Adam, the depth and detail of you knowledge of 60’s to 80’s domestic autos is astounding, not to mention your objectivity. Thank you for sharing that wealth of information.
Back in the late 80s I had an elderly widow neighbor who’s son bought one of the Bicentennial Eldorado convertibles and kept it in her garage (it barely fit lengthwise!) during the Ohio winters. It was in beautiful condition with, as I recall, only around 40K miles. A few times she asked me to pull it out of the garage so she could get access to other things in the garage. It was a massive car! Thanks for the reminder of my past…she and her son were very nice people.
Hi from Sydney, Australia. These are not quite full sized compared to the 2 Cadillacs I drive as my daily cars and have done so for 4 decades, the Eldo's BIG brother Fleetwood 60 sedans. Mine are right hand drive versions, as they were sent here to GM Holdens Pagewood, Sydney plant in kit car CKD (completely knocked down) form as they HAD TO BE RHD to be registered for road use. So GMH-A built RHD firewalls, all the RHD steering componentry, different exhaust manifolds to allow the steering box to be located on the right, plus all of the braking system etc. The Eldo's are 10 inches shorter exactly than the giant four doors, so if you think an Eldorado is large in the USA now, imagine how big a full sized 1972 Fleetwood Brougham, and a 1974 Fleetwood Talisman seem in 2023 Australia !! They are huge, I like the look on peoples face when they see the unusual old style chromed bumper and look to see what is next to them when stopped at traffic lights, then they have to twist their neck around to see what type of person is driving it as the engine bonnet is 7 foot long, cars overall length is 19.5 feet. My dad was in the US diplomatic corps, hence me liking American cars. However, the Aussie built ones have better quality dashboards made of metal not plastic and LHD fake wood was useless in a RHD car so the Aussie ones have solid real wood. But best of all the American in charge of GMH-A wanted them to have full power engines as Australia had no EPA rules until 1986. So we received engines with a different fuel induction plenum and a unique 6 barrel Rochester carby to deliver the fuel so you get 1960's muscle car performance out of the giant 8.2 litre engines. The Aussie assembled/built ones had their own sales brochures, glovebox manuals & service manuals. As there are many differences between a US & Aussie version as the cars were heavily re-engineered for Australian registration compliancy with massively stiffer suspension, brighter head and taillights, along with amber rear indicators as well. From 1969 until mid 1974 GMH-A had 2 choices Buick Riviera or premium Fleetwood Brougham and for '74 Talismans. No other US GM cars of any kind. Up to 1968 what GM cars were sold in the USA were sold here too but in RHD form for some reason that all changed. Chrysler Aust' killed off their American carlines in 1971. Ford Aust' killed off the Galaxie & mk4 Lincolns at years end 1973, but still offered the Lincoln 4 door town car until years end 1979.
My good buddy from high school bought one of these in Charleston, SC in 2020 with 169 MILES…THAT’S CRAZY..!! Same dealer tag on the trunk, so your video freaked me out!
The 1975 and 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertibles were among my favorites. I dreamed of owning one as a new 16 year old driver in 1975, I knew that it would have to be a pre-owned model well into the future. My dream came true in 1993 when I purchased a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible. That 1975 Eldorado was my pleasure car for a little more than 20 years before it was stolen. It had replaced another GM convertible that I also found to have its own unique charms being among the only two GM convertibles in 1975 to have rectangular headlamps -- the 1975 Pontiac Grandville Brougham Convertible, but sadly it was totaled in the flood of 1993.
When I was 15 I had just got my license and a local dealer had one for 5 grand. I took it on a test drive back to my parents house and they were not impressed. It has been one of my dream cars ever since. Convertible top for summer and FWD for the Montana winter. Genuinely perfect 4 season daily driver. I love the Allante and K5 blazer for the same reason
@@kevinbarry71 if Montana salted like every other northern state maybe. We use minimal salt with gravel and encourage snow tires instead of recking everything with salt. My k5 has been in Montana it’s whole life and still has a factory painted frame. I repaired a half dollar sized hole in the floor under the tail plate in the way back but that was from a leaky window gasket not salt
@@MrSpartanPaul my folks taught me how to drive stick shift in mine when I was about 10 or 11. Love the thing too much to let it rot but im still gonna daily drive it. Im not afraid to suit up at the car wash and crawl underneath with the wand
When it came time to send our 1976 Brougham to the junk yard my husband salvaged the hood ornament. It became my favorite Christmas tree ornament. I loved driving that big car.
Oh yes. Have had a 1989 Sedan de Ville 15years ago, and also keep its hood-ornament! As a German, we sadly never were used to this unique classic American way of riding and I very miss it...
My friend's dad bought a new'76 Eldo convertible with red exterior and white leather interior. It seemed like the height of decadence, especially after the second oil crisis of 1979. I remember it was very fun to cruise in with the top down on a warm spring day, with six college kids fitting very well inside. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
At 5:20 you reminded me how the rear lamp monitors were mounted in the upper rear window trim for all the other cars, but for the convertibles they had to make a little 'periscope' that peeked over the center of the rear seat...
I love everything about this car, even the relatively low horsepower engine that I'm sure had no problems in the low-end pulling this beautiful car along the highways 55 miles an hour at in silence and smooth delivery!
I’m 1981 my lady friend had this exact car that she got as part of a divorce settlement Man o man did we have fun with it We used it a lot touring Wisconsin scenic back roads Great driving car I remember the wheel covers coming off more than once on curvy roads We were always able to retrieve them This video really brought back great memories
These huge Cadillac convertibles are awesome cars!!! My boss had a 75 Eldorado convertible. It was a real attention getter & fun to drive!!! Thanks Adam for sharing this exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
The refreshed 1975-78 styling of the 1971-78 Eldorado is one of my favorite Cadillac designs. It had a more sleek, sporty, contemporary design than the 1971-74. And boy, look at all those wires in the 500!
I worked with a physician when I was in college who had a white '75. Always thought the rear quarter crease and window not matching the line of the top was funny looking. Fun car to ride in back then, though--definitely like an ocean liner compared to my '72 Buick GS convertible!
To my eyes, the "fake grille" on the sides of the '71 sort of explained the asymmetry between the front and rear creases, but they did look a bit odd after that, especially with the fender skirt missing on the later models. The roll-down windows of the convertibles look fine, to my eyes, but the original opera window was just a bit awkward and the later trapezoidal opera windows, which still clashed with the creases in the sheetmetal, were hideous. GM's half-hearted approach to opera windows, making them almost as big as full glass, was probably better for visibility, but it ruined the looks of many of their late 1970s coups.
