The Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado joined the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta, Chevrolet Corvette and Buick Roadmaster Skylark as top-of-the-line,
limited-production specialty convertibles introduced in 1953 by General Motors to promote its design leadership
A special-bodied, low-production convertible (532 units in total), it was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" concept car.
Along with borrowing bumper bullets (aka dagmars) from the 1951 GM Le Sabre show car,
it featured a full assortment of deluxe accessories and introduced the wraparound windshield and a cut-down beltline to Cadillac standard production.
The expansive frontal glass and distinctive dip in the sheetmetal at the bottom of the side windows
(featured on one or both of GM's other 1953 specialty convertibles)
were especially beloved by General Motors' styling chief Harley Earl and subsequently widely copied by other marques.
Available in four unique colors (Aztec red, Alpine white, azure blue and artisan ochre — the last is a yellow hue, although it was shown erroneously as black in the color folder issued on this rare model).
Convertible tops were available in either black or white Orlon.
AC was an option, as were wire wheels.
The car carried no special badging other than a gold-colored "Eldorado" nameplate in the center of the dash.
A hard tonneau cover, flush with the rear deck, hid the convertible top in the open car version.
Although technically a subseries of the Cadillac Series 62 based on the regular Series 62 convertible, sharing its engine, it was nearly twice as expensive at US$7,750.
The 220.8 inches (5,610 mm) long, 80.1 inches (2,030 mm) wide vehicle came with such standard features as windshield washers, a signal seeking radio, power windows, and a heater.
The Eldorado comprised only .5% of Cadillac's sales in 1953.
In 1954, Eldorado lost its unique sheet metal and shared its basic body shell with standard Cadillacs.
Distinguished now mainly by trim pieces, this allowed GM to lower the price and see a substantial increase in sales.
The Eldorados had golden identifying crests centered directly behind the air-slot fenderbreaks and wide fluted beauty panels to decorate the lower rear bodysides.
These panels were made of extruded aluminum and also appeared on a unique one of a kind Eldorado coupé built for the Reynolds Aluminum Corporation.
Also included in the production Eldorado convertible were monogram plates on the doors, wire wheels, and custom interior trimmings with the Cadillac crest embossed on the seat bolsters.
Two thousand one hundred and fifty Eldorados were sold, nearly four times as many as in 1953.
For 1955, the Eldorado's body gained its own rear end styling with high, slender, pointed tailfins.
These contrasted with the rather thick, bulbous fins which were common at the time and were an example of the Eldorado once again pointing the way forward.
The Eldorado sport convertible featured extras such as wide chrome body belt moldings and twin round taillights halfway up the fenders.
Sales nearly doubled to 3,950.
For 1956, a two-door hardtop coupé version appeared, called the Eldorado Seville at which point the convertible was named the "Eldorado Biarritz".
An Eldorado script finally appeared with fender crest on the car which was further distinguished by twin hood ornaments.
An extra feature on the Eldorado convertible was a ribbed chrome saddle molding extending from the windshield to the rear window pillar along the beltline.
With the addition of the Seville, sales rose yet again to 6,050 of which 2,150 were Sevilles.
Eldorados accounted for nearly 4% of all Cadillacs sold.
1957 saw the Eldorado (in both convertible and Seville hardtop bodystyles) with a revised rear-end design featuring a low, downswept fenderline capped by a pointed, in-board fin.
The rear fenders were commonly referred to as "chipmunk cheeks".
This concept was used for two years, but did not spawn any imitators.
Series 62 Eldorados (as distinct from the Series 70 Eldorado Brougham) were further distinguished by the model name above a V-shaped rear deck ornament and on the front fenders.
The rear fender and deck contour was trimmed with broad, sculptured stainless steel beauty panels.
Also seen were "shark" style fins pointing towards the back of the cars.
A three section built in front bumper was another exclusive trait of the Series 62 Eldorados, which came with a long list of standard features.
Four specially-built 4-door hardtop Eldorado Sedan Sevilles were also built in 1957.
