Junkyard Find: 1982 Cadillac Seville
The General put some odd-looking rear bodywork on his cars during the mid-to-late Malaise Era. There was the Olds Cutlass Salon Fastback, of course, and the 1977-1979 full-sized Chevy coupes with wraparound rear glass. I've long thought that the "bustleback" 1980-1985 Cadillac Seville was even goofier-looking than those two, and I've found this '82 in a Denver-area car graveyard to share with you.
This design went on the second-generation Seville, which switched from a rear-wheel-drive X-body-derived platform to a new front-wheel-drive chassis for the 1980 model year.
It should go without saying that golf bags were emphasized in the marketing materials showing off this car's trunk.
Even though the 1976-1979 Seville was first cousin to the lowly Chevy Nova, it had a higher sticker price than all non-limousine Cadillacs (including the mighty Eldorado) during its production run.
This pricing continued with the 1980-1985 Sevilles. This car's MSRP started at $23,434, or about $79,719 in 2025 dollars. That was just a hair less than a new 1982 BMW 733i, which listed at $24,115 ($82,036 after inflation). The BMW could even be had with a manual transmission!
Cadillac and LaSalle used bustle-style trunks during the late 1930s, so bringing them back four or so decades later must have seemed like a good idea.
Ford and Chrysler promptly copied the Seville's bustle, with the 1981 Imperial and 1982 Lincoln Continental. Later on, the aftermarket created a bustleback kit for the PT Cruiser.
1982 was the first year for Cadillac's High Technology "power system," and this car is so equipped.
This fuel-injected engine was rated at 125 horsepower and 190 pound-feet and was standard equipment in the 1982 Seville, DeVille, Fleetwood Brougham and Eldorado.
'82 Seville buyers could get a credit off the car's purchase price if they took the 4.1-liter version of the Buick V6 (the V6 had a displacement of 4128cc while the HT4100 displaced 4087cc; the two made identical horsepower but the V6 gnashed out an additional (though less smooth) 15 pound-feet versus its V8 rival). The Oldsmobile 5.7-liter diesel V8 was available as a Seville option, but the V8-6-4 was limo-only by 1982.
The HT4100/4500/4900 engine family got a well-deserved bad rap for problems on the street, but it has proven to be by far the most reliable Detroit pushrod V8 in 24 Hours of Lemons history (yes, the sample size is large enough).
While this car doesn't have the extra-rococo Seville Elegante package, it's well-equipped with luxury and convenience features. The fake-wood dash was standard on all Sevilles, but the "Symphony Sound" AM/FM/cassette radio cost $225 extra ($765 in today's frogskins).
Rusty Jones and his dealer-installed rustproofing business started out in Chicago, went nationwide in the late 1970s, then went bankrupt in 1988.
This Seville didn't have any rust-through that I could find, so the Rusty Jones treatment must have worked.
"Heather cloth" seats were standard in the '82 Seville, but the original buyer of this car sprang for the $595 leather option ($2,024 now).
Power (just about) everything was standard on the Seville.
The digital dash is properly futuristic.
In the end, parking inappropriately is what did this car in at age 43. Red-tagged (or, in this case, blue -tagged) by The Man and towed!
At least it will go to The Crusher with a scent inspired by a stellar explosion.
For you, first-class is a way of life.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
1982 Cadillac Seville in Colorado wrecking yard.
[Images: The Author]
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Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Hagerty and The Truth About Cars.
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I'm surprised someone didn't graft a Eldorado rear end on one of these Sevilles.
With just a little bondo and paint, and the thing would have looked so much better!!🚗🚗🚗
My dad bought a 1980 Seville brand new. It was weird but very comfortable. In hindsight he should have just driven it straight to the junkyard after day one. It would have saved a lot of headaches because it was the biggest POS he'd ever owned.