There seems to be an unlimited interest in Caddies, Buicks, and other big boats here on CC. Now I just happened to come across a few of them the other day, including another set of twins. But these are opposite of the Metros in every way possible, except for being two of them. True Americans indeed; maybe just about the most American car ever. There is a car lot in Conroe, TX. that seems to like them. If you want a fat Caddie or Buick just come on down; it’s just thirty miles north of the biggest city in the South.
It just needs some Texas longhorn horns on the hood. I have no idea what the prices are, but maybe he’d throw in the itty-bitty Metro if you buy the Caddie; stick it in the trunk as a spare. When the price isn’t showing I always get the feeling it’s probably too high.
These cars don’t really belong with the Caddies. They aren’t nearly as clean. but how often do you see lovely rear ends like these staring at you?
Now of course if you’re too good for Cadillacs, here’s just the thing. They both have big lazy OHV V8s and Hydramatics, so there’s nothing to worry about in terms of things going wrong or getting it repaired in Conroe. Parts? There’s an Auto Zone down the street. And if they give you a hard time, just yank out the drive train and drop in a Chevy 350/350 combo. Who’d ever know? If under-hood looks matter that much, just rig up a manifold to feed the Chevy with the twin SUs. Wouldn’t that be a first?
The proprietor wasn’t real friendly. I had taken a few pictures when he came out of his air conditioned office. Not to worry though. I told him I was visiting from Eugene, Oregon, and that my name was Paul. From the look he gave me, I’m not too sure he’d heard of it. Is that in America? Sort of.
I dunno about the Cadillacs, but the RR? There’s no worry at all about things going wrong – A Rolls-Royce DOES NOT BREAK DOWN – EVER. This from a RR mechanic who “readjusted” a rear end that “blew” and left its driver stranded for a couple hours many years ago!
I’d love an El Dorado IF I could afford to feed it…
A Rolls Royce doesn’t break down – it merely fails to proceed
Great line!
This lot has a “for lease” sign that tells me a lot of people are worried about feeding the caddies. Or else, they just don’t want them.
These kind of stores seem to pop up and disappear as regularly as the spring flowers. I don’t think its a very viable business model.
You usually see this spring up in a closed new car dealerships, there are a couple down here, one used to be in a Pontiac-Chrysler placed that closed before the meltdown, it seems to have hung on for the last couple of years, how I dont know, their prices are crazy for the crap they sell.
At the various Carlisle events, there is always at least one Eldorado from this generation for sale. Most of them are “20 footers” – they look great from 20 feet, but up close you can see all of the flaws and the quick-and-cheap paint job. That doesn’t stop the owner from asking top dollar for the car because, after all, it’s a Cadillac!
As for the Rolls – someone once told me that overhauling the braking system can run into five figures.
Yeah, they are what you call unrealistic mothers, they seem to boast about how this is. “the last convertible” even though the car they are selling isn’t one of the last 200, with way out of range asking prices for bondo-box Eldo convertibles with terrible, terrible, Tijuana Taxi upholstery jobs. I cant stand to even look at those.
Now a nice clean one of these is a joy, to me at least, but it has to be clean well optioned one.
As for the Rolls – someone once told me that overhauling the braking system can run into five figures.
that can be true, since they used the Citroen hydraulic system, your brake pedal is actually a valve to open the hydraulic pressure to the brake lines.
Also triple system, dual high pressure system with a regular hydraulic system as a back up or give u a bit more of the real feel.
Its similar to air brakes on trucks, but does not need to bleed to system everytime u start up or wait till pressure build up.
It also supply power to the rear axle self levelling system. It has regular springs the hydraulic ram were to augment the springs, should the system fail to work u only get a sagging rear end.
The high pressure pumps were located on both end of the camshaft with the hydraulic tappets in between, sits in the valley of both cylinder banks.
These old shadows do need deep pockets to run them.
You start flashing a camera around in a used car lot in Conroe Texas you best be fixin……..oh never mind
I wish that Pesky Chevy would have not gotten in the way of that gorgeous ’67 Wildcat.
+1, that ‘cat is the best of the bunch.
