TV Antenna in the Back: 1973 Cadillac Eldorado

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Of course, that’s noted custom Cadillac fan Elvis depicted on the Continental kit of this ’73 Eldorado, but thanks to tipster Patrick S. for including a reference to another great moment for custom Cadillacs in pop culture, William DeVaughn’s legendary 1974 soul groove “Be Thankful for What You Got.” The title is an admonishment for us all, even though “You may not drive a great big Cadillac (diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin’ the scene with a gangsta lean)/Gangsta whitewalls, TV antenna in the back….” But, if you’re the lucky type, all it takes to be thankful for what you’ve got and drive this great big Cadillac is a trip here to craigslist, then to the bank to withdraw $17,000, then to Fort Myers, Florida to pick it up!

Alas, you still won’t have a sunroof top—and the gangsta lean is up to you—but gangsta whitewalls (with gold stripes!) are very much in play here. Along similar lines, the seller refers to the “wise guy wheels” fitted to the car (note to wise guys: the trunk is very big); the twin faux sidemounts, curb feelers, chromey front end additions, and padded vinyl top with landau irons speak for themselves. And, no, your eyes did not deceive you on that top photo: there is indeed a TV antenna in the back. Curiously, there is no evidence of an actual TV.

Nor is there any diamond in the back of this surprisingly original interior, at least not in the traditional sense—diamond-quilted upholstery—although I guess houndstooth check is sort of diamond-y in its own way. What there is in the back, aside, presumably, from claustrophobia due to the deletion of the already-small rear opera windows, is a swanky fur rear window surround.

The originality of the interior speaks to the seller’s claim of just 44,000 miles, as does the clean appearance of the engine compartment—at least until you look closely enough to notice the blue paint overspray. Nevertheless, the monster 500-cubic inch V8 is said to “run GREAT,” and the car to have “lots of NEW stuff,” although what that stuff is, I don’t know.

The seller assures us that this “one of a kind car” is “VERY clean in & out.” It sure looks the latter, and maybe it’s for the best if it’s the former; I don’t know if the world can handle too much of this kind of shininess. But I’m thankful to have gotten the knowledge that at least this one exists, and I hope the new owner will be thankful indeed for what he or she’s got!

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. canadainmarkseh

    Does it come with a clown suit so when your on the road you can’t be recognized. And is it really necessary to have 4 spare tires ok ok I know that 3 of them a fakes. This car could still be save but some of that ugly crap is going to have to go front spares to start af course you’ll need some replacement front fenders and a colour match respray on them. I’d even lose the continental kit and I’d move the bumper back where it belongs. I’d also lose the curb finder there for people that don’t know how to judge the size of there car. I actually like the colour and even the car for that matter but not the way it is I’m still surprised that people thought this was cool back in the day. Of course I’d never buy this car so fear not that it would get changed back. JMHO.

    Like 12
    • Miguel

      This car is from a point in history and tells a story.

      I wouldn’t change a thing.

      Like 28
    • STANLEY

      Plenty of factory-stock & restoration candidate ’73 Caddies still out there for those who want an original-looking one.

      Like 1
  2. Barry Lamar

    You have to have a strong backhand to be qualified to buy this gem 👋🏻

    Like 27
  3. MikeG

    Diamonds in the back, sunroof top, diggin’ the scene with a gangsta lean…

    I’d drive this dream down to the boulevard and visit with all my $weeties…

    Like 14
    • Karguy James

      LOL I was going to post that same verse… :)

      Like 3
  4. Carla Hernandez

    Hush your mouth! But I’m talk’n bout Shaft…

    Like 15
  5. Metoo

    Rolling automotive porn.

    Like 8
    • DavidLMember

      Love that.
      Automotive Porn it is. This is the very definition! From now on, if you put ‘Automotive Porn’ into Google, this is what should come up! And yes I checked and nothing this good shows up.

