our group will know.
Carlos buy that one, good as a parts car if you don’t want to restore it.
Just got this response from Daniel in an email:
Should be stanmped into frame somewhere near LH A-arm mounting…
but Assumming ORIGINAL engine still in place.. Try looking on a machined boss
just ahead of pass side cylinder head where it meets the block .
on FRONT of block. You may have to move a/c compressor if so equipped
Also it should appear on an often lost plastic tag on Lock Pillar of drivers door, along with a spot for writing last oil change mileage.
Vin should start 61 J xxxxxx if 2dr Coupe Deville
or 61 G xxxxxx if 2 dr Series 62 base model
Another thing to check is the Body Tag / Dataplate located under hood on cowl
about above the brake booster. Should give numbers for STYLE Paint Trim Accessories and Body number.
The fact that a club member was helpful with the technical problem is a tribute to Vinny’s hard work in organizing this effort.
Carlos..how on earth did you track down the car after so many years? Think that wold be interesting to hear.
Hello ,
I would like to thank to all the Cadillac Country Club Members for the prompt help that I’ve received, regarding the location of the chassis number of the 1961 Sedan De Ville.
With this precious information’s I’m now able to check if the two Cadillac’s in the photos, separated 41 years apart, are in the reality the same car.
Since 2002 I have the information regarding the chassis number, and the owner of the car, but as the address was not updated, I was unable to get in touch with the owner.
These beautiful cars are very rare, and I’ve never come across to any 1961 4-Door 6 window model, here in Portugal.
But last 10 of March, I made a query for Cadilac (yes, just like that, misspelled) in a Portuguese site that you can sell / buy all kinds of products, and I found the Sedan De Ville.
I picked up the telephone almost immediately, and gave the registration number, to the seller, that phone me back two days after, telling me that he found that registration number in a small paper in the car, belonging to a “road tax” that we have here in Portugal.
As you surely realize, I want to confirm this data with other information’s from the car, in order to avoid, any confusions.
Soon as I have more news, I will let you know.
More than a car brand, I realize that Cadillac owners do make the difference, by their attitude, giving a help to someone looking to find a true “Dream Car” – A Cadillac.
Thanks for your attention.
Best regards,
Carlos Ferreira
I forgot to share in my last post the VIN number that I have from this Cadillac :
61D044528 and the engine number is supposedly to be the same.
I forgot to share in my last post the VIN number that I have from this Cadillac:
61D044528 and the engine number is supposedly to be the same.
Last 27th of October, I had the chance of confirming if this was the same Cadillac that took my parents to their wedding in 1971.
With the precious indications regarding the location of the VIN number, I opened the driver door (perfectly balanced and smooth, despite the condition of the car) and I was able to find the plastic tag on Lock Pillar.
Surprisingly, the small tag was there, untouched.
Asked to my wife to start to tell me the vin numbers. Couldn’t believe it. Asked her to tell me the numbers again.
A perfect mach.
Never in my life had I felt like that. A car that I have only seen in photos, since a kid, and that I’ve been trying to locating for the last 25 years, right in front of me.
Despite of his poor condition, all glamour of the 60’s era is present.
What an emotion.
When compared with actual cars, as very distinctive lines, not at all like “all the same of the cars of today”
The rust, despite present, can’t penetrate his strong steel.
Almost immediately, it came to my mind that I have to save him, to his original beauty and glamor.
The same one that prevented his actual owner to send him to be crushed; he confessed me that he wanted to try to restore in order to (and he didn’t know the origin of the car) to be used in weddings ceremonies (the original task that the car had till the 80’s)
But as we all know, the finances are now in hard time, so he tried to sell it, with no success, reason why I found it.
My wife also felt rendered to the big Cadillac.
Even that I can’t recover 100%, I will buy it, and find a garage to keep him away from the weather, in order to pass it on to my kids.
When he gets fully restored, to have him in my kids marriage would be something unique, in the same car that took his grandmother to the church.
Usually, the bride dress passes from mother to daughter, as tradition; why can’t that happen with the wedding car?
Strangely now, in almost of the end of November, every time that a strong rain felts down, I remember the Cadillac, and I have to find a garage for him quickly.
The actual owner agreed in selling the car to me, and as have me is original license plate as a gift.
My mother was shocked to see that the “brand new Cadillac” in 1971 was now in such a poor condition, she was sad, believe me.
Soon as I “rescue” the Cadillac, I will let you know.
Thanks to all in this forum for the support and technical information; in fact I will need for your help much more.
Best regards,
Carlos Ferreira
Photos can be seen here:
https://www.cadillaccountryclub.com/forum/showthread.php/523-Location-of-the-Chassis-number-in-a-1961-Cadillac-Coupe-Sedan-De-Ville-4-door
Photos of car car can be seen here:
https://www.cadillaccountryclub.com/forum/showthread.php/523-Location-of-the-Chassis-number-in-a-1961-Cadillac-Coupe-Sedan-De-Ville-4-door
I remember when my father drove our 1961 Sedan DeVille (Park Avenue Short-Deck model–the trunk was 7″ shorter than a standard model) home for the first time on 12 July 1961. We had just traded in our 1957 Cadillac.
Ever since having that car in the family all those years and using it through college, I’ve wondered why this is the only model year for which the name “Cadillac” does NOT appear on the EXTERIOR of the car–not on the grille, bumpers, hood, trunk/deck, fenders, doors, windshield, c-pillars, nor wheel covers. Yes, the coat-of-arms crest and “V” appeared on the hood and trunk/deck lid, and “deVille” script was on the leading edge of the front fenders (the “Fleetwood” insignia was on the rear end of the front fenders, and a wider crest for the Series Sixty-Two appeared on the rear end of the front fenders). The wheel covers sported the crest in the center.
The only place that the name “Cadillac” did appear in very tasteful block-style letters was on the dashboard/instrument panel–no place else . . . . When I was a kid I’d often asked my father how a meter maid would know what kind of car to write on a parking ticket. In Model Years 1960 and 1962, the name DID appear on the exterior.
This might be a trivia observation to share with the others.
That car was so easy to drive–I passed my driver’s test on that car in June 1968. The relatively flat hood made it easy to judge the front end in parking and in traffic, whereas the sloping trunk lid and fins made backing into tight spaces a cinch because the tips of the fins indicated the location of the rear bumper–no guess work at all!
Methinks that this car was just so well known and recognizable that its name wasn’t really necessary to mar its beauty.