1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarittz one owner

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Just brought home today a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarittz one owner car. Purchased new by the original owner and parked in the garage in 1965 and never moved again until now. 37000 original miles  bucket seat car. Original title and bank loan papers. The interesting thing is when I  put a battery in it today the windows and the lights still work, did not expect that ! Now I will try to get the engine going.

[gary griffin]

What a find!!!

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

If I may be so bold- How did you get that???

Colors? Options? Pictures?

Oh, CONGRATULATIONS!!

[Dan LeBlanc]

Weren't you just ever so slightly tempted to click the starter to see if the engine would turn?  I know I would be.

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

White car, black bucket seats, nice interior , probably will do a frame off restoration on it. Took 11 months to buy it. The owner creased the passenger  door in 1965 and put it in the garage to fix it . He took the door panel and a few trim pieces off and there it sat for 47 years. I am thinking possibly the last original owner 59 eldo left. Its amazing how someone could put it in the garage 47 years ago and it sits there all that time.

[76eldo]

Ray,

That's incredible.  Best of luck with it.  Email me with a phone number.  We can compare notes on the 60 Eldo I had that was asleep in a garage for 30 years.

I can't even imagine the feeling of getting that one home.

Brian

[Gene Beaird]

Pictures, or it never happened!!!   

Nice.  My parents had a 59 Eldo.  My Mom called it 'The Pink Monstrosity'.

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Will be at the garage in the morning to play with the engine, will get a couple of pics to post then. Thanks.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

R. Waligora,
I realize it's your car & any choices are yours.
It seems like a real shame to do any more than light cosmetics on this survivor. They're only original once. You'll just be turning it into ANOTHER restored 59 Eldo. There's certainly a lot of them done both right & wrong.
My opinion.
Bob

[76eldo]

If it's possible to get it on the road, looking sharp, and keep it original, i would do that in a heartbeat.

That's a very unusual car to have as an original like that.

Ray, we need pics to properly tell you what to do with your car!  LOL

Brian

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Bob, I agree with you on keeping them original. The car will need paint , it is a little crusty from sitting for 47 years. I have been thinking about it and maybe just paint it and freshen up the engine compartment . Seems to be a shame to separate the body for a full frame off, I have a tendency to get carried away. Going to see if I can get it running and decide then which way to go. Maybe give it a good cleaning in the spring and see how the undercarriage looks. Windshield will need to be replaced also. I did notice this though, the bucket seats on this car are a lot more comfortable then the ones that I have had redone on my restored cars. The restored ones are too firm these original ones just feel great. Thanks, ray

[Dan LeBlanc]

Get acquainted with the car first before deciding what course of action to take. She will speak to you and tell you what she needs. Listen and don't tell her what she needs.

Kinda like a woman I guess.

[76eldo]

I'm impressed you have the power to pull yourself out of the garage and spend any time on the computer.

When I got my 60 I just sat in a chair in my garage staring at it for a while.

After changing out all the rubber parts and all the fluids, I would start it after oiling up the cylinders, plugs out, and turn it over a little bit each day for a while by hand.  Let the rings get some lube.

When I revived the 60 Eldo after being parked for 30 years, it knocked when I first started it and the water pump leaked badly.  I replaced the water pump and ran it for about 5 minutes at a time.  My mechanic said it might be a dry wrist pin, and after starting and running it for a few minutes multiple times, the noise vanished.

When I got it on the road, everything worked.  Every dash light, every window, the trunk, and the cruise and air ride too.  Trips opened up, it was like I awakened Sleeping Beauty.

Hope yours works out just as well.  Then you can deal with the cosmetics.

Brian

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Here are a couple of quick pics . The funny thing is with this car sitting for so long, the interior does not smell at all like some of the old cars I have owned. Found some papers under the rear seat from 1961 and the interior has the original factory writings and tags present. I swore I would never restore another 59 unless it was a special order Biarittz but  who knows. Will let it sit for a while and think about it.

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

A couple of more, can only post 2 at a time, I keep getting a message that the file is too large.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Bob, I agree with you on keeping them original. The car will need paint , it is a little crusty from sitting for 47 years. I have been thinking about it and maybe just paint it and freshen up the engine compartment . Seems to be a shame to separate the body for a full frame off, I have a tendency to get carried away. Going to see if I can get it running and decide then which way to go. Maybe give it a good cleaning in the spring and see how the undercarriage looks. Windshield will need to be replaced also. I did notice this though, the bucket seats on this car are a lot more comfortable then the ones that I have had redone on my restored cars. The restored ones are too firm these original ones just feel great. Thanks, ray

Since you're the only one looking at the car you are in the best position to judge whether a full repaint is warranted or not. I would just echo other members sentiments that if it is at all possible to massage the paint to make it somewhat presentable I would explore that avenue to the fullest. I've dealt with a lots of dead paint issues such as you describe and have always found white to be one of the most durable and responsive colors to rejuvinate- although can very tedious and time consuming. Not every need be a queen, on the contrary considerable respect is now accorded to original examples such as yours are highly prized when kept in their original state of preservation. Once restored, all the original details are permanantly lost. The seat item you cited is just one example.

There can't be more than a handful of original 1959 Eldorado Biarritz' extant. It certainly sounds like quite a treasure.

   

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

2 more

[76eldo]

The chrome might clean up to a decent driver level, and some of the surface rust will buff off of the paint, but ouch... the door.

Under the hood looks like there was some dampness in storage, but if you wanted a nice car to start off a restoration, you have one.  The flash pics of the seats exaggerate the cracks in the leather.  I bet if you use the right stuff to soften up the leather you could dye it black and it would really come up well.

I would get it running, shine it up, then figure on a nice paint job.  White is a good color for doing a nice body shop paint job instead of a restoration shop job.

Good luck with it.  I hope you have a lot of fun doing this one up.

Brian

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Seat  tag.

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

Brian, The door looks like most of it would push out from the inside. I sent you a email with my number. Did you get it ? Give me a call when you get time.