Someone Stole Jerry O’Connell’s 1979 Cadillac Seville, Now He Drives It Like He Stole It
Most Hollywood actors visiting Jay Leno’s Garage arrive in a Ferrari. Jerry O’Connell showed up in the $12,000 1979 Cadillac Seville he drives every day. Jay has known Jerry since he was one of the kids in Stand By Me, and Jerry’s case for the Seville is pure comfort.
He calls the big sedan a “living room on wheels,” smooth enough that his kids never get carsick. Yellow chalk marks on its back window hint that this Seville’s story goes well beyond a Craigslist bargain.
How Jerry O’Connell Bought The Priciest Cadillac Of 1979 For $12,000
Jerry buys his cars only on Craigslist, searching model years 1960 to 1991 within 50 to 60 miles of home. His wife comes along as a witness, and she believes he’s chasing the cars rich people owned when he was a kid.
This Seville’s older owner wanted $16,000, and Jerry paid $12,000. His previous car, a Delta 88 with a 455 V8, came from a seller who was about to go to prison.
His wife might be onto something, since the Seville cost $12,479 new, or about $68,000 today, and only Cadillac’s Series 75 limousines cost more. It ran a 180 hp Oldsmobile 350 V8 with electronic fuel injection.
A Thief Proved What Jerry O’Connell’s 1979 Cadillac Seville Could Do
Jerry used to leave the keys in the center console, and in January 2026, someone looking for spare change found them. With the family out of town, the man drove the Seville right out of Jerry’s Calabasas driveway.
Lost Hills Sheriff’s deputies pulled the Cadillac over for speeding on Pacific Coast Highway, and Jerry says he heard the driver was doing close to 90 mph. Deputies also doubted the driver owned it, since, as Jay notes, he was under the age of 70.
Jerry paid for three days in the impound lot, and its yellow chalk marks are still on the back window. He also admitted on social media that the theft was on him.
Before the theft, Jerry was nervous about pushing a 47-year-old car. The thief’s 90 mph run changed his mind, and he says he’s been driving aggressively ever since.
Jay Leno’s Advice For Jerry’s Daily-Driven 1979 Seville
Popping the hood, Jay found “the dustiest engine compartment I’ve ever seen.” The Seville’s mushy brakes likely point to old fluid, which absorbs water over time, so Jay recommends changing it every two years.
Jerry’s mechanic had already replaced the cracked freeze plugs. When Jerry mentioned a nearly $10,000 transmission quote on his old Jaguar, Jay said he’d have tried a $160 flush and filter change first.
Jay also called the Seville a perfect example for Leno’s Law, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed at Jay’s Burbank garage on September 16, 2026. From January 1, 2028, qualifying collector cars built before 1981 will skip California smog checks. The catch is that the car can’t be the owner’s primary transportation, so Jerry’s daily-driven Seville likely won’t qualify.
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