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Is This A 1970 Caribou? What Did I Buy??

Started by 76eldo, November 18, 2018, 11:18:47 AM

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76eldo

This car popped up on Facebook and on eBay a couple of weeks ago and on an impulse I made a deal with the seller and took my truck and trailer across the border into Canada and bought this one.

Partly because it's Byzantine gold with a black leather interior which reminds me of my first Cadillac which was a gold 70 DeVille convert with black leather. 

It's got a fiberglass roof, bed, and tailgate like a Caribou, but all the ones I have found online are a few years newer, most mid-1970's.  I have never seen a 1970 model like this.

This exact vehicle was discussed here about 2 years ago when the guy I got it from bought it from someone in KY.

My plans are to do some light restoration work on it to make it a bit nicer.  I believe it has a 69 hood on it due to the two little holes in the front edge of the hood.  The lower front fenders have the usual 1970 rust so I am looking for fenders and a hood, or a parts car.  Dash has a crack so I can use a black dash pad too.

So if anyone knows for sure who built this one, please let me know.

Thanks,

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

BJM

It looks awesome to me Brian.  Nice custom work but you are correct, what is it? 

76eldo

Someone, presumably a company, went to great lengths to make a mold for the roof, bed, and tailgate.  Doesn't appear to be a backyard conversion.  Could it be a very early Caribou?  Maybe some type of prototype worth a million bucks at Barrett Jackson?   :o :o :o

It runs strong and shifts nicely.  No funny noises except for a leaky exhaust manifold and that can be a real pain to fix.  Not much will be happening with it over the winter.

Who knows?  If anyone has any literature or factory photos of anything like that there's a steak dinner in their future.

Thanks,

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Big Apple Caddy


35-709

Yes, this very car was discussed here before as per "Big Apple Caddy's" link, looks for all the world like a Caribou.  As pointed out in the linked thread, Caribou's advertising said they started making pickup conversions in 1955 so I doubt yours is a "very early Caribou".  It is, no doubt, a rare example however, since Caribou Motors didn't really start building them in larger quantities (although still not a lot) until about 1972/'73.  The oldest one I have seen is a '65 that is in Dave Smith's archives.
You might want to check your rear floors (where the backseat passengers' feet would have been) for rust, the rear window on mine leaked and when I got it and pulled out the nasty rear carpet I was confronted with 2 good-sized holes.

Mine, now owned by my brother-in-law, below ---
 
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

76eldo

I did mention that it was discussed here previously. I already saw the thread from 2017.

By early I meant an early model for the 70's.  Every pic on Google is from 72 and newer ones.
I know it's mentioned that they started doing Jesé in 1955 but I've never seen one anywhere.

The best loki g ones to me are the 72-73 ones I've seen online.

The floors and frame seem to be extremely solid.  Oral history on the car indicates long time California ownership and then Kentucky so it hasn't been in the rust belt for too long.
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

35-709

Apologies if I unnecessarily repeated what was already said, sometimes I read too fast, sometimes I am just too old.  My Caribou went from California to Texas to me in Florida, water leaking in the rear window and rotting the rear floors had nothing to do with the rust belt.  Probably not an issue, just something I thought I would mention to check since it did happen to me.  Best of luck with it.
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

Big Apple Caddy

A red 1970 Cadillac Pickup sold at a Mecum auction in 2011 for $6,500.  No pictures on the Mecum site but the car may have looked something like the attached.

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Should I type this in green (with envy) type? Just to throw some other stuff into the mix, was this built from a Calais Coupe to start out with? Lovely, lovely truck.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

76eldo

The red one above definitely looks like a retired flower car to me.  I am saying that judging by the very chunky style B pillar.

The one I bought has more of an El Camino roof treatment and looks more sporty.

I'd love to find a parts car for this one.  Barry, it was made from a Coupe DeVille. 

Thanks,

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

35-709

Quote from: Big Apple Caddy on November 18, 2018, 02:01:35 PM
A red 1970 Cadillac Pickup sold at a Mecum auction in 2011 for $6,500.  No pictures on the Mecum site but the car may have looked something like the attached.
Flower car if it looked like the attached.
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

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

#11
I think the style played itself out with my 79 “Paris”
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

BJM

I'm a big Byzantine Gold fan like you and that brown bench seals it. 

76eldo

It's a black interior. Might look brown in the photos but it's black.

I like the colors. I also have some nice 1.6 whitewalls and the correct 70 caps too.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

BJM

It is black.  I blew up the photo and focused.  Looked like really rich chocolate brown leather.  That's a keeper. 

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: 76eldo on November 18, 2018, 11:18:47 AM
This car popped up on Facebook and on eBay a couple of weeks ago and on an impulse I made a deal with the seller and took my truck and trailer across the border into Canada and bought this one.

Partly because it's Byzantine gold with a black leather interior which reminds me of my first Cadillac which was a gold 70 DeVille convert with black leather. 

It's got a fiberglass roof, bed, and tailgate like a Caribou, but all the ones I have found online are a few years newer, most mid-1970's.  I have never seen a 1970 model like this.

This exact vehicle was discussed here about 2 years ago when the guy I got it from bought it from someone in KY.

My plans are to do some light restoration work on it to make it a bit nicer.  I believe it has a 69 hood on it due to the two little holes in the front edge of the hood.  The lower front fenders have the usual 1970 rust so I am looking for fenders and a hood, or a parts car.  Dash has a crack so I can use a black dash pad too.

So if anyone knows for sure who built this one, please let me know.

Thanks,

Brian

I LOVE THIS CAR! An El Cadamino!
Bag it, lower it, Angel Eyes, Foos wheels, etc.
Personally I hate the carpet in the rear. Paint the sides to match the car,
do the floor in wood that matches the dash, KILLER!

\m/
Laurie!
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

76eldo

#16
I also hate the black AstroTurf in the bed. What a horrible idea. Has to hold moisture   

The contact cement used will be a pain to get off but if and when it gets repainted I'd like to paint the sides of the bed in body color and do some type of wood on the bed floor.

In other pics I have seen on the web, some Caribou's have an access panel in the bed presumably to get to more storage space. Where the rear passenger footwells are, there is unused space.

Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: 76eldo on November 20, 2018, 07:46:16 AM
The contact cement used will be a pain to get off but...

I bet it will wipe right off with gasoline...

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

James Landi

Brian-- a great find... detail it and use it and love it... the 70 is a terrifically durable machine.  I hope the climate control works.... does it have auto level control or simply heavy rear springs.  Does it feel like a 70's Cadillac.  My father had two 1970's-- Sedan DeVille and a Coupe... he always said... " It's like being pampered in a baby carriage."  I liked that analogy.  Happy day,   James

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

The bed on these can be kind of dull so this is what I did with mine. Sorry for sticking my nose into this thread but these surviving conversions are so rare today it’s good to be a part of the mix.
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-