Newbie Question...

[Pinenut1]

I just purchased (yesterday) a 1973 Eldorado convertible from a guy that had it parked in his garage for the last 10 years.  The car is running but needs a little TLC.  I noticed a blue logo that says Indy 500 on the passenger rear window and it has light red pin stripping.  So my question is how do I determine if it is actually one of the 560 authentic replicas? 

[bcroe]

After I moved, my previously active 79 Eldo got parked for 11 years.  Thats changing
for the nearby GN, so its got new tires, new brake lines, hoses, and calipers, new
fuel lines, and a new timing chain.  You might need any or all of that. 

Did I mention, a 3" stainless steel exhaust?  Bruce Roe

[Pinenut1]

Believe it or not I have already got the title changed and registered and have racked up almost 200 miles with no issues except when letting off the throttle the water light flickers.  I have been going through the old posts about pace car vins and mine doesn't have the letter L in the second spot of the vin.  Does that mean its not a replica?

[Pinenut1]

Sorry I actually purchased this car day before yesterday not yesterday as originally stated.

[TJ Hopland]

Do you need any general advice on reviving a car from this era that has been sitting or have you done that before?   Any experience with 67-85 E bodies in general? 

Important tips about the convertible:   

Be sure there is nothing on the upper level of the trunk when you put the top down.   Eventually you will learn that there are some things you can put up there without hurting anything but at first its best to have nothing up there.  If you have something there that is too tall the back window breaks.

Leave the latch levers in the released position when it goes down.   If you put them to the latched position like you do for some model tops things will bind up and get damaged primarily the latches themselves which are now made again but not cheap. 

When going up when the front edge is about over your head while seated make sure the 2nd horizontal bow and its pivot arm is pointed forward.   Sometimes if things are not quite right it will want to pivot to the back.  If you catch it and help it swing forward at that point no problem (mine worked that way for years) but if you let it go the rest of the way things bind up big time and you have to un bolt things to do anything.   It won't latch or go back down till you take it apart and get things back right.   

[Pinenut1]

Thanks for the advice on the top. The locking handle on the driver side is broken so could be the cause. 

[Pinenut1]

Also after looking at the vin again it does have the L in the second spot. The dang mvd didn't put it on the new title though so I will get to go back to have that fixed.   

[Pinenut1]

TJ....I do have experience reviving a drivetrain. But I have no experience on an Eldorado.  I purchased this thing on a wim and it is really growing on me.  The top is shredded but low and behold there was a brand new top buried in the trunk.  Any advice on replacing the top?

[Pinenut1]

Couple of pictures.

[Pinenut1]

Another

[Pinenut1]

Otherside

[chrisntam]

Can't help with whether the car is a pace car, suggest you change the subject to better reflect what your question is.  Such as, "Is this car one of the 560 '73 Eldo pace cars?"  It may draw more knowledgeable traffic to your post...........

Just a thought.

chris.

[Bill Young]

On replacing the top , get a trim person who is familiar with the scissors top it is a tricky one. Seriously. Oh and in addition to the top you need new top side cables and a new rear window with the lower curtain attached.

[Pinenut1]

Good point Chris n Tampa ...  I will start looking around for someone who does tops.  Also where would I find the cables and one of the top latch handles?

[Lucas Feininger #15674]

There is clearly an L in the data tag.

[Pinenut1]

Lucas as stated above the mvd left the L out of my newly transferred title.

David thank you for the editing.. 

[Whit]

I don't know if you have had it on a lift yet, but look under the carpets for rust. Convertibles are bad about this and you said that the top was in shreds...not a good sign. Also, if it was parked for 10 years...drain the fuel tank...don't run that junk through the carb.
I have a '60 Eldorado that looked OK from the outside but, after replacing all four floor pans, both rockers and the trunk floor, you can't always tell until you get it up on a lift. Mine was a 'barn find' and I couldn't inspect the underside prior to purchase...costly.

Whit

[Pinenut1]

I did crawl my fat butt under it while on a floor jack and it actually looked solid. The top was in shreds but the owner had a car cover over it and in the barn. I haven't pulled the carpet up yet but will in the near future. I went and talked to a body shop today about complete paint and fixing the few rust spots and he round quoted me $6500. What do yall think?

[Whit]

The body shop price is right, if the quality of the work is there...always the question. Highly dependent of how much rust repair and what you get into when it is 'stripped bare'.

Whit

[Bill Young]

I would shop a bit more. I don't know how well you are fixed for funds but I got my '72 Eldorado Convertible done at the Maaco in Gainesville Georgia for $3,700.00. I will show photos shortly and you be the judge. That included stripping , rust repair and base coat clear coat plus wet sanding and polishing.