Hi all, I am a brand new member to CLC and am interested in purchasing a Bicentennial Eldorado with approx 1000 original miles. Car has been kept in a conditioned space all these years. Im afraid that the low miles could be detrimental for the engine etc any advice? Thanks in advance for your help.
Its been in one place the whole time?
Any idea when or how the 1000 miles were put on it?
Is it supposedly in driving condition now?
What are your plans for it? Drive? Show and drive? Just show?
It has had two owners and both kept the car in condition space like a time capsule. The car is in great running condition. I am going to have a classic car mechanic do an inspection prior to purchase. I plan on driving and show and enjoying the car. I am also compiling a list of things to look for during the inspection process...any input would be greatly apprciated
I think the bicentennials were EFI so there are some special concerns there, mainly the O rings in the injectors. Old age they leak and can end up squirting high pressure fuel all over the engine which as you can imagine isn't a good thing. They also had an issue with the dual electric fuel pumps overloading the fuel pump power circuit in the ECU. There is a mod where an external relay is added so it does not stress and possibly damage the ECU.
Nothing else I can think of that is really special about the Eldo's. Every piece of 'rubber' on the car would be in question. This would be hoses (including brake), tires, seals and gaskets including internal transmission ones, cv boots, body fillers, weatherstripping, ect....
Tire valve stems are unique on these cars and mostly metal but do have a rubber gasket that ages. They are available but not the sort of thing a typical tire shop will have on hand so get those before you go in for tires.
Wheel weights are unique, they are called CAX and have an extension on them to clear the hubcap. Pretty rare to find a shop that has those and with the change to no lead and the fact that they were only used on some cars in the 70's they are not easy to find. Stick on weights should work but some have reported better results using the correct ones. Just using standard clip on weights on the inside usually does not work well.
Top latches must stay in the open position when you put the top down or they will get damaged. Also make sure there is nothing in the upper deck in the trunk, the rear window needs to be able to settle down so the rest of the top can stack on top of it. If there is something in the way result is usually broken window.
It's typical that the heater core and radiator corrode from sitting with the old coolant in them.
May need replacement once you start driving the car.
Also the bumper fillers will probably crumble and fall apart. Don't get too freaked out by this, replacements are available. They are a real pain to install but we can help you with that once you get the car.
Good luck.
Our Bicentennial has about 5.5K miles on it - we have made sure to drive it a hundred miles or so annually the past few years. Mechanically it's held up very well and has been the most reliable of the old caddies. Did have to get new tires, and the bumper fillers are showing some age even with climate controlled, low light storage.
Might I inquire how much you are looking to pay for the 1K mile version? We are looking to list ours in the coming months and am curious what the market looks like...
Good luck - these are beautiful cars and a joy to drive!
A. Edrington Norfolk, VA
Quote from: south280 on October 23, 2016, 09:11:10 AM
Hi all, I am a brand new member to CLC and am interested in purchasing a Bicentennial Eldorado with approx 1000 original miles. Car has been kept in a conditioned space all these years. Im afraid that the low miles could be detrimental for the engine etc any advice? Thanks in advance for your help.
If planning on doing any kind of motoring, frankly I'd much prefer an excellent low mileage example that sees regular use (weather permitting and so forth) with regular service and upkeep.
The perils of awakening a "sleeping giant" like this are well known as these are large and complex machines with a raft of power accessories that even under the most agreeable of storage conditions that without question, can easily become problematic from disuse. Everything from the climate control system to power windows, sets, locks, etc etc and none of this begins to touch upon the cooling system related items. The engine/trans will probably be fine; it's all the nickels and dimes that add up to all the grief and aggravation.
If the car is equipped fuel injection option, I would immediately recommend cease and desist without hesitation. This is unlikely however but I thought I'd mention it all the same.
