The 1957 El Dorado Biarritz was an incredibly exclusive automobile. The three cars of the line: The Biarritz, the Seville, and the fabulous El Dorado Brougham all carried special body work unique to all other 1957 Cadillacs. From the doors back, the El Dorado is completely different than the normal production 1957's. The chrome aluminum wheels and bumpers were unique to the El Dorado but the wheels were available as a special order option on the regular cars. The interior was completely unique to the El Dorado line - and the fins were delicate and almost feminine. I prefer the 1957's to the 1958's because of a distinct lack of chrome. To view this car from the rear, is to appreciate the artists that worked at Cadillac in those years. Cadillac was at the height of its powers and ruled the luxury car world. The engine was immensely powerful, the transmission was a four speed automatic, and around the world, there was really nothing that could compare.
This was my first full restoration. I am trying to remember all the sh*t I did on this car 30 years ago. I was lucky, I started with an original Colorado car that was sold in 1957 at Rickenbaugh Cadillac. The paint was history. The seats were cracked and the top was in tatters but unlike almost any '57 convertible, this car was 99.9% rust free and had been kept indoors its entire life. Even the dash was presentable. Upon dis-assembly, I catalogued the location of every nut and bolt making sure that they all went back into exactly the same place. Unique to this car, as compared to virtually any other El Dorado out there, the door panels, quarter trim panels, arm rest, are all original to the car and still have the super heavy grain from 1957. They have not been re-dyed and appear in the photographs just as I found them. The car required rust repair in the rear of the front fenders only - and the spots were about the size of a silver dollar - this is NO JOKE. This car was THAT perfect. Evidence of it's original condition can be seen in the photographs as the stenciling on the frame when it was built in 1957 (upside down can still be seen). It was treated to nitro-cellouse lacquer.
The seats are of Conlley leather and the carpeting is of the highest grades and approximates the original nap and color. The car was carefully disassembled. All of the components were rebuilt including doors, top, trunk pull down, suspension, transmission, engine, and everything else you can think of and carefully re-assembled WITH as many original parts as I determined were presentable. This car was so clean, that every bolt came out with a wrench. Every bracket, screw, strap, was still there from the factory. Even the hose clamps were still on the car. I didn't even have to boil out the gas tank - that's how well preserved this car was. This car has been to many Cadillac meets and won virtually every one of them. So much so that I don't even show the car for competition anymore.
Three years ago, I bought a complete but rusty 1957 Cadillac with air - because that was the only option my car didn't have. I stripped off the front clip, applied the air, just as the factory did, recovered the dash, and finished a perfect installation of the last remaining factory accessory. So, this car HAS autotronic eye, dual four barrels, and air conditioning. The ONLY three options available on a 57, El Dorado.
This time, I plated all the bolts and refreshed the engine bay and the car once again presents almost as a brand new restoration. In the pictures, you will see evidence of the condition of the original car by not only the detailed photographs of the door panels and quarter trim panels but also the original and perfect cardboard sandwiched between the inner and outer trunk lid. This car is no project but is an older restoration. However, it doesn't show it's age. There are virtually no chips anywhere on the car, any chrome plating done is still excellent (wheels, are original and untouched - minor curb flaw in one of them but still very presentable - Cadillac ORIGINAL chrome.)
The car starts almost immediately and has none of the gremlins of the usual dual four barrel systems. As you can see from the photographs of the engine, even the coil is the original piece.
What's wrong with the car: The top which was originally black, and is now white, is faded. I can no longer make it turn white anymore. It is not frayed, nor has any holes in it and raises and lowers perfectly - but the white has gone kind of gray. The PCV valve was lost at the platers - it is of an inline design and I need to find a replacement. So there is a right angle PCV valve applied to it currently. The original engine and transmission with the appropriate VIN numbers are out of the car (complete engine) and held for safe keeping while I drive it around on the engine I took out of the 1957 four door. The front seal on the air conditioner has just let go about a week ago. I was running it on 134 and was operating ice cold - when it let go, it threw oil onto the upholostered hood pad and puckered the vinyl. The chrome dash plate which goes around the radio and the clock has cracked chrome around the mounting studs and the openings for the radio, it needs re-chromed. The original steering wheel has two TINY TINY cracks - you can see it in the photos. That's about it.
Who am I? My name is Dave. I have been restoring cars for 35 years. My first collector car was when I was 15 years old. I've had three major collections and now it's time to sell my last one. My personal taste run to the eclectic.
I have picked out or restored these vehicles to be some of the finest in the world of these types.
I was a Dodge dealer for 27 years, selling 1600 to 2000 cars a year - that was my business.
These cars are my passion.
THESE CARS ARE LOCATED IN DENVER, COLORADO, 20 MINUTES FROM DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
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