---
title: "Watch a Man Revive a 1970 Cadillac DeVille Stuck in a Field for 20 Years"
description: "...and immediately send it to 90 mph on the highway."
date: "2020-05-10"
modified: "2020-05-10"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/33394/watch-a-man-revive-a-1970-cadillac-deville-stuck-in-a-field-for-20-years"
categories:
  - "Cadillac News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Watch This"
tags:
  - "Cadillac"
---

# Watch a Man Revive a 1970 Cadillac DeVille Stuck in a Field for 20 Years

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/05/maxresdefault.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Time after time, we've featured stories of rare, interesting, or otherwise remarkable cars that get abandoned out in the wilderness like ruins of a lost civilization. It's tempting to dream about mounting a rescue mission—but come on, that [Honda NSX is toast](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/15783/how-did-this-honda-nsx-end-up-abandoned-in-the-middle-of-a-russian-forest>). That [Lotus Elite is gross](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/31837/photos-show-dozens-of-classic-cars-abandoned-in-collapsed-train-tunnel>). That [GM EV1 is a dusty doorstop](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/31345/theres-an-ultra-rare-1999-gm-ev1-abandoned-in-an-atlanta-parking-garage>). A truly abandoned vehicle needs a CVS receipt's-worth of repairs to get back on the road. Right?

Wrong, if Derek Bieri of [Vice Grip Garage](<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsfu-jdkX2_v2t3_igVQebg>) has anything to say about it. The talented mechanic and deadpan YouTuber is known for his classic restoration projects, saving old American cars from the brink of scrappage. He's got an [extensive website](<https://www.vicegripgarage.com/>) and [social media presence](<https://www.instagram.com/vicegripgarage/?hl=en>) if you want a feel for his work, which ranges from beautiful full-on restorations to strong patina'd runners. But this, this is the real backyard stuff.

In this hour-long video—I wouldn't be sharing it if it wasn't well worth the time—Bieri takes us through the process of pulling a 1970 Cadillac DeVille from the mudhole in Minnesota it's called home for the last 20 years and getting it to start up. There's no fancy footwork on display here, just the unstoppable skills of a man who's seen all this before. Bieri's weird humor and flat Minnesota accent make it all the more engrossing. The first start is at 30:45 in the video below:

https://youtube.com/embed/A0ItpbPWEgA

Once Bieri manages to get it running and changes the tires, it's not long until he's powering up the grassy hill towards the road, snapping saplings and marveling at the power. There's a stuck caliper in the back, but it doesn't stop him from pushing it to 60 mph on county roads and 90+ mph on the highway. There's definitely some smoke and burning smells, but come on, that's a successful first drive for a car that hadn't moved since the Clinton administration.

You can question the wisdom and safety of taking an unregistered, 50-year-old crapcan to 90 mph mere hours after it was put back on the road. But you can't question the skill it took to make that possible.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)