1979 Eldorado Diesel Kansas

[Bryan J Moran]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1005587900260314/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A2918ada0-bf20-4fb3-bdc2-aa49ba686ecf

1979 Cadillac El Dorado diesel with automatic transmission old Diesel engine does have a few oil leaks but starts up and drives fine. 4 new tires a/c and heat fun old car to drive!!!

[79 Eldorado]

Bryan,
I love all of the 79 Eldorados and Toronados but no chance I need a 3rd (I have 2 now). One thing probably worth mentioning is whether or not it's the "Goodwrench" Diesel replacement. MANY of the originals were replaced under warranty with essentially modelshop hand built Goodwrench service engines. The easy way to identify them is the valve covers have Goodwrench identification stickers on them.

I like the "slick" top. The interior color choice seems strange. With all of the other more common interior colors I'm surprised to see a back car with what looks like almost grey with a grey/tan carpet.

I hope it goes to a good home. I like the diesel. Hopefully someone will appreciate it, not fast but great fuel economy and some odd charm to it of being different.

One other question did Cadillac add any gauges to the diesel version? Every Oldsmobile with diesel I've seen from 1979 into the 80's came with full instrumentation. I guess that wasn't the case with the Cadillac because it would have been offered on gasoline variants and I've never seen anything more than fuel gauge and speedometer.

Scott

[Big Fins]

One other question did Cadillac add any gauges to the diesel version? Every Oldsmobile with diesel I've seen from 1979 into the 80's came with full instrumentation. I guess that wasn't the case with the Cadillac because it would have been offered on gasoline variants and I've never seen anything more than fuel gauge and speedometer.

Scott

Not that I recall. The fuel gauge was the only one.

[Bryan J Moran]

Scott:

This car is not of a level that I usually see the Cadillac posters go for, but I think it is interesting to put it on the forum in the concept of "it's still out there."

Black, 1979 slick top Eldorados are cool.  Not 100% sold on interior and hopefully it has the replacement engine.  In most cases, the GM Diesels that received the replacements did well. 

[79 Eldorado]

Bryan,
I agree with your assessment but I appreciated seeing it. There's one photo where you can see a little bit of the bottom door corner. It looked to me like it's been taken care of but not something which was preserved.. in good shape, not bad, not great.

I don't know what GM was thinking on the interior. I don't know if that color would look good with any exterior. They had red, white and saddle to select from and IMO all of those would have looked nicer. Was 1979 still a year where you could get any combination? I was going to write not like today where certain exterior colors exclude certain interior colors but lately it seems there's essentially 1 dark and 1 light interior choice... and both have the same headliner color.

Fins,
Thanks. I agree I think the fuel gauge was all a person could get. I'm considering working on a coolant temp gauge (I started the work). Bruce "bcroe" also installed a fuel pressure gauge in his. I wanted to integrate mine in the dash to look like something which could have existed from Cadillac. I have it functioning properly off the car. When I saw Bryan's post I thought it was a good opportunity to ask others.
https://forums.cadillaclasalleclub.org/index.php?topic=166883.0

Scott

[James Landi]

Years ago, a colleague of mine had one (her husband was a car dealer, and she always wanted to drive a Cadillac).  I vividly recall a comment from her, "James, your Cadillac is so quiet, and the engine in mine is really loud."  It did sound like a stone crusher on cold start.  I absolutely loved that generation of Eldorados, owned three at one point...      James

[wrench]

Didn't they do 350 gas conversions back in the day? I knew a guy who had a converted pickup way back when.

If you got this one cheap enough and then dropped a crate motor in it could be some fun.

[79 Eldorado]

Didn't they do 350 gas conversions back in the day? I knew a guy who had a converted pickup way back when.

If you got this one cheap enough and then dropped a crate motor in it could be some fun.

If I came across another one I think I would keep the diesel in it. If it goes bad there is a formula for making a gasoline engine using the block and crank. Done correctly it sounds like a very desirable combination. The diesel also comes with a very unique oil pan. It's a low profile. deep sump, 7 quart system. It includes an oil filter adapter which goes to an engine oil cooler. I wish I had known more about reusing the blocks.

