Crisp, clean, elegant & absolutely gorgeous. This generation of Eldorado was one of the finest Cadillac production designs to ever see the light of day in my opinion. They possessed sophisticated engineering for their time to match the beautiful proportions as well. The sales numbers confirm what a home run this rare classic car this is in automotive history. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
My dad got an 85 Eldorado biarritz company car. The list price was $33,000. That car was the Biggest piece of shit car. Under powered. Cheap plastic components. Cheap plastic dash. Cheap leather quality seats. Nothing was good about the car. Although the bose stereo system was nice. I had an 85 Pontiac 6000 STE. my car at $15,000 was twice as nice as that piece of crap Cadillac.
I remember getting a phone call on a cold winter Sunday in 1993, early in the morning. It was my dad. There was a 1979 Eldorado for sale with 34,000 miles on it 2 hours away. My dad wanted to get there first. Long story short, I had him there by 10:30am and he got it. Never in my life did I see him so excited for a car. He kept it 12 years and it was reasonably trouble free during that time.
My dad around spring of 85' bought a 79' navy blue Biarritz with brushed roof. Navy blue leather and olds rocket 350 FI. When my mom saw it she about cried it was so beautiful of a car and my grandpa worked at GM from 49' till 79' at his passing he always wanted a caddy but with kids always got chevy's , so my mom was just thrilled ! My dad loved it and as a kid I knew this was a special car, people would just stare at you. My dad didn't like caddy repair prices and traded it for a brand new Grand Marquis in 86' a LS leather was another awesome car. My mom never forgave him for trading Caddy in.
I have very fond memories of the 2 black beauties I owned, a '79 and an '81. I also had a 79 Riv which I thought was just as luxurious and beautiful in charcoal grey. Thanks for a trip down memory lane!
It is hard to understand today what an impact the 79 Eldorado-Toronado-Riveria had. They all had amazing and distinct from each other designs that surprised many and made buyers quickly forget their huge predecessors. All three were instant classics. I would take any of them today.
Gorgeous without being huge. I really really miss cars like this. I'm at a point now where I can buy pretty much anything I want but very little of the new stuff seems luxurious to me. I'd live to find something like this new at a dealer that I could bring home. I think it's been a mistake to make every luxury car a race car with some luxury touches. If I want something fast I will get a Corvette or a mustang. Enough of my rant. These were super elegant cars.
I had over 50 cars in my life,Cadillacs,Lincoln's,Chryslers,Chevys,Oldsmobiles,etc... But the most comfortable car I have ever seen was my 1980 Eldorado Biarritz,a real joy to drive. I had also an 81 Eldo,82 CDV,85 Eldo,94 Seville STS,92 Eldorado,89 Fleetwood Brougham as well as an 83 Riviera among others. 1980 Eldorado Biarritz was the best aside from being drop dead gorgeous. Way to go Wayne Kady. Thanks.
My friends family had 3 78 Cadillac Eldorado biarritz all in the special edition brown and tan bought from a family who purchased 4 of them in 78. Beautiful cars and the most comfortable button tufted pillow top seats I've ever experienced.
By the late 70’s, the El Dorado had become as bloated as your favorite rock star from high school who was now a father of three and 70 pounds overweight! The 1979 restyle was a welcome breath of fresh air and returned the car much closer to it’s original vibe as a sporty yet stylish coupe! These are indeed handsome automobiles and on the rare occasion I spot one at a local car show I typically find they are getting loads of attention!
NICE mjustang in your avitar sir , im the owner of a 2000 mustang GT shes in MINT cosmetic condition shes LOUD too with flow master mufflers she also has a 5 speed transmission of course i hav another car shes OLD (1976 lincoln mark IV) she looks rather ROUGH cosmetically but she runs very GOOD
@@katieb777 - Thank you! The ‘Stang in the photo is “Belle” and she is an ‘08 5-speed GT with a shade over 1300 miles on her since new! FWIW - I also own an Oxford White ‘01 5-speed GT named “Barbie Jo” with 8100 miles on her since new! Yeah - I like my Mustangs…….😂
Looking forward to your next conversation with Wayne Kady, about this car. It's always a treat when you have him or any of the other designers on your show!
GM was king of styling, and no downsized car ever looked better than the '77 Caprice and '79 Eldo. Perfectly proportioned, sleek, dare I say athletic. Both of these cars were really a bit too big before, ungainly, and seemed "correct" after the downsize. Also both of these cars still look normal to me today 40+ years later.
I was still in college and worked for a radiologist with one of those enormous Eldorados in Houston. He replaced it with the smaller one and just loved it, because before the fat Eldo he'd had the original Seville in mint green. Very quiet and smooth car.
I remember seeing the Touring Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show back then. I was with me Dad at the time + he worked for Ford , I grabbed him and said "Dad come look at this ! " And we just Loved it !!! Hope the Gordie Howe Bridge is coming along Great !!!