1957 was chiefly notable for the introduction of one of GM's most memorable designs, the Series 70 Eldorado Brougham.
Announced in December 1956 and released around March 1957, the Eldorado Brougham was a hand-built, limited car derived from the Park Avenue and Orleans show cars of 1953–54.
Designed by Ed Glowacke, it featured the first appearance of quad headlights and totally unique trim.
The exterior ornamentation included wide, ribbed lower rear quarter beauty panels extending along the rocker sills and rectangularly sculptured side body "cove" highlighted with five horizontal windsplits on the rear doors.
Tail styling treatments followed the Eldorado pattern.
This four-door hardtop with rear-hinged rear doors was an ultra-luxury car that cost an astonishing $13,074—twice the price of any other 1957 Eldorado and more than the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud of the same year.
It featured a stainless steel roof, self leveling air suspension, the first automatic two-position "memory" power seats, a dual four-barrel V-8, low-profile tires with thin white-walls,
automatic trunk opener, cruise control, high-pressure cooling system, polarized sun visors, electric antenna, automatic-release parking brake, electric door locks, dual heating system, silver magnetized glovebox,
drink tumblers, cigarette and tissue dispensers, lipstick and cologne, ladies' compact with powder puff, mirror and matching leather notebook, comb and mirror, Arpège atomizer with Lanvin perfume,
automatic starter with restart function, Autronic Eye, drum-type electric clock, power windows, forged aluminum wheels and air conditioning.
Buyers of Broughams had a choice of 44 full-leather interior and trim combinations and could select such items as Mouton, Karakul or lambskin carpeting.
There were serious difficulties with the air suspension, which proved troublesome in practice.
Some owners found it cheaper to have it replaced with conventional coil springs.
The 1957 Eldorado Brougham joined the Sixty Special and the Series 75 as the only Cadillac models with Fleetwood bodies although Fleetwood script or crests did not appear anywhere on the exterior of the car,
and so this would also mark the first time in 20 years that a Fleetwood-bodied car was paired with the Brougham name.
The 1957-58 Eldorado Brougham also marked the return of the Cadillac Series 70, if only briefly.
Only 400 Eldorado Broughams were sold in 1957.
An all-transistor signal-seeking car radio was produced by GM's Delco Radio and was first available for the 1957 Eldorado Brougham models, which was standard equipment and used 13 transistors in its circuitry.
For 1958, GM was promoting their fiftieth year of production, and introduced Anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet.
The 1958 models shared a common appearance on the top models for each brand;
Cadillac Eldorado Seville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile Holiday 88, Pontiac Bonneville Catalina, and the all-new Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala.
On 1958 2-door Eldorados, a V-shaped ornament and model identification script were mounted to the deck lid.
Two-door Eldorados also had ten vertical chevron slashes ahead of the open rear wheel housings and crest medallions on the flank of the tailfins.
Broad, sculptured beauty panels decorated the lower rear quarters on all Series 62 Eldorados and extended around the wheel opening to stretch along the body sills.
All-new was a special-order Series 62 Eldorado Seville, of which only one was actually built.
The major changes to the Eldorado Brougham in 1958 were seen inside the car.
The interior upper door panels were finished in leather instead of the metal finish used in 1957.
The 1959 Cadillac is remembered for its huge sharp tailfins with dual bullet tail lights, two distinctive rooflines and roof pillar configurations, new jewel-like grille patterns and matching deck lid beauty panels.
All Eldorados were characterized by a three-deck, jeweled, rear grille insert, but other trim and equipment features varied.
The 1960 Cadillacs had smoother, more restrained styling.
General changes included a full-width grille, the elimination of pointed front bumper guards,
increased restraint in the application of chrome trim, lower tailfins with oval shaped nacelles and front fender mounted directional indicator lamps.
A different Eldorado Brougham was sold for 1959 and 1960.
These cars were not quite so extravagantly styled but were very unusual pieces in themselves.
Priced at $13,075, they cost $1 more, each, than their older siblings.
he company contracted out the assembly to Pininfarina of Italy, with whom the division has had a long-running relationship, and these Eldorados were essentially hand-built in Italy.
