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1950's American Dream CarsThese were the iconic cars of the post WW2 American Dream |
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1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible |
Sold for $170,000 on August 16, 2014
Three year restoration on a rust
free original example |
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By 1957, Cadillac was on to a good thing with
its top-of-the-line Eldorado. Sales had been nearly doubling each year
since 1953, and it seemed that the company had produced the impossible: a
hot-selling, yet upmarket car. Combining aggressive good looks with solid
performance, it’s easy to see why buyers flocked to the Eldorado and
particularly coveted its convertible version, the Biarritz. Cadillac designers tweaked an already popular formula in 1957 to smooth the so-called “chipmunk cheek” rear fenders of the Eldorado Biarritz, making the sharklike fins more pointed and graceful. Broad, sculptured body panels and a three-section front bumper added to the car’s sleek styling. The attention to detail continued under the hood, where the dual-quad 365 CI V-8’s output increased from 305 to 325 HP. This was the most potent V-8 yet offered in a Cadillac, making the Biarritz a perfect combination of style and power. This example boasts an intensive three-year restoration of an already clean, rust-free car. Wearing sophisticated Triple Black and a new canvas top and parade boot, this slick convertible is ready to roll onto the show field. Or you might instead choose to roll down a scenic highway, making good use of the 4-speed Hydra-Matic transmission and that well-engineered Cadillac V-8. And what a way to roll, on dazzling refinished aluminum-and-steel Sabre wheels, standard on the Eldorado line for 1957 but expensive and extremely hard to find today. Just 1,800 of these classy convertibles were produced in 1957, making the Eldorado Biarritz one of the more desirable regular-production Cadillacs of the '50s. |
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