Started my long and hard life as a Dealership Tech in 1973 19 year old kid. At Heritage Cadillac ,Atlanta Georgia. I started as a porter. Imagine 22 or 23 year old delivering brand new ELDOS to customers in and around Miami from the ATL. with a return airline ticket. Leave ATL Friday afternoon. Be in Miami to see the sunrise Saturday morning. Probably made the trip at least 10 times. Taking girls with me. Calling in sick on Monday from south Florida. Had a great understanding boss. And lots of people looking at a long haired hippie in brand new Cadillacs. What a great start to a long and hard career turning wrenches.
My Uncle Bill, dad’s brother, always had Eldorados. In passing my dad said to him once, “hey if you find a clean one let me know.” Several years later, circa 1986, Bill who lived in Georgia and we had just moved to Massachusetts called and said he bought dad a 78 bronze Eldorado. Naturally mom was less than thrilled, especially because with dad’s work schedule she had to fly down to Atlanta and drive it back herself. Lol. I always loved the fiber optics you mentioned, they were a nice touch. My older sister eventually drove the car in high school, she could fit a lot of her friends in that car. Last story, it was snowing like hell one time and dad had taken it to work. They were shutting Route 9 down and dad pulls up to the cop and says “my house is a mile up the road, I’ll make it.” The cop was skeptical but let him go, and that Eldorado trudge up the Rt 9 like nothing. Oh and seeing the tread on those tires really opened up the memories. Great old dinosaurs
My 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham has the fibre optic lamp monitors as well. I was so afraid of breaking a connector, because I had to replace a taillight assembly after I bought the car in 2016. It wasn't too difficult though. Similar to disconnecting a vacuum hose.
I stayed in Minnesota one summer and drove around in my friends 77 Eldorado, it was a wonderful car, ive always liked Cadillacs so it was a real treat as it was only about three years old im old now finally got me an ATS Coupe and 69 Eldorado so its been fun
My first new car was a 1978 Eldorado Biarritz - All Red with a white roof and rose-tinted astroroof. The car was perfection. Nobody could believe a factory stereo (much less 8-track) could sound that good. Even the factory-installed CB Radio was adorned with a Cadillac crest. Very tasteful and understated. Nothing was visible except the microphone and coiled cord that clipped on the dash, below the radio. As one comment notes, the car was unbelievable in the snow. 1978 was a banner snow year in Indiana. I got on I-65 just as it was being closed due to snow and drifting. I drove at the speed limit all the way to West Lafayette, without incident. And the presence! No modern cars come close to the presence that car had short of a Bentley or Rolls-Royce at 6-50 X the price, AFTER you adjust for inflation.
As an owner of a 1978 ElDorado, it is nice to see these cars finally getting some recognition. I have owned mine for 22 years and can attest to the fact that these cars are a pleasure to drive and easy to maintain, I have had very few major repairs over the years. Finding good storage for these vehicles can be a challenge due to their length.
My mother had a 1978 Eldorado Biarritz triple white, this exact car as far as I remember. A 5500lb 2 door and the largest front wheel drive 2 door at the time and probably still. I used it for the prom great memories. The fiber optics were great, you always knew you had brake lights and turn signals without getting out of the car or using a spotter. The auto dim headlights never worked for shit, I remember people always flashing me to turn them down before the sensor kicked in. The cornering lamps were great, really light up the shoulder when you turned the turn signal on. The seats were great too, like sitting on a sofa. I don't remember the wiper controls ever being an issue. The auto leveling worked great, it would even kick in on crowned roads. This car was really advanced for it's time.
I have a 2020 Chevy Equinox that has an auto dim featured and I had the same issue with the lights not dimming in time when a car coming towards me was on a turn angle the camera or sensor in the windshield wouldn't pick it up in time and the other driver would flash their lights at me. A neat feature but th sensor only picks up anything coming straight at you not on an angle. I turned the feature off.
I used to just discount the 77 and 78 eldos, with their smaller 425 vs the earlier 500... But frankly I quite like some of the changes made for these model years, especially those vertical taillights! Who doesn't love those big pillowy button tufted seats.
The best thing about the Biarritz is the seats. Most comfortable seats ever made by a factory. Owned over 40 of these, mostly 78's with the moon roof, another great option. Growing up in Minnesota, the FWD was another great thing in the winter. Extremely hard to get stuck. I have also put a 78 Biarritz onto a 76 Deville frame. Nothing better than seeing a RWD 78 Eldo smoking the rear tires! Love the channel
I grew up with my uncles owning these, mostly Tornados. My Dad always wanted one but he was the youngest of 6 brothers and missed out at the time. Stunning cars! I remember drooling over the Tornados.... front wheel drive was new and crazy but made sense in Canada as we have winter 5 months of the year.
We had to sneak the kids into drive-in movies in the trunk for free to make the payment on these things. Drive in theaters are extinct, thus the smaller trunks these days.
Features like the fiber-optic wired lamp bulb monitors/indicators, illuminated side mirror mounted thermometer, auto-dimming headlamps, auto leveling system and 4-wheel disc brakes while seemingly no big deal by today's vehicle tech standards was way ahead of its time in the 70's.
@@danr1920 Agreed. Japanese luxury brands with better fit and finish, reliability, resale kinda left them behind. GM still makes good trucks and sports cars (even though now only the Corvette is left) along with great high res back-up cameras.
That closeup of the faux woodgrained dash gave me flashbacks to the 70's, when even then I thought it looked plastic-y and cheap. Thanks for another great article.
I never cared for the 78 Toronado because of the front end. It just seemed muted compared to the previous models of that generation. But that's just me being a fan of the '75 model.🤷🏾
@@Chris_Troxler I have a 1974 Toronado that I got for free. Just had to go to the Yosemite area to get it. It is now at a shop in Downey, California awaiting HEI conversion. Same Cranberry color as on the factory postcards!
They weren't even opulent. Cheap man made materials with fake wood , cheap plastics and vinyl. These were just clown cars and very poorly designed. I think the mid to late 70s was the worst of American car design and opened the door to foreign makers capturing large market share.
I like 1971-72. No plastic bumper fillers for the large 5 mph crash bumpers plus the 500 V-8 was rated @ 235 horsepower versus the detuned 1976 model rated @ 190 horsepower.
"Back in the day" a buddy of mine had one of these for a few months (he was "flipping" it). Sort of a cinnamon color. I drove it to experience it. A true "barge". Glad I got to, though!
As a Cadillac dealer parts counterman straight out of high school, I sold hundreds of hood-mounted (spring) wreath & crest emblems. They were popular to steal much to the frustration of the owners. Great video!
Lil hoodrats were wearing them on gold chains in the Detroit area.....then they upgraded to Benz hood ornaments per whatever rapper of the month was in style.
As a teenager in the late 70's I remember thinking of these as the "bizarrist" Cadillac. Remember the similar Tornado Trofeo with the squared off rear window?
OK, I knew it was some kind of stand alone, kind of like Old's response to the Biaritz. Can't remember ever seeing one on the street.@@jeffrobodine8579
6:49 Bill Mitchell was also famous for saying “Put a crease in it!” He was inspired by men’s dress pants with creases. That is why many of the fenders and hoods of GM vehicles have creases.