The Eldorado Brougham was moved to its own unique Series 6900 for its remaining two years.
The 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz 6467E is featured as Maurice Minnifield's vehicle in the 1990s television series Northern Exposure.
Cadillac was restyled and re-engineered for 1961.
The Eldorado Biarritz convertible was technically reclassified as a subseries of the De Ville (Series 6300), a status it would keep through 1964.
An Eldorado convertible would remain in the Cadillac line through 1966, but its differences from the rest of the line would be generally more modest.
The new grille slanted back towards both the bumper and the hood lip, along the horizontal plane, and sat between dual headlamps.
New forward slanting front pillars with non-wraparound windshield glass were seen.
The Eldorado Biarritz featured front series designation scripts and a lower body "skeg" trimmed with a thin three quarter length spear molding running from behind the front wheel opening to the rear of the car.
Rubberized front and rear coil springs replaced the trouble prone air suspension system.
Four-barrel induction systems were now the sole power choice and dual exhaust were no longer available.
With the Seville and Brougham gone sales fell to 1,450.
A mild facelift characterized Cadillac styling trends for 1962.
A flatter grille with a thicker horizontal center bar and more delicate cross-hatched insert appeared.
Ribbed chrome trim panel, seen ahead of the front wheel housings in 1961, were now replaced with cornering lamps and front fender model and series identification badges were eliminated.
In 1963 Eldorado Biarritz joined the Cadillac Sixty Special and the Cadillac Series 75 as the only Cadillac models with Fleetwood bodies and immediately acquired Fleetwood crests on its rear quarters and Fleetwood rocker panel moldings.
The 1963 Eldorado was also the first Fleetwood bodied convertible since the Cadillac Series 75 stopped offering four- and two-door convertible body styles and production of the Cadillac Series 90 (V16) ceased in 1941.
In overall terms the 1963 Cadillac was essentially the same as the previous year.
Exterior changes imparted a bolder and longer look.
It was time for another facelift in 1964 and really a minor one.
The main visual cue indicating an Eldorado Biarritz was simply the lack of fender skirts.
The Eldorado became a Fleetwood sub-series in 1965, although there was strictly speaking no separate Fleetwood series at this time.
It was consequently marketed as the Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado, in a similar fashion to the Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 and the Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special.
The Biarritz nomenclature was finally dropped from sales literature, probably because there was no need to distinguish the convertible from the long absent Seville and Brougham.
This was the last generation to be equipped with rear wheel drive.
The Eldorado was redesigned but rode on the same 129.5-inch (3,290 mm) wheelbase.
The elevated tailfins were removed, with fins planed flat, and sharp, distinct body lines replaced the rounded look.
Also new were a straight rear bumper and vertical lamp clusters.
The headlight pairs switched from horizontal to vertical, thus permitting a wider grille.
Curved frameless side windows appeared with a tempered glass backlight.
New standard features included lamps for luggage and glove compartments and front and rear safety belts.
Power was still supplied by the 340 horsepower 429 cu in (7,030 cc) V8.
Perimeter frame construction allowed repositioning the engine six inches forward in the frame, thus lowering the transmission hump and increasing interior room.
In 1966 changes included a somewhat coarser mesh for the radiator grille insert, which was now divided by a thick, bright metal horizontal center bar housing rectangular parking lamps at the outer ends.
Separate rectangular side marker lamps replaced the integral grille extension designs.
There was generally less chrome on all Cadillac models this year.
The Eldorado was radically redesigned in 1967 to capitalize on the era's burgeoning personal luxury car market.
Promoted as a "personal" Cadillac, it shared the E-body with the second-generation Buick Riviera and the Oldsmobile Toronado, which had been introduced the previous year.
To enhance its distinctiveness, Cadillac adopted the Toronado's front-wheel drive Unified Powerplant Package, adapted to a standard Cadillac 429 V8 coupled to a Turbo-Hydramatic 425 automatic transmission.
Based on the Turbo-Hydramatic 400, the THM425 placed the torque converter next to the planetary gearbox, which it drove through a metal, motorcycle-style roller chain.
