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1956 Eldorado Seville Prototype

Started by Charles D. Barnette, October 28, 2009, 05:57:15 PM

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Otto Skorzeny

I've seen that car before. I don't think it has anything to do with GM or prototype or anything.


I don't think he has any documentation to back up the "prototype" claim.

Somebody just modified it.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

Carfreak

Quote

"The only other known automobile to have similar parts was the 1956 Cadillac Eduardo Braugham concept car"


Eduardo Braugham? 

I don't believe that's his real name.  What do you think Otto?   :D
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

Chris Conklin

Quote from: CarFreak on October 28, 2009, 06:02:37 PM
I don't believe that's his real name.  What do you think Otto?   :D

Austin Craigslist strikes again!  :D
And is it Otto or Forrest? Hmmmm...

It is a pretty car though. Pretty enough that the story is not necessary.
Chris Conklin

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Quote from: Otto Skorzeny on October 28, 2009, 06:00:05 PM
I've seen that car before. I don't think it has anything to do with GM or prototype or anything.


I don't think he has any documentation to back up the "prototype" claim.

Somebody just modified it.

That's right, Forrest. Didn't we beat that dead horse enough  a few months ago?  Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

Richard Sills - CLC #936

Several months ago, a man wrote a letter to Cars & Parts magazine, saying that he worked at Capitol Cadillac in Washington, DC in 1954, and remembers a 1954 Cadillac sedan with four headlights that was made for then-Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson, who had been President of GM from 1941 to 1953.  The car also had some special gold trim on the interior.

According to the writer, he took the car to the District's motor vehicle inspection station to get the inspection sticker that would be required so that Mr. Wilson could license the car.  The DC inspector failed the car because of the quad headlights and some non-standard feature of the exhaust system.  When the writer returned to Capitol Cadillac and reported the problem to the dealership's owner, Floyd Akers, Mr. Akers instructed him to go right back to the inspection station, and not go through the line again, but just pull up out front.  He did as instructed, and no sooner did he bring the car to a halt than someone rushed out of the inspection station to scrape off the "rejected" sticker and put on an "approved" sticker. 
Such was the influence of the Cadillac dealer in those days, combined with the fact that the car was to be delivered to the Secretary of Defense. 

Of course I can't personally verify this story, but it does suggest that some cars were produced with quad headlights before they became regularly available.


 


Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

#6
Richard, I'm not disputing your story. The point is that quad headlites were illegal  some states untill late 1957. Driving around with those lites would be an invitation for a ticket.  But, I'll repeat what I posted the last time re the 56 Seville. That car was NOT a prototype. It was owned for 25 or more years by a well known parts vendor in Pa. I saw it there many times.  This is his story. Sometime AFTER the quads came out in 1958 on the non brougham cars, someone discovered that there was enough room to install the quad buckerts in a 56. Some # of cars were converted.  The work could have doe in Pa. This may be the only one left. As I said before, Ebayers & auction sellers will say anything to make their item "special"  Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

veesixteen

It is featured in the "Dream Cars" section of the Cadillac Database, along with at least one other.  Perhaps the build sheet might tell the story ...but I'm not ready to fork out $50 to find out.
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

Otto Skorzeny

It looks like a Checker cab in that photo.
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

Walter Youshock

Those look like standard 1958 headlight bezels.

To successfully do that, the fenders would also have to have been spliced.  Plus, the 1958 Autronic-Eye would have to be installed.

There is an interesting comment in the appendix of Hendry's book about a Rolls-Royce designer explaining the difference of designing a car with 4 headlights vs. 2.

Some cars look fine with them and some don't.  It all has to do with the overall presentation of the front end--bumper height, gullwing angle, etc.

Do they look bad on any '59 or an '89 Brougham?  What if a '65 had 2 lights instead of 4?
CLC #11959 (Life)
1957 Coupe deVille
1991 Brougham

Otto Skorzeny

Generally speaking I've always preferred the look of two headlight designs. They give the car a more natural and friendly face. =)
fward

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for YOURSELF

HUGE VENDOR LIST CLICK HERE

Carfreak

#11
Quote from: Walter Youshock on October 29, 2009, 07:51:51 PM

There is an interesting comment in the appendix of Hendry's book about a Rolls-Royce designer explaining the difference of designing a car with 4 headlights vs. 2.

Some cars look fine with them and some don't.  It all has to do with the overall presentation of the front end--bumper height, gullwing angle, etc.


The first example that came to mind was the 70 vs 71/72 Chevelle. 

My preference is the 4 headlights; more pleasing IMO.  The 2 headlights looks 'cheap' in comparison. 
For most cars with a smaller round headlight, I prefer 4. 

As for the car that is the topic of this thread, I agree with Otto - don't look good!!!    >:(
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

Alan Harris CLC#1513

I disbelieve all of these stories about quad headlight prototypes. This was a popular thing to do at one time. The J.C. Whitney catalogue actually sold kits to do this conversion in the late fifties and early sixties. I have seen other cars that have had the same headlight change up to and including a Mark II Continental.

Myself, I think that they look better without the four eyes. This car is on a par with the Ludwig 1959-60 convertible. I hope that nobody falls for this claptrap.

veesixteen

I think you mean "Luvdg", not "Ludwig".  We haven't seen any of his "fabrications in some time !
Yann Saunders, CLC #12588
Compiler and former keeper of "The Cadillac Database"
aka "MrCadillac", aka "Veesixteen"

Cadillac1955

Hello,

The double headlight beams came in 1958 as a aftermarket option...
Andrè Aga

Cadillac Coupe de Ville 1955
Cadillac Coupe de Ville 1964 "The Apollo"
Cadillac Conv. 1965

35-709

4 headlights were a standard feature from the factory on Cadillacs and other GM cars for 1958.
Geoff N.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Cadcliff

About 20+ years ago I had run across 2 56 Eldorados with quad lights out here in SoCal.
All were converted well after the cars were sold new.
Cliff Graubard
CLC #1430

1955 Cadillac Broadmoor Wagon x3
1956 Cadillac Broadmoor Wagon- One of two
1955 Eldorado- bronze
1961 Cadillac Biarritz-bucket seats
1964 CDV- Silver/Red Every option
1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
1940 and 1941 60S
1961 Cadillac Convertible
1965 Cadillac Convertible

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Thanks, Cliff. Some people are just hard to convince about certain things that were done 40 or 50 years ago. Before their time either age wise or interest wise I guess. Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

The Tassie Devil(le)

Going on from the Quad Headlight Debate, it took a lot of convincing by the Auto Makers to let the Government to allow them to use Rectangular Headlights, and the same goes for these "modern" multi-shaped Headlight covers.

It is the Stylists that dictate what is required, not the Safety considerations.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Barry Norman

In 1957, Lincoln had quad headlights for their cars. The upper two were the large , regular dual beam lamps. The lower two were smaller , high beams only which could also be turned off by a switch on the steering column. The owner's manual lists the states where the quad lighting was not legal. Cars sold new in these states had a decorative blank-out in place of the lower lamps.
Barry Norman