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Bad in Black: 1972 Cadillac Eldorado

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I don’t normally get excited about this generation of Cadillacs, as you don’t have to look too hard to find one for sale on eBay or even your neighborhood classifieds. But this black 1972 Cadillac Eldorado here on eBay strikes me a bit differently, perhaps because it’s the perfect combination of sinister and striking. Bidding opens at a scant $200 and there is a reserve in place. 

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The seller says this is a survivor-grade example, remaining largely original in its condition. The interior remains untorn and is a very classy black-on-red combination. The Caddy has resided in two warm-weather states: North Carolina when new and now Arizona. Hard to believe but it has 87,000 miles on the clock, though lately those miles have been accumulated going to car shows, I suspect.

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The Eldorado is said to start right up and run sweetly. An 8.2L V8 is nothing to sneeze at, nor is the likely paltry gas mileage. It’s hard to imagine selling a passenger car with an engine this large today, but you can’t deny that this era of automobile was one that seemed to just define Americana at every angle. Big and bold are two qualities this ’72 wears proudly.

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From this angle, the Cadillac almost appears slim! The seller seems like the kind of guy you want to deal with – he includes the parts for some remaining work to be done (new weatherstripping kit) and offers that he’d like to get to it himself before the auction is closed. That’s what you like to see – not some sort of comment like, “Oh, the parts are cheap and the job is easy.” This car appears loved and if the reserve is reasonable, it will make someone an excellent summer cruiser.

Comments

  1. Avatar juwald knightlly

    what a sweet survivor! a big, old big block piece of GM history
    built just before opec struck
    looks very nice, would ride real well, check brakes and the tranny
    sinister is right, great candidate for low riding,
    this is a great find, barn finds, nice post !

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  2. Avatar ron e bee

    I’m a Pimp, check my Stats

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  3. Avatar Dolphin Member

    Just a little too much front overhang on this ’72 for my taste.

    This ’50 seems about right.

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    • Avatar Moparmann Member

      @Dolphin: Yeah, maybe, but just look at the rears on both of them! Regardless, they both look good to me! :-)

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  4. Avatar Dave Wright

    I managed a Firestone store for a short time in Camarillo California in the late 80’s. Many of our customers came from a retirement housing area called Leisure Village. The homes had been heavily marketed in the large eastern cities, the buyers had some money but many of them had never owned a car. When they came west……they bought these cars. We serviced a ton of them. Most didn’t see 2000 miles a year but they were perfectly maintained, every time they went to the grocery store, they would come by for us to check the air in there tires. I think the old guys liked getting out of the house and hanging around our shop. We would change the oil and fluids on them by age, not mileage. They were good cars in general……as I remember brakes were a problem in some years and expensive. I must have driven a couple of hundred of them…….one old customer always wanted me to see how fast it would go as I was delivering him back home. one old boy was going to drive to Taho. We had to convince him the traction tires needed to be on the front,

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  5. Avatar AMC STEVE

    It’s ok but il take the 67-68 model, there’s a cool rare blue one on fee bay right now

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  6. Avatar Gary I

    $6,100 reserve not met when I checked it on eBay. Big black seventies Cadillacs are not cheap these days. Nice car overall.

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  7. Avatar DRV

    Very impressive in black and the design really shows well here. I don’t usually like white walls, but they are perfect on this one.

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  8. Avatar Donnie

    The engine is a 500 cubic inch in 1972 it made only 235 horse power that’s less then abought any new v6 today /not as sinister as it looks

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    • Avatar Anastos

      There’s quite a cottage industry of people who can trick those 500s out. I’m looking into it for my ’75…it isn’t cheap but it certainly can be done…

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  9. Avatar Ed P

    What a beautiful car. This looks like the perfect ride to the country club. I would not change a thing.

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  10. Avatar Jason Houston

    Echoes my standard mantra: there isn’t car in this world that doesn’t look great in black.

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    • Avatar leiniedude Member

      Jason, I agree, this one does it in spades.

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  11. Avatar HeadMaster1

    These were not horsepower cars, they were torque cars……They went up 6% grades with 4 adults and the A/c on with no effort I have a 76 Eldo Convertible with the fuel injected 500″, great motor, and decent mpg with the FI (15-17mpg)……no worse than my new Surburban

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  12. Avatar Tom Hall

    Do you suppose it fit in 1972 era parking spots? It sure doesn’t fit in this one.

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  13. Avatar Ed P

    These were great cars on the open road but, heaven forbid that you would navigate a parking lot. Full size Plymouth, Ford, and Chevys were a workout to park. Parking a Caddy almost required a call to the harbor master.

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  14. Avatar rmward194 Member

    I had a 1971 Eldorado as my first car when I was 16. We had too many cars and the folks said drive the Eldo or walk. I chose to drive it, but man did I get ridiculed at school.

    Here is the Craigslist listing: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/5391923120.html

    Like 0

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