The 1979-1985 Eldorado is among my favourite Cadillacs, certainly among the top 5. Its a beautiful design from all angles, and I think one that has aged particularly well. The Biarritz interiors were over the top luxurious, and I love the stainless roof option. I would love to find an ETC model one day.
Dad had, I believe, an 81 or 83. Learned the definition of lemon from my dad concerning that car. Dealership could never figure out the problem. He was so proud that he bought it off the showroom floor. He passed away recently. Watched this video because of my memories of him with that car, champagne with stainless top. Miss him...dad not the car.
Always absolutely loved this car at 14 years old. My first brand new car was an '84 Cutlass that my Mom co-signed on of course because......it was the next best thing to the Eldorado that I obviously couldn't afford.
My father had one of these back in 89 and it was very impressive to a young me. It was also impressive to the general public as we lived in England! My friends loved going in this thing and I do remember having a siren on his which you could switch on while driving, I seem to remember he said it was part of the alarm?
I bought an ‘83 in 1991. It was silver with a silver landau and black interior. I babied that 4100. You didn’t have to slam the drunk. Just push down until the electronic lock grabbed it. It was smith and quiet and I loved driving it.
I’m fully on the bandwagon admiring the design of these, along with their platform mates. Still gorgeous designs to this day, and I feel destined to go on a list of all-time classic car designs. Even as a kid I was fascinated by the design and panels comprising the a-pillar / hood / cowl / fender / door area. So clean. Adam, please give props to Mr Kady for that - and of course the entire design. Looking forward to that interview!
I’ve had the fortune opportunity to own three generations of Eldo from 68 to 85 simultaneously. Hands down the 1985 Eldorado Biarritz is the most comfortable riding of the three. It is also the most livable of the three cars to own. It’s still a modern car and a car that can be driven easily enough within today’s congested city traffic. The 78 Eldo gets the most stares and the most comments of any car I’ve owned. However, it’s size makes it tough to navigate and park in the city. This car makes you feel like the king or queen of the road! The 68 Eldo is rolling art but not a comfortable riding car. Always worried someone is going to run into it either car, scooter, ebike, or cyclist. People that like the 68 Eldo are usually car enthusiasts. The general public loves the big 1978. Just my two cents worth of anyone is considering buying these cars
Guess I was just lucky. I owned an '82 Eldorado with the 4100 and it was amazingly reliable. Had problems with window motors and leaky air shocks, but not a single motor issue. In any case, thanks for another interesting video, Adam!
I love the look of this car. Its one of the few things Cadillac got right in the smaller car area at the time. PS Somehow, I was able to drive my folks 1981 Sedan DeVille, the full-sized car. It seems silly know, but I truly felt like a king in that car.
I had an '83 with the 4.1 engine. Didn't have any significant problems with it. Bought it with about 50k miles in 2005 or so. Put 100k on the car before the transmission took a dump. Engine was still doing fine.
This generation Eldorado was very popular in the Switzerland and several European countries due to its nimble international size and restrained luxury along with the official ECE versions (taillamps with amber turn signal indicators, different seat belts, external rear view mirrors that flex, etc.). The 1976-1979 Seville had convinced the Europeans that Cadillac didn't have to be so ginormous and difficult to drive. The 1979-1985 Eldorado was a perfect "successor" to the Seville.
Not to mention the quality control on those cars was infinitely better than their predecessor. My dad had a 79 Eldorado Biarritz, bright red with a red interior. You could see that car coming A Million Miles Away. It was so not like him as he was pretty subtle with his cars. And my stepmother had an 84 Seville white with the blue convertible top which looked really nice. I think Cadillac did a good job with this platform. I absolutely love your videos and I am a General Motors enthusiast 60s 70s 80s and 90s probably at my Peak with cars from the seventies. Love the detail. Did you know that the first 200 Sevilles made were all silver with the gray interior
Hey- That is my brown 1976 Coupe deVille in the video (1:57-2:20), anyway, I had an 83 Eldo, a white on white just like at the end of the video, and although I loved the looks, something was always wrong with it, From power window motor failures to clickity clackity wire wheel covers. You name it, it broke. I have had a 72 Fleetwood (my favorite), 88 Eldo, 94 STS, 96 Eldo ETC, and now the 76 Coupe deVille. There is just something about them that I love.
Owned a 82 Biarritz with a factory moonroof which was kind of a rare bird. The engine was troublesome and a slug for sure but I'd buy it back in a heartbeat if was still around. Sold it to buy a house and I miss it a lot
People talk so badly about the “malaise era”, but when the performance became secondary, the car companies started concentrating on passenger comfort. Cars from that era were supremely pleasant for passengers … And that was across the board - all manufacturers offered comfy interiors. Not all was bad …
I owned a '84 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham. I loved that car. It had a lush interior also. If you couldn't afford a Cadillac you could still find one quite nice.