Seals are also a concern - oil, trans, and otherwise plus the 1976 Eldorado is standard with 4 wheel disc brakes with the world-famous rear calipers for freezing up because nobody ever exercises the parking brake which is necessary to keep them in adjustment. It's almost guaranteed a 1,000 mile car will need rear calipers right off the bat and they ain't cheap. Might be able to be rebuilt - not sure how much that runs these days, assuming possible.
In short, a beautifully kept, maintained and loved 1975/1976 Eldorado Convertible with say 20,000 on the clock that is driven sparingly but regularly will provide every bit as much motoring enjoyment as a 1,000 mile car. Such examples are not at all difficult to find, will give you less headache and heartache, while being far lighter on the checkbook, not only in upfront cost but also repairs - both immediate & future. Of course, none of this takes into account of the hit you'll take when you start logging miles on the clock of a 1,000 mile car.
Leave the 1,000 mile cars for museums. You'll be glad you did.
Welcome to the Cadillac & La Salle Club and the CLC Forum. Glad to have you aboard.
Eric
All 200 Bicentennial Eldorado's did not have the fuel injection option.
I drive my cars. That one would get new tires, replacement of ANYTHING
touching brake fluid, all the rubber seals in the trans replaced, a new timing
chain set, HEI disassemble and lubed, new radiator and heater core, about
all hoses under the hood and in the fuel system replaced. Grease the wheel
bearings or they will soon fail. The A/C compressor clutch and alternator will
need new sealed ball bearings. I have done ALL of this to my 79 Eldo, some
things more than once. Bruce Roe
Yes agree with all the other posts and will add:
My friend just bought a 20k 1975 Eldorado and it had just enjoyed 6k worth of work to make it saleable.
I bought a 35k original mile 1970 Cadillac Sedan and purchased all the rubber parts (including all suspension bushing front and rear) plus timing chain and etc. Got everything working perfect as new. Cost of all parts was about 4.5k (weather stripping $700, tires $1,200 and etc.), plus my labor. Low mileage cars have requirements. I could have not done these things, but I hate preventable failures and want to enjoy the drive. Car drives as new.
In general any car being sold, especially a classic, likely needs something.
It all depends on the conditions it was stored in.
Lots of stuff needs to be checked. If it's injected the seals have to be replaced.
Everything else just might be fine.
Let's not scare the guy too much.
There you have the opinions, from those that expect to drive a car
that performs and is as reliable as new, and those who drive it till it
breaks down (hopefully not in a dangerous way). I have no problem
presenting the truth, but I wouldn't spend $1200 on a set of tires.
Bruce Roe
Thanks for all the great advice!
At the 2007 Grand National, we had a 1976 Bicentennial Eldo that rolled over from 49.9 to 50 miles when it approached The Self-Starter Photo Station. As I recall, it ran quite well.
As with many things in life, there are varying opinions. generally, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
I'm with Bruce, if your going to drive it, go through all items to make the car dependable.
chris.
Bruce,
Yes, that $1,200 tire expenses was for 5 (want a nice spare), the Diamondbacks with the dual stipe radial tires designed to look original to 1970. You can buy tires for less for sure. The other stuff was not out of line though.
Suppose the car was well stored , and accumulated its 1000 miles by driving it 12 miles twice a year. If all systems were exercised each drive , the car might not need much at all. When your mechanic looks at the suggestions here , he will probably find that the car will be virtually a new 1976 Cadillac convertible after a few reasonable things are done. If you love the car , buy it. If you don't get it , you probably will wish you did. You only live once. Make sure to keep letting us know how you are getting on. - CC
There is nothing like driving a large drop top Cadillac.
My best moment came when I picked up my 15 year old daughter from her very large high school the day after I turned 50, in the fall on a beautiful 72'F sunny day in my red 1970 Cadillac convertible (top down of course). There were probably 200 high school kids outside hanging around at 4pm. When I pulled into the parking lot (several hundred yards from pick up point), they were all cheering and clapping. My daughter was terribly embarrassed, but of course I was very happy and enjoyed it. She left her friends and sheepishly got into the car. After we pulled out of the parking lot her 15 year old friends texted here "Your Dad is so young and cool".
