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Back in 1957, Cadillac decided to take on the world. For a list price of over $13,000(!) at the time, you could get one of these as the result. The Eldorado Brougham offered an incredible list of options and features such as over forty types of leather interiors, hand-built construction, a stainless steel roof, the first quad headlights fitted to a GM car, and numerous other luxuries. This one is located in Dallas, Texas and can be found for sale here on eBay, where I suspect the reserve is substantially over the current bid of just over $10,000. I’m thankful that the yellow and black upholstery isn’t original, as the white leather and light gray cloth that was would be much nicer looking! I hope someone restores this to it’s past glory!
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- Suicide rear doors
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- Black plate
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- Cavernous trunk
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- Non-original induction
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- Panoramic windshield
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- What a dash!
Damn I shoulda been Jay Leno. Now refresh my memory…weren’t those bumper overriders referred to a Betty Grabels?
Hi Rex…the term is from a actor called Dagmars..lol!
I’ve seen this listed months ago, so I’m guessing that reserve is in the high 20s. Same seller had another Brougham too, but it was more of a parts car.
I just checked his website mentioned in the eBay ad and he’s asking for $32.5k, which is fine, but I’m guessing a full blow restoration on this car will cost 3x that. But when you’re done, boy what a car. If this had any of the accessories, it’d probably be worth it just for those alone.
They called them Dagmar’s. Betty was known for her legs.
Whoever buys this better have cavernous pockets loaded with 100 dollar bills !!! I would love to see / ride in this car when it is finished !!!!
I know the “only ” way to restore one of these, or a Continental Mark II, is the “right” (expensive) way, but I’ve always had a secret desire to get one like this and just get it running and drive it around. Call me crazy.
To see this car in its deteriorated condition makes me wonder about the backstory. I can’t help but wonder what (downward) spiral brought it to this point today?? :-)
These caddy’s were 20 years ahead of the times…
I’ve seen these restored to the nines…………..they will and do rival any luxury car ever made. Simply lovely
And I bet you guys thought I hated everything….
I saw a near perfect one in Malibu on Saturday. Absolutely beautiful!
Dagmar was a very well endowed comedienne of the ’50’s, on TV a lot, think Kardashian with a brain, but played the dumb blonde.
I see the resemblance here: http://cadillacdatabase.com/dbas_txt/Factd-g.htm
For a quick second there I thought that Dagmar was one of Merv Griffin’s regular guests, then I realized that was Hildegaard. Jeez I’m dating myself.
My Dad owned one of these. His was black. I was 8. I remember it as being the most wonderful car, largely because it was air-conditioned. I spent hours making its Windows go up and down. It’s back doors opened the wrong way according to my mother. It had this little rocket shaped thing on the dash that automatically dimmed its headlights. Cool. I was too young to know what ithe car was. But I did know that it was very special to my Dad. It’s radio had a floor mounted button that you could use to change radio stations. My Dad had me convinced that it worked by pointing at the dial. One day I pointed and it didn’t change. It was like finding that there was no Santa Claus.
Great history/memories, John!
…nice memory, John…
wow, didn’t realize (at first glance) that this model was a four door..very deceiving styling…
About your same age, I had a neighbor who was a Dodge dealer. He had me convinced that the power widow controls didn’t need to be toggled, but merely lightly touched in order to activate. I totally believed him. So I would touch my back window control, and in his tilted mirror, he’d see me and activate the master control on his panel.
Spectacularly luxurious cars.
Someone just has to give it a full resto…
Another of Pete’s find’s- he’s in Plano,Tx just north of Dallas…..but the Cad’s had those “projectiles” for a few years before…..check out some Buick’s about 1958….what was their – top of the line ?
Wasn’t there a “Limited” Buick in 1958? I remember one with slanted louvered on. The rear quarter panels that was a very “fancy” car.
Oh yes, the 1958 Buick Limited Riviera coupe.
Check out perhaps the finest restoration of an otherwise PITA car to maintain on this site: http://www.kingoftheroad.net/buick/buick_1.html
Bill,
Thanks for that link.
The Tornado featured on the KotR site is spectacular!
This car is a 58 not a 57. They were nearly identical except for the Carbs. The 57 had Tri-power with a cool batwing air cleaner. the 58 had dual quads and a big round air cleaner as pictured. There were 400 built in 57 and 304 in 58. The serial numbers are on the cowl tag you can see in the pictures. it clearly states the unit number. Rather than spend 32.5 for this car and spending $150K to restore it just buy one of the other 10 currently for sale around the US for around $100K and drive your heart out.