Cadillac Pick Up article in self starter

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

The latest self starter has a great article on the "cowboy Cadillacs" (read pick up conversions) of the 70's.  They have included the"Paris" conversions of the 77-79 Coupes by American Custom Coachworks of Beverly Hills CA.
My search for a reasonable (cost and condition) Mirage turned up fruitless and the opportunity to buy my "Paris" was too good to pass up.  I understand they originally made 200 (number seems to be disputable).  I wonder how many of the members out there actually (still) have one of these and how many are still in existence.

Mine is still awaiting an interior finis, but with a MTS #5 cam-ed 9:1 compression 472 it is quite a performer.  Went through the drive train, the suspension, the fuel system (all new) and just about everything else and only have about 3 Billion dollars in it, but it is really a great car and IMHO a keeper.
Again, if you have one of these please chime in.

Greg Surfas

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Just curious. 76 views and not a single comment.  Is it that either; 1. There is no interest in these conversions, or 2. There are none of them left  out there, or 3. No one wants to talk to me. 
Greg Surfas

[STS05lg]

Greg, I know the feeling, once upon a time everyone asked why I like those 20 foot long, poor handling, gas guzzling, poorly put together, bloated boat. Commonly called 1975-1976 full size Cadillac's. However, now every now and then I get a thumbs up as I am cruising around the greater DC area. I for one would love to have a Mirage, in fact I have been looking for one for years. However, sense most of the 203 produced were sold on the left coast there are very few that made it east. And now the prices are starting to get really high for the survivors. I really like your 77-79 Paris and there was a really nice 73 example that belonged to a CLC member for sale in Florida earlier this year. Just think you have the advantage of most likely being the only one at your regional CLC shows... Makes it stand out...  Best, Lynn

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Just curious. 76 views and not a single comment.  Is it that either; 1. There is no interest in these conversions, or 2. There are none of them left  out there, or 3. No one wants to talk to me. 
Greg Surfas

I wouldn't read too much into it and these cars probably appeal to a select audience.

FWIW - Recently I began a thread on what appears to be a near-pristine 1980 Coupe deVille d'Elegance that had been sold for little more than pocket change - which garnered responses from just two individuals. So who knows.   

[Caddyholic]

Ok here you go  get white walls and get rid of the chevy rally wheels

[35-709]

 "I really like your 77-79 Paris and there was a really nice 73 example that belonged to a CLC member for sale in Florida earlier this year."

  Greg's Paris is a real find and far more rare than a Mirage or Caribou.  I enjoyed showing my Caribou while I owned it but many people, even those whom I thought would know better, called it an "old flower car" which used to irk the hell out of me.  I spent a lot of time educating people that the car was a purpose built El Camino style Cadillac.  Caribou Motors factory sales brochures and information helped a lot.  Also used to hear, "WOW, I never knew Cadillac built those!"  But, it opened a lot of enjoyable conversations with different people which is part of what I enjoy about car shows.

Certainly is a limited market for that kind of "car", it took me nearly a year to sell it.  But I wasn't going to sell cheap a pretty much fully restored beauty that won a CLC Grand National 1st place award in class.  Fortunately I had the time and wasn't desperate.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Geoff,
With all the time I have in my "black walled/chevy ((pick-up)) wheeled"  Paris I think I am going to be buried in it. 
Thanks for the responses all. 
I am also wondering if the Self Starter article was of interest to those out there.
Greg Surfas

[35-709]

I was certainly buried in mine!  But that's the way it is when you restore something that needs a lot.  What I got for mine was less than half what I had in it --- we do this for love --- right!?

Haven't seen the Self-Starter article yet, probably in the pile of magazines I haven't (as a retiree) had time to read yet.

[cadillacmike68]

I was certainly buried in mine!  But that's the way it is when you restore something that needs a lot.  What I got for mine was less than half what I had in it --- we do this for love --- right!?

Haven't seen the Self-Starter article yet, probably in the pile of magazines I haven't (as a retiree) had time to read yet.

Don't tell my wife that!

