1974 Cadillac Eldorado

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 land yacht that still has no equals even 45 years later.

You want tradition? The color on this Eldo is called "Cranberry Firemist," and it looks fantastic on this '74's bodywork. It was repainted once several years ago and still looks pretty darn good, 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. The high-impact paint does a great job to highlight the shape of the hood, the fender skirts should always be on in our opinion, 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 great condition without looking over-done. If a giant Cadillac convertible can have a bright color yet still be restrained, maybe this is it.

The white leather interior was replaced when the car was repainted a few years back, and now features supple upholstery on the seats, door panels, and rear side panels, as well as an uncracked dash pad. Newer carpets were added as well, and the workmanship is quite nicely done, although a thorough detail would really take the interior up a notch, mostly because white shows dirt so quickly. 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 Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo system that inside a custom bezel piece attached underneath the dash. There's a handsome power top that folds properly and has likely spent most if its life in the down position (as it should be) and the trunk is outfitted with a carpet kit, a full-sized spare with cover, and an original jack set.

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 Cadillac Blue paint on the block and valve covers and the big snorkeled air cleaner is in place as well, and thankfully someone removed the obtrusive silencer these breathers came with from the factory. It starts easily and these engines have proven to be practically bulletproof over the years, making the Eldorado easy to maintain. Recent service includes a newer radiator and radiator cap, coil, wires, battery and signs of a tune-up, and from what we can tell on closer examination, this Cadillac has always been well cared for. 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 225/75/15 front and 235/75/15 rear Goodyear Classic whitewall radials work well with the original wheels and hubcaps to finish the look.

Full-sized fun with a top that goes down, and now that these cars are seeing some financial gains, it's maybe not a bad investment, either. Call today!