Just wanted to tell you, I enjoy listening to your entries .. you sound well educated and I enjoy the way you pronounce and enunciate every production you make and the details. Thank you. Need more of that these days. I have several of the cars you spotlight, you always do a great job with describing everything.
I'm a proud owner of an all white 1978 Eldorado Biarritz. It was my first car back in 1984. Just got its twin back in June of 2023. Absolutely love it. These are land yachts. They're very, very rare!!
Doug can be a be a bit much at times! LOL I remember that review and he was so amazed that the high beam dimmer switch was on the floor. I was born in 1966 so I remember well floor mounted dimmer switches. I always thought the turn signal combo stalks were obnoxious to be honest. Wipers, signals, high beams, in some cases cruise all on one lever! A bit much IMO
The plastic-chrome moldings (see time-marker 5:10) around the rear fins and along the rear panel are indeed available today. They are reproduced by Caddy Daddy in Napa, California--thankfully.
You are in good company with your reference to the "PRNDL" - Eva Gabor referred to the shift quadrant in the exact same way on an episode of Green Acres.
just like my dad's old 78! he had special ordered it to match Sooner OU colors. White, with red vinyl roof, red int. and had a factory 8Track player. i miss the hell out of that car, drove and rode so smooth. and the stereo system was amazing for being factory. lot of bass, real clean sound. ☮
A friend in high school had a Tornado. Reverse donuts in the snow were so much fun . Love the detail in your videos. You obviously care a lot for these rare gems.
I used to own one exactly like the Eldorado in this video. Had everything except the thermometer on the driver's side mirror. I did some mechanical work to the car to get it running, but it needed a lot of body work and that was not in my budget. I was a great winter car, it would go through the snow like an army tank!! I had a lot of problems with the engine timing. Was suspecting that the camshaft gear was worn out. GM liked to use the nylon tooth cam gear and they all wear out. Had to part ways with my Cadillac, my now ex wife said that I was spending too much money on it. Hopefully I'll find another one in the near future that doesn't need a lot of repairs. Thanks for the video!!
My personal favorite Eldorado of this model series (and of any Eldorado for that matter) is the '71 when it was first restyled, after that it became more and more gaudy with each passing year to where it really looked like an old dinosaur in it's last years of production in my opinion. The '79 - '85 Eldorado that followed was an improvement and really brought it up to date. I've always thought a modern version of the "blade" taillights of the '67 Eldorado on the '79-'85 Eldorado would've looked better than the taillights they ended up with. Visualize modern blade taillights on the '79-'85 Eldorado and see what you think, it not only would've looked sharp, it also would've given it a "link" to it's "grandfather!"
Outstanding show you have presented and I am so happy to have caught this class. You Sir are greatly appreciated. This boat is one of the classics I am chasing.
👑👑Thank you so much for this wonderful excursion down our memory lane. Great presentation, you perfectly emphasized all the subtle yet graceful differences in all of these beautiful Eldorado year models. Years ago, I had a 1975 Eldorado black over white with hounds tooth interior. I also had a 1972, and a 73 Eldorado. Both cars were white over white with black and white houndstooth Upholstery. Great video thanks for the look back👑🌿
Another Great Video Adam and SO Factual. Thank You. These were some of the most Beautiful Cadillacs in the late 70's. Anyone that had "made it" had one. Gorgeous Cars. !!!
I discovered your excellent channel during the pandemic and continue to enjoy it! To celebrate his 40th birthday and the fact that my dad had "made it" in the corporate world, he treated our family to a 1977 Eldorado, Crimson paint with a White cabriolet top and White leather interior. Needless to say the color combination was quite the attention-getter. An unusual feature I have never seen mentioned is the slot in the glovebox door that accommodates the owners manual. As a teenager in charge of car-washing at our house, I discovered it while detailing the interior. My father was amused and from that point forward we always kept the manual in the concealed compartment. I have no idea which model years were so equipped, or whether the secret slot was included across the entire Cadillac line. At any rate, it's a great memory!
When I was a kid on Grosse Ile, this guy named Chuck Kotcher lived across the street and he was a Cadillac salesman at a downriver dealership. He brought one of these home one day and parked it in the driveway. I noticed it immediately and thought it was strange looking, as the front end looked way too long to me. I told my dad about it over dinner and RIGHT AWAY after the old man [34 at the time....] went over and talked to Chuck. Chuck was CONSTANTLY trying to sell my Detroit Edison engineer father a Cadillac, something that dad always wanted....So he was more than happy to show the car to him. I just went to my room and worked on a model airplane, hoping my dad wouldn't buy that nasty thing! Dad didn't, simply because this was a NEW car that the salesman had brought home, with the heady price in 1977 of close to $18,000, if I remember right, and my dad produced a new definition of cheap. That, and well, it was FWD, and he had purchased a 26 foot '73 Argosy travel trailer the year before that was immense fun for all of us. And Chuck said the Eldorado was not a good choice for towing a trailer. -This last is BULLSHIT. A properly installed load-leveling hitch can transfer weight to the front wheels of the tow vehicle and make it easy to tow a 5500 pound trailer such as this. In fact, if you front load the leveling bars, you can make it better than RWD, since you also have a 700 pound 500 cubic inch Cadillac engine right on top of the driving wheels. In any case, dad decided it wasn't a good idea to buy the Eldorado. Instead he waited a year and bought a pink '77 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance. Parents sometimes don't understand that their actions can have negative connotations for their children's lives, and I used to hide behind the C pillar in that car so kids from my school wouldn't see me.... Great video!
I made Fender Extensions on the rear of my 74 cad despite my having no body making skills they looked almost as good as factory when finished. I just took plenty of time and thought it through and used quality rigid 2mm thick craft cardboard to make templates off the original broken plastic parts (when on the car ) I removed the broken plastic infills. When the cardboard mock-up was taped in place to the car and looked perfect I used them to mark and cut and folded 2mm aluminium sheet in one complete piece with the 3 short folds on the top of the fin. The whole piece is a slight dog leg shape that requires diligent accuracy with the folds or it won't look central or have a twisted look. The aluminium is easy to bend to match the gentle curve of the fender when attaching. I made the whole piece 3/4 inch wider, so at the front to make multiple cuts that were bent 90 degrees inwards for tabs used to attach it to the original screw holes on the fender. The inside spoon shape where it meets the plastic infill under the trunk takes the most time to cut and fill and align and match up. I added press on U-plastic chrome trim strips to finish the rear. Using sheet metal would be as good or better for people skilled with it especially for crafting and or welding that inner spoon shape separately.
Oh man, I remember cracking that white door panel padding in my buddy's (Grandma's, who stopped driving) triple white '75ish Coupe Deville!!! And that car was nine or ten years old at the time. I didn't say anything because I knew they didn't care...😁 It was during cold weather too. Thanks for reviving that long-forgotten high school memory!!!
