Vehicle Description
I wonder how the guys who paid massive premiums to own the "last"
1976 Eldorado convertibles felt when GM rolled out this pretty 1984
Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz ragtop. I mean, the choice was natural
as the aftermarket had been putting fake convertible tops on these
cars for years and the result was actually a really good car, not
just a really good convertible.
Looking rather handsome in its original paint, which GM called
"Autumn Maple Firemist" (no, I'm not kidding), this is the
archetypal Eldorado convertible. It shows signs of conscientious
maintenance over its life and it's likely that very few of these
were ever purchased as daily drivers, which would explain both the
condition for a car approaching 35 years old. The Eldorado's crisp
lines lend themselves to convertible styling, and the experts at
ASC, who actually built the cars for GM, did a wonderful job of
making it look nearly identical to its faux-convertible hardtop
siblings with the top up (spotter's tip: the convertibles have
smaller rear windows). The Biarritz is easily identified by the
spear of stainless trim that extends along the fenders and window
sills, giving the already very flashy Eldo a lot of eyeball appeal.
It's certainly not perfect, but for a car that's been driven and
enjoyed, it's quite good and shows you that these cars have always
been something special to someone.
The interior is pure Cadillac overkill, with pillow-tufted burgundy
leather seats and lots of faux wood trim, but that's why these cars
are so cool. They represent an era when technology was colliding
with traditional luxury, and Cadillac worked hard to stay at the
forefront. Dig the digital climate control and information center
over on the driver's side of the dash, and every power accessory
known to man was standard equipment on the Eldorado convertible.
Someone has also added a set of tiny auxiliary gauges under the
dash, which is probably helpful when your only real gauges are a
speedometer and fuel gauge. Twin buckets show modest wear but no
damage, and the back seat looks almost completely untouched.
Matching burgundy carpets add some dignity to the interior, along
with the matching dash and steering wheel, which should look
familiar to anyone who drove a Cadillac of the period. There's also
an aftermarket AM/FM/CD stereo that sounds great, even with the top
down. The white power top slides into its well with a minimum of
fuss, where it hides under a matching burgundy vinyl boot. It also
includes a massive trunk that's fully upholstered, including the
fuzzy spare tire cover.
Cadillac's 4.1 liter V8 with digital fuel injection has turned out
to be a reliable dance partner in these cars. Smooth and torquey,
with surprisingly good fuel economy, it moves this Eldo easily with
a muted V8 hum from the tailpipe. The engine bay is orderly, if not
detailed for show, with the only non-stock part appearing to be the
open-element air cleaner. You could spend a weekend giving it a
good cleaning and it would really pay off. The front-wheel-drive
4-speed automatic overdrive transaxle shifts so smoothly you may
not even notice it and it's an effortless highway cruiser. The
all-independent suspension was tuned fur luxury, and you'll be
thrilled by just how clean this car is underneath. Since 1976,
Eldorados have offered 4-wheel-discs, which live behind those
sparkly wire wheelcovers and 205/75/15 Firestone whitewalls.
These cars have long since passed from used car to collector
status, and while you can find low-mile examples with big price
tags, if you're into driving, THIS is the one to own. Call now!