That said the 79-85 doesn't need to be fast to be cool to drive and if the diesel runs well you cannot beat the fuel economy.

Scott

[Bryan J Moran]

Yes I have heard those diesel blocks and bottom ends are very beefy and robust.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Unless well versed with all the ins & outs of diesels and how to tend them, I wouldn't recommend one for the average owner.

[79 Eldorado]

One of the guys I work with is a long time diesel mechanic who owns 2 of the 5.7L diesels and runs one as his daily driver other than the winter months (to preserve the body from corrosion). He's certainly the 99th percentile owner

Scott

[Harley Earl]

This IS a special car IF it has the Goodwrench Diesel engine.  I'm thinking that the carpets have been "cleaned" a bit too aggressively as I have experience with older GM carpet fibers going from grey to TAN with cleaning that was a bit too "spirited".  IF it is higher miles and lived with other Diesels and their environs, it might have required a few carpet shampoo sessions over the years.  Easy deal to remedy...

Has anyone been in contact with the FB poster regarding this car?  Any feedback?

Would be nice to know the mileage, service history and see some underneath photos.  Love the slick top if original.  A bit of trepidation regarding the limited description and the possibility of rust...

[79 Eldorado]

Harley Earl,
I haven't contacted the FB seller.

I don't think it's bad as far as corrosion is concerned. You can kind of see the bottom of one of the inside bottom door edges and you can see the radiator support top. A diesel with some leaks is also the best corrosion protector money can buy. I have some first hand experience with that last point.

One other very positive point is the slick top as there is no question... nothing is hiding under a vinyl top.

Scott

[Harley Earl]

Thanks Scott.  I've got a buddy messaging the seller and I'll report back on what we hear, if we hear back.  I'm interested as I have MBZ Diesel experience (Yep, GM is a bit different...).  These GM Diesel 350s, if sorted properly, were beasts.  No concern with speed here, others in the stable fill that need.  Diesel Reliability AND a CADILLAC, what's not to like...

The SLOW-RADO 

Harley Earl,
I haven't contacted the FB seller.

I don't think it's bad as far as corrosion is concerned. You can kind of seem the bottom of one of the inside bottom door edges and you can see the radiator support top. A diesel with some leaks is also the perfect corrosion protector money can buy. I have some first hand experience with that last point.

One other very positive point is the slick top as there is no question... nothing is hiding under a vinyl top.

Scott

[Bryan J Moran]

This is a Kansas ad and for the most part they don't salt the roads if it's outside the major cities.  It looks ok to me but the photo set is not the best. 

[wrench]

Thanks Scott.  I've got a buddy messaging the seller and I'll report back on what we hear, if we hear back.  I'm interested as I have MBZ Diesel experience (Yep, GM is a bit different...).  These GM Diesel 350s, if sorted properly, were beasts.  No concern with speed here, others in the stable fill that need.  Diesel Reliability AND a CADILLAC, what's not to like...

The SLOW-RADO

I have an injection pump wrench and a compression gauge for sale cheap in the parts for sale section here.

Yer gonna need those.

[Harley Earl]

No response from the seller after reaching out.  Closing the loop.

[79 Eldorado]

That's unfortunate. It is around the holiday season when a lot of people travel though.

Scott

[79 Eldorado]

It looks like the price was lowered. I looked again because there was someone from Belgium on another Cadillac forum who just announced that he is new recent owner of a 1979 Diesel and within the last 2 weeks. So I was wondering if there was any chance it could be the same car.

I should have known though it was not as he's already gotten deep into doing some repairs by the sounds of his post.

Scott

[Bryan J Moran]

Just ran across this facebook ad again.  This car is not selling.   Would it sell for $2,000? 

Tweener.  Meaning - is it collectible as is or not?   Who is searching for it on facebook?  Really, very few people.  I put 1972 Cadillac in my most recent search and it popped up 205 items in. 

$2,000 but why?