7:55 - I loved the GM lamp monitors. I had a few Cadillacs with that feature. But in my 1989 and 90 Cadillacs, they were not as easy to see because the hood sloped away from the windshield quite a bit compared to the older cars. 8:39 - I'm pretty sure my Mom's `87 Lincoln had a very similar thermometer. 14:20 - that auto dimming- My 1979 Fleetwood limo had that. It got to be very annoying. I live in the country, but every time I got near reflective signs, like speed limit, or county route shields, or whatever, it would dim. On some roads that would be quite often. I eventually just turned it off. 15:33 - that passenger-side remote control mirror joystick- I believe our 1975 Chrysler Town & Country had almost the same one. My `79 limo also had that load leveling compressor, but a previous owner had disconnected it.
Good video. I owned a 77 biarritz, a 78 Eldo coupe and a 78 biarritz (same color combo as here but also had the astroroof). Used to park my 78 biarritz on Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs and sit outside at Starbucks across the street and watch people admire it and take pix of it. I miss the fun but don't miss the hassle and expense of maintaining one.
Very thorough, loved how you mentioned the auto leveling system. It was and is my favorite feature on any car, to this day. No one ever mentions it. I setup my own system on my 1980 Olds Cutlass Supreme but it was manual. On that car, it was the only one that came with side cornering lamps as well as fiber optics system on fenders and inside rear roof panel with corduroy/velour seats (factory) w/sport steering wheel. Have see one like it since.❤ Loved that car.
I really enjoy the level of detail, unusual facts, history, and period anecdotes you put into your videos. Your passion for the topic comes through, which, I think, enhances audience engagement. It's a blast learning the minutiae of cars from this era from a fellow enthusiast, especially unusual, often forgotten, or potentially unloved models.
Thanks for sharing this. My parents bought a 1977 Eldorado Barritz in battleship grey with a monochrome grey interior. I think my dad said he paid $15.5k for it. It was huge to drive -- you just kind of pointed it and hoped for the best. After my parents had the car for about a year, they took a one week cruise and came back home to find all of the oil had drained out of the engine and covered the garage floor. They had the car towed back into the dealer for repair. When they asked the Cadillac service advisor why the car had lost all its oil, he replied, "well, you just can't let the car sit like that." Nevertheless, my dad loved Cadillacs and kept on buying them.
I absolutely love this car I got it as my first car and it's my favorite thing in the world :) thank you for this video I'm so fascinated by all the special little things that make my car unique
'If you want to impress your friends" and then we're told about which shade of blue the engines were in which years. Maybe you should reflect on the friend choices you've made. Love it!
G'evening Adam 🤠 . I had a 78' Olds' Delta 88 brougham that shared a lot of similarities w/ the Cadillacs & was a lot of fun in the snow or on wet pavement 🤓 ..
The washer function on that control was a one-touch design. When the button was pressed, water squirted in pulses, the wipers did about 6 strokes, and parked. On the other GMs, and maybe the Cadillacs without the intermittent feature when the washer button was pressed it moved the switch to low which had to be turned off. On the current design, you must hold the washer control for as long as as you want water to spray. It sprays on the wiper arms and gets deflected. Overall throughout the American car industry, the wipers and washers have been dumbed down more than any other system I can recall. The articulated wipers and wiper parking phase have been eliminated. I know you are fond of the late 60’s Pontiacs, and some of those have articulated wipers on both wipers which have the most interesting wiping pattern of any car ever, in my opinion.
I never appreciated the one-touch washer control; in the spring, I'd try to get the mud off the windshield and that last swipe would often bring it back up, so I'd have to start all over again. With direct control of the washer, I can make sure the last swipe gets just enough fluid to put the mud away. I do miss the parking of the blades after the last swipe and the articulated arms, though.
Gorgeous cars, I had a chance to buy one in excellent condition in 2004, but couldn't get past the Green on Green color, should a bought it anyway now.
It is also interesting to note that while this Cadillac has disc brakes all around, they faded badly after a few hard stops from 60 MPH. In Consumer Guide Autos 1974 (Petersen Publishing then, later Cignet Publishing), it was noted that after the third stop from 60 MPH, the front brakes of the Eldorado lacked the power to lock the wheels. I recently ran into that problem in my 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood while on the highway. There was construction going on and it was spaced out in a way that made everyone stop hard three times from 60+ MPH. On the third attempt in the Fleetwood, I was barely able to stop on time so, from now on, I'll pay more attention to that type of driving situation.
A couple of things might help. Firstly,have new caliper kits installed. A dust cover and a square pressure ring ( o ring) is all,but cleaning up the crud that builds up reduces drag and wear and heat. Secondly,replace the brake fluid DOT 4 or HT DOT 3. And do homework on brake pad formulation. See if you can get carbon metallic like 5 ton trucks use. If your friction material is more than 3 or 4 years old,or 75 % wear or more,replace it. It gets baked,new stuff works better. All the best.
Very well covered. Point of interest the lamp monitors on the convertibles peered over the rear seat resembling snake eyes. Favorite color choice for me is cinnamon brown convertible. Not extremely common and looka great pulling up. On a wet evening
I fondly reminisce of the HVAC controls on the left representing the perspective from the earliest days of the automobile where the driver was the commander of the vehicle.
My Parents bought a brand new 77 Eldorado back in the days. Man, WHAT a Car! We owned it until 2006 when it just became too costly to keep. It was VERY reliable, (it was actually a Wednesday car) only needing normal wear and tear maintenance and one bad Ignition module. I learned to drive in it.... talk about nail biting.... It was like navigating an Oil Tanker through a small village! Even in LA! My Mom and I cried when she sailed off on a Tow truck to Cadillac King, to become a parts donor for others. It still ran and drove fine, but rust and leaks..... like I said, It became too costly to restore it. Aaaand..... well, there was the small bank loan every time you needed to fill the tank by then. End of an era..... I still miss the Eldo, but I'd hate to have to maintain it today. I think it was one of the most beautiful Cars GM ever made.
I came close to buying a 1973 white with red interior Eldorado convertible as my first car my senior year in college but my father talked me out of it. It was $5,500 and had about 20k miles in 1975. I had the cash and my mother was good with it. Instead I bought a company car high mileage 4 door 73 Chevelle Deluxe with a 350 V-8, auto, and air for $1,400 which was a great running car (black wall tires and hub caps). Two years later I bought a new 77 Monte loaded with rally wheels and swivel seats which my father did not want me to buy. He liked my 73 Chevelle and he drove it all the time. I offered to just give it to him at no cost after buying the Monte. I was living at home at the time and he didn't want a 3rd car even though we had room for it. He would tell me how much he missed the Chevelle and my mother tried to get him to take it for our family farm.
Considering the amount of trash content on channels with 1M subscribers, I don’t understand how come this channel isn’t much more popular. Adam’s videos are always interesting, well researched and have a real car enthusiast’s point of view. I never miss an episode and replay some as reference as well. Thanks very much Adam. I appreciate it!
Tens of millions, in some cases, for content of dubious value. I will give these creators credit, however, for understanding and appealing to their intended audience. In the end, it says more about our tastes as a society that tend toward wanting to be entertained rather than educated.
"Diamond a in the back sun roof top digging the scene wit the gangsta scene "🎶 Awesome cool cars then . So so unique . On James bond the Caddy had machine guns in rear view side mirrors .. My grandmother bought a new Caddy every year since I was born in 62. Convertibles also . Good memories about her from these cars .
