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Vehicle Description
1973
Cadillac
Eldorado
So, How many of you remember that the Eldo convertible was chosen as the 1973 Indianapolis 500 Pace car? In all, Cadillac 566 special pace cars were produced. Thirty-three were used at the track during the race week and the remaining 513 cars were distributed to Cadillac dealers (one to each domestic dealership). Today they’re highly-prized collectibles. People loved the styling of these fifth generation Eldorados and sales of GM’s “Personal Luxury Vehicle” were going very well by the mid-decade. It had been two years since Cadillac had redesigned the car, adding back fender skirts, opera windows and modifying that long, low iconic profile with a wide stance. ’73 also saw a mild facelift that would continue through the 1978 model year.
According to the elderly gentleman that we acquired the Caddy from, this vintage boulevard cruiser was owned and driven here locally for the past three and one-half decades. He also insists that the 6,850 miles showing on the five-digit odometer represent the first turnover and that equates to an average of only 3,000 miles per year since new! Both the interior exterior are in really exceptional condition – what you’d expect to find on a car a quarter or less this age! The carpet has been protected since new by full-width factory front and rear rubber mats. (I took most photos without them in place to show the carpet condition, but they will come with the car). While it isn’t impossible to find a 35-year old Caddy with original seats, door panels, headliner and dash in this shape, many of the hardtop coupes went to the family’s teen driver after Gramps bought a new car and were then beaten to within an inch of their life or salvaged for the 20 tons of steel throughout. The former owner of this car had no kids at home, hence the great overall shape. We’ll also be including all of the original manuals and factory paperwork shown in the photos, along with receipts for work done in the past few years.
Most factory power extras are here too including front seats, doorlocks and windows. You’ll be able to slip your old “Saturday Night Fever” eight-track cassette into the Delco AM-FM radio and disco off into the night! With its great looks and aggressive stance this cruiser turns heads EVERYWHERE it goes - and is it ever fun to tool around in! If you have questions or would like to discuss a sale before the end of the eBay listing, feel free to contact me at 206/914-1173. My name is Mark Thompson.
CONDITION:
The photos really tell the story of our Eldorado. I take great pride in the vehicles we sell and feel that you should know as much about the car as possible. All were taken on June 14, 2008. Climb over, under and throughout and I know you’ll come up smiling! Rust? Please, this cruiser hates rust and you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to worry about here. Yes, the Puget Sound area is famous for rain, but our winter roads are never salted. We only have one or two days of light snow a year. Everyone panics and stays home. The Michelin tires are at least 75% all-around. The only real outer body flaws to point to in the photos are missing “Eldorado” script trim piece and a cracked rear filler piece visible in the photos – minor enough I wouldn’t worry about them! Seriously, the worst things I can find to complain about mechanically is that the radio antennae doesn’t want to go up or down electrically, it just stays right there in the middle and the trunk could use a new carpet kit. The trunk floor is solid with NO rust. The original vinyl top is in superior condition – No thin spots, no rips or UV-caused “tiger claw” material tears or breakdown.
Take another look at the interior pictures. The original headliner is absolutely great! So is the clean gray leather upholstery front and rear. Both door panels are original and in excellent condition. I’m quite impressed with the condition of the dash gauges. They still look as clear and bright as the day this rig left the Detroit assembly plant in mid-1973!
The overall exterior is also very nice. A few years ago the factory silver-gray metallic paint was redone and it holds a shine very, very well. All the glass is good – there aren’t any cracks, pits or delam spots. You’ll be impressed by the chrome brightwork – no mashed or bent moldings here. Mechanically I feel the Caddy is strong. Even after sitting in our warehouse for a few days at a time the 500 cubic inch V8 starts instantly with just a pump or two of the gas pedal. The transmission shifts great through all gears with NO slippage. The brakes also feel just fine. It really is a blast to cruise in! Because the car wasn’t being driven daily, the owner added a battery shutoff switch below the dash to cut the power – which also will prevent a theft! I have no problem encouraging bidders to do what many of our previous buyers from as far away as Alaska, Canada, Arizona, the east coast and even the Mexican Baja have done – fly in here to Seattle (We’ll pick you up at Sea-Tac International) and then roadtrip this behemoth home the same day! I’ll have it gassed up and ready to go. Just be very careful, passing Navy fighter jets have been known to make carrier landing attempts on that long hood!
