1983 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Sunroof Coupe - Review and Test Drive by Bill, Autohaus of Naples
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- The Eldorado ruled the Domestic Personal Luxury Coupe market for 50 years, and was often the flagship of the Cadillac lineup, particularly in the early years. Named for the lost city of gold in South American lore, a secretary at GM in 1952 won the naming contest, and the Eldorado was born. They only built 500 or so in the first production run of 1953, and the cars cost more than $70K in today's dollars.
After 12 or so generations, Cadillac moved away from their historical names in favor of letter and number combos, European style. Gone were the DeVilles and Fleetwoods, and in were the DTSs and CTSs. A real shame, in my opinion.
This 12th generation Biarritz is one of the most famous designs, TV and movie-wise. It starred in dozens of shows and films, many of them mafia related - who could forget Deniro getting blown up in his Eldorado in Casino, for instance?
This car is a 1983 model, with the Biarritz trim package and rare Astroroof option. It has the stainless roof, thick chrome strips down the side, pillow tufted white leather, and some extra accouterments to really up the bling factor. Unlike many modern Caddys, people will really see you coming in this one.
Full review and test drive by Bill Vehicle available at Autohaus of Naples, www.AutohausNaples.com, or at (239) 263-8500.
I have an 84. I absolutely love it. Love taking it out on nice days and just taking a drive. 80s was a hell of a time for cars.
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Glam Stachee's 1980s nostalgia lounge lol, I have to take the old videos down. Soon to start a car channel. Stay tuned if interested in 90s cars.
The condition of this vehicle is impressive. I've seen 3 year old cars with a white interior that already look like shit.
Imagine how great it would look if that luggage rack never showed up to be installed 🤔💡🙏
I can live without that damn rack myself
Easy to fix....remove it and fill the holes. Some touch up paint and you would never see it.
@@bigblockelectra never going to blend touch up paint with 1983 paint...or are you being funny😆
@@klasseact6663 you can buy claret red still......and it is a spot job. You would be the only one who knows, I've got touch up paint on a 1978 Lincoln....difficult to spot it unless I point it out
I like the rack, but the chrome mud flaps are too much with the rack. I think the rack would look better without the mud flaps. And visa-versa, the flaps would look better without the rack.
Thanks for the videos Bill. You’re one of few channels that shows these beautiful older cars in depth with good video quality. The humor in the videos is great too.
I look at that car and can taste the roast beef sandwich and cigar smoke.
and Scotch
"Johnny Roast Beef." Goodfellas
My dad had a 1971 Eldorado. I have had a soft sport for them ever since.
My dream car. Absolutely gorgeous and a timeless classic
Lol I always love how he says things to make me laugh or chuckle. Makes watching his videos worth while as seeing nice cars like this.
Hands down the best looking vehicle of the 80’s. Also, last of the real Cadillacs before the downsizing and euro chasing efforts.
Also love the white leather just something about the white when it’s in this shape
I just bought a 1991 Seville at end of the day a Cadillac is a Cadillac except for cimmaron & catera IMO
Tommy Drennan the best thing about those losers is they all did such a great good self destructed. No history of those floating around in the wild anymore.
The Buick Riviera gets the first place in my book: elegant, graceful, fluid, timeless design.
Also I remember being a very chipper Canadian in the rear seat of my grandma’s 84 black on red velour Eldo. Even had my own ash tray an lighter.
My first car was an 1984 Eldorado. Bought it while I was in the Navy in '92...very fond memories. Probably the best car I ever had and also had the pleasure of driving it from Washington State to Kentucky my home state
My dad has a '83 also, bought it brand new back then, Biarrritz with the continental wheel on the back. He still has it. The seats were not plush enough and you always felt like you were going to slide off of them. But it was a first class ride. Very beautiful.
Does the weight of the wheel on the back help stop hydroplaning in the rain?
I have a 1978, Eldorado Biarritz, 18 feet long, power everything and I love it! Pillows for seats, Gorgeous car!!