I use to have one like this but mine was sky blue with half vinyl top that was white. I still have my coupe Deville. I call them inside handles casket handles also.
My ‘86 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon had a electric hydro boost brake system that was optional. Unlike the system on my Chevy truck, that runs off the power steering pump. It was reliable.
Your comment about the trash container brought back memories of my dad complaining about them. He had many new big Oldsmobile and caddies in those years with that trash bin. He said it was impossible to ever throw anything into them without it missing and falling on the floor.
In 1980-81 I worked at an apartment comples in the midwest, and the owners (a wealthy couple) had his and hers 1978 Eldorados. The husband's had chocolate bronze paint with matching vinyl roof and a darker brown leather interior. The wife's was a creamy beige color with a brown vinyl roof and brown leather interior. I have to admit I always thought the wife's was a better looking car. These Eldorados were silky smooth and felt totally bulletproof going down the road. The overall quality of materials in these Eldorados was quite simply impressive.
An added note about the early HEI ignition on GM's of that era. In hot weather like in Las Vegas or Phoenix a lot those coils did fail I got very proficient at replacing the coils in under ten minutes. I was in Air Force at the time as a vehicle mechanic and my mobile maintenance truck I always had a stock of the coils in the truck. Stationed overseas in the Philippines from 1979 to 1983 I would replace them quite often on the side of the road and get the vehicle back in service. Once I was stationed back to the states I was at Nellis and saw it lot. One time in my off time I was at a gas station a gals Caddie would not start I knew what it was and there was a part store across the street. I took the lady over there told the counterman to give me a HEI for the car the lady paid for it and I put the coil in the car yep about ten minutes. That was just a common failure point for those HEI's in hot weather.
@@jamesrecknor6752 HAHAHAHA. Really by 1979 those coils were in everything that GM built From passenger cars to vans and pickup trucks. Just got to remember that the a government contract means the lowest bid wins. What is surprising is the first major vehicle company to put in a electronic ignition was Chrysler and they used a coil that could be kept cool by having it hung separate from the heat of the engine and distributor.
I had a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75, I would keep a couple extra coils in the trunk, a 79 Dodge St Regis, a couple extra ballast resistors and Lean Burn control in the trunk. I visit the Philippines often and imagine myself just trying to navigate the crowded narrow side streets in my big old cars. Northern Mindanao. @@mikeske9777
The auto-dimming headlight is a nice feature although annoying driving through town like you stated. Now it has become a common feature on modern cars, but as much as I don't like modern cars of today being way too complicated to work on them yourself, that is one feature I'll take my hat off to if you're too lazy or sick of doing it manually yourself. Otherwise, I prefer to get in the habit of pushing the blinker lever backward or forwards (depending on the car manufacturer) so it's one less feature to fail over time.
I had the twin of this Eldo. I bought it in 1982. It was a real stunner. The downside to me were these tufted seats and how they raised the seating position . Because I am 6'3" I actually had to keep the upholstered door to to the moon roof open so that my head wasn't rubbing on the ceiling.
I had a 79 eldo in the exact color he showed here, with matching interior and a huge kicker box in the trunk. Got it at a police auction. Had to sell it because I needed a 4 door with 2 kids at the time.
I think the 79s started a new era for the 3 The Toranado now my favorite in this new prestige but manageable physique same with the Caddy I don’t recall didn’t Buick wait one more year their Riviera was still a LeSabre Coupe in drag
Have you done a video on the 1970 Coupe Deville? I think that year deserves it's own video just because of the subtleties that set it apart from the 1969 and the 1971 models.
Very unique car (who else had front wheel drive in 1978) but the 79 models were a huge smash hit but when Ford tried to downsize the Mark V into the VI, it was a disaster for Ford. GM did it well. However, GM got greedy in 87 and tried to downsize the El Dorado again and that flopped.
The downsizing that actually happened in 1986 had nothing at all to do with greed. The expectation was for much more expensive gasoline, but the price went down instead.. It was much too severe, they should have kept the 1979 dimensions.
I installed MONROW gas load levelers (with added springs)...plus new springs 2 restore correct factory hight on my 78 toronado....with K.Y.B. GAS shocks in the front....it handles like a modern automobile ...GREAT CAR...and it moves pretty quick 4 a heavy car ...the 403V8's power ...... i think is much underrated
Started my long and hard life as a Dealership Tech in 1973 19 year old kid. At Heritage Cadillac ,Atlanta Georgia. I started as a porter. Imagine 22 or 23 year old delivering brand new ELDOS to customers in and around Miami from the ATL. with a return airline ticket. Leave ATL Friday afternoon. Be in Miami to see the sunrise Saturday morning. Probably made the trip at least 10 times. Taking girls with me. Calling in sick on Monday from south Florida. Had a great understanding boss. And lots of people looking at a long haired hippie in brand new Cadillacs. What a great start to a long and hard career turning wrenches.
My Uncle Bill, dad’s brother, always had Eldorados. In passing my dad said to him once, “hey if you find a clean one let me know.” Several years later, circa 1986, Bill who lived in Georgia and we had just moved to Massachusetts called and said he bought dad a 78 bronze Eldorado. Naturally mom was less than thrilled, especially because with dad’s work schedule she had to fly down to Atlanta and drive it back herself. Lol. I always loved the fiber optics you mentioned, they were a nice touch. My older sister eventually drove the car in high school, she could fit a lot of her friends in that car. Last story, it was snowing like hell one time and dad had taken it to work. They were shutting Route 9 down and dad pulls up to the cop and says “my house is a mile up the road, I’ll make it.” The cop was skeptical but let him go, and that Eldorado trudge up the Rt 9 like nothing. Oh and seeing the tread on those tires really opened up the memories. Great old dinosaurs
My 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham has the fibre optic lamp monitors as well. I was so afraid of breaking a connector, because I had to replace a taillight assembly after I bought the car in 2016. It wasn't too difficult though. Similar to disconnecting a vacuum hose.
@@HighSierra1500 what a great riding car!
Great story
I stayed in Minnesota one summer and drove around in my friends 77 Eldorado, it was a wonderful car, ive always liked Cadillacs so it was a real treat as it was only about three years old im old now finally got me an ATS Coupe and 69 Eldorado so its been fun
Leroy Brown's last Eldorado. Along with his custom Continental.
My first new car was a 1978 Eldorado Biarritz - All Red with a white roof and rose-tinted astroroof. The car was perfection. Nobody could believe a factory stereo (much less 8-track) could sound that good. Even the factory-installed CB Radio was adorned with a Cadillac crest. Very tasteful and understated. Nothing was visible except the microphone and coiled cord that clipped on the dash, below the radio. As one comment notes, the car was unbelievable in the snow. 1978 was a banner snow year in Indiana. I got on I-65 just as it was being closed due to snow and drifting. I drove at the speed limit all the way to West Lafayette, without incident. And the presence! No modern cars come close to the presence that car had short of a Bentley or Rolls-Royce at 6-50 X the price, AFTER you adjust for inflation.