That is what a Caddy drop top does for you. Best present of them all for my 50th birthday!
Sure there are going to be problems, but it will probably be worth it.
Shortly after I purchased my (18 year old, 23K miles) 79 Eldo, I was cruising
along 5 states from home and saw smoke coming out from under the hood.
The A/C compressor clutch has a clutch idler ball bearing, factory sealed. The
grease had dried out, and it had gotten so hot, it melted the clutch wiring
and also blown my alternator start fuse. I cut the (brand new) belt and got
the car home for repairs. My other cars have had the same failure.
The moral of the story is, bearings with dried out grease WILL FAIL. The seals
engaging the clutches of your automatic trans will also fail WITH AGE, causing
severe (but avoidable) damage. The O rings on 70s injectors have to contain
40 psi, but any originals today are just a fire waiting to happen. Old tires have
killed people, as have failing brakes.
As Scot said, the suspension rubber may also fail as mine did before long.
This wasn't on my critical list, since it won't disable the car. Here is where
the home mechanic can save a fortune. The pro wants to just destroy and
remove every part in sight, leaving a relatively easy bolt together of new
(but often INFERIOR) parts job. I replace JUST the bearings, seals, or
whatever part is bad, keeping the remaining best quality factory parts in
place. Those parts will now have anti seize on mating surfaces, making
future work a lot easier.
I am a pretty slow mechanic. But doing things at home, at my convenience,
still compares quite favorably with making appointments, arranging drop
off and pickup, not to mention any call backs. Bruce Roe
I could not agree with Bruce's last post more, especially the concluding paragraph.
In addition to all the really great advice the guys have offered you : To keep your brand spankin' new Cadillac new , use nothing but synthetic lubricants everywhere. However , do not change to synthetic in the engine until you have 4 to 5 thousand miles on it. AND NEVER PARK THE CAR IN THE SUN ! When you must do so , use reflective shades in the car , and cover it if possible. Always cover the steering wheel to preserve the inlay. I used to own a sewing shop. Had a tonneau cover made for my '57 Eldo conv. It covered from aft of the top well to over the windshield. Such an accessory should not be terribly expensive to have made if you need it. Very handy and easy to deploy. Still throw a cover over the steering wheel also. CC
Quote from: Scot Minesinger on October 25, 2016, 08:58:58 AM
There is nothing like driving a large drop top Cadillac.
My best moment came when I picked up my 15 year old daughter from her very large high school the day... in my red 1970 Cadillac convertible (top down of course)...My daughter was terribly embarrassed... and sheepishly got into the car.
After we pulled out of the parking lot her 15 year old friends texted here "Your Dad is so young and cool".
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child. ::)
My daughter is not thankless, just does not like to be center of attention.
Quote from: Scot Minesinger on October 25, 2016, 11:17:48 PM
My daughter is not thankless, just does not like to be center of attention.
Tongue-in-cheek Scot. No offense intended. ;)
Hi All, I just spoke to my local classic car mechanic and he kinda spooked me....says parts are difficult to find for a 76' Eldorado and these cars are difficult to wok on...is this true? I thought these cars are straight forward to work on and that several companies carry the parts...Thanks again for all your info. David
Mechanical parts are no problem. Different story for cosmetic items but this should not be an issue for a 1,000 mile car in proper storage conditions, ie: dry and cool.
Most routine maintenance items should pose no major problems to any competent tech familiar with these cars. "Scissors" type convertible top mechanism is not the most favorite among owners and restorers though.
What specific areas of a 1976 Eldo Convertible does he consider difficult to work on or maintain?
I have a feeling he is a glass half empty kinda mechanic..Everything is a big deal so he can save the day. From what I can see online parts are readily available. He told me you cant find white wall tires for this car hmmm anyway I have been fixing/maintaining all types of cars for years, just never a 76' Cadillac Thanks David
I'd hate to think what 1950s Cadillac owners would face if we've come to the point that a 1976 ELC is that burdensome to tend. ???
