This is our 1964 Cadillac Sedan deVille (6339B Ser. 4-Window).

I purchased it in November of 2003 from a CLC member living in Lincoln Nebraska. 

It was well kept and in original condition.  This car will make a great addition to my family's summer activities. 

Here are a few details about the car:

ACCESSORIES:

The best selling car in the 1964 Cadillac line was the Series 63 Four-Window Sedan de Ville. A very impressive 39,674 of these four-door hard-tops were delivered during the big 1964 model year. A padded vinyl roof was available as a new option on this model and cost an extra $140. (Style 6339, the Four-Window Sedan de Ville was priced identically with the companion Six-Window Sedan de Ville at $5,663) Weight was 4,575 pounds.

     Mr. Kaer P. Vanice, III already had over 15 years in the automobile business and was working at the main headquarters of the Greenlease Cadillac Distributor in Kansas City, Missouri, as their Wholesale's Manager.  Greenlease was one of the earliest Cadillac Automobile & Parts distributors in the United States.  Mr. Robert C. Greenlease owned many Cadillac agencies through out the Midwest.

     In August of 1960, Mr. Vanice purchased the YAX Pontiac-Cadillac agency from Mr. A. F. (Bud) Yax of 12th & Q Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. The YAX agency originally started back in January of 1955.  Bud Yax was a former employee of the Greenlease-McNeill, Inc. agency in Kansas City, Missouri- as their General Manager. Mr. Vanice renamed the new dealership Vanice Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc.

     In 1961, the first year of the Vanice Pontiac-Cadillac dealership, Mr. Vanice proved to be one of the most productive GM franchises in their area.  He knew just what it took to sell high volume of cars and moved them out fast-he was known to be a real "mover and shaker" by his employees and business community.

     By 1963, Mr. Vanice was the President of the Lincoln New Car Dealers Assn. that coordinated auto sales policies and joint efforts of dealers in community affairs.

     In 1965, Mr. Vanice knew that his dealership was outgrowing it's location and needed to move in a much larger complex.  He purchased a section of land from an area downtown Lincoln called the "Iron Triangle" that included the corner of 70th & O Street.  He then took his request to the City-County Planning Commission to have the land changed from residential to commercial zoning.  His request was denied because they felt that if the zoning change were granted, it would be extremely difficult to refuse similar requests with the end result that the eastern approach to the city of Lincoln would have inadequate traffic flow and the danger of weakening the downtown core.  Mr. Vanice continued his quest with the City-County planning board for the next several years.

       In the late 1960's, the dealership added a few new franchises - Mercedes-Benz & Triumph. The dealership had grown and spread out in seven locations to accommodate the multi-make agency. The main Vanice dealership building on 12th & Q Street was leased from Mr. Ben Fogelson and now sold to Mr. Clifton K. Hilegrass of Cliff's Notes from 13th & Q Street.  Mr. Hilegrass said that Mr. Vanice could occupy the property as long as he wanted. The three neighboring properties that Mr. Vanice leased from the University of Nebraska would not be renewed in 1969 because of their own plans of redevelopment. The Vanice Triumph Automobile Franchise would only last a few years before Mr. Vanice dropped it from his dealership.

       In July of 1970, Mr. Vanice won official Approval when the Council voted to change the zoning requirements to permit auto sales under that category and his car dealership was now only months away for it's new home. "It's been a long time comin'", according to Mr. Vanice.  This would be the last section of property at the Iron Triangle to be changed to commercial zoning by the council.

       In late 1970, Vanice Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc. moved into it's new complex at 70th & O Street-Lincoln, NE.  With it's Grand Size Showroom, Service Reception Center, Mechanical Repair Department, Body Shop, Used Car Sales Building and Customer parking that was geared to hold 375 cars-all within the 10 acres of land in the Vanice development.  Mr. Vanice had over 80 employees in all phases of his new automobile complex.

       In 1974, a couple of new franchises were added-SAAB and GMC Trucks.  The dealership was renamed Vanice Pontiac-Cadillac-GMC, Inc.

       In July of 1975, Rolls-Royce franchise was added to his dealership complex.  Mr. Vanice said that Rolls-Royce came to him with the dealership offer, he said "What are you guy's doing in Lincoln? You ought to be in a big city". The Rolls-Royce officials told him they'd already been to other cities but liked his dealership because of it's size, facilities and his reputation as a dealer of another expensive foreign car. Mr. Vanice thought about the offer for over a day before accepting it. For the next few years, the new Vanice Rolls Royce agency would sell every car that they've gotten from England plus serviced other Rolls Royce automobiles in the area.

      1976 would be the last year that Cadillac builds anymore convertibles.  Once the word was out about this, the Vanice dealership sold their entire 7 regular stock of Eldorado Convertibles in just a very short time.  They had to order 15 more for their awaiting customers.  By springtime, they couldn't get any more convertibles from GM and they never did get one of those special editions-Bicentennial models that were produced.  The Vanice New Car Sales Manager, Mr. Gary Oehm, commented "we could have held out and demanded more money like other dealers did…but we didn't". A few Cadillac agencies contacted the Vanice dealership about several Eldorado convertibles for sale and one even said that they would let them have a $12,800 fully loaded Cadillac convertible for $16,000… Mr. Gary Oehm said, "he will pass on it".  At the Denver Auctions in late '76, Eldorado Convertibles were going for $25,000-$30,000 each and the Bicentennial models were bringing in $40,000 each.

       In October of 1979, Mr. Vanice sold the dealership to Mr. Abram Misle of Misle Chevrolet and Misle Imports.  Mr. Vanice made his announcement and told Mr. Misle "Good luck, Abram, you're going to need it".  Vanice was asked about implications of the comment.  "You could say I've been a bit disenchanted the past few years with the car business; I'm a bit burned out.  The gasoline shortages haven't helped", he said.  "The so-called downsizing of cars will continue, so that eventually all our cars will be about the size of those little European ones."  Mr. Misle, however, said he was optimistic.  "Sales are good…car sales should be getting back to normal quite soon, now that many models are getting such good mileage that a trip actually costs less then it used to."

       Mr. Misle renamed the dealership Park Place Pontiac-Cadillac-GMC Inc.  Mr. Misle and his family ran this dealership until the year 2000.  The dealership moved and it is now part of the multi-make complex called the Husker Car Group.

       Throughout the years, Vanice Pontiac-Cadillac-GMC, Inc. had been one of 27 dealers (out of approximately 3,500) in the U.S. to have received Master Dealership Awards each year since 1970.  They also received Quality Dealer Commendation Awards, Guardian Maintenance Awards, Outstanding Performance in Customer Satisfaction and Efficient Dealership Operations Awards plus many Employee of the Year Awards.  Mr. Vanice was also on the General Motors Board of Directors for many years. He kept his thumb on everything and stayed one step a head of everyone around him in the automobile business.  Instead of the usual name, town and state advertising plaque that was mounted on the automobile when it was sold, the Vanice dealership had the words "by Vanice" in chrome. It measured 1-3/8" x 5-1/4". It was more of a personal touch from Mr. Vanice.