1974 Eldorado Convertible - considering buying... input?

[Peter Gariepy 26457]

interior is junk but functional
overall not a bad car. zero rust.  runs, drives and stops well.
top goes up and down (top material is a 5 on scale of 1-10)

whats it worth?

peter

[gary griffin]

   Value is based on perception. Are you looking for a car that could easily be made into a driver or something to restore?

   There are guides but your own gut will tell you if it is the car for you. I figure the "Worth" of my cars is immaterial to me and only matters to my children when I can no  longer drive them.

   Aside from that is is a minor money pit and If I had the room and it was near to me I would park it in my garage if the price made sense considering the market value and the estimated price to get it into the condition that I wanted it to be in..

[Peter Gariepy 26457]

Just looking for a driver/beater.  Dont plan an extensive restoration, simply want to get it into fully drivable condition, put the top down, and enjoy it a few times a week.

FYI:  The asking prices is less than $3000.

[TJ Hopland]

Interior looks like the only real issue.  Is it damaged?  Or just dirty?  I see people asking a heck of a lot more for less.   Outside looks decent and it does not look like it needs body fillers which most do at this age so that saves a lot of hassle.   Same with the top being decent, that saves a bunch of money.   I see the weatherstrip is rotted pretty bad but its not crazy expensive and if you are thinking 90% top down it won't really matter much.     Seats are likely the same in the hard tops which tend to be in better condition and sell for much less so chances are decent you could find better seats especially since you have the possibility of blue or white. 

[76eldo]

If it's really rust free and runs well for about $2000.00 it's worth doing something.

BUT, A top is at least $1000, weatherstripping is expensive, the dash is bad, and if it needs rear fillers it's costly.  And the seats... what happened there... plus no radio at all?

I think if you spend about $5000 you could find a nicer car and have far less hassle.

Brian

[cadillacmike68]

Did the Cadillac Convertible market tank in the last 10 years?  I paid 3K for my 68, which has some rust on the front fenders (and deck-lid edge), a torn front seat, completely inop climate control, and a not so great repaint - for starters.

And that was 17 years ago.

Or are you just cheapskates? 

I'd buy this one unless there was something else seriously wrong with it. Last year of the round headlights. I'd prefer a 71, but beggars can't be choosers.

[76eldo]

Mike,

Ebay gives you a good idea of what's going on price-wise.

I'm just saying that at $2,000 plus throwing in another grand or two to make it liveable, you might as well spend about $5,000 for a decent driver.  They are out there...

Brian

[Peter Gariepy 26457]

ebay prices are all over the board.  One of the reasons I asked.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Cars-Trucks-/6001/i.html?Body%2520Type=Convertible&_dmpt=US_Cars_Trucks&_fln=1&_fsct=0&_gcs=13&_ipg=50&_mqf=0&_pcats=6000&_qfkw=1&_sc=1&_sofindtype=22&_sop=10&_trksid=p4506.c0.m273&_myi=1970-76&_fpos=85715&_lsbx=0&_fspt=0&_flso=0&Make=Cadillac&Model=Eldorado

[cadillacmike68]

Mike,
Ebay gives you a good idea of what's going on price-wise.
I'm just saying that at $2,000 plus throwing in another grand or two to make it liveable, you might as well spend about $5,000 for a decent driver.  They are out there...
Brian

Aha!, maybe I'll buy another convertible when i get home! Don't tell wifey 

[pinkcaddy96]

A cool "land barge"....end of an era....never to come back again...like they say, go with your gut feeling.  You will never regret it!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Peter,

Seems like a reasonable ca to me, and the price depends on what you really want.

As for the interior, a nice set of cheap seat covers will make it look a million dollars, and don't forget that the seats out of an Eldorado Coupe are interchangeable, and most Coupes have a better chance of useable upholstery than a Convertible that has had the top down and suffered sun damage.

I would have no hesitation in buying it if I needed one, but my own '72 will have to do for me, till I kark it.

The weatherstripping isn't that expensive, and I got mine from Metro.

Bruce.

[Caddyjack]

Ask them what happened to the original hood? Was it in a wreck? Or did it just get rusted? The hood on it is a '77 or '78.

[Alan Harris CLC#1513]

1973 and 1974 were both terrible years for cars generally. They barely ran right when they were new, due to the not-yet-perfected emission controls. Their build quality was atrocious. Cadillacs of that era are what drove our upper classes into Mercedes and BMW's.

Even at a cheap price, I think that you can find other cars that are more worthy of your time and effort.

[Louis Smith]

1973 and 1974 were both terrible years for cars generally. They barely ran right when they were new, due to the not-yet-perfected emission controls. Their build quality was atrocious. Cadillacs of that era are what drove our upper classes into Mercedes and BMW's.

Even at a cheap price, I think that you can find other cars that are more worthy of your time and effort.

While the negatives you pointed out are most certainly accurate, especially with the introduction of the catalytic converter in 1974, and the propensity for quickly rusting.  I think the cars of that era set all time records for sales, with the exception of the 1974 models, which I believe was due to the oil embargo and rapid rise in gas prices. Cadillac set the pace for styling in this era. The 1974 coupe deVilles carried on the Eldorado styling with having non moving rear windows, introduction of hood ornaments etc.  These were eventually used by all manufacturers.  I think that the 70's were one of Cadillacs best decades for styling.

[Davidinhartford]

I see a money pit.   Even though you just want a driver, the "Might as well" syndrome catches you pretty easy. 

Even though the price is right,  you will easily triple that just getting it up to cruise night standards.

[Louis Smith]

I drove a 1974 Eldorado in the 70s. It got 8 miles to the gallon in city driving. It may end up costing you more in gas than you pay for the car itself.

1974 was a bad year for Cadillac sales, due to the oil embargo.  Up until that time, most folks that bought Cadillacs weren't all that concerned with gas mileage.  Ironically, it appears as though once we got used to much higher gas prices, Cadillac sales rebounded in 1975.

[cadillacmike68]

1973 and 1974 were both terrible years for cars generally. They barely ran right when they were new, due to the not-yet-perfected emission controls. Their build quality was atrocious. Cadillacs of that era are what drove our upper classes into Mercedes and BMW's.

Even at a cheap price, I think that you can find other cars that are more worthy of your time and effort.

Ouch! 

but true. 1970 is my cutoff year. I don't like from 1971 thru 1991 because of increasing emissions and then fuel economy strangulation of the engines.

But the early 70s did look nice up through 1974.  The rectangular headlights flat faced front end of 1975 was really a nose dive in styling though, that was not recovered from until 1991 or so.

And yes 74 was the worst year on record for fuel economy in the US auto market. The late 73 arab oil embargo caught everyone flat footed. The 74s were already out, and nothing could be done.

[pinkcaddy96]

Gasoline price in 1974, the year I started driving, was .44 /gallon!

[Louis Smith]

Gasoline price in 1974, the year I started driving, was .44 /gallon!

Not too long before that gas was around 28-30 cents.  .44/gallon is about 50% more then we were use to paying.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Let's put it this way:

The car is free. You throw $10K at it. Will it ever be as nice as the nicest one you can find for $10K? Never in a million years. And it's not free.

I get the "only want a driver" part. Odds are however, (especially being a car guy) you'll soon grow weary of the car's shortcomings; nevermind the most basic repairs, maintenance and running costs- none of which will be cheap. And all that assumes the driveline is guaranteed never to develop a major failure. Should that occur, you're utterly sunk.

Save your pennies. Buy the right one. That you'll never regret.

My 2 cents.

Eric