As an owner of a 1978 ElDorado, it is nice to see these cars finally getting some recognition. I have owned mine for 22 years and can attest to the fact that these cars are a pleasure to drive and easy to maintain, I have had very few major repairs over the years. Finding good storage for these vehicles can be a challenge due to their length.
I prefer my 78 fleetwood coupe same Biarritz trim but coupe de ville..
For decades all i drove was gm land yachts with at least 6' long front ends ! Those were the days my friend !
Noting like sitting behind the wheel of a '77 Grand Prix or '79 Buick Park Avenue Limited.
My mother had a 1978 Eldorado Biarritz triple white, this exact car as far as I remember. A 5500lb 2 door and the largest front wheel drive 2 door at the time and probably still. I used it for the prom great memories. The fiber optics were great, you always knew you had brake lights and turn signals without getting out of the car or using a spotter. The auto dim headlights never worked for shit, I remember people always flashing me to turn them down before the sensor kicked in. The cornering lamps were great, really light up the shoulder when you turned the turn signal on. The seats were great too, like sitting on a sofa. I don't remember the wiper controls ever being an issue. The auto leveling worked great, it would even kick in on crowned roads. This car was really advanced for it's time.
I have a 2020 Chevy Equinox that has an auto dim featured and I had the same issue with the lights not dimming in time when a car coming towards me was on a turn angle the camera or sensor in the windshield wouldn't pick it up in time and the other driver would flash their lights at me. A neat feature but th sensor only picks up anything coming straight at you not on an angle. I turned the feature off.
Yes, the wiper controls from Cadillac are an irrational sore spot with this guy, although his videos are great otherwise.
We owned a 78 Eldorado in these exact colors - only difference was that ours had the sunroof. Nice car.
I used to just discount the 77 and 78 eldos, with their smaller 425 vs the earlier 500... But frankly I quite like some of the changes made for these model years, especially those vertical taillights! Who doesn't love those big pillowy button tufted seats.
It was like sitting on your living room sofa...
The best thing about the Biarritz is the seats. Most comfortable seats ever made by a factory.
Owned over 40 of these, mostly 78's with the moon roof, another great option. Growing up in Minnesota, the FWD was another great thing in the winter. Extremely hard to get stuck.
I have also put a 78 Biarritz onto a 76 Deville frame. Nothing better than seeing a RWD 78 Eldo smoking the rear tires!
Love the channel
If you have video, you should post. I'd love to see it.
I grew up with my uncles owning these, mostly Tornados. My Dad always wanted one but he was the youngest of 6 brothers and missed out at the time. Stunning cars! I remember drooling over the Tornados.... front wheel drive was new and crazy but made sense in Canada as we have winter 5 months of the year.
The sheer size of the trunk on these is mind-boggling…. These Caddies have bigger trunks than many cars do hoods.
The trunks on these are fairly small in comparison to other cars of this era due mostly to the auto level control in the rear.
We had to sneak the kids into drive-in movies in the trunk for free to make the payment on these things. Drive in theaters are extinct, thus the smaller trunks these days.
I love this channel - just putting that out to the universe.
Features like the fiber-optic wired lamp bulb monitors/indicators, illuminated side mirror mounted thermometer, auto-dimming headlamps, auto leveling system and 4-wheel disc brakes while seemingly no big deal by today's vehicle tech standards was way ahead of its time in the 70's.
So what happened GM, you were the leader, especially with Cadillac. Now, average would be an improvement.
@@danr1920 Agreed. Japanese luxury brands with better fit and finish, reliability, resale kinda left them behind. GM still makes good trucks and sports cars (even though now only the Corvette is left) along with great high res back-up cameras.
That closeup of the faux woodgrained dash gave me flashbacks to the 70's, when even then I thought it looked plastic-y and cheap.
Thanks for another great article.
The 1978 Eldorado and Toronado may have been extreme opulence but that was the era. When the 1979 models came out there was an absolute rush for them.
I never cared for the 78 Toronado because of the front end. It just seemed muted compared to the previous models of that generation. But that's just me being a fan of the '75 model.🤷🏾
@@Chris_Troxler I have a 1974 Toronado that I got for free. Just had to go to the Yosemite area to get it. It is now at a shop in Downey, California awaiting HEI conversion. Same Cranberry color as on the factory postcards!
@@jeffshadow2407 LUCKY!!
What a great looking car @@jeffshadow2407
They weren't even opulent. Cheap man made materials with fake wood , cheap plastics and vinyl. These were just clown cars and very poorly designed. I think the mid to late 70s was the worst of American car design and opened the door to foreign makers capturing large market share.
1976 is one of my most favorite years of the Eldorado. The exterior and interior designs and the huge 500 are what really do it.
I like 1971-72. No plastic bumper fillers for the large 5 mph crash bumpers plus the 500 V-8 was rated @ 235 horsepower versus the detuned 1976 model rated @ 190 horsepower.
"Back in the day" a buddy of mine had one of these for a few months (he was "flipping" it). Sort of a cinnamon color. I drove it to experience it. A true "barge". Glad I got to, though!
As a Cadillac dealer parts counterman straight out of high school, I sold hundreds of hood-mounted (spring) wreath & crest emblems. They were popular to steal much to the frustration of the owners. Great video!
My dad once bought a Cadillac wreath and crest emblem to install on my mom's Chevrolet Nova. He turned it into a Seville without buying a Seville!
The hoodbrats used to wear them around their necks.
Lil hoodrats were wearing them on gold chains in the Detroit area.....then they upgraded to Benz hood ornaments per whatever rapper of the month was in style.
@@HighSierra1500Oh please. Post pics of Dork Wife Of The Decade Award or it didn't happen
As a teenager in the late 70's I remember thinking of these as the "bizarrist" Cadillac. Remember the similar Tornado Trofeo with the squared off rear window?
The Tornado you are mentioning was called the XSR.
OK, I knew it was some kind of stand alone, kind of like Old's response to the Biaritz. Can't remember ever seeing one on the street.@@jeffrobodine8579
6:49 Bill Mitchell was also famous for saying “Put a crease in it!” He was inspired by men’s dress pants with creases. That is why many of the fenders and hoods of GM vehicles have creases.
Just wanted to tell you, I enjoy listening to your entries .. you sound well educated and I enjoy the way you pronounce and enunciate every production you make and the details. Thank you. Need more of that these days. I have several of the cars you spotlight, you always do a great job with describing everything.
I appreciate that!
@@RareClassicCarsHydro boost delivers higher brake line pressure than vacuum. Probably why they chose .
I'm a proud owner of an all white 1978 Eldorado Biarritz. It was my first car back in 1984. Just got its twin back in June of 2023. Absolutely love it. These are land yachts. They're very, very rare!!
Great video on the massive Eldorado. Doug Demuro did a video on a ‘77 Eldorado several years ago. The entire car was so foreign to him.
I have to put Doug DeMuro on half speed because he talks so fast… Not really but I could probably understand him better. Lol
Doug can be a be a bit much at times! LOL I remember that review and he was so amazed that the high beam dimmer switch was on the floor. I was born in 1966 so I remember well floor mounted dimmer switches. I always thought the turn signal combo stalks were obnoxious to be honest. Wipers, signals, high beams, in some cases cruise all on one lever! A bit much IMO
When that car was new it was huge, but now it's really huge. Lots of front over hang.....