My dad bought a used hard top in the late 70s. We already had a 74 olds 98. I learned to drive in these two cars in the early 80s. The Eldorado was a monster in snow, it was front wheel drive and had a lot of weight on the front wheels. I used to mess with it in the snow and I swear you could have put a plow on it and cleared snow.
I have allways loved these cars..And that's why i finally bought one last summer..It's not a bicentennial,but it has fuel injection.Thanks for the video👍
Owning one of these cars I always believed that I knew about every nut and bolt on the car. I did know about the wiring routing from the factory but did learn some things today that I did not know about. Thanks, Adam.
I have a 76 ELDO convertible, non-bicentennial . They have really grown in popularity as the years go by. I love that everything is operated by Vacuum or mechanical and if you get a vacuum leak, well. good luck ! You never know what will stop working. Not related to vacuum, I just had to fix my power antenna. It finally broke after 47 years. A good run to say the least! Loved the video!
I have had four ‘76 Eldorado convertibles, not the bicentennial version, but my first one was by chance the bicentennial color scheme sans the blue and red striping, the seat piping and of course the dash plaque. Always fun to own and really a pleasure to drive. Also have owned two ‘75s which are very similar. I do prefer the later models vs the earlier big Eldos.
These cars are so gaudy but so cool. There was a brown/bucksin one stored in a garage in my town for years. Improper storage caused it to rust from inside out,and top never was down. A bicentennial edition is definitely as long as a modern Suburban.
If you've ever experienced riding in one of these Nimitz-Class land carriers, you know the meaning of "large car" - in every dimension. Real money on the coasts especially were already moving to Mercedes Benz sedans, coupes and convertibles - which were redefining what "luxury" meant, given the superior engineering, safety features, quality of build and fit and finish of materials.
I had a 73 for a while way back in 93. It had the 500c.i. as well. It got 5 mpg in town and 10 mpg on the highway. Ended up trading it in for a Jetta…..
I can't imagine why, but from the very beginning, in contemporary road tests, that Unitized Power Package delivered worse mileage in the Toronado than the same engine installed in a big old rear-wheel-drive sedan...
Great video. Extremely impressive car but I never fell in love with it even when they were new. I preferred the 1975 Pontiac Grandville convertible styling and when I was able to find one in triple white, I bought that.
I miss the styling of these older cars. The 80's was the last good decade for American car styling. And it wasn't that great. But as someone who grew up in the 80's. They're my favorite. Probably because they're so familiar and remind me of my childhood
My aunt had a 76, but not convertible, then she got a very early 80s model after the downsizing and whereas it was very nice, the ride was no comparison to the 76. Beautiful car.
My brother had one he bought on ebay about 20 years ago. It was well used but rust free and in good shape. He took it to Captiva and kept it there until he sold it. There's a bar on Captiva, I don't remember the name but behind the bar you will see a Illinois AV plate that says CAPTIVA. That was his plate off the Cadillac. As of last summer the plate was still there after all this time.
I remember as a kid… they were supposed to be the last convertibles. Then in ‘79 I saw a last year Mark V convertible with the top down. I had read after that there was a company in Florida that was doing the conversions. They also did the new for ‘79 Eldorado, and later the Dodge Mirada and ‘81-‘83 Chrysler Imperial. That was also the period of the “carriage roof” that first appeared on the ‘79 Mark V Bill Blass. In the early 80’s the factory got back into the sale of convertibles starting with the ‘82 Mustang.
This brings back some great childhood memories, thanks! One restaurant my parents liked was a BBQ place in Oklahoma City. The owner was in a social fraternal group, not sure which one. About 15-25 members of this group each bought a bicentennial edition, his was always parked in front of his restaurant. Over the jukebox was a group photo of all these special white convertibles. Everything that year was red white and blue, and hysteria about the last convertible was high.
I was in my 3rd year at Heritage Cadillac I Atlanta Ga. When this vehicle came out. Think of a 21 year old kid not only working on these,but also got to deliver several new Caddies to Miami on weekends and fly back home on Mondays. Sometimes I would call in sick from Miami on Mondays. But had great bosses and Dealer Principal. Ed Estes.
I bought a triple blue one in '91 and gave it away after it sat for several years, the door jammed, and the fillers shattered. The cat converter had melted a 2 inch hole in the carpet before I bought it. It leaned to the right a bit, like it had been parked on a crowned road.
A nice look at an American classic. I had heard some buyers of these tried to sue GM after they decided to create some more convertibles once, like you said, the rollover standards they were afraid of never took hold. These being front-wheel drive also have no drive shaft hump and thus a nice flat floor with a large, one-piece floor mat up front. Despite being front-wheel drive, the engine was still longitudinal, as shown. Unfortunately, more modern Cadillacs did not utilize this set up, probably for space and cost reasons. The Northstar engines of the 90s, for example, were transverse and packed in their bays like sardines and this made them very difficult to work on as opposed to the setup in these 70s Eldorados.
Thank you Adam. Those fender peaks lived on but changed with time. Now in 2023, they use lights on the front end styling to mimic that look. These cars were indeed true Eldorados.... the driving spirit of Cadillac. Only Mr. Kady knows why they did what they did with the styling. Thank you for the look at this car. I see other things that Cadillac kept using for years to come.
The Bicentennial tag gets applied to these because of the obvious color combo and year it was introduced though that never was their name, on the window sticker this is referred to as the "Last Convertible" package.
I need to correct you in regards to the piping or "laces" as Cadillac called them, colored piping was available on all leather interior Cadillacs by special request, there is a section on custom orders in most Cadillac dealer order guides from that era that has a section on custom orders, there were several special interior options available like the colored laces and "maximum leather" which replaced the vinyl sections of leather interior with more leather. It also includes a section on special exterior colors requests and other strange options like non standard limousine interior colors.
I have a courteous request: Can you discuss the radically-new full-size GM "Scissor"-style convertible top design? After centuries of the same-old-style convertible tops, GM created a new design that did NOT encroach on the sides of the rear seat!
Great video Adam. I'd like to suggest you do a video on your all time favorite converibles. I think my favorite part of this car are the seats. For years I didn't care for white interior seats, but these big overstuffed loungers and couches are really quite attractive and all I can think about is how comfy it must be to sit in them! GM styling was still doing good work in this era, given what they were facing. The 71-72 El dorado was a great design imo, and I think they did a decent job transforming it through the rest of the decade. It's a shame the materials and build quality weren't up to the same standards as the styling. The redesigned vertical taillights that came out after the demise of the convertible were pretty sharp... It's just a shame it's also saddled with the bumper fillers. I personally would've loved a hardtop roofline on these eldorados- would've helped given the car a sportier look and feel, especially in 71 when the 500 still had some real punch.
