I’ve seen plenty of ground scrapers before, but this outsized 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz looks like a minor asphalt ripple would challenge it. Regardless, there are a lot of other facets to this car to consider, so we can ignore the obvious for the moment. This one’s a top dog, Biarritz, one of only 1,285, assembled 65 years ago. Ready for retirement? Nope, not yet, but like all senior citizens, some help may be in order. Hovering in Dallas, Texas, this finned wonder is available here on eBay for a BIN price of $62,500.

When one thinks of Cadillac’s Eldorado, often thoughts of a big, front-wheel-drive coupe or convertible come to mind, but that wasn’t always the case. Starting in 1953, the Eldorado name meant an even more exalted Cadillac. Originally available as just a convertible, a hardtop later followed. By 1960, Eldorados could also be had as a four-door hardtop, referred to as a Brougham, to accompany the Seville, a two-door hardtop, and of course, the Biarritz, a convertible such as our subject. The Eldorado was in short supply across all three body styles in ’60, with just 2,400, in total, making the scene.

Our subject is finished in a hue known as Champagne, but its outward appearance is overshadowed by the distraction that is its ground-hugging stance. The seller offers, “ THE AIR RIDE SYSTEM SEEMS COMPLETE. I DOD GET THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO LIFT HALFWAY. I HAVE INSTALLED WOOD BLOCKS TO RAISE THE SUSPENSION FOR SHIPPING. THE AIR RIDE LIFT LEVER HAS BEEN REPLACED BY AN AFTERMARKET ONE, BUT THE ORIGINALS ARE AVAILABLE ON EBAY FOR $200.” Sheesh, if the air suspension system is complete and a $200 part is what’s needed, why wouldn’t one effect the repair? Especially on a car with a $62,500 ask? That suggests to me that the problem is something more significant – just a thought…Anyway, the exterior is in fair shape, the finish is flat and scratched, and there are some dents here and there, but this is a complete and intact specimen and doesn’t appear to be missing any trim – in particular, the complex grille shows as being unkissed. The folding top looks good, it is a replacement, but I’m getting the vibe that it doesn’t retract, specifically, per the seller, “BUT THE TOP AND HEATER AND SEAT SWITCHES NEED CLEANING …,” maybe, maybe not a problem.

Under the Montana-sized hood is a 345 gross HP, 390 CI V8 engine fed by three 2-barrel carburetors and making the rear wheel connection via a Hydramatic automatic transmission. The seller tells us, “THIS CAR IS A MATCHING NUMBER 390 TRI POWER ENGINE. SHOWS 44551 ORIGINAL MILES. I PUT NEW PLUGS AND GAS IN THE CAR. IT RUNS WELL., GOES INTO ALL GEARS, AND STOPS WITH SOME EFFORT. I WOULD CALL IT A YARD DRIVER. IT HAS A NEW BATTERY, BUT NO GENERATOR BELT.” No generator belt? Why not? It’s probably a $20-$25 item.

Inside, we find dilapidated gold leather upholstery and bare floors. The seller claims that the floors are sound, other than two small holes in the front passenger side foot well (though there is a lot of scale on the underside). But the environment is mostly complete with a non-damaged dashpad. I imagine it was quite a looker in its day, but can’t imagine what it would cost today to effect proper upholstery repair. This is an A/C equipped car, but the system probably needs attention as there’s no mention of its operational capability. The seller does state that the side windows retract.

No doubt about it, this is a rare find from an era of “bigger and more opulent is better,” a time when federal authorities had little to zero involvement in auto design. But big cars sometimes yield big problems too, and this Biarritz will provide some challenges for its next owner. The price may seem outsized, but I’ve uncovered restored examples with an ask that’s twice the tag on this one. The next owner is gonna really need to be committed to this Caddy, wouldn’t you agree?