Thanks to Adam for posting............
The picture in front of the gas station is the best description of this car.....
The plastic-chrome moldings (see time-marker 5:10) around the rear fins and along the rear panel are indeed available today. They are reproduced by Caddy Daddy in Napa, California--thankfully.
Years ago my dads 77 Eldo was missing it on one side and I cleverly used door edge guards to replicate the chrome surround! Only I knew LOL
You are in good company with your reference to the "PRNDL" - Eva Gabor referred to the shift quadrant in the exact same way on an episode of Green Acres.
I agree with you, white seats with red dash, both over the top and absolutely beautiful
I have a ‘78 Eldorado and I learned so much more about the car with this video.
Thank you for doing this.
Jay Leno needs to get Adam on his show.
Indeed.
Jay Leno tends to favor nerdy bland Chrysler models of this era.....that, in the Detroit area, only senior Chrysler retirees drove.
Every vehicle needs to have auto dimming headlights.
Many people these days don't seem to understand how blinding oncoming traffic is dangerous.
NHTSA is full of BS. They regulate stupid stuff like air bags and ignore obvious safety hazards like blinding LED headlights.
Love these, especially since by today's standards they are wildly improbable. Another fine video, thank you Adam.
That thing looks long and luxurious.
That brought back memories. In 1978 I went to Bob Spreen Cadillac in Downey California and took one for a test drive. 😊
just like my dad's old 78! he had special ordered it to match Sooner OU colors. White, with red vinyl roof, red int. and had a factory 8Track player. i miss the hell out of that car, drove and rode so smooth. and the stereo system was amazing for being factory. lot of bass, real clean sound. ☮
A friend in high school had a Tornado. Reverse donuts in the snow were so much fun . Love the detail in your videos. You obviously care a lot for these rare gems.
I used to own one exactly like the Eldorado in this video. Had everything except the thermometer on the driver's side mirror. I did some mechanical work to the car to get it running, but it needed a lot of body work and that was not in my budget. I was a great winter car, it would go through the snow like an army tank!! I had a lot of problems with the engine timing. Was suspecting that the camshaft gear was worn out. GM liked to use the nylon tooth cam gear and they all wear out. Had to part ways with my Cadillac, my now ex wife said that I was spending too much money on it. Hopefully I'll find another one in the near future that doesn't need a lot of repairs. Thanks for the video!!
My personal favorite Eldorado of this model series (and of any Eldorado for that matter) is the '71 when it was first restyled, after that it became more and more gaudy with each passing year to where it really looked like an old dinosaur in it's last years of production in my opinion. The '79 - '85 Eldorado that followed was an improvement and really brought it up to date. I've always thought a modern version of the "blade" taillights of the '67 Eldorado on the '79-'85 Eldorado would've looked better than the taillights they ended up with. Visualize modern blade taillights on the '79-'85 Eldorado and see what you think, it not only would've looked sharp, it also would've given it a "link" to it's "grandfather!"
Outstanding show you have presented and I am so happy to have caught this class. You Sir are greatly appreciated.
This boat is one of the classics I am chasing.
"Raw meat" is an interesting choice of words to describe the color. Not wrong though...
Adam, Dolge into the Lincoln 'Lipstick" models...
How fitting to have pics of it in proximity to fuel pumps
That close up of the front makes it looks like a 1977 Chevy Impala/Caprice with fiberglass fender extensions added.
👑👑Thank you so much for this wonderful excursion down our memory lane. Great presentation, you perfectly emphasized all the subtle yet graceful differences in all of these beautiful Eldorado year models. Years ago, I had a 1975 Eldorado black over white with hounds tooth interior. I also had a 1972, and a 73 Eldorado. Both cars were white over white with black and white houndstooth Upholstery.
Great video thanks for the look back👑🌿
Another Great Video Adam and SO Factual. Thank You. These were some of the most Beautiful Cadillacs in the late 70's. Anyone that had "made it" had one. Gorgeous Cars. !!!
Very nice. I loved these cars as a kid in the 1970's. Nice to see a car from my home state. 🙂
I discovered your excellent channel during the pandemic and continue to enjoy it! To celebrate his 40th birthday and the fact that my dad had "made it" in the corporate world, he treated our family to a 1977 Eldorado, Crimson paint with a White cabriolet top and White leather interior. Needless to say the color combination was quite the attention-getter. An unusual feature I have never seen mentioned is the slot in the glovebox door that accommodates the owners manual. As a teenager in charge of car-washing at our house, I discovered it while detailing the interior. My father was amused and from that point forward we always kept the manual in the concealed compartment. I have no idea which model years were so equipped, or whether the secret slot was included across the entire Cadillac line. At any rate, it's a great memory!
When I was a kid on Grosse Ile, this guy named Chuck Kotcher lived across the street and he was a Cadillac salesman at a downriver dealership. He brought one of these home one day and parked it in the driveway. I noticed it immediately and thought it was strange looking, as the front end looked way too long to me. I told my dad about it over dinner and RIGHT AWAY after the old man [34 at the time....] went over and talked to Chuck. Chuck was CONSTANTLY trying to sell my Detroit Edison engineer father a Cadillac, something that dad always wanted....So he was more than happy to show the car to him.
I just went to my room and worked on a model airplane, hoping my dad wouldn't buy that nasty thing! Dad didn't, simply because this was a NEW car that the salesman had brought home, with the heady price in 1977 of close to $18,000, if I remember right, and my dad produced a new definition of cheap. That, and well, it was FWD, and he had purchased a 26 foot '73 Argosy travel trailer the year before that was immense fun for all of us. And Chuck said the Eldorado was not a good choice for towing a trailer.
-This last is BULLSHIT. A properly installed load-leveling hitch can transfer weight to the front wheels of the tow vehicle and make it easy to tow a 5500 pound trailer such as this. In fact, if you front load the leveling bars, you can make it better than RWD, since you also have a 700 pound 500 cubic inch Cadillac engine right on top of the driving wheels.
In any case, dad decided it wasn't a good idea to buy the Eldorado. Instead he waited a year and bought a pink '77 Coupe de Ville d'Elegance. Parents sometimes don't understand that their actions can have negative connotations for their children's lives, and I used to hide behind the C pillar in that car so kids from my school wouldn't see me....
Great video!
I made Fender Extensions on the rear of my 74 cad despite my having no body making skills they looked almost as good as factory when finished.
I just took plenty of time and thought it through and used quality rigid 2mm thick craft cardboard to make templates off the original broken plastic parts (when on the car )
I removed the broken plastic infills.
When the cardboard mock-up was taped in place to the car and looked perfect I used them to mark and cut and folded 2mm aluminium sheet in one complete piece with the 3 short folds on the top of the fin.
The whole piece is a slight dog leg shape that requires diligent accuracy with the folds or it won't look central or have a twisted look.
The aluminium is easy to bend to match the gentle curve of the fender when attaching.