Those are interesting, so there are 1973, 75-76 and 77-79 versions of this. One of my region's members has a 75-76 (can't remember the year) Mirage. off white, immaculate.

[35-709]

The Mirage, Paris, and the Caribou were all built by different companies.  Mirage was built by American Coachworks for 2 or 3 years in the middle '70s, they also built Cadillac station wagons. 

Caribou Motors started doing pickup conversions from Cadillac Coupes back in the mid-'50s, I believe, up until a fire completely destroyed their plant in 1985.  They also built a few from Eldorados in the '70s, and a few from Lincoln coupes they called the Colona.  Oldest Cadillac conversion from Caribou Motors that I have seen was a '65 or '66.

A Lincoln Colona pictured, if I may be allowed.   

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Wouldda' done Jock Ewing proud!

[gross707]

Here's my '75 Caribou.  I guess it belongs in the "modified modified" class as I've changed out the fiberglass bed and also done some engine work.

[Jeff Wilk]

Was waiting to comment until after I read the article.....but I still have not received the magazine. So in the absence of the articles contents here are my thoughts:

Whether a Paris, Caribou, Castillian, or Mirage, these all fall into the same three categories of "like" as every other vehicle....people LOVE them, HATE them, or simply WALK ON BY them.

They are ALL custom bodies just like Hearses were as well as Flower Cars, and Ambulances.

The ONLY FACTORY AUTHORIZED pick-up and station wagon, however, were the Mirage and Castillian. These were ordered by the customers at the Cadillac Dealer along with their order for either a new Coupe DeVille or Fleetwood. The NEW car would be shipped direct from Cadillac to American Coachworks in CA. The conversions were done with either GM factory parts OR Cadillac Quality parts and paints. Then the car was shipped to the Cadillac local Dealership where the customer would take delivery FROM Cadillac for the first time. This delivery sequence was key and kept the original factory warranties fully in force since it was Factory Authorized. A different process then with the Caribou or Paris.

I LOVE ALL of them and applaud those owning and restoring them too as there does seem to be more cynics than supporters of these rides. I for one certainly love the comments that come along with any outing in my Mirage. Especially the outings where Im (carefully) using it as a pick up truck!!!

Happy trucking!!!!

Jeff

[76eldo]

I would love to get my hands on one of these.

Brian

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

I would still like to know how many of each of these "breeds" are still out there. Any current owners?
Greg Surfas

[TJ Hopland]

I think they are really neat just like the wagons but the very few that have been for sale around me have either been in decent shape so too expensive for me or so bad that you could barely drive them.    I did come close to buying one a few years ago but it was actually a poorly converted flower car.   The overall structure was solid but it was far from pretty.

This was for sale several years ago but went for a lot more than I had.   Does anyone know who made it?

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

TJ
If it was one of the three (Mirage, Paris or Caribou) it would have had the Coachwork's lable on it.  What this appears to be is an El camino with Cadillac front end sheet metal. Seen a few of those made up.
Greg Surfas

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

TJ
If it was one of the three (Mirage, Paris or Caribou) it would have had the Coachwork's lable on it.  What this appears to be is an El camino with Cadillac front end sheet metal. Seen a few of those made up.
Greg Surfas

The interior and dash was El Camino then?

[TJ Hopland]

I didn't go look at it but I'm pretty sure it was advertised as FWD so I would think it was more Eldo than Elky.    I never thought of the possibility of putting Cad sheet metal on a Chev.   Was the hood that long on the Chev?

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Eric/TJ,
There seems to have been several variations on the theme.  The bed and tailgate (from what I can see on the photo) seem to be El Camino.  The two variants have been splicing El Camino beds on Cadillac frames  to Cadillac front sheet metal, and the easiest was to take an El Camino (El Camino dash/interior) and splice Cadillac front sheet metal to it.  A whole lot of options available to someone who wants to do this, but seemingly is no less extensive than the original concept of taking a Cadillac and building a bed and tail gate.  Tailgates were typically built out of the Cadillac trunks since the rear quarter sections were Cadillac.
Still want to hear from anyone who actually (today) has one of the conversions.
Greg Surfas