I bought a 1961 Cadillac Eldorado GM factory custom off craigslist

amazing find , that machine deserves an over the top resto , nut and bolt , its just so special , i know it would cost , but you have documented history of 1 off car , but you have an owner history of famous person ,as well as chicago show car pics , this car could be worth far more then you think , sir you did win the lottery.. you are 1 lucky man .... take car Kev

 

Great find, I'm sure more pics will come.

 

Not much to report on the Caddy. I got my grille bar back from Spacecoast Platers, they are so good I've never had to return a piece because I was unhappy.
Gonna get my tires from Coker next weekend and I'll fix my wheel cylinders and master cylinder whilst I have the wheels off.

Before





After

 

Nads,

I saw this when it was on craigslist from up here in Jax, I thought it was a good deal not even knowing how special it was-damn! I can't remember if you could see the floor shift in the ad, but I remember the console. If I remember right he even ran it on craigslist a couple of times!
Great score, great work, are you going to bring it to b-proof -as-is is fine!? (just scanned the thread sorry if you already mentioned this)

 

I'm taking it someplace, but I can't say just yet. She will be making the rounds after that and will not be squirreled away.

 

I like the house,the caddy is nice too. seriously cool find. It looks to me that it is in good hands and won't end up behind someone's garage turning into dirt all the while the owner says he is goin to fix it up some day.

 

The Cadillac...or Slammed's tongue??? ha ha ha

 

Check out this amazing 4 door with it's lid chopped off, similar filled in tail fins and from one month after my car's pics.

 

Nads,

So glad to see you got this up and running and continuing to fix the little things. When it first popped up on my caddy site I knew it was special...then found out you bought it.
Very cool, congrats on digging up the photos and information you've found. Too cool.

 

That plating shop did an amazing save on your chrome piece. Just wow! Nice car Nads. Pat

 

I just spent 30 minutes reading this thread and all I can say is "wow". I can understand wanting to make it your own but as special as this car is I think you should keep it as is, restoring it back to its glory. The fact that you are making missing pieces for this car will make it your own. By all means drive it though!

 

I think you misunderstood me, I don't want to make it my own, the big question is do I restore it or preserve it? I don't want to alter any aspect of the car, but there's no way I can deny that the Le Mans version of the car is much prettier than the way it is now.

The only thing I'd really like right now is to have those hubcaps or find someone who can make them.

 

Just ran across this and all I can say is, Nadeem you one lucky SOB.

 

The courtyard most of those pictures were taken at is at the GM tech Center in Warren, MI, the turntable in the ground made it easier to take picture from different angles than trying to move a clay model around.

 

man, you scored...it definitely landed in the right hands! What a beautiful Caddy! Congrats!

 

Super flippin cool, jealous.

 

WHAT A STORY !

I have looked thru this whole thing and I amazed that of its history , its condition and now with its future... so preserving its historical "look" is the consensus ...
No mention of its engine or pics under the hood...
so let the cacklin begin how should this classic caddy be done under the hood ?
stock
mild clean up
period hot rodded
c,mon lets give the "CHERRY QUEEN " some balls of her own ?

 

Congrats Nads, could you keep an eye out for the Wildcat 2 for me.

 

Wow! Nads, that is the find of a lifetime....well done & thanks for sharing it with all of us......is this your house in this pic, very Picturesque.

 

Vehiculus,the Car God, says that you should sell this car for a bunch of money so you can fund more projects.Just my .02.

 

Nads, I am not a caddy guy but wow! I just read through the entire thread and that is one impressive car. Good luck with it and have fun driving it.

 

like most wimmin a change of shoes makes them feel sexy when they shouldn't be allowed.....

what"s wrong with some wheel tire combo changes while bombing around

doing things with this QUEEN that are completly reversable should be OKAY

some one photoshop some choices pleeeze

 

Nads, that car is an absurd find, I love it. And your pad looks outrageous too. The two of them together in this pic look so South Florida to me that I think you need tiger skin seat covers.

 

Holy crapola' what a superb find

 

Looks like they were going after the Lincoln 4 door 'vert with that one. Neat idea.

 

Great car, great history, keep the updates coming.

 

Traverse City is the home of Hagerty Insurance, somene there may know more about this awesome Caddy.

 

I say it deserves a full restoration. It deserves to be dazzling.

We preserve and clean up cars rather than restoring them because it's interesting to see exactly the standard to which they were originally done. This car, being a show car, doesn't really have that standard standard quality about it. We can't see what a '62 Caddy really was in this car, because it's more than a standard Caddy. It was build to dazzle. And it should again.

Besides, the paint was redone badly, so that has to be addressed, no matter what. And once it's got proper paint (which, if original, would surely have been well beyond even Cadillac factory standards), then the chrome would look kinda forlorn if not spruced up, etc., etc. Just do it. (I know, that's easy to say because I don't have to pay the freight.)

The interior should clean up well, I think. The upholstery and soft parts look like TLC and leather cream would work wonders. Even the carpets look very salvageable.

Can't wait to see what you can do with this 50 year old beauty - she's ready for a facelift.

 

Bitchin' Score !!!!!!!!!!! The 8 lug wheels are a great touch , too. That's a keeper !!!!!!!!!!!!!

4TTRUK

 

Definitely. Note also (in the background of the 2nd pic, post #364) the stair platform for the bird's eye shots.