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1956 E. B. Town Car in the news

Started by Charles D. Barnette #1465, December 22, 2005, 04:02:42 PM

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Charles D. Barnette #1465

At the Boca Raton Collector Car Auction on Febuary 10-12, 2006, at the Royal Palm Polo Grounds, Boca Raton, Florida, the 1956 Eldorado Brougham Town Car will once again face the auction block. This automobile is of course of Motorama fame and in my opinion is the most beautiful Cadillac ever made. Never mind that it never went into production and does not have an engine. When I purchased my 1958 Eldorado Brougham in 1985 the whereabouts of the Town Car was unknown. Joe Bortz rescued it from a wrecking yard in 1989 where it was supposed to be destroyed. Dick Baruk became the current owner in the late nineties and saw the car through to a complete restoration. I hope and pray that if there is a new owner, it is someone or some entity that will carefully preserve this vehicle recognizing it for the American automotive history it represents. I will be most unhappy it it falls into foreign hands as it belongs to America. Charles D. Barnette

Richard Sills - CLC #936

I was privileged to see this car several years ago in Mr. Baruks warehouse, where he had it revolving on a turntable similar to what I recall seeing at the Motoramas.  It was an experience I will never forget.  I share your hope that this car remains in the hands of a good "curator" who will make it accessible on occasion for historians to study and for hobbyists to admire.

Richard  

Stephen Kirkwood

Charles:  Thanks for your info/comment.  May I ask, is there still in existance an Eldorado Brougham Owners Group, or some such organization of E.B. owners?  Would you know of any E.B. owner(s) in the Washington, D.C. area?  thanks in advance.


Charles D. Barnette #1465

There is not unfortunately a current Eldorado Brougham Association in existence. Through the club we do have Mr. Vic Brincat to answer questions regarding the Eldorado Brougham. He can be reached at vicbrincat@eldobrghm.com. Also there is an Eldorado Brougham Yahoo site found at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/EldoradoBrougham5758. TARGET=_blank>http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/EldoradoBrougham5758.

Charles D. Barnette #1465

The current owner is Mr. Dick Baruk of Detroit, Michigan. I along with Joe Bortz helped with obtaining the original phone (which accidentally got left behind at the wrecking yard) for the chauffeurs compartment. Before Mr. Baruk got the phone for restoration to be reinstalled in the car, the phone spent one night secure and guarded in my bedroom at my home in Texarkana, Texas. Therefore I feel very close to the car. Charles D. Barnette

David Temple

Note that on February 11, 2006 the 1956 Eldorado Brougham Town Car will be near Miami (Boca Raton) where it was exactly 50 years ago for the GM Motorama held there on February 4-12, 1956.

Charles D. Barnette #1465

Remember that the Motorama 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car goes on the auction block this Saturday. Last year the Motorama 1954 Oldsmobile F88 sold for 3 Million dollars at Scottsdale and last month the Motorama 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special sold for 2.8 Million at Scottsdale. Can the Town Car keep up the momentum established for Motorama cars? It will be interesting to see. You can follow the action at http://www.rmauctions.com. TARGET=_blank>www.rmauctions.com. Charles D. Barnette

Yann Saunders, 12588

Hi Charles.  Without a motor, I dont think the EB Town Car will reach $300,000.  It would be worth ten times that if it had been built as an operable car by GM/Cadillc.  But it was NOT. So, to make it operable, you would need to "destroy" the entire "Show Car" concept it represents.  I, personally, would not travel that road.  Some wise guys tried it with the PF-bodied Cadillac "Jacqueline" styling exercise and that did not get them very far (now theres a "car" we have not heard of in a long time - it appers to have gone underground, at least until the storm dies down, I guess).

Barry M. Wheeler #2189

I first saw the town car at Fran Roxas warehouse. The CLC Board had met in Chicago, and a tour of Frans facilities was made after we finished. (This was a powerful incentive to finish early.) It was tucked away in a dark corner, so it was impossible to really "see" it. Also, the Knudson 38 V-16 had just been brought in, still on a trailer. Talk about two famous cars within 75 feet of one another! As soon as I got home, I pulled the Schneider V-16 book out my library and showed my wife, saying "Would you believe that I touched this car three hours ago?" She looked up and said, "So?"