Disc brakes were optional, and new standard safety equipment included an energy absorbing steering column and generously padded instrument panel.
The Unified Powerplant Package was later shared with the GMC Motorhome starting in 1972.
The new Eldorado was a great departure from the previous generation, which had become little more than a dressed-up version of Cadillac's De Ville.
Its crisp styling, initiated by GM styling chief Bill Mitchell, was distinctive and unique, more angular than the streamlined Riviera and Toronado.
This was the only production Cadillac to be equipped with concealed headlights behind vacuum operated doors.
Performance was 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) in less than nine seconds and a top speed of 120 mph (192 km/h).
Roadability and handling were highly praised by contemporaneous reviews, and sales were excellent despite high list prices.
Its sales of 17,930 units, nearly three times the previous Eldorado high, helped give Cadillac its best year ever.
In 1968, the Eldorado received Cadillac's new 375 hp (280 kW) (SAE gross) 472 cu in (7.7 L) V8, and disc brakes became standard.
Only slight exterior changes were made to comply with new federal safety legislation.
Sales set another record at 24,528, with Eldorados accounting for nearly 11% of all Cadillacs sold.
In 1969 hidden headlamps were eliminated, and a halo vinyl roof was available as an option, joined later in the model year by a power sunroof.
In 1970 the Eldorado introduced the new 500 cu in (8.2 L) V8 engine, the largest-ever production V8, rated SAE gross 400 hp (298 kW) and 550 lb⋅ft (746 N⋅m),
, which would remain exclusive until it became standard on all full size Cadillacs in the 1975 model year.
The 1971 Eldorado was substantially redesigned, growing two inches in length, six in wheelbase and featuring standard fender skirts, all of which gave the car a much heavier appearance than the previous year.
Door glass remained frameless, a convertible model rejoined the line-up, and the hardtop rear quarter windows were deleted, replaced by a fixed "opera window" in the widened "C" pillar.
This 126.3-inch (3,210 mm) wheelbase version Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975.
Sales in 1971 set a new record at 27,368.
In 1972 sales rose to 40,074.
Performance was not competitive with contemporary premium personal luxury cars.
In 1973, the Eldorado was removed from the Fleetwood series and reestablished as its own series.
The '73 models received a facelift, featuring an egg-crate grille, new front and rear bumpers, decklid, rear fenders and taillamps.
The Cadillac Eldorado was chosen as the official pace car for the Indianapolis 500 in 1973.
Cadillac produced 566 of these special pace car convertibles.
Thirty-three were used at the track during the race week, with the remainder distributed to U.S. Cadillac dealers one per dealership.
Total sales soared to 51,451, over a sixth of all Cadillac sales.
1974 Eldorados featured a redesigned rear bumper, to meet the new 5 mile impact federal design regulation.
Styling changes included new horizontal taillamps, and a fine mesh grille.
Inside, there was a new, redesigned instrument panel, marketed in sales literature as "space age" and shared with all 1974 Cadillacs.
For 1975, the Eldorado was given rectangular headlamps, full rear wheel openings sans fender skirts and crisper lines which resulted in a much sleeker appearance, reminiscent of the 1967–70 models.
1976 was to be the final year for the Eldorado convertible and the car was heavily promoted by General Motors as "the last American convertible".
Some 14,000 would be sold, many purchased as investments.
The final 200 were designated as "Bicentennial Edition" commemorating America's 200th birthday.
These cars were white with a dual-color red/blue pinstripe along the upper bodyside and inside, a commemorative plaque was mounted on the dashboard.
When Cadillac reintroduced the Eldorado convertible for the 1984 model year, several owners of 1976 model convertibles felt they had been deceived and launched an unsuccessful class action lawsuit against GM.
Having received a major facelift the previous year, the 1976 Eldorado received only minor styling changes, including a new grille and revised taillamp lenses.
For 1977, the Eldorado received a new grille with a finer crosshatch pattern.
New vertical taillamps were relocated to the bumper-fender extensions.
