The name Eldorado has always conjured up images of gold. Cadillac had a long history of using that name on their most luxurious and expensive models in the lineup. By 1976, numerous events coincided to make the Eldorado produced that year one of the most memorable cars in the company’s history. This 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible for sale on Craigslist in Sacramento, California is a handsome example of that pivotal car. With a beefy 500 cu in.V-8 under the hood and a convertible top, this Calumet Cream-painted Caddy still draws attention as it floats by. With an asking price of $21,999 (cash only), is this gorgeous convertible one you just have to have for your town’s next parade? Or, is the price too high for a car displaying so much excess? Thanks to numskal for the tip on this memorable Caddy!
In 1976, the country was celebrating its bicentennial. From small towns to big cities, folks were putting their troubles aside to mark the event with parades, civic projects, and other displays of patriotism. American companies got in the act too with acts as diverse as sponsoring the American Freedom Train to producing bicentennial editions of their products. General Motors was not going to get left out in the cold on a marketing opportunity. They were already heavily promoting that the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible would be the last convertible ever produced by the company. Promised legislation was on the horizon that forced domestic manufacturers to discontinue full drop tops but fanned the flames of alternatives such as sunroofs and T-tops. Cadillac tied these two things together by offering a Bicentennial Edition Cadillac Eldorado Convertible. The last 200 convertibles were reserved for this promotion.
It was not like GM wasn’t making a boatload of money on these final convertibles in the first place. Collectors and speculators were snapping up Eldorado convertibles at the sticker price and sometimes way above that. These cars were then secured in garages all across America and never driven. The thought was that they would be worth exponentially more money in the future. So, like all of the other Special Editions, Pace Cars, vehicles owned by Elvis, and other market-created rarities, these cars still show up from time to time. They can usually be found at bargain prices with ridiculously low mileage. This is especially true with 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertibles, which have a large survival rate due in part to this phenomenon. Unbelievably, when Cadillac re-introduced the Cadillac Eldorado convertible in 1984, owners of the 1976 cars joined together to unsuccessfully sue General Motors in a class action lawsuit.
Unfortunately, the car you see here is not one of the final 200 Bicentennial Editions. All 200 of those cars were painted in Cotillion White and had special trim, pinstriping, and badging. This car, painted in what is believed to be Calumet Cream has just 33,000 miles on the odometer and has benefitted from over $15,000 worth of maintenance and restoration. It has also been the recipient of an engine replacement. The reason for such a major operation is not given in the ad despite the unusual nature of a car with so few miles needing a replacement in the first place. Perhaps there are clues in the documents, records, and receipts promised to go with the car when it is sold.
The seller tells us that the car runs and drives great. Pictures reveal a surprisingly handsome vehicle with this color combination and the excessively wide whitewall tires. There is a missing piece of chrome trim at the lower end of the passenger side door that will need to be replaced. Also on the to-do list is repainting the black centers on the hubcaps or replacing them with genuine Cadillac wire wheel hubcaps. The interior is in fantastic condition with the car being loaded with every option as you would suspect. One item to note is the ubiquitous seventies steering wheel cover that was on nearly every car seen in my youth. It has been a while since I have spotted one and, if I had my choice it would stay there for nostalgia’s sake.
Looking at the pictures, we see a car that is over 5,000 lbs., has a 500 cubic inch engine, stretches over 18 feet in length, and has a convertible top. America will never produce any automobile like it again. While it is definitely a dinosaur, this Eldorado is a handsome one. Hopefully, this one finds a home with someone who will parade around in it regularly to remind all of us what this country was like in its bicentennial year.
What are your thoughts on this Eldorado? Would you like to have one today? Do you remember the bicentennial celebration? Please share your thoughts and memories in the comments.
Bennett, maybe the seller means rebuilt, not replaced. Seems very odd otherwise.
Behemouth, indeed. This one will swallow gas stations, whole.
The hub caps on it are correct all 76 Eldorados came with the back hubcaps except the bicentennial cars they where white. I have a 76 Eldorado Convertible with the fuel injected 500 that I brought back from the brink. These cars are great road cars and can do 80 all day. BTY the best MPG I have gotten out of mine was 16mpg.
Looks a bit rough for the money. Is it $15k in recent work or over 49 years.? Would need a detailed inspection.
These are definitely period pieces. I hated everything about those steering wheel covers – seems to easy to replace a wheel if that is what was needed, and they just looked cheap. The rest of the car is really nice, though. Compared to an Escalade this car is small, even if it can seat the same number of people.
I had one on my first car, a 1981 Dodge Omni, in 1990 because the orignal steering wheel was a ’60s relic on what was otherwise a fairly advanced car for its’ time. I’m not sure how long they continued to be available but I don’t think I’ve seen any such wrappers in auto parts stores since the mid ’90s.
1980s band bus. Ask me I know. Owned 2 of these. If I recall correctly they have a 28 gallon gas tank for a reason. By the time you need fuel you will need a restroom.
They certainly are nice cruisers on the hwy.
Too much jingle for this one.