Ok Junqueboi: I went back to Conroe today and here’s one that doesn’t have any chevy in it. And pfsm, the front of this was out in weather as well.
I’m flattered and very much obliged!! That front-end damage really ruins the sharp look of the grille area doesn’t it? The center of that bumper needs to be pounded back up (’til it gets properly fixed).
If that was a white bucket seat console car, I’d go nuts. I have a particular fondness for the sleek roofline of the ’67 & ’68 Impala, Wildcat/LeSabre, Delta, & big Pontiac.
Keep the Caddies I’ll take that Deuce!
Sean, there was a good reason the Duece was just an afterthought in the article. Not much there. I’m not going back. They were talking about getting a rope when I left.
I was about to write, “There’s no Electra 225 in the pics”, but forgot that “Duece” also is nickname for Chevy II’s, which I always call ‘Nova’ first.
There’s a dealer in a neighboring town who sells high price vintage cars. Last year, I drove past the place. All cars are inside (25 cars or more.) Numerous signs state “Cars shown only by appointment”, “Smile, your on camera.” “No trespassing.” The lot is locked and chained so no one can drive on the property. The dealership borders a crime ridden area.
Prices for his cars are in the stratosphere. The web site is detailed, and many pictures are taken for each car. To give the guy credit, the cars seem mint, but still price excessive. For example: 66 Wildcat convertible, 15K. 32K for a 63 Chevy HT. 20K for a 70 Mercury Montego. The cars have mileage on them, not trailer queens, however, you wonder how they can look so good. Obviously, they’re gone over cosmetically.
I doubt the guy sells many cars. He probably uses the dealership as a tax write -off to subsidize his car collection.
I must admit to being a bit partial to the fat Caddies
Nice Car. But fat? I prefer the term “rubenesque.”
Full figured.
zaftig
Big boned, no, big framed.
I always liked the ’73 Eldo, I think it is the cleanest of the 1971-78 generation. They also seem to be the least frequently seen.
73 and 74 are interesting, because of the styling is one year only for each, 71-72 are very similar with little changes, like 75-76. But the 73 rear end is one year only as is the 74, which has the same tail light treatment like a 75-76, but with fender skirts.
The ’73 looks a bit truncated from certain angles, with the rear end looking too small for the front, so in some way the ’74 redesign helps smooth it out. I was always amazed to hear from my dearly departed Caddy expert that the hoods and trunk lids were basically interchangeable among all the series, so GM was saving some bucks with than one. My first preference is for a ’67 or ’68 Deville ragtop, but I do like the early Eldo’s with the skirts and earlier dash than the later 75’s and 76’s. Parts are awfully hard to get for the ’73 because of the one year only production. Despite some folks saying that the 500 was down on horsepower, they have huge torque which shifts them pretty well in modern traffic, and I have eked out as much as 15 mpg US on gentle highway runs, which isn’t that much off my Monte Carlo with a 350.
She’s a Caddy and she don’t lac(k).
The other Fatty
I like this year Eldorado. And the bonus Monte Carlo behind it.
Clean Eldos . . . . from the photos, they don’t appear to be molested, but, I am a bigger fan of RWD Caddies. The Wildcat looks inviting needing some TLC. I noticed the Washington plates on the Buick.
That Buick appears to have the “ass-end stuck out of the garage” syndrome as well. Maybe it lived in eastern Washington where there’s enough sun to do that to a car’s paint faster than here in western WA.
I live in Houston, and I’m pretty sure I’ve stopped at that lot to look when driving north. If you head south on 45 a ways, just today I saw a Hyundai dealership with 3 early 70’s Mustangs on the used car lot. I’d like to stop and see what the heck is up with that!
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee33/bc8163892/cars/?action=view¤t=22a7.jpg
that was the 73 eldo i once owned, dont think the mpg was all that high should i get 15 mpg I should be pretty happy!
travelling thru the fraser canyon is sure a nice treat.
Wonder if that transaxle & engine one can fit a gm 6.2 diesel in it?
My car did have propane installation in it, but somehow they took it off.
cheers