Got a new one, 1968 MM Deville

[Koffinduster]

So I got this baby at a local car lot. 1968 MM Cadillac Deville. Was driving it home and something happened with the radiator so the car lot sent a tow truck to pick it up so they can fix it...hence the tow truck picture. It has removable panels on the side and looks to be mostly original. The former owner had it for 21 years in Fort Worth before he donated it to one of those 'donate your car' charities.
anyhoo, can anyone tell me more about this baby?
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[Kidd]

Dont know much about em yet. But looks like a damn good find. Kinda wish I still lived AR and found it be for you.

[Psychoholic]

Awesome find! (saw your post on the DE facebook page)

Looks to be in really good shape. It's not a Deville but it is a combo (probably a limousine Duplex). The half covered roof (I don't know I've seen a sewn vinyl roof on an M-M before, but I've been wrong before) makes me think it's a a Citation without the steel strip (although I think those went all the way to the back of the front doors) or a super rare Olympian Combo without the stainless strip that goes over at the sail panels. Although that might have gotten added later.

Anybody else know?

[Koffinduster]

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I know for sure its an MM, it has the plate under the hood-had the original paint color etc listed. the car dealership had it listed as a De Ville but there are no nameplates on it anywhere. i was told it was a combo though (limo duplex)

[Creepy Cruiser]

Very nice.

[Psychoholic]

Oh, I agree it's an M-M, I was just trying to nail down the particular option package or model.

[Koffinduster]

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Does this help at all?

[Otto Baron]

As the builder's plate says, It's a Duplex, and the coach style is Limousine. Most Combos (Which is what MM called their Duplex, were limo style coaches. However, as in your coach, removable Landau panels were provided, when the coach was used for funeral service. DeVille was a name Cadillac used for their mainstream passenger cars.

[Koffinduster]

so would it be a MM Cadillac Limousine Duplex? Even though it could not be used as an actual limo, just an ambulance/hearse? Sorry, this is the oldest of the two I have and also the oldest car i've ever owned lol

[60Crown]

'68 MM Classic Combination Car (as deemed by Miller Meteor). Cadillac by default, no need to state obvious as MM was only building on Cadillac chassis. Duplex was a MM proprietary term that meant combination. 'Limo' when speaking of coaches refers to having windows all the way around, as opposed to landau.

[Psychoholic]

Atti, you think it might have been an Olympian limo combo, given the location of the vinyl or do you think that was added?

[Koffinduster]

Atti, you are so smart
Psychoholic, the MM plate said the top is 'Blk Crinkle', wouldn't that mean it had a vinyl top originally?
Also, the car lot is putting in a new radiator as that one can't be rebuilt, the old one was original to the car.

[Abnorml]

If it was a crinkle top it would not have been vinyl. The crinkle was like bedliner, but not as thick. The vinyl was added later that might be why there is no stainless trim on the top. My hearse originally had a crinkle top, but it was sun burnt. I replaced it with Line-X and I love it. I don't have to worry about it.
Make sure the shop puts in the right radiator. I believe the radiators in hearses are larger than a standard Cadillac.

[Psychoholic]

The crinkle was a galvanized rubber coating that shrunk a bit when applied, that's where you got the texture from. Most likely then it was a full length crinkle top, was sanded down, painted smooth and a vinyl top added to the back half.

[Koffinduster]

do they still do the crinkle tops in restorations? is there any benefit to it? while the vinyl on it is new, it wasn't well done so eventually i'd like to replace it but no point in replacing it if putting a crinkle top on it would be better.