It’s a nice car, but I can’t get past the bright yellow (Calumet Cream) color.
This is a Cadillac–the ESCALADE is a CHEVROLET. The motor and many parts are. Only thing Cadillac IS THE NAME ONLY. Nice looking ride. Pain to work on though. Still like it though and it is a real car. When cars were made good in America. Not these NEW–CHEAP BUILT WAY OVER PRICED –PIECES OF JUNK.
haha may not have the style of a car like this but modern cars are better built in every way. When is the last time you heard of a car going to the shop for a ring and valve job? Never, because modern engines (especially Japanese) go for three hundred thousand miles without being opened up. I love classic cars but to say modern cars are built badly is just wrong.
Say david, take on a new or older GMC, or any other truck made today in one of these recycled beer can cars and see how everything goes on the survivability percentage for you.
Give me my big old steel dinosaurs all day long. I’ll pay for the gas.
@David
I think what Johnny means is today’s cars are nothing but plastic. Cheap, overpriced plastic cars. Yes, they can go 300,000 miles with no sweat. Yes they have TONS of safety features and are definitely safer to drive, last longer, etc, etc. But for $80,000 you get $30,000 worth of plastic, $5000 worth of metal and a ten year loan to pay off just in time to buy another $80,000 price of plastic.
The $45,000 left is pure profit for the manufacturer.
Absolutely a candidate to be a fantastic “Low Rider”….. you would be looking good…. Cruising the streets at 15 miles per hour/ gallon 👍
Not a fuelie. Driver’s door does not align…..Wrecked??? or just sagging…
When I see the word Craigslist.. It gives me chills. Why did they not replace the bottom passenger door trim….??
During this time polution laws were in transition, and fuel injection was relativly new to all manufactures, each one having their own formula for diagnostics and maintainance needing dealer authorized service, and resetting of built-in service reminders. Good luck finding any of those factory trained technician any more. Much of this hands-on knowledge was not even properly documented. Simply finding the source of a driveability problem will be an adventure requiring a time machine. Commonly refered to as a Malayse-era car, a real challenge to own.
WAAAAY too much money ! These fatty Eldos are very plentiful, and this one is not in great condition. PASS
That paint is toooo lemon toned for Calumet Cream. The fit and finish is pretty bad on these cars too. Big gaps around the doors, hood and trunk. That said, the scissor top mechanism is pretty cool, it allowed the back seat to be wider. Had one and thought the hard parade boot for the top was cool.
She’s not sitting pretty. High in the front or low in the back.
A turn off for me.
Paul, all these yachts eventually get like this. I put new springs in both of mine. Plus all new front end suspension and CV shafts Plus, plus.
Been told that the saggy butt syndrome is due to all the drug dealers packing their money to the house.
Don’t know if it is so..made sense tho.?
Anyway, after doing all of that work they rode and drove like butter.
I had a ’75 Eldorado convertible in baby blue. That “beefy” 500 cu. in. engine was detuned from 400 hp in 1967 to 190 hp in 1976. If the engine was replaced I’d hope they put something with a little “oomph” in it. That 190 hp was a dog.
This car needs the chrome panel at the bottom of the mile long passenger door. It’s also missing the Cadillac crest hood ornament. I’d be wary of the fender extensions. If they are original I’m sure they are quite brittle by now. You can usually see when they’ve been replaced because putting the two little chrome pieces back on the bottom of them is next to impossible and most usually don’t bother. The rear ones have a thin piece of “chromized” plastic outlining the extention which when replaced is usually left off.
The steering wheels always crack hence the wheel cover. Mine had it, too.
After further scrutiny ALL the chrome is missing from the rear. The plastic tubing which encased the rear extentions and the chrome around the taillights. Whenever the plastic is replaced for some reason the chrome is never reattached.
i live in Australia and own 2 rhd eldoado convertibles, one 1972 and a 74 and a 66 toronado, not too hard to work on and if you know to adjust a rochester you can easily get your power back even with a polition cam, i was arrested in sydney clocking 140 mph in my tuned 350 1970 cutlass supreme, beautiful cars
Sounds like a cool collection.
If you are confused about the rochester, there are 2; a 750 cfm and an 800 cfm, the 800 was only on cars from about 1970 to polution times around 1976, all you have to do is adjust the carburettor to the needs of the engine and this is accomplished by using a 3/32 allen key and unlocking the adjustment screw on the secondary airflap, this allows more air in and so more horsepower, the tiny adjustment screw is near the allen key where the choke break lever meets the flap, about a quarter of a turn anticlockwise is about all you need. adjust it until you get a flat spot and you are on the money. make sure that the choke break lever is adjusted by bending it so the air flap is loose at idle, about an 1/8th of an inch. a beautiful carburettor.
I am thinking buyer should beware on this one. Paint looks brighter than yellows Cadillac offered in 1976. Front seat also looks to have be reupholstered, looks like vinyl instead of leather. I would definitely question the 33K miles indicated in the ad. This could be a great cruiser, but price seems high for this particular car.
This Eldorado is a turd.