Makes me miss the Delicious Apple Red with the Stainless Steel Roof, Astro Roof Same Button Tufted Leather interior. That was a very quiet car and head Turned. Everytime I picked up my sister she would joke. “You finally bought a car that Says your a KING” And she’d be so happy to ride in it. Never gave me issues.
Grandparents had a 79. Flat grey on the sides and metallic medium blue on top. Was a diesel. Stunningly beautiful. They got praise wherever they went. I bought it from their estate. In the glove box was the original sticker of around $13000 and repair receipts that totaled about $13000 during their ownership of about 15 years
LOVE these cars, Adam. I had an '81 and never had a moment's trouble with the 864 engine management system. I also had an '80 Rivera -- gold with no vinyl top that I thought was so elegant. That gray '79 that you featured is just gorgeous. Would be proud to own it. I always preferred the velour seating, even though the leather was simply beautiful in red.
I bought an Eldorado Biarritz new in 1979. Truly a beautiful car to look at. Mechanically it was a mess. Out of the first year it spent 9 months in the shop being repaired. There was a GM strike that complicated getting parts.
I was born in 1962 and love your reviews of the cars I grew up with, especially the Mercurys. Maybe you could expand into German & Japanese vehicles in the future.
I bought the '83 Eldorado used at 7 years of age and regretted every moment thereafter. The HT4100 got very good fuel economy on the highway at 26 - 26.5 mph. I really enjoyed driving it when I wasn't replacing numerous parts like the A/C compressor, windshield wiper motor, fuel pump, valve cover gaskets, water pump and locating a used HT4100 engine. I had my fill of performing major surgeries on the car and sold it 3 years later. I found it dead on the shoulder of the highway 2 years later. The Eldorado still looked like a brand new car. It was white with a blue leather interior.
I do like the 79 model Eldorados. The previous generations were substantially outsold by the Mark Lincolns, which were much better in my view. The 79 restyle was a very nice job. I don’t have one of those but do have the sister car in the form of a 1980 Toronado.
I've always thought this was a great looking car, even when I was a kid when they were current, and I was nearly strictly into sportscars and muscle/pony cars. A very handsome, elegant design that is classically Cadillac. I didn't catch the 67 design queues when I was a kid, but when I had an XLR for a few years, I'd see bits of the 67 and the 79 Eldorado in that car, so my grown up eyes did see the line from the 67 to the 79. I'd love to have one of these moderately downsized Eldorados some day!
My dad had a metallic blue 80 then a jet black 81. Both had the dreaded diesel. The first one had so many problems the dealer took it back and gave him full credit toward the 81. The second one somehow avoided all the problems that 80% of those cars had. It had zero acceleration and even my mom's tepid 77 Coupe DeVille could smoke it 5 ways to Sunday. Damn thing worked just fine until my sister forgot it was a diesel and put regular gas in it back in 91 or 92. He had my brother put a 5.7 crate engine in it and then it really moved. I think he traded in a year later.
Thanks again for an excellent presentation Adam. I was never a Cadillac level buyer and I never viewed these cars up close. Really wonderful to see them here. I really like the interiors especially the dash.
Both my mom and grandmother had the Toronado version of this car, which as I recall was quite similar. Both cars were 1980 models, and were by all accounts excellent cars.
I would say that the model years to really look at would be 1980 and 1981. The 6.0 liter 368cid engine was very good, the cylinder deactivation on the 1981 models notwithstanding. Anyone I knew or knew of who had any of the 1981 Cadillac models with this engine simply had the deactivation feature disabled, resulting in a much less troublesome owner experience. If I had to own one, I like the 1980-81 Eldorado Biarritz or the Fleetwood Brougham Coupe that became available.
If they just would have stuck with that Olds 350 throughout the entire 79-85 model run..a truly gorgeous car that was the epitome of CLASS for this era, wouldn't have been marred by it's disastrous mechanical reputation; after the '80 models.
My wife and I when we were first married and D.I.N.K.S bought an 83 Riviera similar to these, it was a fantastic car, drove it out west and everywhere virtually problem free till we sold it to purchase our first SUV in late 80's. Great and beautiful cars.
Dad owned an 81 with the Diesel. Other than the motor needing replacement, my other memory is that the window regulator broke so when the door closed, the frameless window completely shattered. Needless to say, that was the last GM car he owned.
There aren't a lot of cars I like from this time period, but this vintage Eldorado is quite nice. It worked in a 2 door with a conventional trunk in a way that I don't think its sister, the Seville, did.
79 was the first and only year the 5.7 Oldsmobile engine was used, 79 was the only model that came with the best engine, the rest 80-85were nice bodies and interior but that's it.
Great video. I lived near Addison Cadillac, Bay St. Toronto in 1980 often walking to view new Caddys. Noteworthy, the stainless steel roof option was $2 grand yet buyers often also optioned a moonroof. Cutting a hole in the SS roof was viewed as decadent
The stainless steel roof only came with the Biarritz package so I'm assuming the Biarritz was only $2,000 more, which I thought was much more expensive.