Bill, nice speaking to you. I had the 1978 Eldorado Biarritz with 7K miles that I bought off eBay by accident for $8K. I sold it around 2004 to a Caddy Club member in Kennet Square PA that could not believe how perfect the paint was. I made a $1,000 'profit' but I was more happy that it was going to a loving home.
I think this body style is one of the nicest Eldorado's. The taillights are killer
Bill. Apologizing is not like you. This Eldorado is period CORRECT. Anybody driving at the time would recognize Eldorado as the great American luxury coupe. They even made a convertible and it was fantastic.
Robert De niro with his gold necklaces and chunky gold rings is the definition of this car. For me, I'll take a fleetwood 👍
@Paulie Gualtieri yep
Technically, Eldorado was a Fleetwood sub-model. It was the Fleetwood Eldorado.
The perfect car for a Las Vegas food and beverage manager.
BOOM!!
At the beginning of the movie, he gets into I believe an 84 eldorado. Gray. I owned an identical car for a few years around 2002-5 ish until I traded it for a 75 Toronado. The olds had alot more power with the 455 front drive than the 4.1 in that eldo, but felt at the gas pump lol
First thing I thought of when I saw the car
😂😂
That brings back memories. When I was a growing up, our neighbor had a 1980 Biarritz. Gray on gray with the 368 cubic inch V8. It had Uniroyal Tiger Paws for tires. No snowstorm could stop that thing.
This is my all-time favorite Cadillac. When I was a young boy in the 1980's, a buddy of mine's parents had an '83 Biarritz identical to this one, except the exterior was turquoise, and it had a white vinyl top. I remember being completely ENAMORED by this car, and always dreamed of having one someday. In those days, when you had a Cadillac, it showed that you had mastered adulthood. Other than that HEAVENLY seatbelt chime when you first turn the car on that signifies your "arrival to opulence," my favorite feature of this car was the little green light in the Information Center on the dash that came on to inform you that the rear suspension was "LEVELING." To me at that time, that was totally WOW FACTOR. While the car was immaculate, and extremely comfortable to ride in, I remember my friend's mom telling my mom that she thought the car was demonically possessed because it was a complete maintenance nightmare from the first day they drove it home from the dealership. She was always afraid to drive it anywhere because she never knew if the car would start. If it did start, you never knew if the transmission was going to shit the bed and leave you stranded on the expressway, or some part of the electronics was going to begin sparking and starting a small fire inside the cabin or what. Being fascinated with all the buttons and switches, of course, I would always have to roll the window down and back up just one time so I could get my fix in. I remember her asking me one time not to do that anymore. She said the rule in that car was to only operate the windows IF you absolutely needed to because the fear was it would cause either an electrical short or some sort of mechanical failure that would cause the window to stop working. The power antenna went crazy and had to be permanently disconnected, and all the digital instrumentation in the middle of the dash blinked like it was having a seizure. My favorite story about the car involved the family driving down their hill when suddenly the brakes completely failed (likely the booster), and mom having to jump the curb in order to avoid crashing into an on-coming vehicle. It was a fairly new car at that time, but oh what a nightmare. Maintenance fiascos regardless, it was all part and parcel of the Cadillac "mystique" for me and made me want the car even more.
jeez, dude! Wall of text much? How about creating some paragraphs next time with spaces between paragraphs.I don't know how anyone is supposed to read that without losing their place.
My parents bought a brand new 83 Eldorado. I was 24. It was a beautiful car, and I loved driving it. It was perfectly reliable, no issues, dont know what was wrong with that woman, but the issue was with her. When my dad wanted a new car in 1992, I told him I would love to have the car, and he gave it to me. Its still going strong, I have maintained it properly, especially using the radiator pellets, which is the secret to keeping the engine alive.coolant changes every 2 years, and 3000 mile oil changes. Mine has the optional digital dash, the Bose stereo cassette, and the aluminum wheels. Dark silver exterior with a cream color leather interior. Just a beautiful car. Their was no PIMP crap when these were new, that stigma got started when they were old enough to be picked up cheap, and then customized by less than desirable standards.
