door panels restore.

[76eldo]

Ray (RWChatham) KNOWS these cars inside and out, AND offered you the solution.

Problem solved?

Brian

[rwchatham CLC 21892]

You have the correct door wiring for a 1960 with a bench seat, someone has installed a armrest panel in your car for a 1960 with buckets, that is why the hole is smaller to hold the 2 way switch. Somewhere down the line during the life of your car someone has probably installed the lower seat mechanism from a 1959 and did not know the difference. To make your car correct you will need a correct seat mechanism from a 1960 bench seat car and the proper arm rest panel for a 6 way seat. If you need help let me know. 

[linchero]

data off my 1960 eldorado concerning the arm rest issue ......took the info from the below the windshield on the fire wall.,,,,,,,,,,style 60-6437,,,,,,trim  55B,,,,, PAINT 97-1,,,,,,,FW 293 ,,,,,

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Guys,
Just as I thought. It WAS a bucket seat car! So... someone switched out the seats. That's why he has a 5 pin plug in the door and the small hole in the plate. A 6 way bench would have 6 or 7 pins depending on  whether it's a 3 motor or single motor seat. I think that solves the mystery. Linchero, thanks for posting the info.
HTH, Bob

[Jeff Wilk]

Llnchero,  do you know the person you got it from and the previous owner? These bucket seats go for big bucks so if by chance they have them tucked away in a shed or something it is worth your hunting them down.   

[linchero]

i guess ill trade rw my plate for his i have no idea were to get the correct seat frame with out the switch on the bottom. what a mess i got myself in my nephew had this car parked in his wharehouse for eight years i guess he had no idea of the switch, hey RW ill do the trade if you want at least ill have the right armrest panel maybe ill get lucky and find the frame.  thanx

[76eldo]

I wouldn't get too stressed about it.
I have my bench seat in my 60 all the way back and never move it unless I am vacuuming the carpets.

It would be tough to get a set of buckets and the sell for thousands when the do come up.

Getting the proper armrest switch assy will make things look correct.

[linchero]

agreed  if RW want to trade me his for mine ill do it just for the looks .I dont think this car had buckets since the carpet underneath is a two piece set you would think that cadillac would have used a one piece carpet so you dont see the seam.what do you think ?

[Jeff Wilk]

I thought Bob Hoffman looked up your body tag and determined that it WAS an original bucket seat car. Thiught he also confirmed that the wiring in your doir panel IS for a bucket seat switch. If that is correct, id say someone changed over to a bench seat and sild off the buckets for a few thousand themselves.

[76eldo]

The "B" on the trim tag indicates buckets.

There was a seam, with or without buckets.

If they changed the seat, they could have easily changed carpets too.

I am attaching 2 photos from a totally original 60,000 mile one owner Eldorado showing a bucket seat car, carpet, and door panel.  There are NO controls on the seat, which only adjusts front to back.

Brian

[Walter Youshock]

I agree that someone swapped the seat out with an earlier, probably 1959, seat.

Terrible thing to do especially in a bucket-seat Eldorado.  You can still wire the current 6-way seat into the armrest and either modify that escutcheon to accommodate the 6-way switch (I'd keep the plate as-is for the bucket.  They are as rare as the seats themselves.) or get another escutcheon for power vents and 6-way seat.