I am wondering if there are any other Paris El Camino (type) conversion folks out there that have any information on these vehicles. There were (I believe) 200 factory new 1979 Coupe deVilles converted by American Custom Coachworks of Beverly Hills CA. It is a conversion that seems to be on a par with that of the earlier (1975 and 76) "Mirage" conversions.
Greg Surfas
There doesn't seem to be a lot of information on these special conversions. I don't know whether you saw this already but I found this site. It doesn't seem to answer your question though.
http://www.cadillacdatabase.org/Dbas_txt/Drm77-79.htm
American Custom Coachworks used the "Paris" name on both their convertible and pickup body styles. Keep in mind however, other conversion companies made their own Cadillac-based pickups as well as convertibles- I don't know whether you were specifically only interested in Paris pickups by A.C.C. or those by other coachbuilders as well.
One curiosity was that from 1977 to 1978, A.C.C. created 200 convertible sedans but only 100 convertible coupes- according to the author. That seems very strange to me.
Also of interest is the article on the 1979 Coupe de Ville d'Marchand.
Eric,
Thanks for your reply. Ia looking fro information from those who actually own or have owned one of the "trucks". I don't think there are many left although it was a first class conversion and any first hand info would be appreciated.
Greg Surfas
Anyone?
Greg
Looking for information regarding interior features and options.
Greg
Hi Greg -
I have a 1980 Eldorado Paris by ACC, but mine is the stretched coupe with side mount spares. Probably can't help you much with any questions about the pickup conversion, but if you have something specific that might apply to the coupe as well, I would be happy to take a look.
Mine is a nice car - I also have some of the Grandeur Opera Coupes on the Seville chassis, and the build quality of the Paris is every bit as good as the Grandeur conversions.
Tod
I don't own one, but I have a few exterior pics in my Flickr Cadillac truck group.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1339241@N20/pool/with/5145567228/#photo_5145567228 (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1339241@N20/pool/with/5145567228/#photo_5145567228)
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~ Dave
Thanks Dave. That seems to be the only '79 conversion around. I hope there have to be some of the folks out there that have a little direct hands on experience that they can share.
Thanks again
Greg Surfas
And this one..
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One more...
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Hello, the A.C.C. cars are more mysterious, the more one researches them. I was acquainted with Jules Meyer the owner (now deceased), and in back-tracking my San Remo convertible, threads to him and his organization have become very complicated. The "Beverly Hills" address was just that - an office. He didn't own factories, but sub-contracted production, or set up "conversion" companies which ran for a couple of years, closed...then re-started another one. Most of this activity was in & around Fort Smith, Arkansas, whilst the corporate headquarters were in Beverly Hills. I am involved with the restoration of a 1978 "Paris" convertible, and the work was rubbish. The convertible top frames were early 1960's, second-hand frames, using bondo to make them agree with the cut-off windshields - the hollow upper just filled-in with fibreglass. The survival rate of either "Paris" convertibles or pickups is amazingly low, given the claimed production numbers. (more 1959/60 Eldorado Broughams have been found, from 20 years earlier, and from a factory-confirmed production figure). The same is true of the San Remo cars, also sold out of an office in California - actual builders unknown. There was a lot of "smoke and mirrors" - A.C.C.'s 2" x 2" black and white newspaper advertising, or single-sheet "flyers" were very cheap promotion, compared to "Grandeur" or "Gucci" customs of the period. I suspect we will never know actual numbers produced, nor the actual, physical places these conversions took place... This weekend, I inspected a 1976 "Mirage" pickup - rotted out floor in the bed, the old trunk floor was almost gone and the bed's 1" square tube supports had also rotted in part. (there were no provisions for draining the bed ever built into the floor....) Good from far, but far from good...
Tim Stephens
The Brown with Tan top truck was mine and that picture is at my house years ago.
Cliff,
The one I inherited is solid with just a lot of dirt and debris fro 10 years out in the North Texas dirt.
At some time in the past it looks like someone made some interior modifications. It has a floor mounted shifter (no evidence of a column shifter), and the seats appear to be some aftermarket ones mounted on the individual (and factory wired) 6 way adjusters.
Also, I haven't gotten to that yet, but how did the tail gate lock operate?
Any info. you can remember would be most appreciated.
Thanks Greg Surfas
Cliff,
This was the car when I got it. Has been cleaned up a bit but this shows the interior you asked about.
Greg