This 1955 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible was driven into this garage and covered back in 2010 by its second owner. Sadly, he has since passed away. His son would love nothing more than to return this elegant luxury car to its former glory, but he candidly admits that he doesn’t possess the time or the skills required to do this. He has, therefore, made the tough decision to part with the Cadillac. It is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $21,100, and now that the reserve has been met, that new home is only days away for this beauty.

There’s a fair bit to unpack with this Cadillac, and it has undergone some substantial changes during its lifetime. When the owner’s father purchased the car, it was finished in Cape Ivory, but it has received a color change to its current Black at some point. The paint’s quality generally looks reasonable under the heavy layer of dust, but there are a few spots where the original color is poking through. I suspect that it might be returned to a presentable state with a wash and polish, but if the buyer is searching for perfection, a repaint will be on the cards. The panels generally look pretty good, with only a few minor dings and dents that the buyer might want to tackle. There is no visible rust, and the owner doesn’t mention problems in his listing. The climate in Utah can be quite kind in this respect, so there’s a fair chance that there will be no problems for the buyer to tackle. The soft-top actually doesn’t look bad in the supplied photos, and I think that if the car were left to sit in the sun for a few hours, it would soften and fit into place pretty well. The trim and chrome looks like it would respond well to some work with a high-quality polish, and while the driver’s window is cracked, the rest of the glass looks quite respectable.

The 1955 Eldorado was no muscle car, but its 331ci V8 still managed to produce 270hp. All of that power found its way to the rear wheels via a 4-speed Hydramatic transmission, and while the vehicle tipped the scales at a hefty 4,809lbs, it could still tackle the ¼ mile in 18.6 seconds. That isn’t fast by modern standards, but it was an impressive number in 1955. The owner says that the odometer shows 82,330 miles, but he isn’t sure whether that reading is genuine. He believes that the last time the Eldorado moved under its own power was in around 2010 when his father parked it in this garage. He has made no attempt to revive it or even to see if the engine turns freely. We’ve seen classics that have been sitting longer than this one successfully revived, so there’s every chance that this one could roar back to life with little effort. The fuel system will undoubtedly need cleaning, and some basic maintenance would feed to be performed, but this could be an aspect of the car that will consume more time than money to get things moving once again.

The Cadillac’s interior is a bit of a mixed bag, and I would be willing to guarantee that the buyer will make some changes in the near future. The dash generally looks good, and there are no splits in the pad. The wheel has a few marks, but it is definitely a restorable proposition. The factory radio remains intact, and there have been no aftermarket additions to this part of the interior. However, the story is different elsewhere inside the car.

It appears that the interior was originally upholstered in White leather, but the owner’s father took the decision to swap in a set of different bucket seats and upholster them in red velour at some point. The owner believes that this change occurred during the 1960s, and the style and color of the material would tend to support this idea. There are no apparent rips or tears, and while this change probably seemed like a good idea at the time, I’d need to keep my eyes shut if I were to ride in this car. A full retrim will be required because, as well as the non-genuine seat covers, the door trims are dilapidated, and the mat is badly torn. Getting the interior back to its original glory will not be cheap, and some parts can put a dent in an otherwise healthy wallet. A carpet set will cost approximately $400, while a set of leather seat covers will add a further $1,300 to the bill. I haven’t been able to locate some of the other trim items, but my internet search wasn’t that intensive. The buyer might be able to have more success in finding those parts, and they might also be able to knock a few dollars off the prices that I’ve quoted. With projects like this, sometimes the owner needs to be patient if they are going to find the parts at prices that won’t break the bank.

Reviving this 1955 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible and returning it to a mechanically roadworthy state could potentially be a straightforward job, and the next owner could find themselves behind the wheel of a stylish 1950s icon quite quickly. Returning it to its former glory will take some time and money, but most of the work could potentially be tackled in a home workshop if the Caddy is rust-free. Even if some of the work is “farmed out” to professionals, there could be room to move on this one before its financial viability comes into question. Today, you will struggle to find a tidy example of the ’55 Eldorado Convertible for under $45,000. If a pristine car is on your radar, that figure can quickly skyrocket to $60,000 or more. If this one sells for around its current bid level, that leaves a lot of money in the pot to undertake the restoration. If you’ve longed to live life in the lap of luxury, maybe your car is awaiting you right here.