It doesn't cost a couple thousand dollars per side to replace those plastic bumper fillers. You can buy them in kits; front fenders, back quarter panels, rear center below the trunk lid. They're roughly $400 per kit. But they come unfinished and you have to paint them. You can also buy all of them for less than $900. That 'beveled' hood was called a 'coffin nose' hood back in the day. The years the Eldorado convertible made a return were 1984 and 1985. The air conditioning vents that moved around (or stayed in the up position a lot of the time) had a MUCH easier fix then removing the vent and using tape or foam. I know because I had a few of these cars back in the day. You could take a match, remove the match head and stick that in on the side, top or bottom of the vent without removing anything. A toothpick also often worked once you cut it down to size so it wouldn't stick out. And yes, they WERE cheap. They were made out of light plastic. Yes, many guys bought these cars (or any '76 convertible) new and put them away. Many of them are dead now. But if their relatives sell them as part of the estate, especially to one of those so called 'classic car dealers' who have sprung up all over the place, they want an astronomical price for them.
What a beautiful car. I've ridden in the 1976 Eldorados but, unfortunately, not the Bicentennial Edition. Cadillac warned its Eldorado customers not to drive these big 5,000-pound softly sprung cars like sports cars unless they wanted to replace the front tires on an every-other-month basis.
I recently bought my Daughter a 03 Grand Prix with the 3.8 in it. Doing research I find people saying it’s the best engine ever. It would have been very impressive to have worked on the development of that engine. I bring this up because you often do interviews with people who worked at G.M. It would be great if you could find some people who worked on that engine and ask them what it was like to engineer it. Or if they knew they were building a legend. I posted this here because it’s your latest video thanks for the great content.
My dad (gm salaried, Buick fisher body flint employee A Plan eligible) considered buying a new one for about 10k and immediately flip it for 25k in Texas, but didn’t.
It's amazing to realize all the dramatic changes across the US auto fleet during the 1970's due to the "rumored" Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Rollover Standards.
Hi Adam, Thanks for another interesting video. I had an Uncle that had a yellow 1984 Eldorado which had been downsized from your feature car. It was his first Cadillac as prior to that he was always an Oldsmobile man, usually the 98 model in either two door or four door configurations.
I had heard that after the 76 model year, Cadillac had extra parts to make 7 convertibles that would be considered 77's. Because Cadillac said 76 would be the last year for the convertible, people who bought the 76 sued Cadillac. I was told that the 7 cars are not recognized by Cadillac.
looks like my dads old Eldorado, cept his had a red vinyl 'half' hardtop, all red int. he special ordered it in red/white to match OU Sooners colors. man that car had nice ride, and the stereo system was pretty decent for back then. and came with a 8Track player!
I've owned a few Eldorado's, 3 of the 90s, and a 1970 Eldorado, I enjoyed the 70... and looked that body style, I've had a 93,96 and 99... Good cars except the Northstar engine... but I have a fix for those.
I love my 78 Eldorado except a few things that are annoying. The license plate door, you lift it up to insert the nozzle, first you have to crouch down lift it, and fight these new emission nozzles in to fill it. Luckily it has a fuel tank equivalent to the capacity of a super tanker. My 78 Olds 98 flips down and is no problem to fill. The other is the remote trunk release in the glove box, first of all it does not work with out the key on and most cases sitting in the drivers seat to open the glove box door to get to it, one almost has to lay down across the drivers seat pending you don't have some junk in the middle stopping you from reaching the door. Third is the weight of the front hood, you need to be a young weight lifter to be able to lift that hood and most of us who own these cars are old and weak. LOL Still my favorite car for styling.
So true, why have the hinge on the top of the license plate when you're standing above it looking down?? Let me tell you another real flaw about having a hood that heavy. A customer's car was parked at the curb on a well-crowned street. Fortunately my brain fast enough back then to stop me just as I was about to slam the hood closed. I brought it down very slowly and sure enough, the hinges had bent toward the curb because of that 2-ton hood! If not for that lucky bit of forethought, it would have bitten right down on the left front fender... (shiver)
My dad bought a plain white one of these used in the mid 80s for the purpose of towing a boat. Not a good decision he eventually learned. I always thought it was a 77. If I remember correctly this was still a $5K car when he sold it in the late 80s.
There is NOTHING to criticize about this 300 mile beauty. And I don't believe anyone would have changed out the tag door on such a flawless Eldorado. Why would they?
Wasn't there a class action suit filed against GM when they re-entered the convertible market in 1984? Some owners of the "last" Bicentennial Eldorado convertibles were not happy about that. My uncle bought two of them, driving one and storing the other. I never heard anything about him joining the class, however. My cousin is still driving the second car.
Yes Adam you deserve applause 👏, hands 🙌 up 🆙 and two thumbs up 👍🏾👍🏾 🙌 👍🏾 👏 🙌 👍🏾 👏, on your knowledge of the history of the Big Three Ford, Chrysler and GM. I remember as a kid 👦🏽 family relatives, friends and acquaintances had Ford, Chrysler and GM Luxuriously Luxurious Luxury Rides of all Kinds, Sizes and Types of Rides except for our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾. After our parents gave birth to the youngest son that was it, our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 didn’t have a choice but to by 9 Passenger Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagons Station 🚉 Wagons from the early 1960’s to the late 1970’s. First two were a 1960 Dodge Black with powder blue interior 9 passenger, a 1968 Black Dodge Monaco 🇲🇨 with black vinyl interior and with the Faux imitation contact vinyl wood 🪵 decal for the sides and rear tailgate chrome stainless steel trim on the sides from front to rear and tailgate with custom deluxe wheel hubcaps driver side door remote control mirror factory 🏭 installed ladder 🪜 roof rack. Early to mid 70’s two Chevy Caprice Estate Wagons 1 Brown with Roof Rack the other cream puff yellow with out roof rack but it was fully loaded and powered and his last two a 72 Ford LTD Brougham Country Squire Brown with Faux Body Side 2 half inch Molding and Faux Decal Wood Contact on both sides from front quarter panels to rear panels and on the 3-way swing out tailgate. The Tailgate swung out open with the electric ⚡️ power glass that you could open with the tailgate glass up or down, but for extra leverage and support you would have to lower the electric ⚡️ power glass all the way down inside the