New 'Eldorado' block-lettering appeared on the hood face and new horizontal side marker lights with 'Eldorado' block-lettering replaced the 'Eldorado' script on the rear fenders.
The convertible was dropped (although Custom Coach of Lima, Ohio converted a few new 1977 and 1978s Eldorados into coach convertibles using salvaged parts from earlier models).
The 500 cu in. (8.2L) V8 of 1970–76 gave way to a new 425 cu in. (7L) V8 with 180 bhp (134 kW).
For the first time in 1977 all GM E-body cars were front-wheel drive, as the Riviera underwent a two-year hiatus before joining them in 1979.
A new grille was the only major change for 1978.
The Eldorado would be completely redesigned and downsized for 1979.
Cadillac introduced the eighth generation Eldorado in 1979, largely as a rebadged variant of the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado.
Smaller, more fuel efficient 350 and 368 in³ (5.7 and 6.0 L) V8s replaced the 500 and 425 in³ (8.2 and 7.0 L) engines.
A diesel 350 was available as an option.
In 1980, the gas 350 was replaced with the 368 except in California, where the Oldsmobile 350 was used.
n both the 1980 Seville and Eldorado (which shared frames) the 368s came with DEFI
(later known as throttle body injection when it was later used with other GM corporate engines), whereas in the larger RWD Cadillacs it came only with a 4-barrel Quadrajet carburetor.
Independent rear suspension was adopted, helping retain rear-seat and trunk room in the smaller body.
1981 was the first year electronic "digital" instrumentation was an available option.
In addition to the digital electronic climate control that was standard on all Eldorados,
the standard analog speedometer and fuel gauges could be replaced with digital displays with features displaying gallons of remaining fuel and approximate range.
Another engine introduced for 1982 was the 4.1 L HT-4100.
The engine was an in-house design that mated cast-iron heads to an aluminum block.
Some HT-4100s were replaced under warranty because it was prone to failure of the intake manifold gasket due to scrubbing of the bi-metal interface,
aluminum oil pump failure, cam bearing displacement, weak aluminum block castings and bolts pulling the aluminum threads from the block.
From 1982 through 1985, Cadillac offered an 'Eldorado Touring Coupe', with heavier duty suspension, alloy wheels, blackwall tires, minimal exterior ornamentation and limited paint colors.
In 1984, Cadillac also introduced a convertible version of Eldorado Biarritz.
It was 200 pounds (91 kg) heavier featuring the same interior as other Biarritz versions.
Total sales set an all-time record of 77,806, accounting for about 26% of all Cadillacs sold.
Prior to the 'official' 1984 and 1985 Eldorado convertibles marketed by Cadillac, some 1979–83 Eldorados were made into coach convertibles by independent coachbuilders e.g. American Sunroof Corporation, Custom Coach
(Lima, Ohio—this coachbuilder turned a few 1977 and 1978 Eldorados into convertibles), Hess & Eisenhardt.
Late in the 1985 model year, an optional 'Commemorative Edition' package was announced, in honor of the last year of production for this version of the Eldorado.
Exclusive features included gold-tone script and tail-lamp emblems, specific sail panel badges, gold-background wheel center caps, and a "Commemorative Edition" badge on the steering wheel horn pad.
Leather upholstery (available in Dark Blue or White, or a two-tone with Dark Blue and White) was included in the package, along with a Dark Blue dashboard and carpeting.
The Eldorado was downsized again in 1986, losing about 16" in length and 350 pounds in weight but remaining a rebadged variant of the Oldsmobile Toronado,
Buick Riviera, as well as Eldorado's four-door companion, the Cadillac Seville.
The coupés from Buick and Oldsmobile both used Buick's 3.8 liter V6 engine, while Cadillac continued to use their exclusive 4.1 liter V8.
The convertible bodystyle ceded to the Cadillac Allanté roadster.
The ninth generation Eldorado carried a base price of $24,251 which was nearly 16% higher than the 1985 model.
Despite its smaller exterior size, the Eldorado's interior volume remained comparable to the previous generation model as well as Lincoln's Mark VII.
