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Purchased Indy Pace Car 43 Today

Started by 76eldo, February 12, 2020, 08:52:20 PM

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76eldo

I have always been intrigued by the 73 Indy Pace Car Eldorado convertibles.
I never had the urge to own one until I saw a post here a while ago about the one that was called the “Winner’s” car which was number 43 out of the 53 track cars.

After emailing and then speaking to Tim Pawl, the Indy Pace Car expert, he verified the the car in question was the actual car awarded to Gordon Johncock as the winner of the 1973 Indy 500.

I spoke to the owner on the phone and we agreed on a price so I decided to practice  what I preach and fly in to see the car in person and drive it.

The car checked out so it’s my latest acquisition.  I sold the 60 Eldo Seville yesterday so i have a spot in the garage for it.

Here are a few pics.  It needs a little cosmetic TLC but it’s very worthwhile and having the history of being the winners car in pretty excited to own it.

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

Bill Balkie 24172

Congratulations Brian ,
         It looks like a great car and a lot of fun . I wish you a lot of luck with it .
         

             Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

76eldo

Thanks Bill
I’m sure you will see it in person.

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

hornetball

Congrats Brian.  Very cool.  I had my '74 out on a race track last weekend -- for parade laps.  I wonder if your car had any suspension modifications to handle its pace car duties?

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

The actual pace cars were highly modified. From a
Cammed up 1970 500 inch motor to highly modified suspension to a lot
Of other factory tricks. There is a book Tim Prawl has put together on these cars.

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-

Barry M Wheeler #2189

#5
I'll be like 90% of "wanna-be" car nuts and say "I had one of those just like it but it wasn't the Pace Car, just the same color..."

I actually went to Plainfield, IN and looked at a real Pace Car, but it wasn't as nice as the regular one I was contemplating. It still had the flags in the trunk and the covers in the bumper holes. You will enjoy driving it. I loved going down the streets of our small town at 20 MPH and all you could hear was the noise of the tires on the asphalt.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

76eldo

#6
I had a 30 minute phone conversation with Tim Pawl last week. I was amazed at the Information that he has on these cars.  His car sounds pretty amazing.  He told me that there were two modified cars for actual pace car duty. One was used and the other was for backup.

There were a number of the cars with the flag holder rear bumper, I forget how many he said. There were 8 cars with chrome air cleaner lids and chrome valve covers. Among those 8 was number 43 which was given to the winner of the race.

We talked about the way these cars were striped and the special Goodyear tires that they had. He knew that this car was the Gordon Johncock car and it it documented by VIN in the authenticity manual.

First order of business will be to go over the car mechanically and check out the brakes and front end completely. It does ride nice and tight and has only 45,000 miles.

Should be interesting to sort out and get the AC working again.

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

chrisntam

Congrats!  I didn’t know they had palm trees in Pennsylvania.... ;)
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

The Tassie Devil(le)

Congratulations Brian,

Did you drive it home?

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

76eldo

I didn’t know what to expect as far as condition so I rented a car drive to Jupiter Fl to see the car after flying into West Palm Beach airport. It was a 20 minute drive and flights to Fl are cheap. After purchasing the car I drove to the west coast of Fl to visit my brother in Naples Fl.

I’ll be flying home on Saturday and will have the car transported back.

I already added it to my Hagerty policy and was told I’m fully insured during transport. The car feels like it would have made the trip back but I’d rather fly back instead.

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

D.Smith


Cape Cod Fleetwood

Congrats Brian, a very unique Cadillac!
Gordon Johncock is sill alive, but at 83 who knows for how much longer.
Any plans to get him to the car, or the car to him, for photos and maybe an
autograph on the car? Wouldn't hurt the car's value any, just a thought.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Johncock


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

hornetball

Interesting biography.  It looks like the 1973 victory was bittersweet and marred by fatalities.

Jeff Wilk

Oooooh.....ahhhhhhh.........and NICE.  Congratulations Brian and awesome job on validation of its provenance!!!
"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

76eldo

I don’t know how forthcoming the Johncock family is based on what the seller of the car told me about his attempts to contact them.

Maybe if I go through Tim I would be more successful.

I’d love to have some photos and any other info that may be available.
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

Dan LeBlanc

The car could not have found a better caretaker.  Congratulations Brian.
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

76eldo

Thank you Dan and others.
It’s a really nice car that I think I can make into an outstanding car.

The people I bought it from liked the car but it was inherited from the wife’s father.
They only used it for occasional rides with the kids with the top down and didn’t have any real passion for it.

Their decision to sell was a great opportunity for me.
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

harry s

Congrats on your acquisition. It is always nice to be able to find and get a "bucket list" car.     Harry
Harry Scott 4195
1941 6733
1948 6267X
2011 DTS Platinum

35-709

Nice.  Congratulations, Brian.
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

Cadillac Fleetwood

Congratulations on acquiring a real one, and with a pedigree too!  A piece of Cadillac history for the fortunate few.  Back in the day, the Cadillac dealers marketed REPLICAS. Our dealership, Marvin K. Brown Cadillac, had a replica on the showroom, that I got to sit in. Only commonality with the "real thing" was the color, trim, and decals.

-Charles Fares
Forty-Five Years of Continuous Cadillac Ownership
1970 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 DeVille Convertible
1989 Fleetwood

"The splendor of the most special occasion is rivaled only by the pleasure of journeying there in a Cadillac"