tailgate to lay the tailgate down again for extra hauling and moving. It to was fully equipped, fully functional fully loaded and fully powered with a factory 🏭 installed roof rack with the rear wind 💨 🌬️ deflector screwed tightly to the rear of the roof rack and also screwed to a metal bracket that was mounted to the rear end of the roof if you understand what I’m describing and talking about. For the Power Plant it had a Big Block 4BBL 429 V8 under the hood and Tilt Steering Wheel With Cruise 🚢 Control AM/FM Stereo Radio Dual Matching Remote Control Mirrors 🪞 🪞 installed/mounted on the front Driver and Passenger Doors. With Custom Chrome Deluxe Highly Buffed and Polished Full Wheel Cover Hubcaps. Oh yeah the 60 Dodge Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon had a 318 2BBL V8 Power Plant Under its hood, the 68 Dodge Monaco 🇲🇨 Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon had a Big Block 383 Magnum 2 or 4BBL Power Plant Under its Hood and the 2 Chevy Caprice Estates had 350’s under their Hoods, the Yellow Cream Puff 💨 engine crapped on him so his mechanic had a 75 Caprice Classic 4Dr Sedan that had to be junked had a Big Block 350 4BBL Power Plant they did an engine swap. They took the bad engine that had crapped in the cream puff and replaced it with the good 👍🏾 😊 😌 engine from the 4dr Caprice that was being junked. Oh yeah the 69 Y. C. P. Had Tilt and Cruise 🚢 Control linkage and so did the 75 Power Plant. Everything was all hooked up and our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 took the Y. C. P. to auto body shop there was a slight dent in the rt rear side panel fender had pulled out straight the way it should and supposed to, had it repainted brought a factory 🏭 roof rack from one of the local salvage companies that had a roof rack in really good 👍🏾 😊 😌 condition damn near brand new that had came off another 69 or 70 Chevy Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 that was totaled, brought 4 chrome factory stainless steel spoked hubcaps that the body shop buffed and highly polished them to a shine ✨ like 👍🏾 new money 💵 💵 unimaginable. Then installed screwed on very tightly the roof rack. The Wagon had already came with a rear wind 💨 🌬️ deflector and he brought a AM/FM Stereo Cassette Deck with 4 Speakers 2 4 and a half to 5” inch speakers for the front door and 2 8” to 12-14”speakers for the Lf and Rt Rear Quarter panels. Last but not least a 75 Mercury Brougham Grand Marquis LS Park Lane Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon. It was the exact same color as the 69 Chevy Y. C. P. And it to was Fully Equipped, Fully Functional, Fully Loaded and Fully Powered. With all the Bells 🔔 and Whistles. Under it’s Hood Big Block Monstrous 460 4BBL V8 with Dual Exhaust System. It had the Chrome Full Custom Deluxe Highly Buffed and Polished Mercury Marquis Stainless Steel Hubcaps. Would swear you thought 💭 you were riding in a Lincoln Town Car. Talk about being trapped in the body of a Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon. Sincerely Yours Truly T. O. G. Ivan I J👦🏽👨🏾👴🏾👍🏾👍🏾😎😎😎 P. S. Our mom 👩🏽 👵🏽 and dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 had 7 of us according to our mom 👩🏽 👵🏽 she said to me one day we had a whole heap of y’all and new they are grandparents and great grandparents. Me and my younger brother still remember, reminisce and talk about those days of both he and I had not only confiscated but also taken over that backward facing back seat. Boy did that piss off our 3 older sisters. We were called and known as our mom’s 👩🏽 👵🏽Spoiled Rottenly To The Core Top Shelf Boys 👦🏽 👦🏽. We thought 💭 we were both the Apple 🍎 🍎 🍏 🍏 of both our Parents Eyes. 😅😅😂😂😂😅😂😅😂😅 Adam I still choose and pick all the Antique, Classic and Vintage Rides over today’s new cars of today, any day…
My father knew a young man that purchased a red 1976 version of this model Cadillac Eldorado convertible. He planned to store it & wait for the value to increase. I was not impressed with the interior finish. The top reminded me of the convertible top installed on the Chevy Impala with visible struts. VW beetle convertible tops were better finished than this. I moved out of the area in 1988 & never heard about the final fate of this Cadillac.
I rebuilt one of these 500 engines in dick Bettencourt's 76 rag top the fan shroud weighed a ton more than any replacement fender I've installed recently
That engine is huge to fill that giant front end. Odd way to route that coolant hose from right of radiator across to the left of the block. Seems like it would be easier to design the radiator so the coolant exit was on the left side closer to the block entry port. These profiles are great but can't wait for the weather to improve and more profiles of your collection.
These were the last convertibles in another sense in that these were built as convertibles on the Cadillac assembly line, whereas the reintroduced GM convertibles of the 80's were hardtops sent to ASC for conversion. Not sure about mustang droptops of that time but i don't think there was another factory built convertible at GM until the last camaro
When Cadillac still meant a certain type of higher quality. Except, in getting any fuel economy. But, people weren't too worried, because even then, I remember that even in the mid-srventies, gas was around 65 cents or so per gal. Seemed high then. Yeah, The Titanic on wheels!( Except, it didn't sink)
Adam, the depth and detail of you knowledge of 60’s to 80’s domestic autos is astounding, not to mention your objectivity. Thank you for sharing that wealth of information.
Hmm. Well you must be a child if you dont have the same knowledge of cars? Or you dont have interest in it?
@@john2914what a bizarre comment.
Back in the late 80s I had an elderly widow neighbor who’s son bought one of the Bicentennial Eldorado convertibles and kept it in her garage (it barely fit lengthwise!) during the Ohio winters. It was in beautiful condition with, as I recall, only around 40K miles. A few times she asked me to pull it out of the garage so she could get access to other things in the garage. It was a massive car! Thanks for the reminder of my past…she and her son were very nice people.
Hi from Sydney, Australia. These are not quite full sized compared to the 2 Cadillacs I drive as my daily cars and have done so for 4 decades, the Eldo's BIG brother Fleetwood 60 sedans. Mine are right hand drive versions, as they were sent here to GM Holdens Pagewood, Sydney plant in kit car CKD (completely knocked down) form as they HAD TO BE RHD to be registered for road use. So GMH-A built RHD firewalls, all the RHD steering componentry, different exhaust manifolds to allow the steering box to be located on the right, plus all of the braking system etc. The Eldo's are 10 inches shorter exactly than the giant four doors, so if you think an Eldorado is large in the USA now, imagine how big a full sized 1972 Fleetwood Brougham, and a 1974 Fleetwood Talisman seem in 2023 Australia !!
They are huge, I like the look on peoples face when they see the unusual old style chromed bumper and look to see what is next to them when stopped at traffic lights, then they have to twist their neck around to see what type of person is driving it as the engine bonnet is 7 foot long, cars overall length is 19.5 feet.