Gay thinks that "they" keep a big warehouse full of wonderfully restored old cars available for shows and whatever just so the public can look at them from time to time, as they all look alike to her after a time.

David Temple

The 1956 Eldorado Brougham Town Car DID originally have an engine and transmission. They were standard Cadillac items (365, Hydra-Matic). I know this because of my research for the Motorama book I have written. Chuck Jordan, the former GM Vice President of Design, told me that he had the engine and transmission removed prior to the car being sent to Warhoops where it was to have been destroyed. These were donated to a local high school. However, the car did not run. The current owner of the EBTC told me the original dash was carved from solid wood. The dash had rotted beyond restoration and was replaced with a steel dash from a parts car. There was no wiring harness going from the dash to the engine. The EBTC also was built with a fake fuel tank made of fiberglass. Obviously, the car was never intended to run, but it did have a complete drivetrain when first built.

Pat

who is the current owner of the EBTC?

Yann Saunders, 12588

Dick Baruk,  unless he sold it in the last 3-4 years.  

As to the cars having an engine or not, I did hear from Joe Bortz, who found the Town Car at Warhoops, some 10 years ago, that a 56 motor and transmission had been found that would fit the car.  He did not say "THE" motor.  However, if Chuck said the car was originally motorized, then that is so and the confirmation will surely turn up in factory records for XP48 (special order #2491).  

Were brakes and steering hooked up ? If not then the car was still nothing more than a pushmobile.

Charles D. Barnette #1465

The current owner is a fellow member of CLC and is the gentleman Dick Baruk of Michigan. But Gals and Guys whether or not there is a motor currently-this is a Motorama item, it is beautiful, it is elegance, it is the kind of design that defines Cadillac, it is Eldorado Brougham heritage, it is Harley Earl, and one of a kind brought back literally from the dead. It is what led me to see it for the first time in 1999 at Dick Baruks "auto home" wearing my full dress tuxedo with tails brought all the way from Texarkana to Detroit especially for the occasion despite the record Detroit snow storm! Do not be surprised if the automobile goes for between One Million and Three Million Dollars at the auction. Charles D. Barnette

David Temple

A previous owner of the EBTC, the late Roy Warshawsky, had reportedly planned on installing a 1956 Cadillac engine in the car. The engine went with the car when Dick Baruk bought it. The steering is operable and assume it always was so. I know nothing about the brakes, but assume it had a functional system just to make stopping it from one or two miles per hour (pushing speed) easier. -- David Temple, #22317

Yann Saunders, CLC #12588

Im hearing you, Charles, and I know in my heart that the car is worth a lot more than I feel it will actually fetch at auction.  Dick has made prior attemps to sell it (e.g. on eBay), without garnering much interest, financially speaking.

Nevertheless, the fact that RM is handling the auction will surely attract a more eclectic group of moneyed potential buyers (as would also, say, a Craig Jackson or a Dean Kruse)  ...but THOSE folks are looking for automobiles, not static models.

As the French say:  Laissez faire et voir venir [let it (the auction) happen and see what transpires].

Stephen J. Kirkwood, 22722

Charles:  Sincere thanks for your kind response and information.  cheers.

Eric Maypother CLC #15104

Hi all,
Even if the car is inoperable its not much different from the cars people spend tons of money on restoring them ground up, new paint, brakes, rebuilt motor etc. Then never driving the car anyways, the cars are just show pieces. I see cars for sale that will say 0 miles since restoration 5 years ago,
Eric :)

Dick Heller

Cant a Northstar and a transmission be dropped in?

Yann Saunders, 12588

Anything is possible; they could even make it fly although that might be impractical!

If youve got the latest Self Starter magazine you will have seen the photos and read the article by Dale Armstrong on his 1958 EB #587 fitted with the Northstar.  There is another one like it (cant remember the number right now).