Nonsense on the tires. Readily available but not cheap. Then again, what is? ::)
Geez. Tires? Really? Well a 76 will have been equipped with radial tires and Diamondback will make any whitewall configuration you desire. So. That makes that problem an easy one.
If he thinks tires are an issue, you'd be best suited to find another more knowledgeable mechanic
Quote from: south280
Hi All, I just spoke to my local classic car mechanic and he kinda spooked me....says parts are difficult to find for a 76' Eldorado and these cars are difficult to wok on...is this true? I thought these cars are straight forward to work on and that several companies carry the parts...Thanks again for all your info. David
Sure a big car with FWD is a little more work than a RWD of the same age. But
the 66-78 Toro, the 67-78 Eldo, and some motorhomes shared most of the
drive train, so parts aren't very hard to find. The emissions engines need a lot
less maintenance than even a decade earlier. The RWD drive cars of those
years also shared the engines and most of the transmission parts. And I can
always get the tires I want, if they don't have to have some special white wall.
The cars of following decades are FAR more complex; now THOSE will be the
ones that can't be maintained as they reach this age. I wish I could live to
say "I told you so"; in the mean time this is my 77 bumper sticker. Bruce Roe
Last I knew, and not so long ago, you could still get 235R75x15 whitewalls off the rack, maybe not the exact correct width whitewall but unless you are going for trophies at a Cadillac Grand National event, they look very nice. Cooper and Hankook are the two I am familiar with. HANKOOK OPTIMO H724 WW for $72.69 at TireRack.com There are others.
David,
The idea that a "classic car mechanic" would proclaim that a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado is difficult to work on and parts are hard to get is just crazy. Never ever have suffered a problem finding any mechanical part in 1 hour over the internet. I wrote this forum about door striker bushings a few years ago and in an hour the link was posted, clicked on link and two days later they were delivered and installed. From head gaskets to oil pans, to brakes to transmission parts and etc., nothing mechanical is difficult to find (or very expensive - price a Camery alternator against a 1976 Cadillac). And if he finds these cars difficult, he is worthless or cannot read/unwilling to read a shop manual. Yah, I wrote the truth, harsh as it may be.
The reason I did not buy a 1960's Lincoln four door convertible is those are hard to work on and parts are more difficult to get relative to a Cadillac of the same era.
With 1K on the clock, the FWD-specific items shouldn't need much attention other than cracked/dried out CV boots and a repacking with grease.
Quote from: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on October 26, 2016, 07:20:23 PM
With 1K on the clock, the FWD-specific items shouldn't need much attention other than cracked/dried out CV boots and a repacking with grease.
Don't forget the wheel bearings. I had to add a fitting to put new grease
in mine. Bruce Roe
Dear fellow CLC member David : Have no fear , your brothers and sisters here are totally capable of talking you through repairs you can do yourself. Yes , there are a few jobs which are routine on most RWD Cads which can be a bit more complex on the FWD cars. But , Man ! Is it ever worth it ! These fantastic cars really grow on you , and pride of ownership of a perfectly preserved one is well worth a bit of a learning curve. As you say you are handy with a wrench , GET IT ! I have owned a number of these FWD droptops since 1979 , and have 100s of thousands of miles on them. And don't even think of letting anyone tell you these boats don't handle. Not anyone. Not even those goof-balls at consumer reports years ago. I mean it. These cars are capable of being everything a huge FWD car should be. (Hint : there are modern tires which if properly inflated - some might say this sounds like a broken record again - allow these cars to have the proper relationship with the road - hey , you might be able to have whitewalls applied to them if that is your thing). You may know that it had been considered impossible to put enormous torque through a FWD automobile platform. Up until G.M. figured it out. Every time I drive mine , the pleasure of realizing what a sophisticated well engineered robust machine is at my command , re-affirms my love affair with these things. All the guys and gals with a sound , solid , well-sorted 500 cu in Eldo know what I an talking about. And really , these are relatively simple machines , compared with today's modern mysterious rolling computers. In case it is F.I. , Bruce and others have your back here.
