1971 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible - One Of Only 6800 Made - Unrestored History!

Make:	Cadillac
Model:	Eldorado
Type:	Convertible
Trim:	Fleetwood
Year:	1971
Mileage:	139,532
Color:	Green
Engine:	V8
Fuel:	Gasoline
Transmission:	Automatic
Interior color:	Green
Vehicle Title:	Clear
Item location:	Hartland Four Corners, Vermont, United States

1971 Cadillac Eldorado Fleetwood Additional Info:

1971 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, 500 ci, V8 – 139,000 + miles

Car was purchased 13 years ago, with original miles. Believe odometer has turned over, but cannot be sure, so we are treating the listing as if it has. Car is mostly solid – only area that will need replacing is one rear floor panel, which seems to be a little tender. Running project to drive as you restore or give it TLC. It is not perfect, and while I don’t know the previous history or ownership of the car prior to 2006, I can tell that the car was repainted before 2006. Paint is faded on trunk and hood, and is dinged/pitted on trunk. From what I can see, other than the radio and rear view mirror, the car is mostly original.The stereo is aftermarket (Pioneer CD with Aux jack for your media players), but it will come with it's original 8 track player. All of the cowl and motor tags are intact, and the car also boast's it's original fender skirts. The interior isn’t perfect, but it is average for 47 years old. Oddly enough, it doesn’t leak fluids on my garage floor as I would expect. Door panels cracked and convertible top is rough. It needs more attention, but if someone wants a great car to have as a garage project, drive locally on, and tinker with, I think it's a great start. Please do not send emails asking what the reserve is - I will not respond. Bid what you think is fair - I can tell you, the reserve is less than what I paid for the car, and the value of these machines continues to increase, as they are getting harder to find. This car will not come with a title- due to it's age, one is not available/required to register. A bill of sale will be given to the new owner.

The car has had the brake booster replaced recently. A new Interstate battery was installed 2-3 years ago, a new alternator, and a carb rebuild 3 years ago. Car seems to handle the road as it should.Had the top down and back up with the motors running, but had to get a friend over to help me get it latched back down. I would imagine it needs to be lubed and the adjustment gone over.That said, fuel filter should be replaced, and install tune-up parts before you're going to really enjoy it.I would trailer this car home.

Look over the pictures, while not a Cadillac expert, I will attempt to answer any questions about the function or condition of the car the best I can. Don't ask me what the low reserve is or to stop the auction for a "buy it now". Please don't be the winning bidder after the auction is over, then ask me if the A/C works, if I can get someone to restore the car cheap, if it would be a good college car for a kid, or if it could be driven 1,000 miles home. It is good project car that is 47 years old. I can tell you this, driving through town in a 1971 green Eldorado with your arm out the window, get's attention and rubber-necking from both young and old.It's your turn to work on it and enjoy it.

Buyer has all pick-up and shipping responsibilities from 05049. Deposit via PayPal within 24 hours. All sales final, as is,where is. Balance must be paid within 7 days of auction’s end. If payment is not made within 7 days, bidder will be left negative feedback. Please ask any questions PRIOR to bidding. I am happy to show the car to serious parties of interest prior to auction's end.

If you love Cadillacs, than this may be the car for you. One of only 6800 Eldorado convertibles made in 1971, this low production year was also the comeback year for the Eldorado convertible model. The Eldorado convertible had been absent from Cadillac's lineup since 1966. Boasting the original 500-cu. inch V8, this Eldorado runs and drives. It is an unrestored piece of Cadillac history, which will only appreciate in value. I am selling the car to make room in my personal collection. Since having owned it, it has been garage kept, and loved. Now, it's time to pass this icon on to someone who can appreciate it, and take it to the next level.I have had my fun with it, having it in our local 4th of July Parade, and have put on many miles cruising the back roads of rural New England. It is a car that gets "thumbs-up" where ever it goes, and, yet (for the time being) is still an affordable piece of Americana. Again, because of it's low production numbers, this will only change in the future as these cars become harder to find!

Known issues with the Car: Car is Unrestored. Items listed are to be expected in a car of this age, and the list may not be complete.

• Original leather upholstery has age cracks, and tearing. (See pics)

• AC is equipped, but not working

• Top Is functional, but will need replacing. Window is original back glass. • • Convertible bows (all original) may need replacement. Again, the top works, but needs a little TLC.

• Rubber will need to be replaced around windows - have the trunk weather striping, just never had time to install. Will come with car to winning bidder.

• Some rust around front drivers side trim on door.

• Rearview mirror is not original to car.

• Clock does not function.

• Locks on doors do not work

You should plan on inspecting the car before bidding, and/or understand that all sales are final, as is, where is, with no guarantees being made. Please plan on having this car trailered to your final destination, as no guarantees are made. This is a rare example of an unrestored, mostly original (all except paint as noted above) 1971 Cadillac convertible, with a very low reserve price. Please don't ask, because I won't tell you what it is! I hope the winning bidder will enjoy this car as much as I have - it has been my pride and joy, and I will be sad to see it go!

This excerpt from Hemmings Classic Car, pretty much sums it up....

Featured Article from Hemmings Classic Car,March, 2006 - By:Craig Fitzgerald

"If you've been reading this magazine long, it shouldn't be a secret that most of the editorial staff here is predisposed to appreciate large American cars. The bigger, the better, we always say. And they don't get much bigger than the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado. In a lot of respects, the Eldorado is a parody of itself, and has become something of a cultural icon. With the exception of a fur hat, there isn't anything that says "pimp" quite like this car.

For 1971, Cadillac's personal luxury car was all-new. The 500-cu.in. V-8 from 1970 was carried over, and foreshadowed bigger things to come. What was most certainly bigger was the car's wheelbase. Never what one would consider to be short, the Eldorado's wheelbase grew 6.3 inches in 1971. Fortunately for most American garages, the car's overall length only increased .6 inches.

Today, the Eldorado's dimensions and angular profile are cartoonish in comparison with the modern, melted jellybean school of automotive design. But 1971 was the epoch of self-indulgence, and with the exception of a few cars from Bentley and Rolls-Royce, the Cadillac Eldorado was the most self-indulgent car on the market. It was the perfect vehicle for the conservative who'd ridden out the Summer of Love buckling down in the corner office, instead of turning on at Woodstock.

The 1971 Eldorado laid the framework for Cadillac's front-wheel drive coupe for the next eight years. Its gargantuan size was the ultimate target of consumer groups looking for the perfect example of a gas-guzzling land barge in the era of escalating fuel prices. Think of it as the early 1970s version of the Hummer.

Be that as it may, the 1971 to 1978 Eldorado sold remarkably well throughout its production run. In its inaugural year, Cadillac delivered 20,568 coupes just like our Auction Profile car, with another 6,800 convertibles thrown in for good measure."

This article originally appeared in the March, 2006 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.