Vehicle Description
1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible - Final Year - 500ci V8 -
Automatic Transmission - White Over Red Interior - White
Convertible Top The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado was going to be the last
convertible ever built from Detroit, in fact Cadillac even made
mention of it in their ads eluding that it could only appreciate in
value. It is the only convertible now built in America. And it will
be our last. The very last. Concerns with imminent federal rollover
legislation and what Cadillac believed was changing consumer
preferences decided to make the convertible go away forever after
the 1976 model year. Even with a staggering sticker price of
$11,049 plus destination charge, Cadillac could not build enough to
satisfy demand. A limited supply of convertible top frames and
other components held production to 14,000, the last 200 of which
were designated as Bicentennial Edition cars, identical down to
their triple-white color schemes and exhaustive list of options.
Opportunists smelled money with newspapers reporting about sky-high
asking prices. Some owners drove their cars directly into garages
and covered them up with tarps, to be lovingly preserved until they
could be sold for a profit sometime in the future. As it turned
out, the convertible, much like Lazarus, rose from the dead. In
just a few short years later in 1979, coachbuilder Hess &
Eisenhardt began converting Coupe DeVilles into soft-top Le
Cabriolets, which were--quietly--offered for sale through Cadillac
dealerships at $25,977 apiece. Chrysler jumped back into the pool
in 1982, with the convertible Le Baron, and Ford followed in 1983
with an open-air Mustang. By 1984, Cadillac was eating its words.
So, while it didn't turn out to be the end of an era, the 1976
Eldorado remains as one of the last and best examples of a
full-size GM convertibles of the mid-to-late 1970s, and as reported
by the Hagerty Valuation Guide carries a significant premium over
comparable Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Pontiacs. Featured here is a
well-preserved example of these iconic cars of the 70's. This car
is simply stunning with white exterior or red interior. The paint
presents well with a nice luster. Bumper chrome is original and
well maintained and shows with a deep shine. Related stainless and
trim is all present and equally well preserved. The white top is an
older replacement and is still in very good condition and features
the glass rear window with rear electric defogger. The rear tonneau
cover is present and presents as original. The red interior is rich
and luxurious and possesses some typical signs of past driver
enjoyment, but overall continues to show exceptionally well with no
rips or tears. The seat cushions support passengers very well, and
the leathers remains exceptionally soft with some light wrinkles.
Overall, the interior is all original other than new carpet.
Options include power seats, tilt steering, power windows and
locks, air conditioning, cruise control, sentinel lighting, power
top, power antenna, Delco AM/FM stereo and power trunk release.
Under the hood is the massive 500cid V8 and the engine compartment
has been lightly detailed. It presents as well maintained with a
recent tune-up and fresh coolant hoses and valve cover gaskets.
Underneath the chassis and underbody are unrestored. The frame and
floorboards are clean and free of any rust through with no
indications of any accident or rust repair. The power steering and
power four-wheel disc brakes and automatic transmission make
driving this luxury cruiser effortless. The gas tank has been
replaced and new front shocks and the driver's side drive axle has
been installed. The big V8 purrs through a fresh dual exhaust and
this cruiser rolls on Suntrac Power Touring whitewall radial tires.
This Cadillac is a fantastic car to drive. The ride is amazing for
a nearly 50 year old car and it possess plenty of power to cruise
the boulevards, highway or backroads. Please call if interested or
e-mail w
