Whenever I see a pink Cadillac, I have this feeling that Elvis Presley will pop up out of nowhere and climb aboard. Elvis loved pink Cadillacs more than anything, and I’m pretty sure he would have been happy to take this 1958 Coupe DeVille home.
Sure, it’s not finished in the same shade of pink as the King’s iconic 1955 Fleetwood, but this 1958 coupe is definitely glamorous in this mauve-like Maybelline Pink. It’s not a factory color, though. Cadillac offered more than 20 hues in 1958, but this metallic pink wasn’t one of them. However, it’s a period-correct shade, as some GM divisions offered something similar in the late 1950s.
There’s no info on what color this Cadillac got from the assembly line, but the refinish is flawless, and I think it suits the Coupe DeVille just fine. The all-grey interior is also a nice touch. Even though grey was among the hues available in Cadillac interiors in 1958, I haven’t seen this specific layout until now. But this one-of-none color combo is striking, to say the least.
The all-grey upholstery is not the only unusual feature you’ll find in this Cadillac. In addition to the power windows and door locks that came standard with this luxury rig, the DeVille was also upgraded to six-way power bucket seats. The seats themselves aren’t your average 1958 Cadillac units. Both feature armrests with storage inside and share a custom console with cup holders.
The dashboard houses a modern Dakota Digital display, the standard for restomods. Yup, that’s right, this Caddy is more than just a classic with minor updates. It also packs a nice surprise under the hood.
The original 364-cubic-inch (6.0-liter) was ditched for a similarly sized LS lumpp. The unit is described as a “fuel-injected Cadillac V8 producing a reliable 345 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque,” which means the builder sourced an LQ9 engine from an older-generation Escalade.
A high-output version of the Vortec 6000 truck engine, the LQ9 featured high-compression flat-top pistons and was introduced in 2002. It powered all versions of the Escalade through 2006, but it also found its way into the GMC Sierra Denali (2005-2006) and the Chevrolet Silverado SS and H/O Edition (2003-2007). Not surprisingly, the DeVille features the same THM700R automatic that Cadillac paired with the LQ9 in the Escalade.
To improve cooling, the radiator has been upgraded to a larger aluminum unit with dual electric fans. In front of it, there is a custom-upholstered panel with pink Cadillac embroidery. Nice!
If you want to ride like the King of Rock’n Roll and then some, this customized 1958 Cadillac has a $176,998 sticker. That’s more dough than all but one Series 62 Cadillacs auctioned off in recent years, but it’s below its appraised value of $190,000.