'59 Eldorado "Trimline-Fins"

[Chris Conklin]

Just curious about this car in the CLC photo gallery and if anybody had information about it (attached thumbnails from the gallery). I did a couple searches here in the forum but didn't get any hits.

The tag-line for the photos stated that he inherited the car and was wondering about the fin modification. Me too. It looks to be pretty well done, I've seen a couple mods similar to this that didn't appear to be as professional. Was there a "cottage industry" for this sort of thing out there at some time? Even though it removes the most endearing and iconic feature of the car, I kinda like the look.

Again, just wondering about it and thought it might create some interesting dialogue. Perhaps the owner is out there and has some information or history he can share. Thanks.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Chris, that subject,that car, was beat to death on this board about 8 or 9 or more months ago. Go back, you'll find it. Bob

[Chris Conklin]

Thanks Bob, somehow I knew that. 

[Chris Conklin]

Chris, that subject,that car, was beat to death on this board about 8 or 9 or more months ago. Go back, you'll find it. Bob

Found one old item that may be this car, it was sold to Stewart Homan in Australia and he planned to "re-fin" it. Wasn't a lot of discourse though, only beat it half to death!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Well, back in days gone past, some people just simply hated the fins.

And, some still do.

Bruce.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Well, back in days gone past, some people just simply hated the fins.

Also in Switzerland! This car had an bad engine; we had not the intend to restore it so we removed the parts (we were 3 friends) and I sold them. It was funny as you can see my face on the second picture! I'm not looking so well now; the pictures are about 25 years old.
Roger

[Chris Conklin]

Well, back in days gone past, some people just simply hated the fins.

And amazing how the "pink" Cadillacs fell into disfavor for a while as well and how treasured they are today. My grandmother would rotate back-and-forth between Heather and Fontana Rose each time she bought a new Cadillac. She always owned at least two Cadillacs as well as a "lesser car" and traded in one of the Cadillacs every three years. My wife once asked her why she had so many cars, she said if one didn't start she didn't have time to wait for the mechanic.

[Stewart Homan]

Hi Chris,

Yes I still have the car.

I bought it from a family whose grandfather got it in Washington State in 1965 and say the fins were already removed.

We haven't found any local history on a well-known local customiser 'doing' the car and had that been the case, why wasn't more customising done on it.

The funny thing is, the old guy that owned the car actually changed the quarters BELOW the trim line but kept the 'finless' top pieces!

The only explanation we can think of (aside from maybe the car would be perceived as being slightly newer than it was circa 1963) is that no fins provided much better rear view vision when backing up!

I was going to sell the car but a change of plan means I am now keeping it - apart from the fin issue it does have a little bit of rust but nothing horrible - I bought those Seville rear quarters on ebay yesterday to go on the car!

.... and for the record, I don't like it 'sans' fins!

Thanks for the interest!




Stewart Homan
England

[ronw]

"The only explanation we can think of (aside from maybe the car would be perceived as being slightly newer than it was circa 1963) is that no fins provided much better rear view vision when backing up!"


I have found the fins on my 59 to be a great assistance in reversing.
Often people will ask me "how can you drive something like that, it's so big" When I sit them in the driver's seat and show them the slim pillars and big glass areas they can have a change of tune. Then I point out that the extremities are clearly marked with a bright moulding at the front and a giant fin (with a light in it) at the back.
My everyday car (Mercedes) has beepers and flashing lights to help you avoid hitting things. The 59 just lets you see where things are.

Ron

[Stewart Homan]

"The only explanation we can think of (aside from maybe the car would be perceived as being slightly newer than it was circa 1963) is that no fins provided much better rear view vision when backing up!"


I have found the fins on my 59 to be a great assistance in reversing.
Often people will ask me "how can you drive something like that, it's so big" When I sit them in the driver's seat and show them the slim pillars and big glass areas they can have a change of tune. Then I point out that the extremities are clearly marked with a bright moulding at the front and a giant fin (with a light in it) at the back.
My everyday car (Mercedes) has beepers and flashing lights to help you avoid hitting things. The 59 just lets you see where things are.

Ron

I totally agree but I'm 6'1" - imagine being 5'3" - I can tell you from sitting in that car you get much better vision even though the fins as guidance aren't there!

[Stewart Homan]

Also Its not the fin I want to look at whilst backing up its what hidden behind it,no?...........

[Wynn Moore]

I totally agree but I'm 6'1" - imagine being 5'3" - I can tell you from sitting in that car you get much better vision even though the fins as guidance aren't there!

But on the other hand, they were the first car to offer rear side marker lights, before they were mandated in 1968.

[Stewart Homan]

But on the other hand, they were the first car to offer rear side marker lights, before they were mandated in 1968.

- I've only just seen this, whilst searching for info on the finless car, which we're about to start the resurrection of...

I'm pretty sure a 58 Olds had a side marker before the 59 Cad!

[veesixteen]

Quite a few "finless fifty-nines" are to be seen in the "Dream Cars" section of the Cadillac Database (http://www.cadillacdatabase.org/Dbas_txt/Drm59.htm), including the one that was parted out in the early '80s by my Swiss buddy, Roger Z., below.

[veesixteen]

The complete rear bumper off Roger's car hung over the garage of our Swiss home, "El Dorado", for almost 15 years. The upper tail-light assemblies came off a '59 ambulance I found around the same time in an Oklahoman wrecking yard. Throughout the 80's and into the mid-90's, quite a few airline pilots landing at night at Geneva's "Cointrin" airport, from the east, would mistake these Cadillac tail-lights for some sleazy nightclub in the village of Chambésy, where Gita and I lived before emigrating to S. Carolina.

"Sleazy", well, OK ... but "nightclub", NEVER !