This had to be one of the last almost-pillarless hardtops to go on the market. It couldn't be called a real hardtop because the rear-windows didn't roll down (except on the convertibles), but it didn't have a real pillar either. What an improvement over the confused mess that the Eldorado had become for the '75-'78 model years.
The next door neighbours had the identical new car to the one shown at 6:20. Except theirs had the pokie-outie wire wheel covers which I despised as a ten year old. My Dad coveted it however, even though he couldn't stand that neighbour...
As a movie fan myself, I'd like to add a couple of cameos of the Eldorado: H.B. Halicki's 1982 The Junkman, and Martin Scorsese's 1995 Casino. The former also had a Dodge Magnum and Ford Thunderbird in a chase duel; the latter in a fiery climax.
I was working at a GM when the first downsized cars appeared in the fall of 1976. Everyone either loved or hated them. The next year when the intermediates were released the full sized models had been on the market for a year and were highly successful, so the reaction of customers wasn’t quite so drastic. But when the Riviera, Toronado & Seville appeared it was to a different buyer than the previous two models. I remember a doctor at the dealership where I worked asking the parts manager to watch the Oldsmobile parts availability and when it appeared as though a new shortblock was no longer going to be available, to order one for his 1976 Toronado. This never happened as a few years down the road the doctor traded for a 1982 Toronado. It seems car people of all sorts had an opinion about these models, even though most would never own one. It was like GM had messed with THEIR car.
Enjoy your channel.i drive nothing but old chevy,s here in East tn. which is not to rare....been working on/road worthy 60 caddy series 62 for friend 4 door flaptop that is in really good shape other that sitting issues and coming along good. take care up there in rust belt man!
A close friend bought a '79 Eldo new in the fall of '78. It was plagued with numerous first-year problems. If I were looking at a '79, I'd pay close attention to the production date. (One with a dead HT4100 would be a good candidate for a Toro or Riv engine.)
I’ve always liked the style of this El Dorado when you talk with Wayne please be sure to ask him why they added that extra plate of steel under the driver‘s side of the car!
This was the most perfect Eldorado Cadillac ever made. While I’m not a fan of the 1979-81 models (they drive like trucks to me) I think as a whole, that generation of Eldo was absolutely perfect.
Between the smaller Eldorado and the four door Lincoln Mark Six. Those were two of the sexiest compact luxury cars at that time from America. If you want to drive a boat buy a boat.
Real personal luxury back in the day had a 1980 Buick Riviera T Type had a V6 turbo put a rebuilt 350 Olds motor came out a 80 Riviera almost had a 85 Eldorado Biarritz fully loaded to the Maxx with sunroof
06:26 Definitely remember the other engine option starting in 1979-85, the Olds 5.7 Diesel. Great video....These are very neat cars and becoming more rare...
Crisp, clean, elegant & absolutely gorgeous. This generation of Eldorado was one of the finest Cadillac production designs to ever see the light of day in my opinion. They possessed sophisticated engineering for their time to match the beautiful proportions as well. The sales numbers confirm what a home run this rare classic car this is in automotive history. Thanks for the memories, Adam!
Those seats so comfortable!
My dad got an 85 Eldorado biarritz company car. The list price was $33,000.
That car was the Biggest piece of shit car. Under powered. Cheap plastic components. Cheap plastic dash. Cheap leather quality seats. Nothing was good about the car.
Although the bose stereo system was nice.
I had an 85 Pontiac 6000 STE. my car at $15,000 was twice as nice as that piece of crap Cadillac.
06:33 '79 was best because it still got the EFI Olds 350 engine... and contrary to this video, that engine was also EFI in the '76 - '80 Seville...
I remember getting a phone call on a cold winter Sunday in 1993, early in the morning. It was my dad. There was a 1979 Eldorado for sale with 34,000 miles on it 2 hours away. My dad wanted to get there first. Long story short, I had him there by 10:30am and he got it. Never in my life did I see him so excited for a car. He kept it 12 years and it was reasonably trouble free during that time.
The designers did a good job on this model.
My dad around spring of 85' bought a 79' navy blue Biarritz with brushed roof. Navy blue leather and olds rocket 350 FI. When my mom saw it she about cried it was so beautiful of a car and my grandpa worked at GM from 49' till 79' at his passing he always wanted a caddy but with kids always got chevy's , so my mom was just thrilled ! My dad loved it and as a kid I knew this was a special car, people would just stare at you. My dad didn't like caddy repair prices and traded it for a brand new Grand Marquis in 86' a LS leather was another awesome car. My mom never forgave him for trading Caddy in.
Well, c'mon, he went from an Eldorado to a Grand Marquis. I wouldn't have forgiven him, either. :)
Nice story, this Caddy generation has been my favorite since the first time seeing one!