Here’s a brief list of other things I’m always questioned about and how they’re functioning:
The cruise control; Air conditioning; heater fan switch; power seats all four windows; the horn, turn signals, headlights; tail lights, interior lights and the tilt/telescoping steering wheel all work great! The dash clock and power antennae are in need of attention. The AM-FM factory radio works, but I haven’t owned an eight-track tape since 1982, so you’ll need to test the player yourself. It doesn’t appear that any of the three ashtrays have ever been used for anything more than storing chewing gum.
TERMS OF SALE:
Please check the photos over closely and call me with any questions BEFORE you place a bid! You’re encouraged to stop by, inspect the Eldo at our location and take it for a test drive. Give me a call first as I may be using it for my daily driver and want to be sure it’s on-site for you to see! Because of the amount of money involved with a vehicle purchase, we reserve the right to cancel your bid if you have any negative feedback. I also ask that potential bidders with a feedback rating of seven or fewer purchases on Ebay contact me before placing their bid. Finally, we reserve the right to end the auction early if the Cadillac is no longer for sale or an acceptable offer has been agreed to here before the end of the auction period.
Note to Bidders: Rest assured, we will NEVER “shill” or falsely "bump-up" an auction (a violation of Ebay rules and Federal Law) and we will NEVER, EVER solicit a “Second Chance Offer” from ANY Bidder! Please feel free to contact me directly thru Ebay’s system or, as outlined above, call me at 206/914-1173 anytime. My name is MARK THOMPSON.
At the auction’s conclusion, a nonrefundable $500 deposit is due within 48 hours. Because of the gianormous fees they charge we accept PAYPAL for the $500 deposit only. The balance is due by cash or certified funds within five days unless prior arrangements have been made. Please remember, you are bidding to buy and I fully expect the winning bidder to fulfill their Ebay contract! You’re not bidding to hold, inspect or then come test-drive the car later! Please come do this before the auction ends or have an inspection service stop by. All costs of transport to the purchaser’s location are the responsibility of the purchaser. I’m more than happy to store the Eldorado in our warehouse for up to two weeks after the sale and will help coordinate pickup and loading with the transporter you choose.
VEHICLE SHIPPING OR PICKUP:
If you decide to go with a transport service there are many to choose from. We send vehicles up and down the West Coast regularly and can obtain a quote for you to most western states from one of our usual transporters. If you're in another part of the country, Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS) is Ebay's preferred shipper and has a link attached to the Ebay Motors home page that I suggest looking at (see link below). The zip code for vehicle pick-up would be 98028 to get an instant on-line quote. The shipping of the car and company chosen is the responsibility of the BUYER. Here’s the link:
http://pages.motors.ebay.com/services/das-shipping.html
Be aware that door-to-door service from any shipper will cost hundreds more than a “station-to-station” delivery. If you’re willing to drive up to fifty miles from home to the shipper’s delivery depot, you’ll save significant money. Here on our end we can assist by transporting your purchase to the nearest DAS terminal located in Lakewood, WA (98499) for an additional $100. DAS normally charges about $200.00 to come pick up at our door.
Additional Terms and Requirements:
The Buyer will be responsible for his own Licensing Requirements in their state of residence. Washington State retail buyers will need to pay the required 9.3% state vehicle sales tax, title preparation, transfer and registration fees. Because the Caddy is advertised and for sale locally, I reserve the right to cancel this auction early if the car is no longer available for sale online.
The State of Washington shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all disputes with the venue exclusively here in King County. The final contract signed between both buyer and seller shall be binding with the terms thereof governing the sale. All disputes arising out of or relating to this auction, any negotiations, the signed agreement, or to the breach, enforcement or interpretation thereof, shall be resolved by binding arbitration in Washington, in accordance with the terms contained in the final sale agreement and under the laws of the State of Washington. Whew! Don’t you just love legalese?
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