Cadillac Eldorado
The Cadillac Eldorado underwent a major redesign in 1971, increasing its length by two inches and its wheelbase by six. It had a more rounded and bulky look, and standard fender skirts gave it an even heavier appearance. Its door glass was still frameless, but its hardtop rear quarter windows were replaced by a fixed "opera window" in the widened "C" pillar. A convertible version was re-introduced as well. This 126.3-inch wheelbase Eldorado stayed in production through 1978, receiving front and rear facelifts in 1973 and 1975 respectively. Sales topped a record 27,368 units in 1971 and rose to 40,074 in 1972.
Though its performance didn't keep up with other contemporary premium personal luxury cars, it was the only one that could seat six passengers. In 1973, the Eldorado was taken out of the Fleetwood range and became a series of its own. It was also given a facelift featuring new bumpers, egg-crate grille, decklid, rear fenders, and taillamps. This model was chosen as the official pace car for the Indianapolis 500 race, and to that end, Cadillac produced 566 of these special pace car convertibles; 33 were used during the race and the rest were distributed to US dealers. Total sales shot up to 51,451, over a sixth of all Cadillac sales.
For 1974, the Eldorado received a redesigned rear bumper to comply with new 5-mile impact federal design regulations. Styling changes included horizontal taillamps, a fine mesh grille, and a redone instrument panel marketed as "space age." For 1975, it was given rectangular headlamps, full rear wheel openings, and sleeker lines reminiscent of the 1967-70 models, and fender skirts were removed from its design.
Conjure up memories of the past with a classic 1971 Cadillac Eldorado poster, mouse pad, t-shirt, or calendar. It's a classic car lover's dream! Get yours today before they're gone!
