What's the funkiest_strangest car interior 1974-76 Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman & Acres of Velour

Access was certainly king in the 19 seventies in more ways than one , whether it was in cars , fashion home decor or many other areas , people , for whatever reason took taste to the extreme in the automotive landscape .

Cars continued to get bigger and bigger on the outside , allowing their owners to show up to new locations with a commanding presence .

And in the 19 seventies , interiors also went especially rich kitschy and over the top .

But there's one interior of all from the 19 seventies that stands out and that is the Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman interior offered from 1974 to the 1976 model year .

Now , if you were a Cadillac owner owning a Fleetwood in the 19 seventies was surely a way to show off to your friends .

Given the car's extremely commanding presence .

Fleetwood during this era , rode atop 100 and 33 inch wheel base and ranged up to 233 inches long and weighed over £5000 .

By comparison , the huge 1974 Lincoln Continental rode atop a wheel base that was six inches shorter and an overall length that was five inches shorter as well even the Imperial couldn't beat the Cadillacs overall length or wheel base for 1974 with a wheel base of 124 inches and an overall length of 231 inches somewhat downsized from the 1973 version , which was and still remains the longest production sedan ever sold in the US .

However , the sheer enormity of the vehicle loan wasn't enough for Cadillac owners Cadillac had to come out with special additions for buyers to purchase in order to spend more money demonstrating the over the top level of ostentatious that they could procure for their money .

Thus , in 1974 Cadillac offered two special trim editions .

The delegates as well as the talisman with the talisman being the top option for the interior .

And as part of this option package , buyers got a super richly trimmed interior that amazingly despite the cars nearly 20 ft in length , only held four passengers in 1974 .

That's right .

This Fleetwood talisman interior held just four passengers and there really was no way to make it into a six passenger sedan like most other big American vehicles at the time because the center consoles that were employed in the Fleetwood talisman , both front and rear were so huge upon introduction .

In 1974 customers could choose from either medic crushed velour or leather for their talisman .

And there were four colors available gold , rosewood , black and dark blue up front .

The large Center Council was divided into two pieces with the forward portion holding an illuminated writing pad with a pen and pencil and the back portion of the console holding a lockable storage compartment .

The rear center council had a provision for a vanity mirror as well as a storage bin on the outside .

Visual differences between the talisman and the regular Fleetwood were relatively few but included special wheel disks , a padded elk grain vinyl roof , as well as talisman script on the sale panel and on the inside and on the inside interior trimmings included seat back pockets , assist straps , deep pile carpeting and carpeted mats , along with sculpted Laurel wreath moldings within the faux wood grain to accent the door panels .

However , the most over the top element of the interior were the interior fabrics and the way that they were gathered and stitched together in this overly poofy rib design that the customer could just sink into for long trips and drives .

Apparently after the 1974 model year , some thought that having 100 33 inch wheel base car that could only seat four passengers was really over the top and the rear center console was eliminated in all Fleetwood Talismans for the 1975 model year leather was also eliminated as a potential interior fabric , leaving just the medic crushed velour .

Also in 1975 Cadillac offered some wild fabrics on its standard models , including the reintroduction of Hound's Tooth on the Eldorado and on the standard Fleetwood , this Monticello Velo pattern which Cadillac dubbed the SHD look , whatever that means , an overall crazy look that was not replicated before or since on the outside , the cars also got a distinctly different grill as well as head lamps for 1975 switching from round to rectangular headlights and for the final year in 1976 of the Fleetwood Towels , it continued along with the Medic cloth and the four colors previously mentioned .

However , there was now a special DeLeon edition that customers could choose from as well with another super poofy seat pattern with very large square buttons .

There was also a deville delegate offered with similar seats .

Thankfully , some modicum of taste returned to the overall interior seat fabrics and the crazy Monticello Velo as well as Hound's tooth pattern found in the El Dorado was dropped for the 1976 model year and while it lasted just three model years , the Fleetwood Talisman left an indelible mark on automotive interior styling history and also spanned some copycat versions in particular , the Buick Park Avenue of the mid seventies , which perhaps came about as the Cadillac General manager from the early 19 seventies transferred to Buick when all was said and done .

Just 1900 owners opted for the $2000 Fleetwood Talisman package in 1974 about 1300 in 1975 and just 1200 in 1976 .

The overall take rate was relatively low perhaps because the talisman package cost about 20% of the Fleetwood Brom's base price , which was around $10,000 each year .

And the option package itself represented roughly half the cost of a Chevrolet Impala sedan .

But regardless of the price , the Fleetwood talisman certainly offered something different for the Cadillac owner all the way down to the point that even the B pillar was trimmed with medic velour cloth .

And in 1974 Cadillac was on top of its overall game selling about 240,000 units that year .

They also had a new ad campaign introducing special trim editions like the Fleetwood Tasman and declaring that they were the luxury car leader .

Let's take a look at one of the ads from Cadillac in 1974 America's number one luxury car is Cadillac number one by more than double in sales and popularity .

Cadillac offers for 1974 .

The leadership cars of the land Cadillac 74 is number one in choice with nine different models plus luxury versions never before available like the Fleetwood talisman .

Historically , number one in owner loyalty Cadillac now offers its owners even greater luxury in interior appointments and a new concept in instrument panel design .

And traditionally number one in resale value .

Cadillac adds even finer engine performance from start to stop .

A new high energy ignition system is available .

There's a new level of quiet and rolling smoothness that is Cadillac at its very best Cadillac 74 more than ever .

America's number one luxury car .

Well , unfortunately , it wouldn't be too many years after 1974 before Cadillac owners would have to endure the V 864 engine in 1981 the H T 4100 in 1982 and the Oldsmobile diesel throughout many different model years , starting in 1978 and continuing through 1985 .

But from 1974 to 76 Cadillac was indeed on top and the Fleetwood Talisman remained its ultimate expression of truly full size luxury .

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