I made the whole piece 3/4 inch wider, so at the front to make multiple cuts that were bent 90 degrees inwards for tabs used to attach it to the original screw holes on the fender.
The inside spoon shape where it meets the plastic infill under the trunk takes the most time to cut and fill and align and match up.
I added press on U-plastic chrome trim strips to finish the rear.
Using sheet metal would be as good or better for people skilled with it especially for crafting and or welding that inner spoon shape separately.
Im a Kiwi, I get in early for the count down...🥝✔️🤘
I was in my teens when that car came out, Good Video, Great Memories, thanks.
Oh man, I remember cracking that white door panel padding in my buddy's (Grandma's, who stopped driving) triple white '75ish Coupe Deville!!! And that car was nine or ten years old at the time. I didn't say anything because I knew they didn't care...😁 It was during cold weather too.
Thanks for reviving that long-forgotten high school memory!!!
7:55 - I loved the GM lamp monitors. I had a few Cadillacs with that feature. But in my 1989 and 90 Cadillacs, they were not as easy to see because the hood sloped away from the windshield quite a bit compared to the older cars. 8:39 - I'm pretty sure my Mom's `87 Lincoln had a very similar thermometer. 14:20 - that auto dimming- My 1979 Fleetwood limo had that. It got to be very annoying. I live in the country, but every time I got near reflective signs, like speed limit, or county route shields, or whatever, it would dim. On some roads that would be quite often. I eventually just turned it off. 15:33 - that passenger-side remote control mirror joystick- I believe our 1975 Chrysler Town & Country had almost the same one. My `79 limo also had that load leveling compressor, but a previous owner had disconnected it.
Good video. I owned a 77 biarritz, a 78 Eldo coupe and a 78 biarritz (same color combo as here but also had the astroroof). Used to park my 78 biarritz on Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs and sit outside at Starbucks across the street and watch people admire it and take pix of it. I miss the fun but don't miss the hassle and expense of maintaining one.
Very thorough, loved how you mentioned the auto leveling system. It was and is my favorite feature on any car, to this day. No one ever mentions it. I setup my own system on my 1980 Olds Cutlass Supreme but it was manual. On that car, it was the only one that came with side cornering lamps as well as fiber optics system on fenders and inside rear roof panel with corduroy/velour seats (factory) w/sport steering wheel. Have see one like it since.❤ Loved that car.
Never seen
This channel becomes more top-secret the more I watch
Being a Dane in England I had no idea this was FRONT WHEEL drive.
That's so unexpected in a land barge.
I really enjoy the level of detail, unusual facts, history, and period anecdotes you put into your videos. Your passion for the topic comes through, which, I think, enhances audience engagement. It's a blast learning the minutiae of cars from this era from a fellow enthusiast, especially unusual, often forgotten, or potentially unloved models.
Thanks for sharing this. My parents bought a 1977 Eldorado Barritz in battleship grey with a monochrome grey interior. I think my dad said he paid $15.5k for it. It was huge to drive -- you just kind of pointed it and hoped for the best. After my parents had the car for about a year, they took a one week cruise and came back home to find all of the oil had drained out of the engine and covered the garage floor. They had the car towed back into the dealer for repair. When they asked the Cadillac service advisor why the car had lost all its oil, he replied, "well, you just can't let the car sit like that." Nevertheless, my dad loved Cadillacs and kept on buying them.
I absolutely love this car I got it as my first car and it's my favorite thing in the world :) thank you for this video I'm so fascinated by all the special little things that make my car unique
'If you want to impress your friends" and then we're told about which shade of blue the engines were in which years. Maybe you should reflect on the friend choices you've made. Love it!
G'evening Adam 🤠 . I had a 78' Olds' Delta 88 brougham that shared a lot of similarities w/ the Cadillacs & was a lot of fun in the snow or on wet pavement 🤓 ..
The washer function on that control was a one-touch design. When the button was pressed, water squirted in pulses, the wipers did about 6 strokes, and parked. On the other GMs, and maybe the Cadillacs without the intermittent feature when the washer button was pressed it moved the switch to low which had to be turned off. On the current design, you must hold the washer control for as long as as you want water to spray. It sprays on the wiper arms and gets deflected. Overall throughout the American car industry, the wipers and washers have been dumbed down more than any other system I can recall. The articulated wipers and wiper parking phase have been eliminated. I know you are fond of the late 60’s Pontiacs, and some of those have articulated wipers on both wipers which have the most interesting wiping pattern of any car ever, in my opinion.
I never appreciated the one-touch washer control; in the spring, I'd try to get the mud off the windshield and that last swipe would often bring it back up, so I'd have to start all over again. With direct control of the washer, I can make sure the last swipe gets just enough fluid to put the mud away. I do miss the parking of the blades after the last swipe and the articulated arms, though.
As an 18-year-old in 1978, this Cadillac Eldorado looks in good shape. The famous colors of the 70s were lipstick red and ivory white.
Whorehouse colors
Wow, such a huge vehicle, but gee it was a Gr8-looking beast, Adam 😃👏
My first experience with fiber optics was on a 1964 Thunderbird. But it was only the turn signals up front on top of each fender.
I always liked that dashboard layout.
Gorgeous cars, I had a chance to buy one in excellent condition in 2004, but couldn't get past the Green on Green color, should a bought it anyway now.
It is also interesting to note that while this Cadillac has disc brakes all around, they faded badly after a few hard stops from 60 MPH. In Consumer Guide Autos 1974 (Petersen Publishing then, later Cignet Publishing), it was noted that after the third stop from 60 MPH, the front brakes of the Eldorado lacked the power to lock the wheels. I recently ran into that problem in my 1976 Cadillac Fleetwood while on the highway. There was construction going on and it was spaced out in a way that made everyone stop hard three times from 60+ MPH. On the third attempt in the Fleetwood, I was barely able to stop on time so, from now on, I'll pay more attention to that type of driving situation.
A couple of things might help. Firstly,have new caliper kits installed. A dust cover and a square pressure ring ( o ring) is all,but cleaning up the crud that builds up reduces drag and wear and heat. Secondly,replace the brake fluid DOT 4 or HT DOT 3. And do homework on brake pad formulation. See if you can get carbon metallic like 5 ton trucks use. If your friction material is more than 3 or 4 years old,or 75 % wear or more,replace it. It gets baked,new stuff works better. All the best.
Very well covered. Point of interest the lamp monitors on the convertibles peered over the rear seat resembling snake eyes. Favorite color choice for me is cinnamon brown convertible. Not extremely common and looka great pulling up. On a wet evening
Excellent video I had two of those triple white with moonroofs wish I still had them
I fondly reminisce of the HVAC controls on the left representing the perspective from the earliest days of the automobile where the driver was the commander of the vehicle.
My Parents bought a brand new 77 Eldorado back in the days. Man, WHAT a Car! We owned it until 2006 when it just became too costly to keep. It was VERY reliable, (it was actually a Wednesday car) only needing normal wear and tear maintenance and one bad Ignition module. I learned to drive in it.... talk about nail biting.... It was like navigating an Oil Tanker through a small village! Even in LA! My Mom and I cried when she sailed off on a Tow truck to Cadillac King, to become a parts donor for others. It still ran and drove fine, but rust and leaks..... like I said, It became too costly to restore it. Aaaand..... well, there was the small bank loan every time you needed to fill the tank by then. End of an era..... I still miss the Eldo, but I'd hate to have to maintain it today. I think it was one of the most beautiful Cars GM ever made.