I have very fond memories of the 2 black beauties I owned, a '79 and an '81. I also had a 79 Riv which I thought was just as luxurious and beautiful in charcoal grey. Thanks for a trip down memory lane!
It is hard to understand today what an impact the 79 Eldorado-Toronado-Riveria had. They all had amazing and distinct from each other designs that surprised many and made buyers quickly forget their huge predecessors. All three were instant classics. I would take any of them today.
Gorgeous without being huge. I really really miss cars like this. I'm at a point now where I can buy pretty much anything I want but very little of the new stuff seems luxurious to me. I'd live to find something like this new at a dealer that I could bring home.
I think it's been a mistake to make every luxury car a race car with some luxury touches. If I want something fast I will get a Corvette or a mustang. Enough of my rant. These were super elegant cars.
1979-85 cadillac eldorado is my favorite
I have always liked the Cadillac Eldorado from the late 1970s. 🙂
I had over 50 cars in my life,Cadillacs,Lincoln's,Chryslers,Chevys,Oldsmobiles,etc...
But the most comfortable car I have ever seen was my 1980 Eldorado Biarritz,a real joy to drive.
I had also an 81 Eldo,82 CDV,85 Eldo,94 Seville STS,92 Eldorado,89 Fleetwood Brougham as well as an 83 Riviera among others.
1980 Eldorado Biarritz was the best aside from being drop dead gorgeous.
Way to go Wayne Kady.
Thanks.
My friends family had 3 78 Cadillac Eldorado biarritz all in the special edition brown and tan bought from a family who purchased 4 of them in 78. Beautiful cars and the most comfortable button tufted pillow top seats I've ever experienced.
I had an 83 Eldorado and loved it. 4100 was a dog, but no issues. Not enough power for torque steer. Loved the ride and load leveling.
My favorite car of all time. Especially in white.
Thank you for talking about it.
Same here…I’ve owned ten of them and finally found a mint triple yellow 79 Biarritz
Always loved this generation Eldo
The 1979-85 Eldorado is one of my top 3 favorite generations of the Eldorado. It has a true Cadillac design and looks like an Eldorado.
By the late 70’s, the El Dorado had become as bloated as your favorite rock star from high school who was now a father of three and 70 pounds overweight! The 1979 restyle was a welcome breath of fresh air and returned the car much closer to it’s original vibe as a sporty yet stylish coupe! These are indeed handsome automobiles and on the rare occasion I spot one at a local car show I typically find they are getting loads of attention!
Well said!😊
NICE mjustang in your avitar sir , im the owner of a 2000 mustang GT shes in MINT cosmetic condition shes LOUD too with flow master mufflers she also has a 5 speed transmission of course i hav another car shes OLD (1976 lincoln mark IV) she looks rather ROUGH cosmetically but she runs very GOOD
@@katieb777 - Thank you! The ‘Stang in the photo is “Belle” and she is an ‘08 5-speed GT with a shade over 1300 miles on her since new! FWIW - I also own an Oxford White ‘01 5-speed GT named “Barbie Jo” with 8100 miles on her since new! Yeah - I like my Mustangs…….😂
Looking forward to your next conversation with Wayne Kady, about this car. It's always a treat when you have him or any of the other designers on your show!
GM was king of styling, and no downsized car ever looked better than the '77 Caprice and '79 Eldo.
Perfectly proportioned, sleek, dare I say athletic.
Both of these cars were really a bit too big before, ungainly, and seemed "correct" after the downsize.
Also both of these cars still look normal to me today 40+ years later.
I was still in college and worked for a radiologist with one of those enormous Eldorados in Houston. He replaced it with the smaller one and just loved it, because before the fat Eldo he'd had the original Seville in mint green. Very quiet and smooth car.
I remember seeing the Touring Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show back then. I was with me Dad at the time + he worked for Ford , I grabbed him and said "Dad come look at this ! " And we just Loved it !!! Hope the Gordie Howe Bridge is coming along Great !!!
I really like all 3 of those E Body cars from 79 to 85. They seem to look even better as years go by.
The 1979-1985 Eldorado is among my favourite Cadillacs, certainly among the top 5. Its a beautiful design from all angles, and I think one that has aged particularly well. The Biarritz interiors were over the top luxurious, and I love the stainless roof option. I would love to find an ETC model one day.
Dad had, I believe, an 81 or 83. Learned the definition of lemon from my dad concerning that car. Dealership could never figure out the problem. He was so proud that he bought it off the showroom floor. He passed away recently. Watched this video because of my memories of him with that car, champagne with stainless top. Miss him...dad not the car.
Always absolutely loved this car at 14 years old. My first brand new car was an '84 Cutlass that my Mom co-signed on of course because......it was the next best thing to the Eldorado that I obviously couldn't afford.
