1964 Cadillac Series 62 DeVille

Cadillac set its third consecutive sales record for 1964, with the 165,959 examples built. A modest restyling for the 1964 models was just enough to distinguish them from the 1963 models, and the long and straight lines of the body, along with revised egg-crate-texture grille with quad headlamps, were especially noticeable on the DeVille.

The 1964 Cadillac model lineup consisted of the Series 62 offered as a sedan and coupe priced at $5,240 and $5,050 respectively. Styling changes included a bi-angular grille that formed a V-shape in both its horizontal and vertical planes, ending in a point at the center. In the horizontal center was a grille bar that traveled beyond the grille and continued along the body sides. The upper portion of the grille was flanked by dual round headlights, and the lower portion of the grille continued the egg-crate pattern to the sides, consistent with the wrap-around chrome bumper. In the back were tailfins of a new fine-blade design with integrated red taillights.

Above the Series 62 was the Series 62 DeVille Series, offered as a hardtop coupe (Coupe DeVille), sedan (Sedan DeVille with both 4- and 6-window styling), and convertible with prices of $5,400, $5,660, and $5,615 respectively. The combined sales of the base Series 62 were just over 35,000 units, while the hardtop coupe of the DeVille exceeded that figure with 38,195 examples built. The four-window sedan had the highest production figures of the DeVille series, with 39,674 examples built, and 14,627 units were built of the six-window sedan. The convertible was also popular with 17,900 examples built.

The styling of the Series 62 DeVille was similar to its Series 62 sibling, distinguished by a DeVille script at the rear, just above the lower belt molding. The list of standard equipment was similar to the previous year's list which included dual-speed wipers, a new Turbo-Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, dual backup lamps, power brakes, power steering, wheel discs, remote control outside rearview mirror, left-hand vanity mirror, heater, defroster, and tubeless black tires. A new feature was the Comfort Control system which was an automatic heating and air conditioning system controlled by a dial thermostat on the instrument panel.

The Series 62 Eldorado Biarritz Sport Convertible remained an exclusive and expensive vehicle within the Cadillac lineup, priced at $6,630, and 1,870 examples were built. They had six-way power seats, power vent windows, and rode on white sidewall tires.

All 1964 Cadillacs, except for the Series 75, rested on a 129.5-inch wheelbase and had an overall length of 223.5 inches. The Series 75, priced in the high-$9,000 range, used a 149.8-inch wheelbase that measured 243.8 inches in length. All 1964 Cadillacs were equipped with a 429 cubic-inch, overhead valve V8 engine with hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, a Carter four-barrel carburetor, and delivered 340 horsepower at 4600 RPM.

The Series Sixty Special Fleetwood series was offered solely as a hardtop sedan priced at $6,400. They had a higher level of exterior trim and interior accouterments, including power ventipanes. The total Series Sixty Special production reached 14,550 units for 1964.

The combined 110,396 examples of the Series 62 DeVille accounted for approximately sixty-six percent of Cadillac's total 1964 production. The Cadillac DeVille, introduced in 1959 in a coupe and convertible configuration, continuing the company's tradition of ultimate-luxury 'town car' Cadillacs. Among the most important revisions for the 1964 model year were the increase in the four-barrel, dual exhaust-equipped Cadillac engine's bore and stroke to 429 cubic inches resulting in an increase in power to 340 horsepower (an increase of 15 hp over the previous year's 390 CID V8) that greatly improved low-speed response. The new Hydra-Matic transmission and improvements to the power brakes and power steering contributed to the Cadillac's impressive performance.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021