I came close to buying a 1973 white with red interior Eldorado convertible as my first car my senior year in college but my father talked me out of it. It was $5,500 and had about 20k miles in 1975. I had the cash and my mother was good with it. Instead I bought a company car high mileage 4 door 73 Chevelle Deluxe with a 350 V-8, auto, and air for $1,400 which was a great running car (black wall tires and hub caps). Two years later I bought a new 77 Monte loaded with rally wheels and swivel seats which my father did not want me to buy. He liked my 73 Chevelle and he drove it all the time. I offered to just give it to him at no cost after buying the Monte. I was living at home at the time and he didn't want a 3rd car even though we had room for it. He would tell me how much he missed the Chevelle and my mother tried to get him to take it for our family farm.
I remember these cars. They were gigantic and completely AWESOME!
The last of the big ones
😃😃😃💥
Considering the amount of trash content on channels with 1M subscribers, I don’t understand how come this channel isn’t much more popular. Adam’s videos are always interesting, well researched and have a real car enthusiast’s point of view. I never miss an episode and replay some as reference as well. Thanks very much Adam. I appreciate it!
Tens of millions, in some cases, for content of dubious value. I will give these creators credit, however, for understanding and appealing to their intended audience. In the end, it says more about our tastes as a society that tend toward wanting to be entertained rather than educated.
"Diamond a in the back sun roof top digging the scene wit the gangsta scene "🎶
Awesome cool cars then .
So so unique .
On James bond the Caddy had machine guns in rear view side mirrors ..
My grandmother bought a new Caddy every year since I was born in 62.
Convertibles also .
Good memories about her from these cars .
One thing I did notice was a gnarly hole just above the headlight control which looked like it has a missing screw. Details count.
I use to have one like this but mine was sky blue with half vinyl top that was white. I still have my coupe Deville. I call them inside handles casket handles also.
My ‘86 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon had a electric hydro boost brake system that was optional.
Unlike the system on my Chevy truck, that runs off the power steering pump.
It was reliable.
Your comment about the trash container brought back memories of my dad complaining about them. He had many new big Oldsmobile and caddies in those years with that trash bin. He said it was impossible to ever throw anything into them without it missing and falling on the floor.
Couple of life-preservers in the back window and your ready to set sail!
Momentary contact switch for the Ford antenna is not a disadvantage.
In 1980-81 I worked at an apartment comples in the midwest, and the owners (a wealthy couple) had his and hers 1978 Eldorados. The husband's had chocolate bronze paint with matching vinyl roof and a darker brown leather interior. The wife's was a creamy beige color with a brown vinyl roof and brown leather interior. I have to admit I always thought the wife's was a better looking car. These Eldorados were silky smooth and felt totally bulletproof going down the road. The overall quality of materials in these Eldorados was quite simply impressive.
An added note about the early HEI ignition on GM's of that era. In hot weather like in Las Vegas or Phoenix a lot those coils did fail I got very proficient at replacing the coils in under ten minutes. I was in Air Force at the time as a vehicle mechanic and my mobile maintenance truck I always had a stock of the coils in the truck. Stationed overseas in the Philippines from 1979 to 1983 I would replace them quite often on the side of the road and get the vehicle back in service. Once I was stationed back to the states I was at Nellis and saw it lot. One time in my off time I was at a gas station a gals Caddie would not start I knew what it was and there was a part store across the street. I took the lady over there told the counterman to give me a HEI for the car the lady paid for it and I put the coil in the car yep about ten minutes. That was just a common failure point for those HEI's in hot weather.
Awesome, I can only imagine cruising in a Eldorado in the Philippines.
@@jamesrecknor6752 HAHAHAHA. Really by 1979 those coils were in everything that GM built From passenger cars to vans and pickup trucks. Just got to remember that the a government contract means the lowest bid wins. What is surprising is the first major vehicle company to put in a electronic ignition was Chrysler and they used a coil that could be kept cool by having it hung separate from the heat of the engine and distributor.
I had a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75, I would keep a couple extra coils in the trunk, a 79 Dodge St Regis, a couple extra ballast resistors and Lean Burn control in the trunk. I visit the Philippines often and imagine myself just trying to navigate the crowded narrow side streets in my big old cars. Northern Mindanao. @@mikeske9777
Humidity also caused problems.
That’s my dream car. In black/black though.
Wow that's some crazy headlight alignment. Those quad beams are all over the place!😂
The auto-dimming headlight is a nice feature although annoying driving through town like you stated. Now it has become a common feature on modern cars, but as much as I don't like modern cars of today being way too complicated to work on them yourself, that is one feature I'll take my hat off to if you're too lazy or sick of doing it manually yourself. Otherwise, I prefer to get in the habit of pushing the blinker lever backward or forwards (depending on the car manufacturer) so it's one less feature to fail over time.
That’s a beautiful automobile
Great vehicle for those who resisted the downsizing back then.
I had the twin of this Eldo. I bought it in 1982. It was a real stunner. The downside to me were these tufted seats and how they raised the seating position . Because I am 6'3" I actually had to keep the upholstered door to to the moon roof open so that my head wasn't rubbing on the ceiling.
My favorite Eldo!
During the late 1990s in Vancouver, one of my best mates had a drop top 1978, White on red model of these, as his daily driver. One sweet ride.
I had a 79 eldo in the exact color he showed here, with matching interior and a huge kicker box in the trunk. Got it at a police auction. Had to sell it because I needed a 4 door with 2 kids at the time.
Great video Adam
Those 425's were fun in the rear drive DeVille - smoke the tires effortlessly
I think the 79s started a new era for the 3 The Toranado now my favorite in this new prestige but manageable physique same with the Caddy I don’t recall didn’t Buick wait one more year their Riviera was still a LeSabre Coupe in drag
Have you done a video on the 1970 Coupe Deville? I think that year deserves it's own video just because of the subtleties that set it apart from the 1969 and the 1971 models.
Great video!
Very unique car (who else had front wheel drive in 1978) but the 79 models were a huge smash hit but when Ford tried to downsize the Mark V into the VI, it was a disaster for Ford. GM did it well. However, GM got greedy in 87 and tried to downsize the El Dorado again and that flopped.
The downsizing that actually happened in 1986 had nothing at all to do with greed. The expectation was for much more expensive gasoline, but the price went down instead.. It was much too severe, they should have kept the 1979 dimensions.
At least, the Lincoln Mark VI has the better engines...
I installed MONROW gas load levelers (with added springs)...plus new springs 2 restore correct factory hight on my 78 toronado....with K.Y.B. GAS shocks in the front....it handles like a modern automobile ...GREAT CAR...and it moves pretty quick 4 a heavy car ...the 403V8's power ......
i think is much underrated
Ironically the Oldsmobile 403 V-8 is rated @ 185 net horsepower while the carbureted Cadillac 425 V-8 is rated @ 180 net horsepower.