That generation Eldorado came out in 1979, and it was just drop dead gorgeous when it was new. All it needed was a proper powerful Cadillac V8 engine. That 4100 was just an absolute turd that couldn't get out of its own way. Bonus points for that stainless steel roof. My father got the 1979 in a beautiful butter yellow color. It had that buttoned pillowed yellow leather interior that was comfortable for hours of driving. The stiffened handling and steering made for an improvement as well, but you had to wait 5 years for that option.
Jeez shorten up the story a little bit. I ain't got time to read all that.
@@jessekuchinski1172 Yet you still wasted the time to comment.
One of the most beautiful American car designs ever.
Thank you again Bill!! I am almost 51 and these cars were my youth! Great car full of what is lacking in vehicles today; PERSONALITY!!!! Keep doing what you do please.
The Eldorado became my favorite car when I was 16 working at a carwash, the local Cadillac dealer would drive one through the wash every time they sold one back in 1975. I was in love. Great video, you really got me laughing!
Nobody - and I mean NOBODY did square better than the Biarritz guys in 1983 - SEXY and MUSCULAR but CLASSY
That luggage rack and those mud flaps need to go. Takes away from the look of this car.
I had only one car with a luggage rack on the trunk lid, a Renault-25-based '92 Dodge Monaco. But it was basically a spoiler with rub strips behind it and a few loops for ratchet ties, so it was much more integrated with the design of the car. I can see why the automakers don't push such racks anymore, having learned the hard way that bungee cords can't be trusted to secure anything to the outside of a car. Maybe people who need to stack more luggage than will fit in the trunk should have to buy temporary racks and read all the warnings that come with them, or just buy a wagon.
Keep these 80’s classics coming please, brings back so many memories, this channel is great, keep it up Bill!
I love the ElDorado, if I bought that one I would remove the rack and install a toilet seat and chrome straps on the trunk 👍
You really have got great taste 💪
I love when you do the oddball '70s-'80s luxo cars. They were THE shit in their day. The HT 'High Technology' 4100 is: aluminum block, iron heads, aluminum intake with (if I'm remembering correctly) separate iron cylinders as well as a 'bolt in' iron lifter valley and camshaft bearing bores. The wildly different heating and cooling expansion rates of all the different metal alloys resulted in an alarming amount of engine failures. The various seals used at the time in the construction of the engine had not caught up with Cadillacs' 'High Technology', and as the owners of these cars, used to rolling down the highways at 85mph in air conditioned isolation, never once having the need to ever lift the hood on their former Cadillac's with their bulletproof big blocks would often find themselves on the side of the road after the coolant and oil had been thoroughly mixed into a brownish milkshake; engine destroyed. The 'HT' had a well earned nickname; 'Hand Tightened'. If you DID manage to get an HT4100 that WAS correctly screwed together at the factory (and this gorgeous Eldorado seems to be a 'good one'), they were largely bulletproof, silent (unless pushed hard) and ran SO smoothly you factually COULD balance a nickel on a running engine (I actually did it once). ONE FUNNY THING I THINK YOU MISSED BILL, and I think if you noticed, this review may have been 15 minutes longer and a bit more entertaining, lol, given your views on south Florida "culture". Song playing on the radio was EC- "talcum powder". 1960s, 70s and I believe this car as well; Cadillacs' in the day.., the passenger side sun visor 'vanity mirror' was ALWAYS a huge piece of real thick, heavy, mirrored plate glass with lovely smooth rounded edges and corners. A flat heavy mirror, frameless because a frame would allow something of value, for example a finely crushed expensive white powder-like substance to become 'lost' or 'trapped' under a frame. These 'vanity mirrors' are (or were) designed to be easily removable. They are secured to the visor with two clothing industry style metal 'snaps', one on each end. Give it a look, a firm but gentle hand on each end is all it takes to 'pop' them out. The running joke was that Cadillacs' designers and engineers of course, knew full well the clientele they were aiming for, haha. Good stuff Bill, thx.
