Did You Know? Cadillac Park Avenue: The Short Caddy!

The Did You Know? Series is part of Ed's Auto Reviews Christmas 'Car'rol: an Automotive Advent!

In this short story we look at the Cadillac Park Avenue and Town Sedan, short versions of the regular fullsize Cadillacs from the early 1960s. What was the idea behind a shortened Caddy, and why hasn't anybody heard of them, or bought them back in the day?

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Enjoy!

[markbigbadbear]

Loving the shorts. Missed opportuniy to call it the ED-Vent calender, though.

[slicksnewonenow]

Back in the mid Eighties, I had a chance to buy a '61 Park Avenue in my hometown.

It was the town Funeral Director's personal car and was garaged and perfectly maintained since new.

I can't remember who convinced me to pass on it... But the reason was "why buy two thirds of a Cadillac?"...

So I went ahead and passed... But that's probably the only one I've ever seen in person.

[benjaminrobinson]

One likely reason the Park Avenue didn't sell: It had exactly the same price as its long-trunk equivalent (according to _Collectible Automobile_ magazine.) Buyers weren't too interested in spending the same amount of money for less car.

[pguth]

4:23 that car just has ridiculous presence. The shape, the stance, the wire wheels, the whitewalls. So good.

[AtomicBuffalo]

Very cool. This is the kind of thing a true luxury brand does. Someone comes in with a reservation about how long the new Caddy is, and “let me tell you about the Park Avenue!”

[ralphl]

When my grandmother replaced her '56 Roadmaster with a new '64 Cadillac, she had 4 feet added to her carport (a former chicken house) to keep the fins covered. She was a year too late.

[patrickmcgrath]

"SHORT ON BODY BUT LONG ON LOOKS"❣️

[theprinceofsnj]

WOW! I knew Caddy made cars with extended trunks in the 1950's. But a shortened car? Very interesting.

[eforever]

Cool Fiat Panda footage from
Belgium!😀

[mikebaginy]

Truly amazing what oddities you dig up, Ed.

[michaelbenardo]

This model came out in response to people complaining that their new Cadillac couldn't fit in the garage, but the 61 standard Cads were shorter than the 59 and 60 models, so there was less of a need for a shorter Cadillac.

[justanotherokie]

It was kind of common back then. In 1963 we had Star Chief. It was a Bonneville with a 6" shorter trunk.

[ml]

For anyone trying to picture the size of this car, 215 inches was also the length of the 2000s Lincoln Town Car. The Town Car was the longest normal production car available in in USA for a while, except for the Town Car L which had an additional 6 inches for the rear seat passengers.

[godozo]

Sorta reminds me of the old "companion brands" that were part of the American car market for many years. Pontiac (yes, it was originally the companion brand to the Oakland), Marquette, DeSalle, even Mercury were set up as companion brands for people who were sort of in-between the main brands. It also expanded the selection at the dealerships so that people didn't necessarily have to go around comparing brands – if you didn't like our main brand, here's something that may be more to your liking.

[PanDownTiltLeft]

In case anyone wondered, the shots of the Caddy showroom are from the film The Shape of Water.

[petestaint]

Ed, another fantastic video! You killed me with the 7" comment. 😄

[diegop]

I love the four door no post cars or the 4-door sedan

[digitalrailroader]

0:35 the fact that this Buick Park Avenue has VentiPorts immediately puts it as a 2005 Model year; which was the final year of the Park Avenue before it was replaced along with the LeSabre by the Lucerne.

[williamscoggin]

Women really admire that 7-inch difference. 🫣👍🏻

[jonathangodbout]

Thirty years later I realized I was wrong about an argument thanks to you.... My boss had told me about his sixty three cadillac park avenue he had as a teenager.... At the time I owned an 84 buick park avenue. I now realized I was wrong 30 years later because Iwas calling him a liar and he didn't know dick about cars. Thanks ED😂😂😂😂😂