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I bought a 1961 Cadillac Eldorado GM factory custom off craigslist

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Nads, Sep 17, 2012.

  1. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    OK, can't keep it a secret anymore. I punched in "1961 Cadillac" on craigslist looking for a 4 window flattop but something far more intriguing popped up, this was on August 28th.
    I went to look at the car in question not knowing what it really was, the details on the car were intriguing. I went home and pored over my many books and there in the year 1962 Dream Car section of the World's Greatest Auto Show about the history of the Chicago Auto Show was that Cadillac.

    There was no I wasn't gonna buy this unique car.

    There's all kindsa stories I was told about this car, it was supposedly one of two built, one belonged to golfer Walter Hagen and the other Bing Crosby. All I know is I did find a Traverse City Golf and Country Club pencil and two golf balls in the trunk.
    Here are some pics. The way it differs from a stock 61 or a 62 Caddy are too numerous to mention.

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    The rear fins are filled, the rear wheelwells are opened up, it has a center column with two bucket seats and it's floor shifted.
     
  2. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

  3. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    Here is a scan of the picture of it in the book.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 4,993

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    way cool but I'd think that thing is worth too much money to keep? I'd think GM might want that back. Then again, they are already operating on your money.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2012

  5. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

    That thing is cool.
     
  6. Congratulations on finding such a cool ol' Caddy! HRP
     
  7. HotRodToomer
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 857

    HotRodToomer
    Member

    Beautiful & good history.
     
  8. GassersGarage
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 4,727

    GassersGarage
    Member

    Worth restoring back to original. What a unique Cadi.
     
  9. snelson57
    Joined: Jun 3, 2008
    Posts: 544

    snelson57
    Member

    What a great find and it looks to be in great, original condition, too.
     
  10. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    [​IMG]
    The car has this 5 digit number on the back of all the trim pieces.
    I got the car home on Saturday and me and JT got her running. I changed the oil on Saturday and other than water pump leaking and those hideous snow tires flat spotted from sitting for possibly 30 years the car runs and drives like a dream.
    [​IMG]
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    The lower front bumper is chrome plated fiberglass, as are the headlamp pods.

    It has a parade boot which wasn't produced or available after 1960.
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    Pictures from the first drive

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    The hood is also fiberglass

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    It has extruded aluminum panels along the rockers, all hand made stuff.

    [​IMG]

    Here's the bag for the parade boots

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    chryslerfan55 and kiwijeff like this.
  11. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Rad ! Whats the plan now ?
     
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    It's so cool it's worth restoring, and driving it as much as you can...
     
    Greenblade likes this.
  13. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    I've been offered some very serious cash for it but I'm not selling it, this kind of stuff happens once in a lifetime, I was in the right place at the right time. I'll not divulge what I paid but it was about the price of a used Honda

    Here's a short video JT took
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    chryslerfan55, rockable and kiwijeff like this.
  14. Well Nads,
    That is the homeliest car you ever drug home, are you in cheap enough for me to come haul it off for ya? :D

    Pretty neat score friend.

    Hey check you PMs. I need to run something past ya.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  15. Perrorojo
    Joined: Feb 25, 2011
    Posts: 357

    Perrorojo
    Member

    Awesome find. It's amazing what some people have hidden away.
     
  16. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 4,993

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    Agreed. If you don't really need the money, you just bought yourself a cool car that you'd NEVER be able to get again. Enjoy the hell out of that thing brother.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  17. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    I have written to the GM Heritage Center to find out more about the car. It has no x or xp designation in the VIN nor build plate, it has that intriguing SO 50110 number though.

    Everything works on the car, I put a battery in her and I heard a ticking and looked and saw the clock was working, the car has only got 38,000 documented miles on it.

    My plans are to fix the damaged areas and try to match the patina of the rest of the car, the interior is quite beautiful, the thread on the facing of the seats is getting loose, everything is covered in leather, even the inside of the center console.

    Here's a flickr stream with more pics, including the unique taillights that have no markings on them whatsoever, all one off handmade stuff.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/66732932@N03/
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  18. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    Nope, it's a slider with a walnut knob on top.
     
  19. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    There is very little rust on the body, the car was repainted once in a color several shades darker than the original. The areas above the wheelwells that look like rust is actually paint blistering off, there's bare metal under it on the driver's side and it has to be addressed. There are absolutely no holes under the car, it's been sitting in dry storage for years and years.
    I haven't had a Cadillac since 1986, I had a 61 Sedan De Ville back then I bought for $1500, I actually got a bank loan for it, it established my credit with the $80 a month payments.
    I'm one lucky SOB.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  20. pwschuh
    Joined: Oct 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,827

    pwschuh
    ALLIANCE MEMBER


    Quoted for the Truth.

    Did the seller have any idea what they had?
     
  21. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Extremely nice score, Nads. How about a top up pic?
     
  22. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  23. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    The top needs redoing, remarkably it still works very well. There's pics on the flickr link, I can't save the images.
     
  24. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,774

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    cool car, you are a very lucky man. I for one would restore that car. factory prototype cars should not have patina... just my opinion... I have a very nice set of us royal master tires 900x15 that should go on that car if you are interested
     
    chryslerfan55 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  25. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    Well, he had the story about it belonging to Walter Hagen, who I'd never heard of before this time, but I don't think he knew about how unique the body was, he thought it had been shown at the New York Auto Show in 1962 but there's no evidence it was. To be honest when I first saw it I thought it might have been the work of a custom shop, but then there's things on there that couldn't have been made by anyone other than the a deeply pocketed auto manufacturer. It wasn't until I got home and I saw the picture that I was looking at something really special.

    More will come out on the car's history, that it stayed hidden for so long is amazing.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  26. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    The original spare is an 8.20-15, are yours dual whitelines?

    I just can't swing a full resto right now, I know exactly what you're saying and I am imagining her looking like she did in February 1962. Those hubcaps that were on the car would cost thousands just in themselves to replicate.
     
    chryslerfan55 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  27. Is it just because the upper taillights are filled making an illustion, or are the fins taller than normal for a '61 Caddy?


    Presumably Bing's car has a bag of oranges in the trunk.
     
  28. Rot 'n Kustom
    Joined: Sep 24, 2004
    Posts: 2,086

    Rot 'n Kustom
    Member

    Great car - good luck with it.
    A quick visit to Wikipedia yielded this:
    Hagen died in Traverse City, Michigan in 1969.

    So even the golf balls and pencil may have belonged to Walter Hagen, too.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  29. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    Without measuring them against a stock one I couldn't tell you, but tailfins were falling out of favor by this time so I doubt they would make them bigger. I ran a magnet over them and they're not just leaded they are fully welded steel.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  30. unclescooby
    Joined: Jul 5, 2004
    Posts: 4,993

    unclescooby
    Member
    from indy

    kick ass.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.

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