In 1983, my parents bought a Volvo Diesel, compared to this Barcalounger-On-Wheel's interior Volvo was absolutely austere. The 244 Diesel had low horsepower but you could pull a 300 year old oak tree out of the ground with it. Very economical to maintain and averaged 30 miles per gallon. Great job on the videos of a time long gone Bill!
I love the white seats and the light interior. This is truly a beautiful car.
My dad bought one of these new in 83.. Complete with the Rolls grille..silver blue, with all the chrome, darkish blue leather interior.. He loved that car!! What I'd give to see him and his baby driving into the driveway, complete with a Members Only jacket, and Ferrari sunglasses.. Miss him everyday, and he's been gone since 1991. Thanks, Bill.. Cheers!
I found myself drooling about 2 minutes in. Hands down my favorite so far. After watching I had to get my blinged out 82 Seville elegante out and go for a drive. If I wasn't concerned about what a divorce would do to my net worth I'd have this in my garage between the seville and my mint 92 500sl. Absolutely beautiful car. Love the stainless roof. You have impeccable taste my friend.
I have an '84 Seville. Co-worker asked me if the seller paid me to take it away. Bastard has no taste in cars.
This is one hell of a sharp looking car, always appreciated this style. 1983 was a great year, I was 20 years old when this car was brand new!!👍
How can any body hate on this car? Beautiful. Magnificent and thank you for all the history and what you do. Great review as always, please keep doing what you go, you are one of the best reviewers kn internet today, absolute treasure of a reviewer.
Let em hate... That grill is AMAZING!
I LOVE '70s and SOME '80s Cadillacs, and this one is no exception, LOVE that interior! Would love to see a review of a '75 Sedan de Ville.. my dream car. Have loved those since I was 15 back in 1975!
I had an '81 Biarritz with the digital dash, baby blue with midnight blue interior. Miss that car.
I love the Rolls Royce Grill!!! This is a very cool Biarritz!! 👍
Wow, what a car. I don't think I knew about the stainless steel hard top option. Very nice time capsule.
Biarritz is a beautiful historic town on the French South West coast with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean and it is a 2 hour drive away from the Cadillac Chateau were it probably all started :-)
Beautiful car, great shape. These things were some of the best back in the day. Big luxury coupes are some of my favorite car style
11:11 If I'm remembering correctly, when these came out for '79, GM marketed them as "4 passenger" cars, though that one seems to have 3 seatbelts in the rear. With the independent suspension, it should have plenty of room for 3, but the seat cushions don't look particularly hospitable for a center passenger. Maybe GM sort of half admitted that people were going to put 3 back there no matter how they rated these cars. I love looking under the hood and seeing the transmission lying next to the engine; that layout was originally intended for a FWD version of the '61-'63 Olds F85, but when the public lost interest in innovative smaller cars, GM decided to upsize the power plant for the '66 Toronado and '67 Eldorado. That's quite an interesting old car, being third from the last year of that breed.
A beautiful car. I always have loved that body style.
This cadillac is a classic, had the exact same one as a first car, same color, biarritz package, weak 4.1 v8 rode like a cloud front seat like a living room sofa, never failed to start up, keep up the good work bill
I'm not a big GM guy but these cars are gorgeous!! To the point that I have actively looked for one!
Beautiful Eldorado Bill. I love this year Cadillac. Just beautiful design. There's nothing else like it...
This is a car I could really enjoy.
That trunk is beautiful. And wow, a moonroof inside a stainless roof. Thats high class right there.
I have an 85 eldorado. Love it! It’s such a smooth ride it’s like driving a living room couch around 😂
To me, there was no better looking large car from 1979-1985. Back then, I always turned my head to following a passing one, on the rare occasion I turn my head today. Thanks for posting.
My Italian father use to call these, *"Italian Canoes"* lol! Even though, to us 'Old Timers' at least, this is a downsized car, it's still an Awesome ride! Thanks, Bill!
