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Cadillac el camino

Started by Jim Cook, June 24, 2005, 03:56:55 PM

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Jim Cook

In early 70s I saw in a Cadillac Dealership in New Orleans, La a Cadillac made like a El Camino. This was supposed to have been sold to the then owner of the New Orleans Saints football team.

  The story was that he took it tohis ranch in Texas. The question is was this special one made just for him or were there others made?

  Hope some one can answer this.

Jim Cook

Tim Pawl CLC#4383

In the 1971 -1976 time frame there were several companies selling "master craftsman" pickup conversions through Cadillac dealerships. Most were either "Caribou" or "Mirage" and there were others as well. The Caribou had a roof line like a Chevrolet El Camino Cab, whereas the Mirage had a canopy overhang over the bed so it still looked like a Coupe Deville when viewed from the side.  There are various numbers that have been , brought forward as to the quantity build... and in general  there were about 200 to 250 of each made over that time period.   I am the owner of 1 of the 1974 Caribous, Mike West  in California has a couple.

Lynn 10923

How late were these things made? I saw one a number of years ago as it passed me going the other way on the road. It resembled the body style of the early 80s Devilles, but I suppose it could have been a late 70s model. It was definitely after 76. I have no idea if it might have been done by a custom shop known for doing those, or if it was one owners idea and a one off job.

Lynn

Yann Saunders, CLC #12588

There are some in the Cadillac Database [check out the "Dream Cars" section - for want of a better category - from around 1970 through 1986].

You will see there many examples of well-known and lesser-known pick-ups from equally well-known or lesser known independent coach builders, including [in alphabetical corder] :  American-Built Cars [Caribou], American Custom Coachworks, Caruna (Switzerland - possibly just a proposal, Davis Auto Body, Formal Coach Corporation, Hillcrest Motor Car Co., Sunrise Auromobile Corporation, Traditional Coach Works [Caribous and Mirages].

So far as I know there are no published or otherwise reliable production statistics for these creations.  BTW, none had Cadillacs blessing.  We had to wait 20 years for GMs luxury brand to make its own pick-up truck !

Bill Hedge CLC 14424

   Yann is definitely right about the number of manufacturers of these vehicles.  I have been somewhat seriously looking for some time.  I have discovered that, in addition to the manufacturers mentioned by Yann, there were a number of companies that did a small number of these conversions.  I strongly suspect that these were of varying quality.

   One of the most difficult tasks is determining the value of these vehicles.    In 2004 Kruse sold a 1974 Eldo conversion at the Auburn Auction for $3,5000.  I saw this car and it needed a lot of work, and the $3,500 price was probably  fair to high considering its condition.  Supposedly this car/pickup was converted in Muncie, Indiana.  At a 2003 Kruse auction in Auburn a 1973 Coupe that had been converted to a pick up was sold for $6,700.00.  I did not determine the manufacturer of this vehicle, but I felt that the car was a “3" and probably sold for a reasonable price.  (Probably should not have dropped out of the bidding).  In my quest, I also saw a 1961 Sedan de Ville that had been converted by an individual.   My recollection is that the individual was asking $7,500.00.  I was recently the high bidder on a 79.  However, the reserve was not met and I am still not sure whether I want to go the extra money.  Unfortunately the good rust free ones in which I am interested are located in the west and I reside in Indiana.  Most of the quotes for shipping that I have received are in the $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 range.  

   One of the strangest Cadillac pickups that I looked at was a “celebrity” car.  It was supposedly a conversion of a 70s Cadillac for Evil Knievel.  I declined to purchase it because it looked like it had made one jump too many.

Jim Cook

Thanks for the response. I will keep looking for one in the south Texas or Louisiana or Mississippi.

Steve Crum- former 20999

I bought a 76 Caribou a year and a half ago out of South Carolina for what I thought was "dirt cheap". It ended a 7 day listing on ebay with no bidder. So I emailed the owner and offered him the starting bid, we had a cordial exchange of emails and phone calls that sealed the deal. It gets started up every so often to get moved. Eventually it will have its own garage bay even!

Jim Skelly, CLC #15958

I was at a Detroit-area auction a few years ago and saw a black 1979 Eldorado which had the roofline of the 1978-1987 El Camino.  It had a red Eldo interior and front clip.  I didnt bring my camera, but the seller indicated that few were made.