1985 Eldo Biarritz Convertible Commemorative Edition For Sale

[Rich S]

I received an e-mail advertising this rarity for sale--I know nothing about the car or seller, but it looks very nice, and I thought it may interest some members:

http://www.fleetofcads.com/blueldo.htm

The car appears to be in great condition, but to my eyes, the red tail lamp lenses resemble those from a '79 Eldorado, with the silhouetted crests, rather than the applied, color keyed, crests? I thought all '85's would have the applied, colored crests on the red tail lamp lenses? (I think 1980 and 1981 Eldorados had a silver/chromed crest on the red tail lamps.) I have only seen one other "Commemorative Edition" 1985 Eldorado Biarritz advertised for sale, and that car was triple white with the dark blue carpeting. I'm surprised Cadillac did not include the two-toned Dark Blue/White Leather as I've seen in some "Commemorative Edition" 1985 Sevilles. I also find the emblem on the convertible roof sail panel surprising, as I've not seen any other Cadillac convertibles with it. These Eldorado Biarritz Convertible "Commemorative Editions" must have had very low production. 

[Wynn Moore]

I am not even sure that is an "official" factory available "Commemorative Edition"  It appears to be just another Eldo Biarritz Convertible, with the commemorative badge on the rood.  Here's a pic from a real commemorative Eldo.

[Matt CLC#18621]

All 1984 (3,300) and 1985 (2,300) Eldorado Biarritz convertibles came in three color combinations.  This convertible appears to be a Biarritz with after market “Commemorative Edition” badges added.

Matt CLC # 18621

[76eldo]

Whatever it is, it sure is a beautiful car.

Brian

[Richard Sills - CLC #936]

Several years ago there was a white 1985 Commemorative Edition Eldorado convertible for sale at the Atlantic City auction.  The owner had the window sticker to verify that this was a factory offering.  That is the only one I have ever seen, so I am sure they are rare.   

[I wouldn't buy it]

Yes they did a commemorative eldo for that year.
I would just be very hesitant in buying any car from this seller. Just from the pictures he posted the car is a repaint.
I tried doing business with him a year or two ago on a few cars. Long story short, they just lie about the history & originality of his cars.
The car will be on ebay next under a different account with all shell bids on it. It will be sold and then it will show up again. LOL
He has been trying to unload a few eldo convertibles over the past two years. Seems like he cant sell any of them. I wonder WHY  

[Sonny Dal Porto CLC#24005]

Does anyone know the production for the 1985 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible Commemorative Editions?  I do believe that it was indeed a factory offering as it appears on the auto invoice to the dealer; the msrp dealer copy and even the build sheet.  Mine has a code of "V4U Commemorative Edition; 11L Cotillion White; 113 White Leather" and "EL67." 

The Commemorative Edition has the gold trim (hood ornament, grill badge, trunk script, trunk lock cover), gold center hubcaps (vs. maroon), center steering wheel emblem, roof pillar badge, and different taillights. The taillights do indeed appear very similar to the 1979 Eldorado models versus the other Eldorado's for 1985.  The only difference I have found with the Commemorative Edition convertible versus the hardtop is that the pillar emblem is a patch versus a metal badge, makes sense when you consider the top needs to fold down.

I have run across maybe 3 or 4 of the Commemorative Edition convertibles and am curious as to their production numbers, must indeed be low.

[DaveW]

How can we tell the car is a repaint from the photos alone?

Dave

[Fred]

Look at the pinstripe on the trunk & then look at the body.
Missing something LOL.
Its defiantly a repaint. Looks like base coat clear coat.
Nice car though.

[DaveW]

Fred,

Thanks for the education.  I pulled up another photo of a Biarritz convertible that I had looked at previously.  It has a pinstripe down the side that runs from front to rear just below the molding and at the top of the quarter panel.  If I were in the market for such a car, and the price was right, the repaint would not bother me if I thought it was a good paint job.  I have heard it said that no paint job is as good as an original factory one.  The pinstripe can be added if desired.   If someone was in the market for an original survivor then that would be another story.

Dave

[Wynn Moore]

Fred,

Thanks for the education.  I pulled up another photo of a Biarritz convertible that I had looked at previously.  It has a pinstripe down the side that runs from front to rear just below the molding and at the top of the quarter panel.  If I were in the market for such a car, and the price was right, the repaint would not bother me if I thought it was a good paint job.  I have heard it said that no paint job is as good as an original factory one.  The pinstripe can be added if desired.   If someone was in the market for an original survivor then that would be another story.

Dave

Original Survivor! The perfect word to describe Cadillacs of this era (82-86).  Getting parts for these years from a salvage yard, borders on the impossible, as not many have survived

[76eldo]

Many have survived, and have stayed out of the junkyards.  Auto salvage operations today only save late model stuff for parts, and very few have interest in "vintage".

There is a "U-Pull It" place that I used to stop in once in a while.  One day, they had an 85 Eldo with a MINT white interior, and had beautiful white Biarritz buckets, and mint white door panels, which would have all looked great in my 85 convert.

A biker was taking out the front buckets to put in a Chevy pickup, and ripped the driver's side door panel off of the car to kneel on while he was removing the front seats.  If I only got there the day before...  I did manage to get the pass side door panel at least, and the dash pad and other parts.

You are right in that it is very hard to find these cars with any usable parts in a junkyard anymore.

Ebay... that's where you will find some stuff, but not that cheap.

Brian

[Wynn Moore]

Many have survived, and have stayed out of the junkyards. 

Brian

Not trying to be argumentative, but that is debatable, and the reason I say that, is that I really don't see that many 79-85 Eldos, or 80-85 Sevilles on the road today, and finding them in salvage yards is next to impossible.  Yes many of those cars equipped with the HT4100 engine gave their owners many years of trouble free driving, but I think for the most part most did not 'survive".

[Avo (Oldies CC)]

I am not even sure that is an "official" factory available "Commemorative Edition"  It appears to be just another Eldo Biarritz Convertible, with the commemorative badge on the rood.  Here's a pic from a real commemorative Eldo.

Maybe someone changed seat upholstery  younever know

[Michael Scozzari]

Hi,I own 5  Eldorado Biarritz convertibles,a blue 1984 with a white interior with a low 6400 miles with the original Good Year tires,a black 1985 with a red interior with a low 8000 miles also with the original Good Year tires,a white 1985 with a red interior with a low 26000 miles,a white 1985 "Commemorative Edition"  with white seats / blue dash and blue rugs with a low 11000 mls.The other "Commemorative Edition" is Commadore blue which is diferent from the 84-85 blue convertibles,with a low 31000 miles.The Commemorative Editions have a RPO code "4VU" on the build sheets,window stickers and on the RPO code sticker on the inside of the trunk.The Commemoratives have the 1979 style tail light with gold accent,gold hubcap center caps,the steering wheel center cap states "Commemorative Edition".On the convertible top instead of having the Commemorative emblem that the hard tops came with,the convertibles have an embroided patch next to the quarter windows on both sides,also the emblem on the trunk is a gold "Eldorado" emblem instead of the "Biarritz" emblem found on the 84-85 convertibles.I have owned and followed these convertibles for a long time,I have never seen a Commemorative convertible with the two tone (white and blue) interior that the hard tops came with.Also I do not think the convertibles came with factory pinstriping on the side's,only the stripe on the trunk.I know of about 5 white and maybe 3 blue Commemorative convertibles that I have come across in the past.I do not know the production numbers for the Commemorative convertibles.Can anyone with that information please share it.Thank you,Mike