I remember seeing these, in 1979, and saying they ruined the Eldorado. I thought they were so ugly. I loved the 1978’s. Over the years, I’ve come to like the 1979-1985 Eldorados, especially the Biarritz. I hated then, as now, the 1986’s.
Now, that is a good looking car.
Years ago, I had an 85. Mine was Teal with White interior. Even my mother and aunt loved it. ;)
Nice, I had a diesel one of these... wish I still had it!
I love that car!
I've had 2 YEARS ago.
The only thing that kills it for me is that someone desecrated it by putting an aftermarket radio in it!
Bill you are the best! Love to hear you describe any car, you say what you feel. By the way the car is beautiful.
Nicely narrated with lots of interesting historical info. This car really reflects the continuous demise of the American luxury car. Shrunken down from the 78 model, this version offered nothing more than the overstuffed crests, badges, chrome, and all the superficial nothings that fooled less & less customers who could choose among the foreign luxury makes.
I once had 3 of those...love those cars... still looks great
What a beautiful car!
Wow. What a well kept jewel.
A beauty which has the early 1980’s “Scarface” vibe.
Finally....yes Bill, everyone loves the Doobie Brothers....but not everyone loves NPR!
:)
Hey Bill. The '83 Eldorado is a nice old girl. I like your presentations on the vehicles with the history of names, trim packages, etc. Keep the cars and info coming.
I had an 84 for a while. I was very impressed with the handling and ride. Much better than the 77 I had previously. Can't say the same for the HT4100. Went through 2 sets of intake manifold gaskets. I had oil leaking into the coolant towards the end when I think the oil pump crapped out. I took the radiator cap off when it was about 20F and the sludge was like tar. I was in the process of putting an Olds 350 from a 78 Delta 88 in it until I got the divorce papers. Never mind that, but the engine swap is easier that you would think. Just get a front engine mount from a 79-85 Toro or Riv that had a 307 in it. My 350 block was already threaded for the mount. Goes direct to the transaxle with no mods. Shame I never got to drive it. I had the block punched out .060 over, with valves that filled the entire combustion chamber.
Great video as always, Bill. I hear you about nature. Heat, humidity, blinding sunshine, threatening wildlife etc. We don't deal with menacing weather patterns here in Southern Ontario but where I live, right beside the lake, gnats and spiders galore --constantly removing spider webs and basically trying to keep ahead of nature, all of it is really quite a challenge. I really appreciate your humour and humanity, as well as your love of the lost American cars. Thank you!
Big Boy Toy Back in the day! This & The '82 C3 Vet to compliment, you owned the neighborhood for sure!
A gorgeous car If you want to stand out in amongst all the mundane and boring cars on the roads today buy this car . Thanks for the excellent history and presentation on this beautiful vehicle Bill 👍😎
Didn’t scroll through the comments, but those chrome levers under the dash overhang are to adjust the air flow from the AC vents.
Another great video by Bill 👍🏻
Count me among the "nice, supportive" responders. Nothing to hate! People don't have to buy it, but can appreciate its rare example of a representative place in auto history - dealer-installed grille included.
No, no, no, Bill! You won't get any hate from me! Nothing but admiration for this great American classic! Wish I had the room in the garage.
Just driving one and looking across that hood at that Cadillac symbol is the coolest feeling. She carries fast and turns on a dime!
Love these boats.
Hahaha! Love it, Bill! It is what it is, and you have no reason to feel you need to defend the Eldorado Biarritz. The brushed stainless steel roof and the luggage rack look pretty nice actually. The luggage rack probably could be used to strap some sort of sports activity thing to, and yes, the gas tank filler behind the license plate! Love that, partly because you could go into a filling station and not worry about which side you pull up to the pump with. Makes a huge difference when you drive multiple vehicles.
I had the 1979 Toronado. Still packing the blue block 350 so it was the best year. That and front wheel drive strong enough to be a motorhome, NEVER got stuck in the snow or anywhere. And a back seat that adults could be in. One of my favourites
Wow Bill, you really find some Caddys that are real gems. Wouldn't mind owning any of these. Thanks for the vid!!
all jokes aside, you've seemed pretty chipper yourself in the last few videos. makes me happy for you, bill! hope things are going well.
hilarious video and beautiful vehicle as always!
