insanity... '76 Bicentennial Eldo

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

This is the first I'd heard of '76 ELCs bringing $40K or anything near during the decade of the '70s - but there's the always the possibility of a few rare exceptions.

As Brian noted, the model stickered ~ $12,500 when highly equipped and I also agree that the days of mega low mileage perfect examples being able to be had for $20K have passed. $30K seems to be the minimum price of admission these days for the finest 1%ers.

Personally I don't get the Bicentennial: Other color combos were much rarer than 3x white and the blue/red stripe & dash plaque don't seem like enough to warrant much of a fuss - at least not in my book - but that's just me. Also, 1976 is hardly the rarest year of the 1976 ELC as has been pointed out - however it is the "last" which is important factor to many collectors.

In 1976, you couldn't give a 1959 Cadillac away: A friend bought a very nice original S 62 Conv for $500 in 1975 from the original owner - which he owns to this day. Any closed model in respectable condition could be had for well under $2K all day until the late '80s - perhaps $3K for those in top tier condition and even at that, your friends would be shaking their heads as this was still generally regarded a $500 - $1,000 car at the time - and with very little collector potential.     

[Barry]

When I stopped in the Cadillac dealer with mine in Sarasota before starting back to NC, a salesaman came running up to the car saying, " I set the record for those when they were new--a really rich guy wanted one and we had already sold ours, so I found one from another dealer and hit him with $50 K in 1976 ! " The only Bicentennial our dealer here in Durham got was unloaded from one truck to another having been sold to another dealer ! Never really understood what qualified a dealership to get one in the first place. I love mine, but there ARE better looking color combinations on the 76's !Always felt they should have had a Blue top !

[Hankk17]

do you still have yours Barry?  how 'bout some pics?   

Merry Christmas!

-Hank

[Barry]

Yes !  #78/200. 23K miles. I have a hard time posting pics--always want me to reduce the file size, and I'm a failure at that ! LOL !!! Driving it to family dinner tonight !!

[Barry]

Here's one...              B.Norman

[Barry]

Seats at night.........                   B.Norman

[Barry]

Matching Car Phone !                        B.Norman

[Hankk17]

awesome Barry, thanks!  the phone is a trip too 

color me insanely jealous.   

-Hank

[TJ Hopland]

So what were all the letter buttons for on the phone?

[Barry]

As I remember, they were the channels for the given area of coverage. I remember back in the 70's having to keep rushing these in order to find a channel not in use. Someone who knows more hopefully will weigh in here. I didn't permanently mount the phone, as I did not want to drill any holes in the car. It just sits there when I show it ! B.Norman

[Richard Sills - CLC #936]

When considering the value of a low production car such as the Bicentennial Edition of the 1976 Eldorado, please bear in mind the values of certain low-production versions of muscle cars, which were quite inexpensive when new.  For better or worse, Cadillac values are nowhere near those numbers, but the principle that collectors will pay extra for a low-production version is the same.  The Bicentennial Edition represented the very last of its kind.

If you are using the car to drive from point A to point B, it is true that a
Bicentennial Edition drives no better than a standard model of the same car.  But if the car is the focal point of a Cadillac collection, the fact that it is a special edition with a numbered dash plaque provides an interesting distinction.

Another writer made a comment about the value of a 1959 Cadillac in 1976.  My friend Jeff Gast told me that he made the first recorded sale at auction of a 1959 Cadillac in excess of $10,000.  This occurred at the Dutch Wonderland auction in Lancaster, PA, in 1976.  On the first day of that auction, he offered a 1959 Eldorado Biarritz for sale, and it brought over $10,000 -- to the amazement of the audience.  The next day, he brought a second 1959 Eldorado Biarritz, and again the sale price exceeded $10,000.  So, even though the '59 Cadillac was only 17 years old at that time, its uniqueness and desirability was already being recognized.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

My comments regarding the value of 1959 Cadillacs in the 1970s were primarily directed toward closed body styles. Open cars were always much more desired - just as they are today.

The few examples of '59s that I have direct knowledge of being offered for sale locally - most during the 1980s were:

A Woodrose Coupe deVille in #3 condition for $1,200 (Used car dealer)

A black 60 Special in #3 condition for $1,000 (Used car dealer)

Another black 60 Special in #3 for $3,000 (which was probably the same car being reoffered)

A Hearse in #2- condition for $300. (Early 1970s, offered by funeral home)

A white '59 Biarritz which could've been cleaned up into a #2-/3+ for $3,000 (Owned by a Cadillac dealer)

The #2- S 62 convertible owned by a friend that he purchased in 1975 for $500. (One owner, all original)

A Black Coupe deVille one owner original car in near mint #2 condition (local newspaper ad) $2,500 (1986). 

I also understand that the values of older Cadillacs took a major hit during the oil shortage of 1980/1981. 

 

[Barry]

Sad thing about the Bicentennials, the dash plaque isn't numbered--you track the sequence number by the Body number. The Least GM could have done was to put the sequence number on the plaque !   B.Norman

[wrefakis]

that so called dealer has every car on ebay listed for sale on oodle he owns nothing,takes pictures off web lists cars,had the 59 convert off ebay that is out west listed also,owner never heard of him