Non Mercedes Catalyst question
 

Does anyone know what year Cadillac put Catalytic converters on their cars?
Back in 1993 I owned a 72 Sedan DeVille and at the time I believe I was told the car did not have Cats. I was told the 73 did. This is for the 472 motor. I've been trying to find out on line but there's nothing definitive that I can find. Parts catalogs list these cars as having cats but the few references to them I can find on forums are all over the place with some claiming they do and others that they don't. Anyone know?

- Peter.

I have no idea, FWIW my '70 Mustang didn't have them.

For an antique car you may be exempt, but if you plan on taking any long trips I'd suggest adding a set of aftermarket cats to cut down emissions. I plan on retrofitting some metal-core cats to my old 302 when she gets running.

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1975 EPA reg's

1975 for most cars. 1973 Cadillacs definitely did not have a catalytic convertor.

Sounds good. I live in Maricopa county which has the worst emission controls in the country. Cars are only exempt from 1966 and earlier so if I get one of these Caddy's and want to use it I have to deal with all the emissions crap.

- Peter.

The underhood emission sticker will say "CATALYST" in nice big letters on cars so equipped.

Wait until you see how much gas a '73 472 can consume- it's almost like driving an 18 wheeler. 10 MPG is something you will dream about at night.

I can remember when all this stuff came about. In 1966 the first device, a PCV valve, was installed on everything. It was something no one thought much of, but if you have ever seen a 1948 Chevy driving down the road with smoke pouring from it's crankcase pipe you can understand how these were a big improvement over the pipe.

Cats were phased in starting in 1974 which is rather misleading because the law said 1975. It applied to 1975 models and a lot of makers just started putting them on the 'new' cars that went on sale in September of 1974.

Mercedes used thermal reactors to reduce emissions. So did Porsche. These things were mounted under the hood and would burn the paint off the hood and cost about $1,600 each to replace. I think these were only used on California cars, but to Mercedes that meant anything sold in the western zone which included all the western states. Mercedes also used air pumps, as did almost everyone else.

But to really answer your question... Why don't you contact CARB? They might be able to give you a totally legit answer.

I used to own a 72. I'm well aware of the fuel consumption. Don't care. Like the car. Want the car.

- Peter.

What are you looking at? Coupe de Ville? I remember seeing a new 1973 Fleetwood, black with red leather at the local friendly Cadillac dealer. Sticker was an astronomical $10K.

Didn't Cadillac have the 500 c.i. engine as an option on the rear-drive Caddy's for 1973?

So maybe $400 tops for a pair of good cats and installation. Sounds pretty easy to me

The 500 was only in the El Dorado until 1975.

If it didn't have them originally it's not getting them now.

- Peter.

Prefer sedans to coupes. Ideally, 72/71/73 Sedan deVille, in that order of preference. Then 72/71/73 Coupe deVille in that order.

I missed out on a 72 sedan last October which really sucked. It had one owner since 77 when the woman who was selling it bought it from her next door neighbor who'd had it since new. So it had jumped a driveway and then sat there for the rest of it's life. Really killed me to pass up on it but it just wasn't feasible at the time.

So I'm always on the lookout.

- Peter.

Why do you prefer the '72 over the '71? Do you like the parking light/headlight setup of the '72 better? Do you dislike that annoying little chrome strip bisecting the taillights on the '71? Or do you hate seeing those louvers that GM punched into the '71 trunklid?:P

My choice of an older Caddy would be a '64- with its 429 engine and TH 400 with its dual range torque converter, it was a very good performer.

Actually yes. I prefer the 72 over the 71 and 73 visually because I think it has the cleanest front and rear of the lot. Prefer its cleaner taillights to the 71's silly chrome strips. Prefer its grille with its horizontally emphasized lines over the 71's square eggcrate and prefer the 72's front bumper which is cleaner for not having the parking lights in it. Both 71 and 72 are better than the 73 because of that years Naderization with the one inch rubber inserts between the body and bumper at the front and rear of the car and the other differences to the front and rear bumpers and grille. This is of course purely a question of aesthetics and what I like may be different for others but in my opinion the 72 Deville is the most beautiful Cadillac made. I drove one on a sightseeing trip around Arizona and California for three months and its the only car I've ever owned that could compare to my S-Classes as a long distance traveller.

- Peter.

That may be but I'm not looking for performance. The 472 has more than enough to satisfy any demands Ill ever make of it.

- Peter.