1957 Eldorado Brougham #70 getting pulled out of retirement

[INTMD8]

Well for those interested, I've recently purchased 57 EB, body #70.  It's restoration has been started and I will attempt to complete it. The car saw daylight for the first time in over 20yrs today being loaded onto the transport truck.  I'm really looking forward to this car, I've obsessed over it for years!  :-)

[DaveW]

Jim,

Congrats on the Brougham.  I look forward to seeing and hearing of your progress.  Do you have most of the missing parts for the car?  Did the shiny wheel, hubcaps, and vanity items come with the purchase?  What color is the interior?  Seat material?

Dave

[INTMD8]

Hi Dave and thanks.

I know the radiator is missing and certainly some odds and ends but I believe it's mostly complete.

Interior trim code is 151, light gray leather. Included with the car is  leather yardage for re-upholstery though I'm not sure what condition it will be in after sitting around for so long.

All 5 wheels are included and were restored. Not sure what vanities (if any) are there besides the cups. New air ride components. Bumpers are stripped but need to be chromed. The top fender vents and some side trim was re-chromed. I think the stainless mouldings still need to be restored. Dual quads/intake and batwing with correct wing nuts are there.  It's an ambitious undertaking but I will take a lot of joy in working on a car I have true passion for.

[David King (kz78hy)]

Jim,

Good job on getting the car.
I sent a private mail as well.

David

[76eldo]

Wow!  Very exciting to see.

Best of luck getting it finished.  It's amazing how these cars keep coming out of the woodwork.  i just heard about another 1960 Eldorado Biarritz that someone found and purchased here in PA for a very reasonable price.

Hope you got a good deal too.  The wheels, and airride stuff are a major part of the car.

Brian

[Terry Cox #26379]

congrats to you on your purchase also...seems like a real good base to start from. gotta love those wheels....not to mention those sexy ( ) suicide doors and lack thereof a tall "B" pillar...oh...so cool..good job..keep us posted. Terry c. 26379

[R Winchell]

I have lots of trim for this car. If interested, let me know.
            Bob Winchell    rwinch5418@bellsouth.net

[Sllack]

Nice purchase, I envy you! Looking forward to seeing progress.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Congrats on your purchase. Where is the car going to be regisitered? If in Ca., I can help keeping the black plates on the car. Email me directly.
Bob

[INTMD8]

Thanks everyone.

Bob Winchell- I will let you know if I need anything. Thanks.

Bob Hoffmann- The car will be registered in Illinois. Appreciate the offer to help though.

The car should be arriving at my house tomorrow afternoon. Once I get it cleaned up and organized I'll put up some more pics.

[Chuck Swanson]

Wow..fantastic.   Parts you have look good so far :-)  Good luck.  Chaz S.

[veesixteen]

Is this the same car Mike Rizutto raved about, some 12 years ago. EB #70 is included in the roster of survivors with this comment: Car #70 was acquired from an estate in Pasadena, CA;   the car is being restored to better-than-new ($60,000 already invested according to one source - 1998);  a car for the serious buyer. Car is described in an ad by Mike Rizzuto as:  "Very desirable factory color combination, dark Grey metallic exterior, light Grey full leather interior! Nice dry California car from Pasadena Estate. Currently undergoing 100 point Pebble Beach quality restoration. Body has been flawlessly metal finished using no bondo. Gorgeous lacquer paint, rebuilt and balanced engine and transmission, five perfect rechromed turbine wheels. Countless goodies go with this car. $60,000 spent so far. Looking for a new owner that wants only the very best and will, like us, not settle for less. Accepting offers, please inquire. Make no mistake, this will be the finest available at completion."

[INTMD8]

So far it seems that commentary was in reference to this car.

[57cadillac]

Nice find, almost looks like the color that was on my brougham when i bought it, although you got lucky with the condition of the car.
If you need any parts i will have quite a bit available since i'm doing a resto-mod on my brougham, #184.

[INTMD8]

Thanks.  I wanted to do a resto-mod myself. (100% stock with the exception of the drivetrain)  I almost wish the engine/trans were missing so I had a good reason, lol.

[57cadillac]

Well, you could always keep the original drivetrain and simply put a modern one in place of it. That way if you change your mind at least you still have the original.
As long as you don't have dreams about v10 or v12 engines like me (haven't found a way yet but i'll mention it if i do lol), you shouldn't have to worry about replacements.

[Chris Conklin]

Wow! Congrats Jim, as most have mentioned, looks like you have a pretty good head start on the finished product.

Now, if you want to unload those CA black plates, let me know... they'll suit my '66 just fine.

Where is the car going to be regisitered? If in Ca., I can help keeping the black plates on the car.

The car will be registered in Illinois. Appreciate the offer to help though.

Edited the post with a question for Bob; would this Eldorado have had yellow plates originally and not black?

[Antoni Deighton]

If the car was originally registered in CA, then yes, it would have had the yellow plates. But I believe that all yellow plates were originally replaced with black plates when they were introduced in 1963. They also used the same 3-letter then 3-number sequence, which is why plates have to be "cleared" with the DMV (since both the yellow and black plates are now legal under the YOM program).
By the way, I apologize for being a bit of an anorak, but an original 1966 registration would likely begin with the letters QRST (my '65 Alfa was registered in Jan '66 and the license plate is RRJ). My '67 Eldorado was registered mid-year and has the registration UPG. You might have an earlier letter sequence if the car was originally registered in a small town that didn't use up its allocation of license plates as quickly as the bigger city DMV offices did. And the only way a later letter sequence (VWXY) could end up on an earlier car would be if it had sat on a dealer's lot for a couple of years!
HTH...
A.

[INTMD8]

The car was delivered last night. What a time it was getting the car up into my garage with 3 flat tires! 

Body is arrow straight but there is some slight damage to the paint here and there which will need to be repaired.  Right now the car is on the lift surrounded by boxes and boxes of parts.  Undercarriage looks super nice. All original red oxide.   

I must say I'm feeling really overwhelmed right now. I need to get my other 2 cars into storage so I have enough garage space to pull everything out and inventory it.

[57cadillac]

Sounds to me like it must have been kept in decent shape if the original paint is still on the underbody.
I take it you already have experience with restoring cars?