1971–1978 Cadillac Eldorado

 
The Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1999 model year. Its main competitors included the Lincoln Mark Series and the lower-priced Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. The Eldorado was near the top of the Cadillac line during the early part of its existence. In fact the original 1953 Eldorado convertible and the Eldorado Brougham models of 1957–1960 were the most expensive models that Cadillac offered those years, and the Eldorado was never less than second in price after the Cadillac Series 75 until 1966.

1971–1978 

When GM's full-size cars were redesigned for 1971, the Eldorado regained both a convertible model and its fender skirts. The 126.3-inch (3,210 mm) wheelbase version of the Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975. As before, the Eldorado and Toronado shared the front-wheel drive E-body chassis, while the Riviera (which would temporarily switch to the "B" platform for 1977) remained rear-wheel drive. Although the door glass on all Eldorados remained frameless, the hardtop rear quarter windows vanished, replaced by a fixed "opera window" in the widened "C" pillar. This was likely done to conform to threatened Federal rollover safety standards that were scheduled to take effect by the mid-1970s. Starting in 1973 the Eldorado was removed from Fleetwood sub-series status and restablished as its own totally separate series.

 

 The Cadillac Eldorado was chosen as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1973. All in all, Cadillac produced 566 of these special pace car convertibles. 33 were used at the track during the race week and the remaining 513 cars were distributed to the U.S. Cadillac dealers (one for each dealership), which were then sold to the general public. A redesigned instrument cluster was phased in during the 1974 model year (known as the 'space age' instrument panel from Cadillac literature), also shared with Calais, DeVilles and Fleetwoods. For 1977, the Eldorado received a new grille with a finer crosshatch pattern. The convertible was canceled (although Custom Coach of Lima, Ohio took a few brand-new 1977 and 1978 Eldorados into their coachbuilder facilities and converted into coach convertibles using salvaged parts from 1971-76 Eldorados; Cadillac did not produce convertibles after 1976).

The 8.2L V8 of 1970-76 gave way to a new 7L V8 with 180 bhp (134 kW). Also in 1977, all E-body cars were exclusively front-wheel drive for the first time, when Buick removed the Riviera from that platform during a two-year hiatus. Minor changes followed in 1978. This generation of Eldorados produced between 1971 and 1978 were sometimes customized as seen in films like Dolemite, Superfly, Highwaymen (film), The Mack, Willie Dynamite, (the customized Eldorado seen in Willie Dynamite is similar to the one seen in Magnum Force) and even the James Bond film Live and Let Die. An Eldorado was also used in Rob Zombie's second film, The Devil's Rejects as the car that the character Charlie drove.

 

 Customizers such as Les Dunham Coachworks have modified brand-new Eldorados with headlight covers (commonly known as Superfly headlights), grille caps, a 1941 goddess hood ornament, lake pipes, and thick-padded vinyl tops, usually with circular porthole windows.

Die Eldorado-Modell war Teil der Linie Cadillac von 1953 bis 2002. Der Cadillac Eldorado war die am längsten laufende amerikanische persönlichen Luxus-Auto, da es die einzige, nach dem Modell des Jahres 1999 verkauft wurde. Seine Hauptkonkurrenten waren die Lincoln Mark Series und den unteren Preissegment Buick Riviera und Oldsmobile Toronado.

Le modèle Eldorado faisait partie de la ligne de Cadillac de 1953 à 2002. La Cadillac Eldorado est la plus longue course automobile américaine de luxe personnel comme ce fut le seul vendus après l'année modèle 1999. Ses principaux concurrents inclus le Lincoln Mark Series et le bas prix Buick Riviera et Oldsmobile Toronado.

Модель Eldorado была часть линии Cadillac с 1953 по 2002 год.Cadillac Eldorado был самым продолжительным американским личных роскошных автомобилей, как это было только один проданный после 1999 модельного года. Его главные конкуренты включают Lincoln Mark серии и дешевого Buick Riviera и Oldsmobile Торнадо.

Il modello Eldorado faceva parte della linea Cadillac 1953-2002. La Cadillac Eldorado era la più lunga corsa automobilistica americana lusso personale perché era l'unico venduti, dopo l'anno 1999 modello. I suoi principali concorrenti incluso il Lincoln Mark Series e il basso prezzo Buick Riviera e Oldsmobile Tornado.

كان نموذج الدورادو جزء من خط كاديلاك 1953-2002. كانت كاديلاك الدورادو للتشغيل أطول الأميركي السيارات الفاخرة الشخصية لأنه كان الوحيد بيعها بعد نموذج عام 1999. وشملت منافسيها الرئيسيين في لينكولن مارك سلسلة وذات الأسعار المنخفضة وبويك ريفييرا تورنيدو أولدزموبيل.