1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville

But seriously, there are cars that seem to invigorate and inspire you. They don't have to be luxury supercars, a cosseting limousine, or muscle cars with the biggest donk imaginable, either. Take this issue's second feature car as an example of being an invigorating drive without particularly ticking any of the boxes I've just mentioned. It just seems to get your blood pumping but relaxes you at the same time - a kind of automotive life support, I guess you could say.
Curiously, though, in compiling this feature, of the two other examples of the '59 Seville I came across, one was an 'infamous' murder car (see sidebar) and the other was a hearse, so maybe there's a flaw in my thinking!
But getting back to the car, wafting along on the air ride suspension of this 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville just seems to make you feel good. It's hard to explain, but its a feeling that's probably helped significantly by the fact that the air ride suspension on this particular example of the rare Seville hardtop has been rebuilt and the rest of the car is in such outstanding condition.
In its first home in California, this car was rarely driven by its lady owner, before she gave it to a friend in Arizona, who drove it even less. The car spent close to twenty years in storage, so it was still in great condition and had a lot of working original features when Old Yankee Imports brought it seven years ago.
Since its arrival, Old Yankee treated the Seville to a respray in its original Olympic White paint, retrimmed the interior in factory-correct two grain leather and fully rebuilt the air ride suspension.
All the gadgets - radio, heater, cruise control and Autronic Eye headlight dimmer - work, and the indicated mileage is only 65,481. The broad stainless steel moldings that were exclusive to the Eldorado Seville and Biarritz are in great condition, too. Even the boot interior, with its quirky plaid trim, is better than new.
Nowadays, the 1959 Cadillac is a landmark vehicle and undoubtedly the most desirable year across all Cadillac production. The amount still available today may give the impression they're plentiful. Not really the case, and certainly not so in terms of the Seville. Only 975 cars like this one were built for 1959 - the lowest total of all the 'tall-fin' models for that year.
Ironically for a car that makes you feel so alive, the Seville was dead a year later, but did get resurrected in 1975.
So, as I said, this car can be both relaxing and invigorating, except maybe when you have to park it of fill it up!
There are other Cadillacs, and other '59 Cadillacs around, but for the "health benefits" it offers, I reckon this one's pretty hard to beat.

Mike Ryan

WHAT, WHERE, WHEN & HOW MUCH

Model: Cadillac Eldorado Seville
Year: 1959
Dealer: Old Yankee Imports
12 Mengel Court
Salisbury, SA, 5108
Ph: (08) 8250 2557
Price: $149,000
0-100 kph: Approximately 14 seconds
Best point: Flawless condition
Worst point: Not exactly economical
Recommendation: One for the connoisseur of rare, desirable Cadillacs
Trivia: An "infamous" 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville is the 'Gagnon Murder' car, which was pivotal in the murder trials of two men in the US. Held as States Evidence for more than 15 years while the accused appealed their death sentences, it wasn't released until 1974. The new buyer kept it in a temperature-controlled garage for more than two decades, and when it went to auction in 2007, it had covered only 2,240 miles and still had its original tyres, battery and exhaust system. it sold for US$165,000.