1959 Cadillac Coupe deVille in Malaysia
Some of you may have seen this huge pink monster of a coupe with large 4 inch fins around town. This is a 1959 Cadillac Coupe deVille with a Cadillac 390cui pushrod V8 engine. That’s 6.4 liters of displacement and 325 horsepower driving the rear wheels for you, mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission.
This particular car is owned by Peter Klement, an Austrian businessman living in Malaysia. He has restored the car 3 times in total, and to get to its current form the car was scraped down and then marine sandblasting, treated and painted. I could not believe when I heard the amount of money spent on this monster but looking at it and hearing how it sounds, I know the owner feels it was probably worth every penny.
Despite being a car from the late 50s it has features sometimes not found in modern cars, which surprised me. It has a power steering, working power windows for all 4 windows (the rear quarter glass goes down as well), and an air conditioning system that runs perfectly. The owner says its just like driving any other modern car - you have all the creature comforts you could ever need.
Look after the jump for a hi-res photo gallery of the 1959 Coupe deVille.
PHOTO GALLERY: 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo
August 20, 2008 @ 9:14 am
This was features on Astro Channel 734 sometime back and the feature get repeated every now and then. It is supposed to be based on Elvis.
It was also said that the car is in Malaysia but I have no idea where it is now. Never seen it on KL roads of course.
Nonetheless, a very tight looking car and kudos to the owner, a true petrol head.
August 20, 2008 @ 9:38 am
old school man.
awesome
August 20, 2008 @ 9:39 am
i wonder how much petrol does this car use
August 20, 2008 @ 9:44 am
The best Retro car. It’s awesome & adorable!!! Outbeating most classic cars around. Wonder how the owner manage to smuggle it into Malaysia.
August 20, 2008 @ 9:57 am
Let’s play the song Pink Cadillac by Natalie Cole!
August 20, 2008 @ 10:15 am
not my sort of car, but it’s one of few cars that looks great in pink
August 20, 2008 @ 10:17 am
Nice famingo pink ride.
That kinda of engine capacity, it can put lorry/bus engine to shame.
August 20, 2008 @ 10:30 am
Hahha.. featured in Astro Channel.
Nice car and it’s hard to find these cars on the road these days
August 20, 2008 @ 10:39 am
Fantastic.. i saw it once parking side at the condo near my house.
What can i say about this car… It has got a REALLY big trunk space and you can fit a jet enjine at the back.
I wonder how much tax it cost for a 6.3 liters.
August 20, 2008 @ 10:49 am
wohoo…what a car! the only thing i want to do if meet the owner..i want to rev this car and hear the ‘roar’ of v8. The sound tht we can hear evrytime we watch supernatural series..(chevy impala driven)
August 20, 2008 @ 11:32 am
Err… is it even legal to have a non malaysian number plate outside and the malaysian number plate displayed inside the front mirror??
August 20, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Perfect SHAGmobile!!!!
Saw this car once in around bangsar..
August 20, 2008 @ 11:51 am
hey my uncle was the first one that restored this car… this car was brought in to malaysia by RAINBIRD a classic car importer that use to be located at damansara after the nkve toll beside the mobil…. the cars original colour was cream…. i personally help my uncle fix the lamp in the trunk… the trunk is huge… i have some photos of the restoration if i can find them ill try pass it to paultan to post it up…the car was in very bad shape when it was brought down here the owner peter use to stay in shah alam in residential area of the sultan of selangor….. peter is really passionate bout this car as he is a elvis fan… the car was bought about 10 years ago from rainbird…and last im must say im a lucky person to have got a chance to have gone for rides in that car… comfortable car i must say…. and also its in the vintage category so the roadtax has 50% discount…
August 20, 2008 @ 11:52 am
w_lighter said,
August 20, 2008 @ 11:32 am
Err… is it even legal to have a non malaysian number plate outside and the malaysian number plate displayed inside the front mirror??
NO LAH…. that plates is for display purposes only…
most states cars r build with creture comfort… even from tohse early days of motoring…
August 20, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
ALPINA BMW said,
August 20, 2008 @ 9:39 am
i wonder how much petrol does this car use
And I wonder how many parking space needed to park this car..hahah..
Isn’t this Cadillac Eldorado? I think I saw it’s twin somewhere in KL, but it is a convertible version.