Loving the uploads 👍
Beautiful color
Bill is becoming a Legend.
Great video as always, Bill! Really look forward to your weekly uploads as well as your honest descriptions. 👍
American cars of this era were dreadful, just dreadful. This Biarritz is no exception. But by God I absolutely love it!!
my boss at little caesars pizza put his caddy biarritz hubcaps in a dishwasher to keep em shiny.... he loved that car!!! great review kiddo!!
These cars are gorgeous. They represent an era of decadence and living well along with being very Reaganesque. I really enjoyed your comments. I grew up in that same era and love these cars.
Plate C
Count me as a new subscriber. These videos are awesome! Thank you for keeping the memory of these cars alive.
We need this back big time.
Cadillac style, I'd like for people just see me ridin in that. That's a beautiful ride ❤
That's a Cadillac right there . I had a good friend long time ago that had one of this year .
My grandfather owned this model, and he loved it. I learned to drive in it. This early 80's Eldorado will always be very special to me, despite American luxury cars of the time period being very lack luster.
Another great video, Bill !!!!!
Keep em coming!! 👍
I had the Touring Coupe version of this '83! Bought it in 1989 -- Was a beautiful car - all black, black trim, camel interior, bucket seats with a center console - custom wheels. Had an enamel badge on the hood. The Touring Coupe had the same HT4100 motor, but the suspension was tightened up and it drove really well.
I love it Bill, very classy. I own a 2005 Lincoln Towncar. Bill you are the greatest vehicle dealer I’ve ever seen. I can’t call you a car salesman, you deserve a much better title. I live In Vero Beach, I will meet you someday. Great job as always.
Robert Deniros character over audio narration on Casino said that model year generation of that car had a steel plate placed there. Whoever placed the explosive device apparently didn't know about the extra plate. That's what supposedly saved his life.
My mother had a 1983 Eldorado Biarritz, yellow on yellow. We called it the Banana Boat 🤣 I was too young to appreciate this car back then. It was mom’s first Caddi and she didn’t like it; went back to Lincoln’s.
Beautiful Biarritz,but i never seen one that year without a digital speedometer.
I'm just starting video but what a beauty this Cadillac Eldorado is & as I did in the 80's I like the wire wheel covers. I've just never been a fan of white interior though. These cars sounded so good just as the Brougham did. Al I can say is a lot nicer than the current Cadillac's in my opinion.
I loved these as a kid. My neighbor down the street had one and was injured when someone tried to steal it in the 1980's. He was an ex-cop and was a black guy back when no one cared about race! Cool cars in my memory along with the Seville.
Oooo! I like that this one's a Biarritz and I love that color! I don't mind the fake RR grille but I don't mind that it's the 4.1 V8, though.
I love the sunroof ! I imagine a lot of Cadillacs didn’t come with them.
"Don't f*** with the Doobie Brothers!" ... hahahahaha. I love this channel.
Best car show on UA-cam
I’d love to have that car minus the luggage rack. I can’t imagine why anyone would put a luggage rack on an Eldorado. Anyway, it brings me back great memories of riding in my aunts ‘79 Eldorado.
I agree 100%. Luggage racks belong on the roof!
That luggage rack IS through.
Love it Bill, very swanky 80's luxo-barge.
In all seriousness, for anyone who buys this car be very careful with maintenance. This HT4100 is susceptible to blown head gaskets and head warping before 100,000 miles. Change the oil/filter no more than 3,000 miles or twice a year if you don’t drive it much, and do a full flush out and refill of coolant every year. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to install a temperature gauge if you do intend to drive it much or long distances.
What a gorgeous Cadillac with the chrome and over the top interiors! Back in the 80's that was a powerful status symbol.
Great car if you happen to manage a shady casino as well! I still remember the beautiful shiny black no vinyl top one James Caan drove in "Thief" too.