My dad was in the US diplomatic corps, hence me liking American cars. However, the Aussie built ones have better quality dashboards made of metal not plastic and LHD fake wood was useless in a RHD car so the Aussie ones have solid real wood. But best of all the American in charge of GMH-A wanted them to have full power engines as Australia had no EPA rules until 1986. So we received engines with a different fuel induction plenum and a unique 6 barrel Rochester carby to deliver the fuel so you get 1960's muscle car performance out of the giant 8.2 litre engines. The Aussie assembled/built ones had their own sales brochures, glovebox manuals & service manuals. As there are many differences between a US & Aussie version as the cars were heavily re-engineered for Australian registration compliancy with massively stiffer suspension, brighter head and taillights, along with amber rear indicators as well. From 1969 until mid 1974 GMH-A had 2 choices Buick Riviera or premium Fleetwood Brougham and for '74 Talismans.
No other US GM cars of any kind.
Up to 1968 what GM cars were sold in the USA were sold here too but in RHD form for some reason that all changed. Chrysler Aust' killed off their American carlines in 1971. Ford Aust' killed off the Galaxie & mk4 Lincolns at years end 1973, but still offered the Lincoln 4 door town car until years end 1979.
You dont park that car; you dock it! What a boat! I bet that was a sweet ride.
My good buddy from high school bought one of these in Charleston, SC in 2020 with 169 MILES…THAT’S CRAZY..!!
Same dealer tag on the trunk, so your video freaked me out!
These were absolutely Gorgeous and all over the roads in the 70's. I mean look at that Front End.... BEAUTIFUL.... !!!!
These things have PRESENCE. Pity that Caddies no longer do.
Parade boot is a must-have!
The 1975 and 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertibles were among my favorites. I dreamed of owning one as a new 16 year old driver in 1975, I knew that it would have to be a pre-owned model well into the future. My dream came true in 1993 when I purchased a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible. That 1975 Eldorado was my pleasure car for a little more than 20 years before it was stolen. It had replaced another GM convertible that I also found to have its own unique charms being among the only two GM convertibles in 1975 to have rectangular headlamps -- the 1975 Pontiac Grandville Brougham Convertible, but sadly it was totaled in the flood of 1993.
When I was 15 I had just got my license and a local dealer had one for 5 grand. I took it on a test drive back to my parents house and they were not impressed. It has been one of my dream cars ever since. Convertible top for summer and FWD for the Montana winter. Genuinely perfect 4 season daily driver. I love the Allante and K5 blazer for the same reason
Right, the salt on the roads would kill that thing quickly.
@@kevinbarry71 if Montana salted like every other northern state maybe. We use minimal salt with gravel and encourage snow tires instead of recking everything with salt. My k5 has been in Montana it’s whole life and still has a factory painted frame. I repaired a half dollar sized hole in the floor under the tail plate in the way back but that was from a leaky window gasket not salt
Very good, I wish more states would do that
@@Iamthestig42069 Keep that Blazer rust free!! I’m on my 2nd and 3rd K5s now. First one turned to rust so I know all the trouble spots.
@@MrSpartanPaul my folks taught me how to drive stick shift in mine when I was about 10 or 11. Love the thing too much to let it rot but im still gonna daily drive it. Im not afraid to suit up at the car wash and crawl underneath with the wand
When it came time to send our 1976 Brougham to the junk yard my husband salvaged the hood ornament. It became my favorite Christmas tree ornament.
I loved driving that big car.
Oh yes. Have had a 1989 Sedan de Ville 15years ago, and also keep its hood-ornament!
As a German, we sadly never were used to this unique classic American way of riding and I very miss it...
Thank you for your excellent tour of this very interesting Cadillac.
I remember a couple of friends buying one and storing it in a warehouse. They thought it was the end of a convertable. Cadillac fooled them !
They haven’t made a true convertible until the Allante arrived q
So too did Chrysler!
My friend's dad bought a new'76 Eldo convertible with red exterior and white leather interior. It seemed like the height of decadence, especially after the second oil crisis of 1979. I remember it was very fun to cruise in with the top down on a warm spring day, with six college kids fitting very well inside. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
A neighbor had one when I was a kid. Just sitting in the driveway it was incredible
At 5:20 you reminded me how the rear lamp monitors were mounted in the upper rear window trim for all the other cars, but for the convertibles they had to make a little 'periscope' that peeked over the center of the rear seat...
I love everything about this car, even the relatively low horsepower engine that I'm sure had no problems in the low-end pulling this beautiful car along the highways 55 miles an hour at in silence and smooth delivery!
What a gorgeous Cadillac.
I’m 1981 my lady friend had this exact car that she got as part of a divorce settlement
Man o man did we have fun with it We used it a lot touring Wisconsin scenic back roads
Great driving car
I remember the wheel covers coming off more than once on curvy roads
We were always able to retrieve them
This video really brought back great memories
Only mechanical problem with it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt Really trouble free Cadillac
Only mechanical problem with it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt Really trouble free Cadillac
Only mechanical problem with it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt Really trouble free Cadillac
Only mechanical problem with it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt Really trouble free Cadillac
Only mechanical problem with it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt Really trouble free Cadillac
These huge Cadillac convertibles are awesome cars!!! My boss had a 75 Eldorado convertible. It was a real attention getter & fun to drive!!! Thanks Adam for sharing this exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
When I was 16 years old, my uncle's friend had one of these in this same color combo. They used to have me drive them around in it while they'd drink.
The refreshed 1975-78 styling of the 1971-78 Eldorado is one of my favorite Cadillac designs. It had a more sleek, sporty, contemporary design than the 1971-74.
And boy, look at all those wires in the 500!
I worked with a physician when I was in college who had a white '75. Always thought the rear quarter crease and window not matching the line of the top was funny looking. Fun car to ride in back then, though--definitely like an ocean liner compared to my '72 Buick GS convertible!
To my eyes, the "fake grille" on the sides of the '71 sort of explained the asymmetry between the front and rear creases, but they did look a bit odd after that, especially with the fender skirt missing on the later models. The roll-down windows of the convertibles look fine, to my eyes, but the original opera window was just a bit awkward and the later trapezoidal opera windows, which still clashed with the creases in the sheetmetal, were hideous. GM's half-hearted approach to opera windows, making them almost as big as full glass, was probably better for visibility, but it ruined the looks of many of their late 1970s coups.
My dad bought a used hard top in the late 70s. We already had a 74 olds 98. I learned to drive in these two cars in the early 80s. The Eldorado was a monster in snow, it was front wheel drive and had a lot of weight on the front wheels. I used to mess with it in the snow and I swear you could have put a plow on it and cleared snow.
Adam, you never disappoint. Keep em coming!
I would love to have one of those. It is beautiful.
Oh, that 71' at 2:50 is wicked, love the color too.
I have allways loved these cars..And that's why i finally bought one last summer..It's not a bicentennial,but it has fuel injection.Thanks for the video👍
Owning one of these cars I always believed that I knew about every nut and bolt on the car. I did know about the wiring routing from the factory but did learn some things today that I did not know about. Thanks, Adam.
