Vehicle Description
Is there anything more American than 18 feet and 5200 pounds of
Cadillac convertible? This 1974 Cadillac Eldorado ragtop offers
enough space to have its own zip code, a massive 500 cubic inch V8,
and front-wheel drive, all combined into one distinctive luxury
yacht that still has no equals even 40 years later.
You want tradition? The color on this Eldo is called "Victorian
Amber Firemist," and it looks fantastic on this '74's bodywork. It
was repainted once six or seven years ago and still looks pretty
tidy, although it's in what we call "usable" condition. Use it for
parades, use it for car shows, use it for long cruises through the
desert, whatever, this Eldo is a drop-top party waiting to happen.
The bodywork is quite straight, which isn't easy when there's so
much of it, and the crisply folded shape has actually aged
gracefully compared to a lot of the stuff coming out of domestic
automakers' factories in the early '70s. Even the important fender
caps, which were made of a kind of early urethane that was prone to
cracking and drying out, remain in very good condition on this car.
A single set of white pinstripes highlight the shape of the hood
and there's a tasteful single color-matched rib strip on the side,
making this a somewhat restrained example of full-sized American
luxury. The big chrome bumpers, grille, and other bright details
are in excellent condition without looking over-done. If a giant
Cadillac convertible can be restrained, maybe this is it.
The white leather interior is mostly new, with fresh upholstery on
the seats, door panels, and rear side panels, as well as a new
black dash pad. Fresh carpets were added as well, and the
workmanship is quite nicely done. It looks like you could slide
behind the wheel and head for Vegas on a whim, which is entirely
the point. The instrument panel looks about a mile wide and the
passenger sits waaaay over there, but the primary controls are
arrayed around the driver right where they're easy to reach. The
car is loaded with features like automatic climate control (needs
to be serviced), power seat, windows, and locks, a tilt column,
cruise control, and a power antenna for the AM/FM stereo system.
There's a handsome tan power top that folds properly and the trunk
is outfitted with a full-sized spare with cover and an original
jack.
Until recently, Cadillac's 500 cubic inch V8 was the largest
production engine in history. With big torque that makes the Eldo
feel effortless, the engine does its job superbly. It's still
wearing traces of Cadillac Blue paint on the block and valve covers
and the big silencer is still on the air cleaner intake. It starts
easily and these engines have proven to be practically bulletproof
over the years, making the Eldorado easy to maintain. Recent
service includes new belts and hoses, a tune up, fresh fluids, and
new brake lines. The TH425 3-speed automatic transmission is a
TH400 that drives the front wheels, so you know you won't break it
and with 2.73 gears in the final drive, it's a highway cruiser of
the highest order. A single exhaust is Cadillac quiet and with air
shocks out back, no worries about a prom queen or two sitting on
the rear deck for parades. Big 235/75/15 whitewall radials work
well with the original wheels and hubcaps.
Full-sized fun with a top that goes down, and now that these cars
are seeing some financial gains, so it's maybe not a bad
investment, either. Call today!