After sitting in a garage for around 10-years, this 1973 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible has been dragged back out into the light of day. Barn Finder Ikey H spotted the Cadillac for us, so thank you so much for that Ikey. Located in Spring Hill, Florida, the Eldorado is listed for sale here on Craigslist. The new owner will have a couple of options to consider with the car because they can buy it as it currently stands for $7,500. The owner says that if he has to go to the effort of getting the car up and running, then the price will jump to $12,500.
From a body perspective, the Cadillac looks quite good. The body is straight, and there are no obvious issues with rust. The paint has a decent shine to it, and the soft-top looks like it is in quite good. The car is also fitted with the parade boot option, which gives the car a cleaner look with the top down. As far as appearance goes, it seems like a good buff and polish might have the Cadillac looking pretty nice.
The interior of the Convertible also looks quite promising. The leather on the seats looks a bit cracked and dry, but I think that it would respond well to a bit of conditioning work. I would probably take it to an expert for that because they would more than likely be able to use a polish and conditioner that would help to disguise and blend the white sections in the cracks. The rest of the interior looks really good, and you get the usual array of luxury accessories, such as power windows, locks, and seats, cruise control, and air conditioning.
Under the hood is the 500ci V8 engine, which drives the front wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. Of course, power steering and power brakes are included to take a lot of the effort out of the driving experience. The engine doesn’t currently run, and this is where the choices start for the next owner. You can take the car away as it stands and revive it yourself, or you can ask the current owner to get the car running for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. The disadvantage of the latter scenario is that you will be spending $12,500 as opposed to the $7,500 for the “as is” option. The disadvantage of the cheap option is that you will be taking away a car that will need to be revived, but you will have no idea what this will entail. It really would be a matter of “you pays your money, and you takes your chances.”
This 1973 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible actually appears to be in quite good condition, and it holds the promise of some rather elegant cruising one it is up and mobile again. The “take it away running” option is not cheap, but if you handed over your $7,500, got the car home, and then found major issues, that could also be an expensive experience. If you had the choice, which pathway would you choose?
I’d take the “as is” price. It does bother me that the car is offered in running condition for $5k more. Does the owner know something that they aren’t sharing? And for the extra bucks you’d be getting what the Seller thinks the car needs as opposed to what the Buyer might decide. As is for me!
Agreed!
There’s a reason that the owner has made this buy option and I think it’s obvious: he knows the issues with the car including the ones which led the car to be parked 10 years ago. It will take more than $5k to make this guy a roadworthy ride. It’s a great looking car with wonderful potential, but the buyer will have to decide his total budget and proceed from there.
There is no part of the drive line on these cars that costs $5000, so unless you’re mechanically terrible and going to checkbook everything…….
Eldorado was the Indy Pace Car in `73, that same color combo.
In the `80s these white with red Eldos were seemingly everywhere.
We had 3 customers at our Texaco that had them, then I git a job at a Cadillac dealer….
There were Pace Car replicas of these but the color combo was not unique to the Pace Car itself, as Cotillion White with red leather was a standard Cadillac color option across the board.
The Pace Car Eldorado replicas had a plaque on the dash and a few more red pin stripes, they also came with the door decals in the trunk which no Cadillac owner at the time installed.
Cadillac also supplied a bunch of matching Coupe deVilles, Eldorado coupes and a Fleetwood in matching white over red for VIP’s to use at Indy.
There is no shot of the dash and the seller is not making any “RARE!!! PACECAR!!!” claims in the ad, so this is probably just a white over red Eldorado convertible and not a replica.
This is the color combo/year/convertible Caddie from Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
Would buy it in heartbeat if I had the space right now; have wanted one ever since I was a kid and thought Eastwood and Bridges were the coolest team ever!
At least Cadillac built some really good looking cars during the seventies, unlike Ford, GM, Chrysler etc. who really did build some abominations IMHO.
67,000 on the clock is just about the mileage cars in this era required lots of work or to be scrapped. I would assume fixing the engine isn’t the only issue with this beast. Full overhaul would only be for someone wanting to drive it till the next overhaul. The plus is that engine was tough runner and without the emissions requirement for the car, it would get up and move. Love to have it, but you could spend your 401k getting this right.
You said it had a 500 co engine?
I’m sure not the expert with all engine sizes in production cars but have never heard of that huge of an engine being offered in a production car.
Please confirm and say more if possible so I can add it to my knowledge as I grow in auto knowledge.
Thanks!
500 cid is correct for the Eldo’s. 472cid on other Caddy models.
Thanks Jim.
So what is the largest displacement ever offered on a production car?
TracRat, I think it depends on what time period you are looking at. I happen to know about the Caddy engines because I worked on them in the 70’s, plus I currently have a 74 Eldo with the 500cid.
Current big-engine sizes like an Viper 512cid (8.4 liter) V10 engine comes to mind. But there were a LOT of early cars with big mills, just Google around, you’ll find them.
I’d gamble on the $7,500 as-is price as well. The overall shape looks pretty good, so perhaps it’s something minor – plus, you’d have some extra $$$ left over to buy the sunglasses and white sequined jumpsuit. :-D
who’s garage did he find it in?
does the trailer come with it?
I should buy this to keep my ’74 Eldo company! (And it’s local to me in FL, too. I’m weakening…..)
Do it. Do it! DO IT!!!!
OK, Ok, NotSure.
I DID it!
Will be delivered in a couple days. Nice looking ride, great overall condition. Will know more once it gets in the shop to check out the mechanicals. Clean out the fuel system, upgrade the ignition to HEI, replace engine-radiator-transmission fluids, etc..
4th of July parade coming up……..
The seller is not doing you any favours in getting it running for 5 grand. You could probably pull the engine and get it rebuilt for that and have change leftover for a few tanks of premium.
You could by 10 coupe parts cars for that with 10 500cid engines……..
Steer horns a-la-boss hog!
Someone… please save this one.
Take my chances. Buy as is, trailer home, begin overview check, begin detailed repair, drive into eternity.
God bless America
Beautiful car.
God bless America
I don’t think you can go wrong either way!! It is a clean classy looking car!!! The red interior looks like new and I think the 73 was the last year before the five mile an hour bumpers that made the car look two feet longer!! Correct me if I’m wrong!! I don’t have internet service at my house to check it out!!!
that’s a stone cold groove my man
Option 3: show up with a trailer and 55 Ben Franklins…count em out slowly…. keep 5 more in your back pocket. Unless there’s frame damage, the GM mechanicals are pretty stone-age simple to have rebuilt.
Nice but Jim Z
Buy not but
Well done Jim Z. Please keep us informed on it’s rejuvenation as I’m sure we are all very interested judging by the comments above. Great car.