I have a 76 ELDO convertible, non-bicentennial . They have really grown in popularity as the years go by. I love that everything is operated by Vacuum or mechanical and if you get a vacuum leak, well. good luck ! You never know what will stop working. Not related to vacuum, I just had to fix my power antenna. It finally broke after 47 years. A good run to say the least! Loved the video!
Those air vents look beautiful.
I have had four ‘76 Eldorado convertibles, not the bicentennial version, but my first one was by chance the bicentennial color scheme sans the blue and red striping, the seat piping and of course the dash plaque. Always fun to own and really a pleasure to drive. Also have owned two ‘75s which are very similar. I do prefer the later models vs the earlier big Eldos.
These cars are so gaudy but so cool. There was a brown/bucksin one stored in a garage in my town for years. Improper storage caused it to rust from inside out,and top never was down. A bicentennial edition is definitely as long as a modern Suburban.
If you've ever experienced riding in one of these Nimitz-Class land carriers, you know the meaning of "large car" - in every dimension. Real money on the coasts especially were already moving to Mercedes Benz sedans, coupes and convertibles - which were redefining what "luxury" meant, given the superior engineering, safety features, quality of build and fit and finish of materials.
I had a 73 for a while way back in 93. It had the 500c.i. as well. It got 5 mpg in town and 10 mpg on the highway. Ended up trading it in for a Jetta…..
I can't imagine why, but from the very beginning, in contemporary road tests, that Unitized Power Package delivered worse mileage in the Toronado than the same engine installed in a big old rear-wheel-drive sedan...
In white, this car instantly calls to mind the theme from _The Love Boat._ Exciting and new!
Set a course for adventure,
Your mind on a new romance.
Great video. Extremely impressive car but I never fell in love with it even when they were new. I preferred the 1975 Pontiac Grandville convertible styling and when I was able to find one in triple white, I bought that.
I miss the styling of these older cars. The 80's was the last good decade for American car styling. And it wasn't that great. But as someone who grew up in the 80's. They're my favorite. Probably because they're so familiar and remind me of my childhood
I remember watching TV news back then when the last one rolled off the assembly line.
My aunt had a 76, but not convertible, then she got a very early 80s model after the downsizing and whereas it was very nice, the ride was no comparison to the 76. Beautiful car.
Would have loved to have one of these beauties ❤
My brother had one he bought on ebay about 20 years ago. It was well used but rust free and in good shape. He took it to Captiva and kept it there until he sold it. There's a bar on Captiva, I don't remember the name but behind the bar you will see a Illinois AV plate that says CAPTIVA. That was his plate off the Cadillac. As of last summer the plate was still there after all this time.
I remember as a kid… they were supposed to be the last convertibles. Then in ‘79 I saw a last year Mark V convertible with the top down. I had read after that there was a company in Florida that was doing the conversions. They also did the new for ‘79 Eldorado, and later the Dodge Mirada and ‘81-‘83 Chrysler Imperial. That was also the period of the “carriage roof” that first appeared on the ‘79 Mark V Bill Blass. In the early 80’s the factory got back into the sale of convertibles starting with the ‘82 Mustang.
This brings back some great childhood memories, thanks!
One restaurant my parents liked was a BBQ place in Oklahoma City. The owner was in a social fraternal group, not sure which one.
About 15-25 members of this group each bought a bicentennial edition, his was always parked in front of his restaurant. Over the jukebox was a group photo of all these special white convertibles.
Everything that year was red white and blue, and hysteria about the last convertible was high.
These cars were beautiful icons of their time. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on these, Adam!
Great video! The access opening in the fender brace for blower motor replacement is an interesting detail.
I was in my 3rd year at Heritage Cadillac I Atlanta Ga. When this vehicle came out. Think of a 21 year old kid not only working on these,but also got to deliver several new Caddies to Miami on weekends and fly back home on Mondays. Sometimes I would call in sick from Miami on Mondays. But had great bosses and Dealer Principal. Ed Estes.
I bought a triple blue one in '91 and gave it away after it sat for several years, the door jammed, and the fillers shattered. The cat converter had melted a 2 inch hole in the carpet before I bought it. It leaned to the right a bit, like it had been parked on a crowned road.
I likes this video. One recommendation would be to show the car with the convertible top down.
A nice look at an American classic. I had heard some buyers of these tried to sue GM after they decided to create some more convertibles once, like you said, the rollover standards they were afraid of never took hold. These being front-wheel drive also have no drive shaft hump and thus a nice flat floor with a large, one-piece floor mat up front. Despite being front-wheel drive, the engine was still longitudinal, as shown. Unfortunately, more modern Cadillacs did not utilize this set up, probably for space and cost reasons. The Northstar engines of the 90s, for example, were transverse and packed in their bays like sardines and this made them very difficult to work on as opposed to the setup in these 70s Eldorados.
Ahhh, but the '79 to '85 models were still 'normal' north-south configuration, with better turning circles than the damned side-saddle setups...
Thank you Adam. Those fender peaks lived on but changed with time. Now in 2023, they use lights on the front end styling to mimic that look. These cars were indeed true Eldorados.... the driving spirit of Cadillac. Only Mr. Kady knows why they did what they did with the styling. Thank you for the look at this car. I see other things that Cadillac kept using for years to come.
The (semi) recent Cadillacs with the vertical white LED DRLs = “electric jowls”.
Great video - thanks Adam!
wow.what a car. i want one!
I can see Liberace driving one of these
Super video!!😊
I have a last edition 2 tone 78 with electric sunroof
need 2 corvair car covers to cover it up
I would love to see a pic on that two tone corvair please.
The Bicentennial tag gets applied to these because of the obvious color combo and year it was introduced though that never was their name, on the window sticker this is referred to as the "Last Convertible" package.
Whenever I see these mid-70s El Dorado convertibles, I am reminded of the Smokey and the Bandit finale at the fairgrounds.
I need to correct you in regards to the piping or "laces" as Cadillac called them, colored piping was available on all leather interior Cadillacs by special request, there is a section on custom orders in most Cadillac dealer order guides from that era that has a section on custom orders, there were several special interior options available like the colored laces and "maximum leather" which replaced the vinyl sections of leather interior with more leather. It also includes a section on special exterior colors requests and other strange options like non standard limousine interior colors.
It was a great publicity / sales strategy at the time.
Amazing that a hood and rear fenders that large could be stamped in one piece.
I have a courteous request: Can you discuss the radically-new full-size GM "Scissor"-style convertible top design? After centuries of the same-old-style convertible tops, GM created a new design that did NOT encroach on the sides of the rear seat!
Great video Adam. I'd like to suggest you do a video on your all time favorite converibles.
