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One of One 59 eldorado Biarritz at auction

Started by johnnyfargo, February 22, 2014, 07:20:20 PM

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johnnyfargo

I am new here looking for advice,I am interested in a 59 Eldorado Biarritz at auction. It is represented as "documented factory built one of one"

How can this be verified?

Does Cadillac provide this information?

This will of course add interest to the car if true,but how can it be properly verified?

Any help much appreciated,

Thanks in advance,
johnny Fargo

David Greenburg

Why is it "one of one"? Color? Interior? The cowl data plate will tell a lot. If you can get that information and post it here, folks on this board will be able to tell you quite a bit about the car. Lots of knowledge here.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

Scot Minesinger

This was advertised on e-bay before about a year or two ago.  The photos showed an assembled running car, but upon talking with the owner the car was in pieces divided into three locations and suffered "some rust typical of cars of the late fifties".  Be very careful.  The owner was planning on restoring it, but decided to sell it.  The owner wanted a very high price.  However, I heard that this is true that it is the first 59 Eldorado.  Richard Sills wrote to me about it and he may remember more.  The pictures show it red, less stainless side moldings, white top, owned by a doctor originally, or something similar like that.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Johnny,
Just remember some sellers & dealers will say ANYTHING, repeat, ANYTHING, to hype & sell a car. If this is in fact car # 1 ,stay away. I hope that others that have had direct experience with this car chime in. For a car to be "one of one", it has to be exactly that. One built, one survived. If they made 1500... it's one of 1500. The fact that it's body 1, body 1500 or body 642  , it makes no difference. If you simply want the bragging rights to having body #1 of any car, that's up to you & your wallet.
HTH, 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.

Quentin Hall

        I came so close to buying that 59 Eldo Fw 1 Vin # 10 when the price was (almost) right ten years back. . . and yes I would have bought it for bragging rights or just being the first one. Same goes for the first 57 Biarritz Fw 1 Vin #1. People said it was worth no more or less than every other 57 Biarritz but it went for $700k restored a few years back. Double what any other 57 has sold for that I am aware of.
        I think the overhyped days of the 59 are sort of behind us. Still a lovely car but now that I am a little older and wiser , er make that a little older . . . I prefer other model Cadillacs. Don't get me wrong still love 59s and it will be a stunner but not a one off and probably can't see it being a million dollar car for quite a while despite what we all thought (me included) a few years back.
        The 57 being the very first 57 Cadillac not just the first Biarritz got me excited just cos that is my favourite year and model. But I am presently more than happy to own it's 382nd sister.
         Now if someone can find me the first 53 Eldo FW1 in artisan ochre (believed destroyed by the factory?) then we are talking.       
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

johnnyfargo

Thanks for trying to help me on this,they are saying that this car is itself a unique one of one special order,not that it is body or car number one.


They are stating that they have documentation that this was the only car produced in this color and trim.

Is it possible to prove this? I contacted the auction,no reply yet,here is the body tag.

Let me know what this reveals.

thanks,
johnny

Jerry Puma

The data plate shows that the car is Body number 1193, not 1, but the "SO" next to trim indicates that the interior differs from what was offered across the board as an interior choice, so it can possibly be the only one of its type made. You will also see the two staples on the bottom edge of the tag - these held the paper tag that indicated the SO. I have seen only one car that still has the paper tag, a 1961 owned by a friend.
Jerry Puma
1964 Eldorado
1961 Series 62 6-window

Grant Owen

Jerry do you think you could get a pic of the tag, I know its mad but one of my 59's I am restoring has SO interior so I thought I would make a repo paper tag & reattach it.

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Guys,
Yes, a SO interior. In order to make the statement that it's the only one with that type of SO, they would have to compare ALL 1959 Eldos built. There's only one guy that may have that info, Bill Refakis. Maybe he'll chime in.
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.

C.R. Patton II



Hello Bob

Do you think John should obtain the VIN# to send to Allied Vaughn for authenticity of the automobile?
All good men own a Cadillac but great gentlemen drive a LaSalle. That is the consequence of success.

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

CR,
The unmolested data plate speaks for itself. A SO car. But... what is the SO? Unlike the 54 & earlier invoices, the cars as built sheets don't say what the SO is.
So... my question still remains, how does the seller know what the SO is, and how did he compare it with all the other 59 Eldos?
Jerry, what did the seller tell you???
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.

wrefakis

Yes I know this car well,the only special thing on it is the carpets,dash,and wheel are green as opposed to grey that would be normally supplied with a white interior.
The only way to prove any claims would be to view every so from 59,and have copies of the sheets,they do not,and have not.

No matter,the auction claims on the black car they are running,which for the record is a one of one so car,are beyond even the green one,and I owned it,so I do know its history well.

here is an untouched body tag from a 59 so car,note,no staples!