If you wanted to roll into your local Cadillac showroom in 1974 looking for a pickup or a wagon, you were flat out of luck. Cadillac didn’t offer one, and it wasn’t going to make a special order just for you. Fortunately, the aftermarket industry was ready and waiting to answer the need to haul garbage to the dump while safely secured in the back of a luxury barge like a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, and a company called Caribou Motor Corporation out of California built just under 100 pickups like this one listed here on eBay in 1974. It’s listed with a Buy-It-Now of $10K and the option to submit an offer.
There must be underlying evidence that American consumers desire super luxurious pickups, no matter the era in which they are made. Sure, we know today that your basic F150 and Silverado pickups are now easily eclipsing $50K when optioned out well enough. And obviously, Lincoln tried (and failed) to market a very luxurious pickup called the Blackwood. But I had hoped that customers in the 1970s were smart enough to avoid such silliness and simply enjoy their luxurious Coupe de Ville as-is. Apparently, I was wrong.
Still, if you have to own such a vehicle, I’d prefer that you choose a vintage concept such as this. The seller notes that in addition to fewer than 100 made in 1974, less than 300 total were built between 1972 and 1976. Hemmings pulled together an article that captured how there’s actually more than one vendor that built these unusual conversions, including Caribou and a company called Traditional Coach Works – which built the Eldorado station wagon conversion that we’ve seen on these pages on occasion. The seller notes the air conditioning is ice cold and it comes with power windows and locks.
The best part about this listing is how the seller describes using this unusual Cadillac conversion as a daily driver. Featuring a 427 big block with a new Flowmaster exhaust, this thing must be a wicked cruiser. The listing says there no smoke and no knocks, and that it will drive off to wherever you call home without worry. Mileage is listed as 111,000, and the seller notes that he is open to reasonable offers based on his $10K asking price. I wouldn’t necessarily be beating a path to the bank for the chance to own one, but I can absolutely understand the appeal. Would you drive a Cadillac pickup?
Crappy pictures….
It’s a kewl truck however what’s with the clown car upholstery job?
Was there a Cadillac model that shared the same body platform as an El Camino that would allow you to swap front clips to make this thing, or were those swept B pillars hand fabricated by the conversion company?
What you’re describing here could in theory be done to any GM car utilizing the ’73-’77 Colonnade/ intermediate platform – however Cadillac was the only division that didn’t use it. Closest thing would probably be the Seville that came ’75, however that’s a Cadillac only platform.
So what you’re seeing here is a hand crafted factory conversion, similarly fabricated like ambulances and hearses were made then. Though Caddy is not my cup of tea it is indeed a rare and unique vehicle for that someone looking for the best of both worlds
Until the Seville Cadillac was a full-size-only division. Maybe a ’59-60 which were the only years the El Camino was on a full-size platform?
Sorry but if I was cross eyed drunk I could take better pictures than that. If you want to sell a car your potential customers shouldn’t have to work to look at it.
You said 427 did you meen 472 for displacement.
I recall having read somewhere that the conversion cost was greater than the MSRP of an El Camino. You could own an Elky and a stock Coupe de Ville for what one of these went for new.
Very interesting. The only reason I might consider it, is I do own the Green Eldorado wagon ‘74, so it would be cool to own both. Btw, Traditional didn’t make that one, as for the wagons, they only made the Fleetwood Castillion Estate wagons.
Too bad it wasn’t based on a, say, ;63, ’64 or ’65 and 6 Caddy. By the time the Seventies rolled around I think the basic style had gone full on bloat without any…….ummm………style.
Still…………
Quite popular with funeral homes years ago. They were called flower cars. Cadillacs were made into them for many years.
Ever notice how for so many years, Cadillacs looked a lot like big caskets?
man, 10 grand is a steal for that