I think my favorite part of this car are the seats. For years I didn't care for white interior seats, but these big overstuffed loungers and couches are really quite attractive and all I can think about is how comfy it must be to sit in them!
GM styling was still doing good work in this era, given what they were facing. The 71-72 El dorado was a great design imo, and I think they did a decent job transforming it through the rest of the decade. It's a shame the materials and build quality weren't up to the same standards as the styling. The redesigned vertical taillights that came out after the demise of the convertible were pretty sharp... It's just a shame it's also saddled with the bumper fillers.
I personally would've loved a hardtop roofline on these eldorados- would've helped given the car a sportier look and feel, especially in 71 when the 500 still had some real punch.
Great piece, even mentioning the super-stylish Cadillac wingnut on the air cleaner.
It doesn't cost a couple thousand dollars per side to replace those plastic bumper fillers. You can buy them in kits; front fenders, back quarter panels, rear center below the trunk lid. They're roughly $400 per kit. But they come unfinished and you have to paint them. You can also buy all of them for less than $900.
That 'beveled' hood was called a 'coffin nose' hood back in the day.
The years the Eldorado convertible made a return were 1984 and 1985.
The air conditioning vents that moved around (or stayed in the up position a lot of the time) had a MUCH easier fix then removing the vent and using tape or foam. I know because I had a few of these cars back in the day. You could take a match, remove the match head and stick that in on the side, top or bottom of the vent without removing anything. A toothpick also often worked once you cut it down to size so it wouldn't stick out. And yes, they WERE cheap. They were made out of light plastic.
Yes, many guys bought these cars (or any '76 convertible) new and put them away. Many of them are dead now. But if their relatives sell them as part of the estate, especially to one of those so called 'classic car dealers' who have sprung up all over the place, they want an astronomical price for them.
What a beautiful car. I've ridden in the 1976 Eldorados but, unfortunately, not the Bicentennial Edition. Cadillac warned its Eldorado customers not to drive these big 5,000-pound softly sprung cars like sports cars unless they wanted to replace the front tires on an every-other-month basis.
The next generation Eldorado (1979-1985) also had the fuel filler behind the license plate. That wasn't common by then.
Thanks Adam🎉🎉🎉 another great video.
Very nice review Adam! I remember seeing this car at Bewley Allen Cadillac in Alhambra California. I thought it was the best Cadillac ever.
13:18 You can buy black felt with a self-adhesive backing. It works better than tape or foam.
I recently bought my Daughter a 03 Grand Prix with the 3.8 in it. Doing research I find people saying it’s the best engine ever. It would have been very impressive to have worked on the development of that engine. I bring this up because you often do interviews with people who worked at G.M. It would be great if you could find some people who worked on that engine and ask them what it was like to engineer it. Or if they knew they were building a legend. I posted this here because it’s your latest video thanks for the great content.
Beautiful car!
GREAT car!
A great overview of this unique special edition, Adam.
I have this car (not bicentennial trim level). Great video and informative.
My dad (gm salaried, Buick fisher body flint employee A Plan eligible) considered buying a new one for about 10k and immediately flip it for 25k in Texas, but didn’t.
Can anyone imagine something this low, wide and heavy actually rolling over? Hahaha
It's amazing to realize all the dramatic changes across the US auto fleet during the 1970's due to the "rumored" Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Rollover Standards.
Hi Adam, Thanks for another interesting video. I had an Uncle that had a yellow 1984 Eldorado which had been downsized from your feature car. It was his first Cadillac as prior to that he was always an Oldsmobile man, usually the 98 model in either two door or four door configurations.
I had heard that after the 76 model year, Cadillac had extra parts to make 7 convertibles that would be considered 77's. Because Cadillac said 76 would be the last year for the convertible, people who bought the 76 sued Cadillac. I was told that the 7 cars are not recognized by Cadillac.
Adam, you are a living encyclopedia. You need to write a book of some kind.
looks like my dads old Eldorado, cept his had a red vinyl 'half' hardtop, all red int. he special ordered it in red/white to match OU Sooners colors. man that car had nice ride, and the stereo system was pretty decent for back then. and came with a 8Track player!
Beautiful car… 🥃🥃
Nice car
I've owned a few Eldorado's, 3 of the 90s, and a 1970 Eldorado, I enjoyed the 70... and looked that body style, I've had a 93,96 and 99... Good cars except the Northstar engine... but I have a fix for those.
Adam, I prefer the Buick Bicentennial models as they show a little more restraint.
The Big Bus had a Bicentennial banquet room
I love my 78 Eldorado except a few things that are annoying. The license plate door, you lift it up to insert the nozzle, first you have to crouch down lift it, and fight these new emission nozzles in to fill it. Luckily it has a fuel tank equivalent to the capacity of a super tanker. My 78 Olds 98 flips down and is no problem to fill. The other is the remote trunk release in the glove box, first of all it does not work with out the key on and most cases sitting in the drivers seat to open the glove box door to get to it, one almost has to lay down across the drivers seat pending you don't have some junk in the middle stopping you from reaching the door. Third is the weight of the front hood, you need to be a young weight lifter to be able to lift that hood and most of us who own these cars are old and weak. LOL Still my favorite car for styling.
So true, why have the hinge on the top of the license plate when you're standing above it looking down??
Let me tell you another real flaw about having a hood that heavy. A customer's car was parked at the curb on a well-crowned street. Fortunately my brain fast enough back then to stop me just as I was about to slam the hood closed. I brought it down very slowly and sure enough, the hinges had bent toward the curb because of that 2-ton hood! If not for that lucky bit of forethought, it would have bitten right down on the left front fender... (shiver)
My dad bought a plain white one of these used in the mid 80s for the purpose of towing a boat. Not a good decision he eventually learned. I always thought it was a 77. If I remember correctly this was still a $5K car when he sold it in the late 80s.
There is NOTHING to criticize about this 300 mile beauty. And I don't believe anyone would have changed out the tag door on such a flawless Eldorado. Why would they?
Wasn't there a class action suit filed against GM when they re-entered the convertible market in 1984? Some owners of the "last" Bicentennial Eldorado convertibles were not happy about that. My uncle bought two of them, driving one and storing the other. I never heard anything about him joining the class, however. My cousin is still driving the second car.
