So many thoughts, emotions, and suggestions are evoked when one spies an early ’70s Cadillac Eldorado like this 1974 example. Oh, and it’s a convertible too! So much the better. It sounds like it may be a twenty-footer based on the seller’s description but it certainly is not lacking in eyeball appeal so let’s move from twenty feet to up close and see what’s here. This Eldorado convertible is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $5,100, reserve not yet met. Thanks to Larry D for this tip!

One of the first things that a big Cadillac convertible conjures up is a “nothing but the blues” vibe such as the one pictured in this old photo of D.C.’s well-established blues band “The Nighthawks“. Another perception is the mindful image of a chrome-laden Luxo-barge, exhibiting all of the wretched excesses that are loved by some and hated by others. And some may view the Eldorado convertible as possessing the gift of prophecy, being the harbinger of what would ultimately lead to the demise of the U.S. auto industry’s significant market share. To me, it’s a typical ’70s Whammer-jammer, big, brash, and bold; a car that I would never want to own but would take a top-down cruise opportunity in a New York minute. By ’74, the Eldorado was in its fourth year of generation-nine (’71-’78) production, and sales had fallen to 40K units from ’73’s high-water mark of 51K copies. A portend of the future? Probably more the result of the ’73-’74 recession (yeah those pesky setbacks impact luxury sales too) and the October ’73 oil embargo with its resulting run-up in fuel prices.

The first big obvious issue is the missing convertible top fabric, there’s a folding frame but that’s about it. The seller states, “I drive it only in nice weather with the roof down and the boot on, so it’s not an issue for me“. Hopefully, he watches the weather channel.  Beyond that, it’s obvious that the front bumper filler panels are missing – a typical problem with this era Cadillac. The filler panels were necessary to “mind the gap” between the fenders/body and the ramming speed five MPH, federally mandated bumpers. The fillers are plastic and they get brittle with age – I believe replacements are available. Instead of me paraphrasing the seller’s exterior condition description, I’ll just share it with you, “The car had been repainted in areas many years ago, before my ownership of 11 years, and looks respectable. However, there are many chips, blemishes, and rust blisters from age – most of which are present on the hood and most of which were touch brushed to conceal and make the car overall look better (see pictures). The top surfaces of the paint have check cracking but surprisingly does not detract from the look of the car“. I admire this seller’s forthrightness, the images really do this Caddy justice and don’t reveal the finish’s described foibles. As for the color, I’m a sucker for green, seafoam or otherwise.

The big news under the gargantuan hood is the enormous 500 CI V8 engine but it’s joined by the small news of a measly 210 net HP. It’s a humongo engine, no doubt, but disappointingly light on horsepower. The seller describes this Eldorado’s operating attributes by claiming, “It runs and drives nice and strong. Engine starts up quiet, shifts and drives great“. The mileage is claimed to be 39K miles, so assuming proper maintenance and lack of abuse, this powerplant and its Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed FWD transaxle should have a lot of life left to live.

The interior is, what else, but green! The leather still presents well with no signs of splits or tears, just the usual leather wear. The seller does add, however, “The car was rustproofed when new. However, there was a grapefruit-size patch to the floor under the passenger side rear seat – typical when the roof leaks“. Yikes, that’s a big hole! As one would expect, A/C, converted to R134-a refrigerant, is present and intact but it requires a recharge. Considering how easy a 134 recharge is to facilitate, the next owner can probably count on something more than a recharge being needed.

There you have it, love it or hate it, it’s quite a car, and the FWD transaxle, being able to handle the torque of an 8.2-liter V8 engine, was a noteworthy engineering achievement back in the day. By ’76, the Eldo convertible would be a sort of last man standing as lack of interest and the fear of federally mandated roll-over standards consigned convertibles to the history books, at least temporarily, but that’s another story entirely. So, tell me, are you in the love it, hate it, or maybe some other place category?