If you need not only a low mileage '76 Eldo droptop , but a pristine Bicentenial , period, let's think this through. It is only a small amount of money between now , and road ready. So let's talk money. Remember , you are among friends here. If you know the market , and you are getting the deal you want , pull the trigger. You have better advice here than that mechanic can give you. This is a totally known entity. There is no lurking , hiding rust. There is no worn out , clapped out anything. Etc. But if you need market advice , probably you can refine that here too. That kind of discussion does take place. Money. But it is a scarce car which carries a premium. Now , if you don't need a Bicentenial, you can still find very low mileage examples in a variety of colors. Somewhat less expensive. So if it is really just a matter of money , should we have that discussion ? Again , we are friendly fellow club members. Lay it on the line. - CC
You need to find a different mechanic.
If the price isn't overly inflated I'd buy a 1000 mile Bicentennial in about 3 seconds.
Don't hesitate and lose the car.
If you have to do more than replace the heater core and radiator I'd be amazed.
It the car currently running and driving? Or sitting dead with four flats?
The tires will need to be replaced but save the originals too.
Brian
There isn't many 76 cars that are easy to get parts for. Maybe Camaro, Corvette, C-K truck, F-150 truck, Bronco, and a few others that they actually reproduce enough parts for you could call them easy.
Look, it's a 40 year old car...and at any mileage they are at risk of failure. I've had the early FI models and am impressed with their performance and service. When in doubt, replace Injector. O rings, an afternoon project.
The 79 Eldo response mentions the (Radial) compressor...painfully, they were problematic right out of the gate.
The Eldo convertible is a great value in an open car. A hood so big it has its own zip code!
I don't get it. The mechanic claims to be a classic car mechanic and can't deal with a 40 year old car? Hmm, wonder what classic means to him.
I wish I would be in your situation, I would buy the car immediately. Actually I did that with my Rolls-Royce. I knew about that car for a few years, but never seen it. My father in law told me his friend (the owner) was selling it. I asked how much, transferred the money and took a 4 hour train next day picking up the car. It was not perfect but in very good condition. The car had been parked in a warm garage for 16 years only doing 1000 miles and the total mileage was 73K. Had to replace some rubber o-rings in the steering gear also replaced the steering pump and hoses. She rides so well. More comfortable than my Cadillac...
Quote from: V63Look, it's a 40 year old car...and at any mileage they are at risk
of failure. I've had the early FI models and am impressed with their performance and
service. When in doubt, replace Injector. O rings, an afternoon project.
I drive 4 decade old cars every day, and coast to coast. Have been driving them since new.
They are just as likely to be driven across 5 states for the weekend now, as when new. They
don't fail if you keep up the MAINTENANCE. Much more of a problem is the body.
If you have an EFI car, the number of failure modes is increased. Maintenance includes
refreshing any piece of rubber touched by fuel (all the way back to the tank). And I do
carry a a spare ECU, because electronics can fail without warning. Bruce Roe
Quote from: CLC 30326 on November 26, 2016, 09:02:20 AM
I don't get it. The mechanic claims to be a classic car mechanic and can't deal with a 40 year old car? Hmm, wonder what classic means to him.
I wish I would be in your situation, I would buy the car immediately. Actually I did that with my Rolls-Royce. I knew about that car for a few years, but never seen it. My father in law told me his friend (the owner) was selling it. I asked how much, transferred the money and took a 4 hour train next day picking up the car. It was not perfect but in very good condition. The car had been parked in a warm garage for 16 years only doing 1000 miles and the total mileage was 73K. Had to replace some rubber o-rings in the steering gear also replaced the steering pump and hoses. She rides so well. More comfortable than my Cadillac...
Probably only knows hot rods & muscle cars...