My father had one of these back in 89 and it was very impressive to a young me. It was also impressive to the general public as we lived in England! My friends loved going in this thing and I do remember having a siren on his which you could switch on while driving, I seem to remember he said it was part of the alarm?
Thanks again The 71 is still my favorite
My dad had a 79 Baby Blue Biarritz.. He traded it on an 83 Biarritz on Christmas Eve...I loved both of those cars.
I bought an ‘83 in 1991. It was silver with a silver landau and black interior. I babied that 4100. You didn’t have to slam the drunk. Just push down until the electronic lock grabbed it. It was smith and quiet and I loved driving it.
I’m fully on the bandwagon admiring the design of these, along with their platform mates. Still gorgeous designs to this day, and I feel destined to go on a list of all-time classic car designs. Even as a kid I was fascinated by the design and panels comprising the a-pillar / hood / cowl / fender / door area. So clean. Adam, please give props to Mr Kady for that - and of course the entire design. Looking forward to that interview!
The 79 to 85 model years are my favorite Eldorado, essentially the Biarritz!!! 🤶⛄🎄
I’ve had the fortune opportunity to own three generations of Eldo from 68 to 85 simultaneously. Hands down the 1985 Eldorado Biarritz is the most comfortable riding of the three. It is also the most livable of the three cars to own. It’s still a modern car and a car that can be driven easily enough within today’s congested city traffic. The 78 Eldo gets the most stares and the most comments of any car I’ve owned. However, it’s size makes it tough to navigate and park in the city. This car makes you feel like the king or queen of the road! The 68 Eldo is rolling art but not a comfortable riding car. Always worried someone is going to run into it either car, scooter, ebike, or cyclist. People that like the 68 Eldo are usually car enthusiasts. The general public loves the big 1978. Just my two cents worth of anyone is considering buying these cars
Guess I was just lucky. I owned an '82 Eldorado with the 4100 and it was amazingly reliable. Had problems with window motors and leaky air shocks, but not a single motor issue. In any case, thanks for another interesting video, Adam!
79-85 Models were awesome
I love the look of this car. Its one of the few things Cadillac got right in the smaller car area at the time. PS Somehow, I was able to drive my folks 1981 Sedan DeVille, the full-sized car. It seems silly know, but I truly felt like a king in that car.
I had an '83 with the 4.1 engine. Didn't have any significant problems with it. Bought it with about 50k miles in 2005 or so. Put 100k on the car before the transmission took a dump. Engine was still doing fine.
This generation Eldorado was very popular in the Switzerland and several European countries due to its nimble international size and restrained luxury along with the official ECE versions (taillamps with amber turn signal indicators, different seat belts, external rear view mirrors that flex, etc.). The 1976-1979 Seville had convinced the Europeans that Cadillac didn't have to be so ginormous and difficult to drive. The 1979-1985 Eldorado was a perfect "successor" to the Seville.
Not to mention the quality control on those cars was infinitely better than their predecessor. My dad had a 79 Eldorado Biarritz, bright red with a red interior.
You could see that car coming A Million Miles Away. It was so not like him as he was pretty subtle with his cars. And my stepmother had an 84 Seville white with the blue convertible top which looked really nice. I think Cadillac did a good job with this platform. I absolutely love your videos and I am a General Motors enthusiast 60s 70s 80s and 90s probably at my Peak with cars from the seventies. Love the detail. Did you know that the first 200 Sevilles made were all silver with the gray interior
Hey- That is my brown 1976 Coupe deVille in the video (1:57-2:20), anyway, I had an 83 Eldo, a white on white just like at the end of the video, and although I loved the looks, something was always wrong with it, From power window motor failures to clickity clackity wire wheel covers. You name it, it broke. I have had a 72 Fleetwood (my favorite), 88 Eldo, 94 STS, 96 Eldo ETC, and now the 76 Coupe deVille. There is just something about them that I love.
Owned a 82 Biarritz with a factory moonroof which was kind of a rare bird. The engine was troublesome and a slug for sure but I'd buy it back in a heartbeat if was still around. Sold it to buy a house and I miss it a lot
People talk so badly about the “malaise era”, but when the performance became secondary, the car companies started concentrating on passenger comfort.
Cars from that era were supremely pleasant for passengers … And that was across the board - all manufacturers offered comfy interiors. Not all was bad …
I owned a '84 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham. I loved that car. It had a lush interior also. If you couldn't afford a Cadillac you could still find one quite nice.
Dad started working at GM in 79 with my stepdad. He started on the line, then in 1980 moved to the powerhouse as a stationary (power) engineer.
Makes me miss the Delicious Apple Red with the Stainless Steel Roof, Astro Roof Same Button Tufted Leather interior. That was a very quiet car and head Turned. Everytime I picked up my sister she would joke. “You finally bought a car that Says your a KING” And she’d be so happy to ride in it. Never gave me issues.