For the first time, the Eldorado abandoned its "hardtop" heritage and featured framed door glass.
News reports later indicated that GM had been led astray by a consultant's prediction that gasoline would be at $3 per gallon in the U.S. by 1986, and that smaller luxury cars would be in demand.
In fact, gasoline prices were less than half that.
With a sales drop of 60%, seldom has any model experienced a more precipitous fall.
Production was only about a fourth of what it had been just two years earlier.
Aside from a longer, 5 year/50,000 mile warranty, Eldorado received very few changes for 1987.
A slight price drop, to $23,740, did not raise sales, as only 17,775 were made this year compared to 21,342 for 1986.
The standard suspension, with new taller 75 series (previously 70) tires and hydro-elastic engine mounts, was slightly retuned for a softer ride,
while the optional ($155) Touring Suspension, with deflected-disc strut valves and 15" alloy wheels, remained for those desiring a firmer ride.
As part of a federal requirement to discourage "chop-shop" thieves, major body panels were etched with the VIN.
Also new, a combination cashmere cloth with leather upholstery, and locking inertia seat belt reels for rear seat passengers, which allowed for child-seat installation in the outboard seating positions in back.
Available for $495 on the base Eldorado, it featured a padded covering over the rear half of the roof, and turned the rear side glass into smaller opera windows.
One of Eldorado's most expensive singluar options was the Motorola cellular telephone mounted inside the locking center arm rest.
Bladed 14" aluminum wheels remained standard, while an optional 15" snowflake-pattern alloy wheel was included with the Touring Suspension option.
The interior held wider front seat headrests and swing-away door pull handles (replacing the former door pull straps).
With such big changes for Eldorado just a year earlier, 1989 saw little that was new.
The optional automatic rearview mirror went from an electrically operated mechanical tilting mechanism to the new electrochromic style, using a clear fluid filled between the mirror and a thin sheet of glass, which tints upon activation.
This 1988 restyle would be the last, until the model was replaced by an all-new Eldorado for 1992.
The 1992 Eldorado was all new, drawing both interior and exterior styling cues from the 1988 Cadillac Solitaire show car.
It was significantly larger than its predecessor—approximately 11" longer, 3" wider, and substantially heavier.
Window glass was once again frameless, and shortly after introduction Cadillac's new Northstar V8 became available in both 270 and 295 hp (220 kW) variants, replacing the previous generation's 200 hp (150 kW) 4.9 L L26.
Sales were up, though never again at record heights.
The Eldorado continued for the rest of the decade with incremental changes and tapering sales.
A passenger side airbag was added as standard equipment in 1993.
Styling was freshened in 1995, with updated bumpers front and rear, side cladding, and a new grille.
In 1996, the interior received attention, with a new upholstery style, larger analog gauge cluster, relocated climate control system, updated stereo faces and standard daytime running lights.
The ETC receives rain-sensing wipers called "Rainsense."
In 1997, the Integrated Chassis Control System was added.
It involved microprocessor integration of engine, traction control, Stabilitrak electronic stability control, steering,
and adaptive continuously variable road sensing suspension (CVRSS), with the intent of improving responsiveness to driver input, performance, and overall safety.
In the wake of declining sales, circulating reports that the Eldorado would get a redesign for 1999
similar to that which the Seville underwent for 1998
would prove false as the car soldiered on largely unchanged into the new millennium, although it did get some upgrades from the 1999 Seville.
The car was sold under Cadillac ETC (Eldorado Touring Coupe) and ESC (Eldorado Sport Coupe) trim.
In 2001 GM announced that the Eldorado's 50th model year (2002) would be its last.
To mark the end of the nameplate, a limited production run of 1,596 cars in red or white
the colors available on the original 1953 convertible
were produced in three batches of 532, signifying the Eldorado's first year of production.
These last cars featured specially tuned exhaust notes imitating their forerunners from a half-century earlier, and a dash-mounted plaque indicating each car's sequence in production.
Production ended on April 22, 2002 with the Lansing Craft Centre retooled to build the Chevrolet SSR.
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