Big '70s cruisers have found their place. No, cars like this 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille won't make you rich overnight, but they have a loyal and devoted following comprised of guys who love the luxurious ride and dig its "hip to be square" attitude. And pound-for-pound, it's about the most sheetmetal you can get for your dollar.Yes, you'll definitely make a statement in this one, but you can't deny that nearly 17 feet of Cadillac isn't impressive, especially in Copper Metallic paint. Having spent the past 30-something years down south, that crisply folded steel is in very good condition with no secrets lurking underneath, so that's one worry you don't have about this car. It sure looks like factory paint, and with that in mind, it's really, really nice. It doesn't have that hard shine like modern urethanes, but a soft shine that helps the car remain in-period. Things like the urethane end caps on the rear quarters, which always seem to crack and crumble on lesser cars, are in good shape and have been refinished, and they frame a set of bright chrome bumperettes that house the taillights. The matching vinyl top is in excellent condition and hasn't been baked in the sun, suggesting a car that's led a pretty easy life overall.First class means leather seats, and the handsome brown leather upholstery in this car is the perfect complement to its hipster cool look. The neatly pleated seats are in good condition with a few comfort marks and light cracking, but it's in leather's nature to age gracefully, which is the case here. You sink into those thrones where you feel like you could spend a week in sybaritic luxury, which makes these cars awesome highway cruisers. Options, features, and power accessories galore mean that you can enjoy climate controlled comfort, the sounds of the original AM/FM/8-track stereo radio, and power everything. The woodgrained dash is not convincing at all, but that's part of the appeal too; hey, this is a '70s Cadillac, remember? That's totally the point! The back seat shows minimal wear and lots of stretch-out room, especially for a 2-door, and that's definitely a 3-body trunk, even with the space-saver spare in place.The main thing about big cars is that they come with big engines, too. In this Cadillac's case, it's a 425 cubic inch V8, which was a smaller version of the mighty 500 (heh, small, right!). Its main job was to be smooth and torquey so it could power all those accessories and hammer across Texas at 75 MPH, which it certainly does quite well. It's totally stock under the hood, from the QuadraJet to the HEI ignition, and it still exhales through the original catalytic converter so it's legal in all 50 states. A TH400 3-speed automatic transmission looks like it has been recently serviced and it drives 2.73 gears, so this big Caddy doesn't mind a bit of high-speed cruising. Yes, the suspension is just as supple as you'd expect, probably more, but there's nothing else that rides like a '70s American luxury car. Wire hubcaps were all the rage in 1979, and they're stuffed inside a set of recent whitewall radials.Cheap luxury, this car has a certain cachet that money can't buy. Nobody will laugh when you show up at a show with it, and you'll smile every time you look out over that massive hood. Call today!