      Like 5
  6. Retired Stig

    Ooooh, Supafly, you gonna make yo fortune bye and bye…

    Like 7
    • Oscar Mercado

      I now own this classic. Picked it up with a blue 77 Eldorado I wish I could have grabbed the red one too but a day to late for it. The spare fender tires are now in the trunk but everything else will stay the same. I’m a collector so if someone else really likes it I’m willing to trade. For now she gets a bath once a week and a quick cruise to the beach in sunny San Diego California.
      🙏

      Like 2
      • Dave mowry

        You have “Thumper” that was my car!

        Like 0
  7. hatofpork

    Seller to new purchaser-“When I see you, you better have my money!” PS-that rear window needs a Brazilian..

    Like 5
  8. Chuckster

    This piece of crap is a insult to my eyes

    Like 2
  9. UK Paul 🇬🇧

    Very unusual.

    Like 2
  10. Rex Kahrs Rex KahrsMember

    Creulla De Ville meets Huggy Bear. I dare ya to drive this through Compton with a Merle Haggard tape blasting.

    Like 10
  11. DETROIT LAND YACHT

    https://youtu.be/0V_NvHLmBHU

    Had to be a double duty prop car from
    the era. Fly green wrap for blaxploitation flix one day…then peeled to it’s original white and crowned by bullhorns for Boss Hogg to woo Daisy Duke with the next day. Studio budgets were tight back then.

    Like 3
  12. Jimmy

    I think you were speeding coming across the bridge.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57qpqhNge_E

    Like 4
    • 455 Hurst/Olds

      I thought the same thing Jimmy. Also remembered the Corovado from Live and Let Die.

      Like 1
  13. Barry Traylor

    Did Superfly lose his car?

    Like 4
  14. Kenneth Carney

    Exactly Jimmy. Used to see these Ghetto
    Cruisers quite a bit in the ’70’s. There was a body man named Buzzy Thomas
    in my hometown that built these on a regular basis. Once you saw one of his
    creations, you never forgot it. The wildest
    one he built was based on a ’71 Sedan
    DeVille. This car was 25 feet long after
    he added not one, but two continentals
    to the rear of the car. It had all the bling
    you could ever want with real wire rims
    and those fake Cord outside exhaust
    tubes on it along with the chromiest
    front end I’d ever seen. He also pimped
    out a few late ’70’s T-birds too but nothing
    as over the top as that ’71 Caddy. And if
    you couldn’t afford Buzzy’s handiwork,
    the local auto parts stores had everything
    you needed to do it yourself. Makes me
    wonder if that Caddy isn’t still driving
    around somewhere.

    Like 4
  15. CanuckCarGuy

    Not my cup of tea, but whatever the inspiration was, the original Eldorado design supports it well. You’d definirely need a good dose of self-confidence to drive this creation.

    Like 4
  16. Classic Steel

    This is a pimp car for sure.

    I think one needs Kramer’s pimp coat and hat 🎩 for this and cane like in that Seinfeld episode ..

    Is this thing registered in DC to provide services in DC to our leaders or does it deliver to just golf courses near by?😎😝😗🤑

    Like 6
  17. wuzjeepnowsaab

    You could have a picnic on that back table…er, bumper I mean

    Like 5
  18. Madmatt

    A period of wild cars /vans/..,and anything else that could have
    Shag carpeting..,or fur.., glued to it.These big boats could haul
    Your whole party ,and be comfortable..,and still have some guts..,
    With a 472..,or 500cid..even though for73..the power was almost
    half of 1970.This should go into a period 70’s museum…so that future
    People….can see what “living large” really was…about.
    Curtis Mayfield’s mind has been blown….LoL….

    Like 10
    • George

      Even with a clapped out 73 Sedan DeVille, you could still cruise effortlessly at 90 and not even know it.

      Like 1
  19. Tom Justice

    Huggy Bear, where are you?

    Like 4
  20. Dirk

    I love it!
    I’d be proud to drive it in any 4th of July parade wearing an Uncle Sam outfit and with a hot babe in a bikini perched on each corner, each waving an American flag. Is this a great country or what?