August 20, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
Hah! Saw it a lot on Astro Channel 734. Thumbs up for the owner who’s gone a long way to restore it. What can I say, it’s a classic!
Luke skywalker,
Talking about RAINBIRD the classic car importer, I used to study at KBU and see a lot of classic cars they used to bring in. They also sell (that time) the Shelby Cobra right? Is the car still in Malaysia? Cheers.
August 20, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
This is not only a classic car.
It’s a super legendary car!.
but yes.. that 6.3 engine surely gas scuker. But heyy!.. they already had enough money.. no need to worry anymore..
The sound.. should be nice.. the muscle car sound..
August 20, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
It’s a standard engine capacity for Cadillac..
For a brand new Cadillac, probably cost u about 20-25k USD…
But for this monster, 1957 Cadillac Coupe deVille with a Cadillac 390cui pushrod V8 engine…After well restored (considered as antiques, I don’t think he really drives it), lelong at 68-75k USD at the states..
Here, probably u’ll need to pay doubled sales tax x 3.2…wow~
August 20, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
ya dude, i was about to ask the same question, is this and El Dorado the same car? because i saw a picture of El Dorado in my college library this morning…. and the rear part is same…
August 20, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
American Muscle…
August 20, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
the rear fins are fine weapons to immobilise mat rempit.
Sharp-sharp woh!!
August 20, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
ALPINA BMW said,
August 20, 2008 @ 9:39 am
i wonder how much petrol does this car use
gtmaniac said,
August 20, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
And I wonder how many parking space needed to park this car..hahah..
Isn’t this Cadillac Eldorado? I think I saw it’s twin somewhere in KL, but it is a convertible version.
________________________________________________________________________
YEA, I REMEMBER THE GUY HAD AN ELVIS PLATE ON THE PART WHERE THEY PUT THE US NUMBER PLATE
August 20, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
Off topic:
GM invests another RM1.5 billion in Thailand (Read Motor Trader)… I tell you guys…our government with it’s stupid policies is f*cking killing us!! Stop protecting Proton, let it stand by itself…enuff is enuff. Thailand is getting richer and richer…sigh!
Paul, please make a post out of this.
August 20, 2008 @ 5:39 pm
as old as my mom. but with some technologies that cannot be found even on the 90’s kancil. somemore potong still producing cars with window that need your hand to scroll down
wat to do, trademark of potong…
August 20, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
Interior got carpets and Sat nav, better than some current cars on the market.
August 20, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
torque
guess it explains why Proton’s motto is:
Dare to be Different…
August 21, 2008 @ 12:39 am
left hand drive too.
pretty devoted man to restore such a car.
August 21, 2008 @ 8:58 am
I’ve seen this ride before. Sweet.
I feel like doing a wide-angle shot at 30-45 degrees angle of this car.
Like previous commentor, I say this ride is not just classic. It’s legendary!
August 21, 2008 @ 10:56 am
I think.. paul should note about this length X width of the car.
this car length is about 6meter long x near 3 meter width..
whoa.. such a hard to … now i wonder why it had power sterring.
August 21, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Makes you feel so nostalgic and long for the “old” days
August 21, 2008 @ 6:37 pm
The Cadillac is definitely worth restoring like classic jaguar or Mercedes. Just look at that shape! it still looks space age today! No amount of money today can buy you a cool looking new car of this shape. Maybe the Furai is cool as well but it is not for sale.
the car is big as well, probably as wide as a bus
if you have all the money in the world, it is not a bad deal to restore such car.
August 22, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
1959 Cadillac Coupe deVille? The deVille part sortof reminds me of Cruella d’Evil, the character from 101 Dalmations. Here’s this…the owner should slap that name on his plate no, take a few Dalmations to ride along in that pink cadillac and voila!…..really making a statement! LOL
August 26, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Sweet looking ride. Beats every other plain looking cars out there. But parking a bit problem.
August 27, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
ya they also had a cobra and alot of other classic cars…. i use to love going there and checking out the cars there…. as for the pics cant seem to find it if i do ill pass it to paul….it was yellow/beige in colour wen it was brought into malaysia….
September 1, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
The road tax will go under the classic car status. which for under cars which are more then 25 years old. not sure how much…check with JPJ