Grandparents had a 79. Flat grey on the sides and metallic medium blue on top. Was a diesel. Stunningly beautiful. They got praise wherever they went. I bought it from their estate. In the glove box was the original sticker of around $13000 and repair receipts that totaled about $13000 during their ownership of about 15 years
LOVE these cars, Adam. I had an '81 and never had a moment's trouble with the 864 engine management system. I also had an '80 Rivera -- gold with no vinyl top that I thought was so elegant. That gray '79 that you featured is just gorgeous. Would be proud to own it. I always preferred the velour seating, even though the leather was simply beautiful in red.
Recently bought a silver 85 Toronado. Extremely good, quiet ride.
GREAT VIDEO!! THANK'S,,..
I bought an Eldorado Biarritz new in 1979. Truly a beautiful car to look at. Mechanically it was a mess. Out of the first year it spent 9 months in the shop being repaired. There was a GM strike that complicated getting parts.
I had back in the day 1976 full size, 1979 and the 1980 Biarritz Eldorado
I have a white with white leather1980 with 62k miles. It was my childhood dream
My dream car at my younger age.
I was born in 1962 and love your reviews of the cars I grew up with, especially the Mercurys. Maybe you could expand into German & Japanese vehicles in the future.
I bought the '83 Eldorado used at 7 years of age and regretted every moment thereafter. The HT4100 got very good fuel economy on the highway at 26 - 26.5 mph. I really enjoyed driving it when I wasn't replacing numerous parts like the A/C compressor, windshield wiper motor, fuel pump, valve cover gaskets, water pump and locating a used HT4100 engine. I had my fill of performing major surgeries on the car and sold it 3 years later. I found it dead on the shoulder of the highway 2 years later. The Eldorado still looked like a brand new car. It was white with a blue leather interior.
Excellent video. Now kindly do one on the 1992-2002 Eldorado, please.
I do like the 79 model Eldorados. The previous generations were substantially outsold by the Mark Lincolns, which were much better in my view. The 79 restyle was a very nice job. I don’t have one of those but do have the sister car in the form of a 1980 Toronado.
Love these cars! Typically in every 1980s tv show 😁
The touring coupe reminds me of the cousin model T-type Riviera.
I've always thought this was a great looking car, even when I was a kid when they were current, and I was nearly strictly into sportscars and muscle/pony cars. A very handsome, elegant design that is classically Cadillac. I didn't catch the 67 design queues when I was a kid, but when I had an XLR for a few years, I'd see bits of the 67 and the 79 Eldorado in that car, so my grown up eyes did see the line from the 67 to the 79. I'd love to have one of these moderately downsized Eldorados some day!
Always loved the '79 Biarritz in black. So classy. Great video, info, photos and your delivery. Very nice.
My dad had a metallic blue 80 then a jet black 81. Both had the dreaded diesel. The first one had so many problems the dealer took it back and gave him full credit toward the 81. The second one somehow avoided all the problems that 80% of those cars had. It had zero acceleration and even my mom's tepid 77 Coupe DeVille could smoke it 5 ways to Sunday. Damn thing worked just fine until my sister forgot it was a diesel and put regular gas in it back in 91 or 92. He had my brother put a 5.7 crate engine in it and then it really moved. I think he traded in a year later.
Thanks again for an excellent presentation Adam. I was never a Cadillac level buyer and I never viewed these cars up close. Really wonderful to see them here. I really like the interiors especially the dash.
Both my mom and grandmother had the Toronado version of this car, which as I recall was quite similar. Both cars were 1980 models, and were by all accounts excellent cars.
Imo this was the 2nd best looking Cadillac ever made exceeded only by the 1967 Eldorado
My father had 2 of this style, an '81 & '84. I bought an '89.
I would say that the model years to really look at would be 1980 and 1981. The 6.0 liter 368cid engine was very good, the cylinder deactivation on the 1981 models notwithstanding. Anyone I knew or knew of who had any of the 1981 Cadillac models with this engine simply had the deactivation feature disabled, resulting in a much less troublesome owner experience. If I had to own one, I like the 1980-81 Eldorado Biarritz or the Fleetwood Brougham Coupe that became available.
Had a 79 Toro, great car great size
If they just would have stuck with that Olds 350 throughout the entire 79-85 model run..a truly gorgeous car that was the epitome of CLASS for this era, wouldn't have been marred by it's disastrous mechanical reputation; after the '80 models.
They made great looking convertibles.
My wife and I when we were first married and D.I.N.K.S bought an 83 Riviera similar to these, it was a fantastic car, drove it out west and everywhere virtually problem free till we sold it to purchase our first SUV in late 80's. Great and beautiful cars.
...thanks for clarifying what the "Biarritz" package included!
Dad owned an 81 with the Diesel. Other than the motor needing replacement, my other memory is that the window regulator broke so when the door closed, the frameless window completely shattered. Needless to say, that was the last GM car he owned.
