UPDATE 01/09/2022: It seems that some owners are nothing if not persistent when it comes to the question of selling a classic car. That is the case with this 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville. This marks the third time this vehicle has appeared on our desks here at Barn Finds, and the owner has had no success with his two previous eBay listings. On those occasions, the bidding passed $80,000 and $75,000, but it failed to reach the reserve. This time, it has sailed to $45,000 off the back of fourteen bids, and it is no surprise that this still doesn’t hit the mark. The details on this classic remain the same, and you will find it listed for sale here on eBay.

When you look back across motoring history, you quickly learn that specific styling trends can disappear just as rapidly as they appear. The 1959 model year marked the zenith for the fin, and what was a must-have in that year was considered unwanted and almost embarrassing only a few short years later. Probably no car better encapsulated the fins trend more effectively than the 1959 Cadillac. Its almost razor-sharp fins and bullet taillights are as instantly recognizable today as they were when the car rolled off the production line. Today, they have become a highly-sought classic, and good examples can fetch some eye-watering prices. This 1959 Eldorado Seville is an authentic Utah barn find that has been revived. It needs a new owner who can not only return it to a mechanically roadworthy state but is willing to return its appearance to its former glory. Located in Riverton, Utah, you will find the Caddy listed for sale here on eBay. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting the Eldorado for us.

When the owner located this Cadillac, it had spent many years languishing in a barn. The first thing that I noticed was that the storage environment must have been pretty favorable. When you examine the supplied photos, there is little in the way of surface corrosion and no evidence of penetrating rust in any of the ordinarily susceptible panels. The lower rear quarter panels and rockers look clean, but bubbling above the back window on the passenger side could indicate hidden dramas. The owner doesn’t mention any issues with the floors or frame, so the overall impression seems pretty positive. The paint is a different matter. The Seville is finished in its original combination of Seminole Red with an Ivory top, but the quality of the finish isn’t great. The owner candidly admits that he believes that someone has treated this classic to a repaint, and it will undoubtedly require a repeat performance if the car is to be returned to its former glory. The panels are generally straight, with only some minor marks and blemishes. The exterior trim is all present, and while most of it should present nicely after some work with a polishing cloth, there are a couple of pieces that would benefit from a trip to the platers. The glass is in good order, and the overall impression that this car provides is that it appears to represent a straightforward restoration project.

At 5.030lbs, the Eldorado is one heavy piece of equipment. That means that it needs something impressive under the hood if progress is going to be anything beyond glacial. Cadillac was up for that challenge, and what we find occupying the engine bay is a 390ci Tri-Power V8 that pumped out 345hp in its prime. Standard equipment also included the 4-speed Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The Cadillac might have been a heavy car with a firm focus on luxury, but it was still capable of delivering a ¼-mile ET of 17.3 seconds. There are plenty of modern vehicles with luxury credentials that can beat that time today, but there weren’t many that could hold a candle to the Eldorado in 1959. Considering this car’s recent history, the engine bay presents surprisingly well. There is some accumulated dust, but there’s no grease or grime and no evidence of corroded components. The owner has managed to coax the V8 back to life, saying that it starts easily and runs well. It isn’t clear whether this Caddy is roadworthy, but the indications to this point look highly positive.

Opening the doors reveals an interior trimmed in Code 59 Red Cardiff & White Florentine Grain Leather, with matching Red carpet. If it is all original, its condition is astounding. Some of the leather shows signs of being dry, but I think that a high-quality conditioner would have it feeling supple and inviting. The carpet shows no appreciable wear, while the only issue with the remaining trim appears to be some slight yellowing on the armrests. This is a luxury car, but the original owner didn’t tick many boxes for optional extras on the Order Form. However, the standard equipment guarantees that the occupants will not feel like second-class citizens on the road. Standard equipment includes power windows, power vent windows, a six-way power front seat, power locks, a remote trunk release, an AM radio with a rear speaker, and an electric clock.

This 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville is a giant of a car, and it is one that made a bold statement when it was new. It allowed its owner to trumpet to the world that they were a success and weren’t ashamed to let people know it. The company only produced 975 examples of the Seville, and it isn’t clear how many survive to this day. When the fins craze died out, some owners felt embarrassed to have a ’59 Cadillac parked in their driveway, and many of these owners sold their cars at rock-bottom prices. Those cars were usually neglected by their new owners, fell into disrepair, and ended their days on the scrap heap. Even some of those cars that avoided that fate fell foul of rust problems, and once again, their lives ended in a junkyard. This car has not only avoided all of these perils, but it has managed to remain intact and in surprisingly sound condition. That would seem to make it a prime candidate for a project car, and I hope that someone will take the time to return it to its former glory. After years hidden in a barn, it deserves a second shot at life.