    Like 8
  21. Nick

    Reminds me of the pimp mobile in one of those Dirty Harry Movies…

    Like 4
  22. Rob John

    Maybe if they make an Undercover Brother sequal they could use this.

    Like 4
  23. 68custom

    Back in the day my friends and I would refer to this as an El-dog, or a ghetto cruiser. As much ad I hate to admit it, it should be preserved. Maybe snoop dog needs a new ride?

    Like 7
  24. PaulB

    I love this car. get it and rent it out as a movie car

    Like 3
  25. Maestro1

    You must be kidding.

    Like 0
  26. BOP_GUY BOP_GUYMember

    I guess it wouldn’t be complete without an extra four feet added on the back 🤦‍♂️

    Like 1
  27. Donald

    This Caddy would work well with my Halloween costume, you think?

    Like 4
  28. Kurtis Blow

    It’s the MACK! The full Cleveland daddy.

    No one mentioned the 4, count them, 4 spare tires. You can cruise 125th street, the Deuce and Queens Boulevard secure in the knowledge you have ample spare.

    Hopefully it still has the original, period correct ribbed clear vinyl floor mats with logo.

    It could be a fantastic investment opportunity. Ship it to Stuttgart so the MB design studio can use it as inspiration for the next S series as they are looking more pimpalicious with each iteration.

    It’s missing the essential chrome visor. So I’m afraid I won’t be offering in this time.

    Like 2
  29. Gerry in Ohio

    I think this is what “diamond in the back” meant. When I worked at Earl Scheib Auto Painting in the Walnut Hills suburb of Cincinnati in the early ’70’s, our body man had a pimped Cadillac with a larger version of this diamond shaped rear window. Sadly, the police showed up one afternoon and confiscated the car as a stolen vehicle. I left shortly after that. Hope he got it back.

    Like 5
  30. DolphinMember

    It doesn’t have enough fake spare tires to suit me.
    I think you could probably stick another couple on the rear fenders….

    Like 1
  31. PaulG

    There’s a reason it’s “One of a kind”. There’s hope yet!

    Like 2
  32. PRA4SNW

    Needs chandeliers.

    Like 5
  33. P T Cheshire

    Dump the chrome Rhodes Royce grill, curb feelers, knock off hub caps, side spares, everything between the tail lights and rear bumper and give little Jimmy back the handle bars from his tricycle Oops I mean the TV Antenna. You’d have a nice car. for half the money. . cept for the interior rear window trim. That’s just obscene

    Like 0
  34. Wrong Way

    can say is this thing is ugly that’s all I can say!

    Like 0
  35. George

    Somebody went hogg wild with the JC Whitney catalog. All that chrome and more was available via mail order from it.

    Like 1
  36. Dusty

    To each his own …live and let live ….wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same ..etc…etc…etc….

    Like 2
  37. W9BAG

    Glad I have a waste basket under my desk. Just one look made me vomit.

    Like 0
  38. hatofpork

    Just the vehicle for crossing 110th street..

    Like 0
  39. Pete

    Now I knew a few cats who would be all to happy to roll up on the club with this pimp mobile. They would have a Mr T starter kit, plenty of gold nugget rings, a fake rabbit fur coat to the knees and a pimpin hat. Now you could never raise hell in that car cause you would be way to easy to identify later. But you could slow roll like a Boss in that thing. Be all stylin and profilin.

    Like 0
  40. ICEMAN

    Remember the SEINFELD episode where Kramer, dressed in the Technicolor Dream Coat, was arrested for being a pimp when he was trying to get the street walker out of the Eldorado?

    Like 1
  41. DayDreamBeliever Alan (Michigan)

    Hunka, Hunka Burnin’ Love!

    Like 2
  42. Rub the Toadstool

    The four spare tires are for when the cops throw one of those spike strips in front of you.

    Like 0

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