Thank you I enjoy you videos
Love those boxy 79 to 85 E body Eldorado tornado and riviera
There aren't a lot of cars I like from this time period, but this vintage Eldorado is quite nice. It worked in a 2 door with a conventional trunk in a way that I don't think its sister, the Seville, did.
These were not my favourite Cadillacs at the time, but I was way too young to know anything much about them or admire its features.
I never cared for these 79-85 eldorados too short for me they should have went back to the 67-70 size when they decided to downsized them
79 was the first and only year the 5.7 Oldsmobile engine was used, 79 was the only model that came with the best engine, the rest 80-85were nice bodies and interior but that's it.
Assitindo a entrevista do canal do Ed , Que legal descobrir que o Adam fala português e conhece o Brasil !!!
I had a 79 Eldorado back in the day. It was a great car. Built in CB radio!
Assembled only at the Linden, NJ plant. I installed lower ip valences.
Now, that's a design I would certainly get behind. I wish they would do that today.
Great video. I lived near Addison Cadillac, Bay St. Toronto in 1980 often walking to view new Caddys. Noteworthy, the stainless steel roof option was $2 grand yet buyers often also optioned a moonroof. Cutting a hole in the SS roof was viewed as decadent
The stainless steel roof only came with the Biarritz package so I'm assuming the Biarritz was only $2,000 more, which I thought was much more expensive.
Loved my '83. Shoulda kept it, but needed a truck.
This had to be one of the last almost-pillarless hardtops to go on the market. It couldn't be called a real hardtop because the rear-windows didn't roll down (except on the convertibles), but it didn't have a real pillar either. What an improvement over the confused mess that the Eldorado had become for the '75-'78 model years.
The next door neighbours had the identical new car to the one shown at 6:20. Except theirs had the pokie-outie wire wheel covers which I despised as a ten year old. My Dad coveted it however, even though he couldn't stand that neighbour...
Nice cars
I just can't say enough how much I enjoy your channel, and videos, and presentation. Just one of the best done jobs on UA-cam!
Thx!
I've had 4 of these all '79
All Biarritz still have 2 of them.
Can't beat that Olds
350
As a movie fan myself, I'd like to add a couple of cameos of the Eldorado: H.B. Halicki's 1982 The Junkman, and Martin Scorsese's 1995 Casino. The former also had a Dodge Magnum and Ford Thunderbird in a chase duel; the latter in a fiery climax.
James Caan also drives a triple black one in the 1981 movie Thief.
I was working at a GM when the first downsized cars appeared in the fall of 1976. Everyone either loved or hated them. The next year when the intermediates were released the full sized models had been on the market for a year and were highly successful, so the reaction of customers wasn’t quite so drastic. But when the Riviera, Toronado & Seville appeared it was to a different buyer than the previous two models. I remember a doctor at the dealership where I worked asking the parts manager to watch the Oldsmobile parts availability and when it appeared as though a new shortblock was no longer going to be available, to order one for his 1976 Toronado. This never happened as a few years down the road the doctor traded for a 1982 Toronado. It seems car people of all sorts had an opinion about these models, even though most would never own one. It was like GM had messed with THEIR car.
Enjoy your channel.i drive nothing but old chevy,s here in East tn. which is not to rare....been working on/road worthy 60 caddy series 62 for friend 4 door flaptop that is in really good shape other that sitting issues and coming along good. take care up there in rust belt man!
Many bought Cadillac partly for their Cadillac engines, Olds engines didn’t cut it for me 😮
A close friend bought a '79 Eldo new in the fall of '78. It was plagued with numerous first-year problems. If I were looking at a '79, I'd pay close attention to the production date. (One with a dead HT4100 would be a good candidate for a Toro or Riv engine.)
My parents had a 79 Eldorado to bad it had the 350 diesel, when it blew it's second set of headgaskets it was traded in on a new 1988 blazer.
I’ve always liked the style of this El Dorado when you talk with Wayne please be sure to ask him why they added that extra plate of steel under the driver‘s side of the car!
This was the most perfect Eldorado Cadillac ever made. While I’m not a fan of the 1979-81 models (they drive like trucks to me) I think as a whole, that generation of Eldo was absolutely perfect.
Between the smaller Eldorado and the four door Lincoln Mark Six. Those were two of the sexiest compact luxury cars at that time from America. If you want to drive a boat buy a boat.
Real personal luxury back in the day had a 1980 Buick Riviera T Type had a V6 turbo put a rebuilt 350 Olds motor came out a 80 Riviera almost had a 85 Eldorado Biarritz fully loaded to the Maxx with sunroof
This channel is very educational. Thank you for your knowledge.
1979 was the best yrs , seville , de Ville , Fleetwood, Eldorado all where the right size good engine s last of the great cadillacs
06:26 Definitely remember the other engine option starting in 1979-85, the Olds 5.7 Diesel.
Great video....These are very neat cars and becoming more rare...
I really like the Eldo and Seville of these years....76 Seville and 79 Eldo