Yes Adam you deserve applause 👏, hands 🙌 up 🆙 and two thumbs up 👍🏾👍🏾 🙌 👍🏾 👏 🙌 👍🏾 👏, on your knowledge of the history of the Big Three Ford, Chrysler and GM. I remember as a kid 👦🏽 family relatives, friends and acquaintances had Ford, Chrysler and GM Luxuriously Luxurious Luxury Rides of all Kinds, Sizes and Types of Rides except for our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾. After our parents gave birth to the youngest son that was it, our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 didn’t have a choice but to by 9 Passenger Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagons Station 🚉 Wagons from the early 1960’s to the late 1970’s. First two were a 1960 Dodge Black with powder blue interior 9 passenger, a 1968 Black Dodge Monaco 🇲🇨 with black vinyl interior and with the Faux imitation contact vinyl wood 🪵 decal for the sides and rear tailgate chrome stainless steel trim on the sides from front to rear and tailgate with custom deluxe wheel hubcaps driver side door remote control mirror factory 🏭 installed ladder 🪜 roof rack. Early to mid 70’s two Chevy Caprice Estate Wagons 1 Brown with Roof Rack the other cream puff yellow with out roof rack but it was fully loaded and powered and his last two a 72 Ford LTD Brougham Country Squire Brown with Faux Body Side 2 half inch Molding and Faux Decal Wood Contact on both sides from front quarter panels to rear panels and on the 3-way swing out tailgate. The Tailgate swung out open with the electric ⚡️ power glass that you could open with the tailgate glass up or down, but for extra leverage and support you would have to lower the electric ⚡️ power glass all the way down inside the tailgate to lay the tailgate down again for extra hauling and moving. It to was fully equipped, fully functional fully loaded and fully powered with a factory 🏭 installed roof rack with the rear wind 💨 🌬️ deflector screwed tightly to the rear of the roof rack and also screwed to a metal bracket that was mounted to the rear end of the roof if you understand what I’m describing and talking about. For the Power Plant it had a Big Block 4BBL 429 V8 under the hood and Tilt Steering Wheel With Cruise 🚢 Control AM/FM Stereo Radio Dual Matching Remote Control
Mirrors 🪞 🪞 installed/mounted on the front Driver and Passenger Doors. With Custom Chrome Deluxe Highly Buffed and Polished Full Wheel Cover Hubcaps. Oh yeah the 60 Dodge Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon had a 318 2BBL V8 Power Plant Under its hood, the 68 Dodge Monaco 🇲🇨 Beach 🏝️ 🏖️
Wagon had a Big Block 383 Magnum 2 or 4BBL Power
Plant Under its Hood and the 2 Chevy Caprice Estates had 350’s under their Hoods, the Yellow Cream Puff 💨 engine crapped on him so his mechanic had a 75 Caprice Classic 4Dr Sedan that had to be junked had a Big Block 350 4BBL Power Plant they did an engine swap. They took the bad engine that had crapped in the cream puff and replaced it with the good 👍🏾 😊 😌 engine from the 4dr Caprice that was being junked. Oh yeah the 69 Y. C. P. Had Tilt and Cruise 🚢 Control linkage and so did the 75 Power Plant. Everything was all hooked up and our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 took the Y. C. P. to auto body shop there was a slight dent in the rt rear side panel fender had pulled out straight the way it should and supposed to, had it repainted brought a factory 🏭 roof rack from one of the local salvage companies that had a roof rack in really good 👍🏾 😊 😌 condition damn near brand new that had came off another 69 or 70 Chevy Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 that was totaled, brought 4 chrome factory stainless steel spoked hubcaps that the body shop buffed and highly polished them to a shine ✨ like 👍🏾 new money 💵 💵 unimaginable. Then installed screwed on very tightly the roof rack. The Wagon had already came with a rear wind 💨 🌬️ deflector and he brought a AM/FM Stereo Cassette Deck with 4 Speakers 2 4 and a half to 5” inch speakers for the front door and 2 8” to 12-14”speakers for the Lf and Rt Rear Quarter panels. Last but not least a 75
Mercury Brougham Grand Marquis LS Park Lane Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon. It was the exact same color as the 69 Chevy Y. C. P. And it to was Fully Equipped, Fully Functional, Fully Loaded and Fully Powered. With all the Bells 🔔 and Whistles. Under it’s Hood Big Block Monstrous 460 4BBL V8 with Dual Exhaust System.
It had the Chrome Full Custom Deluxe Highly Buffed and Polished Mercury Marquis Stainless Steel Hubcaps.
Would swear you thought 💭 you were riding in a Lincoln Town Car. Talk about being trapped in the body of a Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagon Station 🚉 Wagon.
Sincerely Yours Truly
T. O. G. Ivan I J👦🏽👨🏾👴🏾👍🏾👍🏾😎😎😎
P. S.
Our mom 👩🏽 👵🏽 and dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 had 7 of us according to our mom 👩🏽 👵🏽 she said to me one day we had a whole heap of y’all and new they are grandparents and great grandparents. Me and my younger brother still remember, reminisce and talk about those days of both he and I had not only confiscated but also taken over that backward facing back seat. Boy did that piss off our 3 older sisters.
We were called and known as our mom’s 👩🏽 👵🏽Spoiled Rottenly To The Core Top Shelf Boys 👦🏽 👦🏽. We thought 💭 we were both the Apple 🍎 🍎 🍏 🍏 of both our Parents Eyes. 😅😅😂😂😂😅😂😅😂😅
Adam I still choose and pick all the Antique, Classic and Vintage Rides over today’s new cars of today, any day…
Thx for the nice note!!
My father knew a young man that purchased a red 1976 version of this model Cadillac Eldorado convertible. He planned to store it & wait for the value to increase. I was not impressed with the interior finish. The top reminded me of the convertible top installed on the Chevy Impala with visible struts. VW beetle convertible tops were better finished than this. I moved out of the area in 1988 & never heard about the final fate of this Cadillac.
I rebuilt one of these 500 engines in dick Bettencourt's 76 rag top the fan shroud weighed a ton more than any replacement fender I've installed recently
Until I bought the motorhome I rarely ever heard anything about it. Now, You seem to reference it all the time.
I love them.
That engine is huge to fill that giant front end. Odd way to route that coolant hose from right of radiator across to the left of the block. Seems like it would be easier to design the radiator so the coolant exit was on the left side closer to the block entry port.
These profiles are great but can't wait for the weather to improve and more profiles of your collection.
These were the last convertibles in another sense in that these were built as convertibles on the Cadillac assembly line, whereas the reintroduced GM convertibles of the 80's were hardtops sent to ASC for conversion. Not sure about mustang droptops of that time but i don't think there was another factory built convertible at GM until the last camaro
Enjoyed the vid but curious why no mention of the front wheel drive ?
I wonder if Mitchell's house was as gawdy as this era 'Caddy.
When Cadillac still meant a certain type of higher quality. Except, in getting any fuel economy. But, people weren't too worried, because even then, I remember that even in the mid-srventies, gas was around 65 cents or so per gal. Seemed high then. Yeah, The Titanic on wheels!( Except, it didn't sink)
this example is sporting the OEM radiator cap, rarer in the wild than the stock "packard electronics" spark plug wires in my experience