Two Owner Eldorado Biarritz 4.1 Liter V8

Perhaps you remember the luxury car wars waged between Cadillac and Lincoln in the waning days of traditional American sedans. Outside some upscale restaurant one valet retrieves a Lincoln Mark VII while another retrieves a Cadillac Eldorado. As the respective owners climb in, the Lincoln driver glances over at the Cadillac's folding top and says, “Whoa, that thing is cool!” And the drop-top Caddy motors off a firm winner of the night's battle of egos. The name Eldorado began as the Spanish words "el dorado" meaning “the gilded one” or “the golden one”. And despite the title's eventual reference to the famous lost city, it's also tied to some not-so-unattainable treasure. A grand tourer whose rarity equals its comfort, this awesome 1984 Eldorado Biarritz is ready for both the open road and a trip to your favorite cruise spot! If you're in the market for a low buck collector car that can be driven and enjoyed to the fullest extent, you've officially struck gold.

That's right; in 1984 Cadillac officially introduced a convertible version of its highly optioned Eldorado Biarritz. It was a mere 200 pounds heavier than its coupe counterpart while retaining the same luxurious interior and possessing twice as much road trip appeal. But unfortunately, in typical GM fashion, the cool concept's production days were limited and 1985 marked the last factory-built Eldorado drop top. Because of their exclusive status, these cars are now highly sought by a specialized group of collectors; and this mostly original cruiser is a great example of why they continue to be so popular. If you're looking for luxury that involves absolute silence, a ride that borders on that of a hovercraft, and acres of stretch-out room, there's just nothing like a big, cushy Cadillac.

Looking solid in its second coat of correct Strathmore White paint, this two-owner Biarritz has been well-maintained by very fussy parents, and currently shows just 68,801 original miles. The car spent most of its life in the hot and clean parts of sunny Florida, and one close look reveals it has never seen anything close to a harsh winter season. Aesthetically, there's no sign of body rust or significant damage anywhere. Its long fenders are straight, its door bottoms are clean, and everything is nicely presented with a subtle red pinstripe that runs from the headlights all the way to the tail lights. As far as fit and finish go, the big doors open easily, close properly and seal up tight. The fender extensions that surround those aforementioned tail lights eschew a typical cracked appearance for correct form and factory solidity. Equally as surprising as the body's condition is the absolutely brilliant white vinyl top, which shows no major stains or discoloration, and retains tight and pliable seams. The big chrome grille and bumpers, relics of an era that's behind us, are in excellent condition perfectly matching the stainless strips that line the car's rocker panels. The long stainless strips that begin on the front fenders and stretch to the rear of the roof are bright and shiny, as is the rest of the window trim. Glass is good all around; and all the car's original emblems are present and accounted for.

Power comes from a reliable 4.1 liter HT-4100 V8 which provides an excellent mix of torquey thrust and thrifty fuel economy. This engine, noted for its advanced aluminum block, traditional cast iron heads and beefy 8.5 to 1 compression, is a great luxury car powerplant that happily goes about its business without troubling the driver or passengers. And while you're not likely to take home many street racing victories, you're certainly not going to be late either. The condition of the car's engine bay is further testament to its easy life away from the harsh salt and slush of winter; fittings are still bright and shiny, there's no rust on the inner fenders or firewall, and wiring remains corrosion free. There's a ton of original parts in here, and a distinct lack of the rigged or hijacked stuff that's common when one of these cruisers falls into the hands of someone who can't afford proper service. And everything is in operational condition with items like undamaged coolant and washer fluid bottles and fresh looking belts and hoses. If there's a better long-distance cruiser than this, I can't imagine what it is!

The only transmission available on the Biarritz was GM's sturdy Turbo Hydramatic 325-4L 4-speed automatic which drives a tall set of 3.15 gears. A traditional coil springs independent suspension combines with a nice 114 inch wheelbase to soak up bumps and road imperfections while remaining composed in turns. Naturally there's factory power steering to cast away all those “drives like a barge” comments annoying car poseurs quip. Likewise, brakes are power assisted discs at all four corners. And the exhaust system is a single pipe setup which utilizes a fresh muffler and a fresh tail pipe to emit barely a murmur as the smooth V8 labors away. The chassis is essentially what you'd expect from a well-traversed cruiser with solid and clean floors that display no evidence of abuse, neglect, or damage. And all this cushy Americana rides on snazzy 15 inch aluminum wheels which spin 215/70 Michelin X Radial whitewalls around Cadillac center caps.

This car's red and white leather interior is what today's marketers would call “traditional American luxury.” With wide seat cushions made of glove-soft leather, it's like your grandmother's living room on wheels. The red and white combination is striking and somewhat flashy, perhaps suggesting that the people who ordered this car originally were more than just “traditional Americans.” The front buckets are comfortable, if not especially supportive in the corners; but that's OK because this car is designed to hammer across the plains of Texas at 80MPH, not carve curves. The wood-trimmed dash and steering wheel are in excellent condition with a full array of digital gauges keeping an eye on the car's mechanicals. Electronic climate control was standard equipment, and at the push of a button, it'll also tell you about the temperature outside. In back, there's an almost limousine-like amount of legroom below a wide red and white leather couch that's so big you'll have a new place to let house guests spend the night. Everything works from the power windows to the climate control. And if you don't feel just a little important behind the wheel of this drop top, it's certainly not the car's fault.

These Cadillacs really were among the last of the traditional American luxury cars, where isolation from the road was paramount and handling dynamics were a bit of an afterthought. That said, they CAN be a lot of fun to drive and they STILL have a quality about them that makes you feel like you're behind the wheel of something special. Not a lot of these cars were saved as collector's items, making clean, low-mileage specimens very difficult to find. And if you're talking acres of cool per dollar, this Biarritz is the reigning champion!