[ last update: 07.05.2008 ] Best viewed with a screen image size of 600 x 800 pixels
The (new) Cadillac Database©
The Fabulous
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
1957 - 1960
Part 13a
(1a)
Best of the Brougham Breed (1957-58)
Being a record
of the Brougham survivors of 1957 [cars #1-200]
[Go to cars #201-400 of Brougham survivors of 1957]
Go to the record
of Brougham survivors of 1958
Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or select preferred chapter
Research carried out in the mid-seventies by Cy Strickler, former President of the Brougham Owners Association (BOA), combined with my own efforts up to about the mid-eighties has turned up about half of all the Broughams ever built. Since this roster first went on line in 1997, many more have been brought to my attention both by the new BOA President, Allan Dowling, and by individual enthusiasts and researchers all over the world, like Jerry Jansson in Sweden.Although a small percentage of the cars listed herein as "survivors" may not fit the "restorable" category [my guess is about 10% of them], still it is an exceptionally high survival rate for an automobile of this vintage! In my opinion, this is due to the fact that the Eldorado Brougham was a VERY expensive automobile (in the vein of the sixteen-cylinder Cadillacs of the thirties), purchased by a VERY wealthy few who, naturally, could afford to keep them in warm, dry storage and have them always serviced and perfectly maintained by qualified Cadillac service shops. Among them were Middle-East potentates like the Emir of Qatar, media moguls like Randolph Hearst, industry giants like Philip K. Wrigley (who was the longtime owner of the Chicago Cubs that he inherited from his father, chewing gum mogul William Wrigley Jr.), the CEOs of Dow Chemical, Harley Davidson, Huckins Yacht Co., Briggs & Stratton, shipping magnates like Aristotle Onassis, sports personalities like speed king Art Arfons and Hollywood stars of the ilk of Clark Gable, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and John Wayne.
About the latter, enthusiast Lance Hirsch from Texas recalls hearing a story of how Wayne wrecked his '58 Brougham while filming Daktari in Africa. Lance found it hard to believe Wayne ever had the car shipped to Africa. He thinks it more likely that the actor wrecked the car while filming The Alamo; the timeline would fit better. Interestingly, the first Brougham that Lance bought had been sold in Los Angeles and was titled in the early '70s in Carrizo Springs, TX, not far from the filming location of The Alamo. He tried to contact with the Wayne Estate and even found a fellow Brougham owner who knew Michael Wayne (recently deceased) and lived near him. Unfortunately he got no information.
Of course, many of these cars probably changed hands five or six times in their lifetime, although I would expect that the majority were acquired by connoisseurs who were aware of their rarity and initial high cost, and took special care in preserving them.
Below is a list, by year and body number, of surviving Broughams. The majority are mentioned in Cy Strickler's 1977-78 Roster of the BOA. I would appreciate any information that users of the Cadillac Database © might have concerning the current whereabouts of any of the cars listed, as well as the location and condition of any other Broughams not yet included here.
The only known Brougham ad appeared in Fortune magazine, in March 1958
1957
[270 cars out of 401 built, i.e. 67.5%]
(excluding those highlighted in red, that are known or believed to have been destroyed or to be only a parts car)001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 007, 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 019, 020, 022, 023, 025, 026, 027, 029, 031, 033, 034, 035, 036, 037, 038, 039, 040, 041, 043, 044, 045, 048, 049, 050, 051, 052, 055, 056, 057, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063, 064, 065, 067, 068, 069, 070, 071, 072, 074, 076, 077, 079, 080, 081, 083, 084, 085, 089, 090, 091, 092, 095, 097, 098, 099, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 135, 137, 138, 139, 141, 142, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 154, 155, 157, 158, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 169, 170, 172, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 192, 195, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 203, 205, 206, 208, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 217, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 253, 254, 255, 258, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 298, 303, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 311, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 371, 373, 374, 376, 377, 379, 381, 383, 385, 387, 388, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 398.
[Go to cars #201-400 of Brougham survivors of 1957]
Car #1 was shipped to Fisher Body Division on 11 March 1957; it remained with Fisher until 1967; it may have been one of the test cars. It was last reported in California in 1978 when it was owned by Richard Oldham of Empire Chevrolet in Novato. At that time Richard owned also Brougham #254. Does anyone know where car #1 is today? Late Extra (Aug. 2002): This from "Jim", an enthusiastic regular visitor to the Database: on the Brougham topic, the friend with whom I went to Pebble Beach says he saw '57 Brougham #1 about 3-4 years ago in Arizona. Reportedly it was scruffy and unrestored at that time. The owner knows that it is car #1. My friend photographed the body plate and I am after him to find the photo so I can make it available to you.
Car #2 was the THIRD Brougham built [chassis #5770-035764]. It was painted bright primrose yellow, a special color [code #0 on the original body tag] that was not included in either the regular color palette for 1957 nor on the special color palette for the new Brougham models. The late Cy Strickler, first President of the Brougham Owners' Association (BOA) said the car was used for some time in Cadillac's Engineering Department (possibly as a second test car); it had a fuel injected engine. It appears to have been re-worked, re-painted black and mounted on 1958 chassis #58P-014243, to be sold in 1958 as Brougham #475. Cy also listed it as belonging, in the late seventies, to Larry Muckey of Muskegon, MI. At that time, it was reported to be still in fine condition. Larry owned also car #471 (he was of great help to me in piecing together the story of the 1956 Eldorado Brougham town car, special, Motorama model). Late Extra [8/2002] I got this message in the Cadillac Database "Visitors' Book" from enthusiast Glen Durmisevich: I owned this car from 1978 to 1984. In addition to Cy Strickler's info, Body #2 had a 1958 VIN #58P014243. Door panels were labeled #475 [which fits the 1958 chassis number]. Previous owners include Francis J. Novak, Larry Muckey [noted above], Dr. Rick Zeiger, and myself. The car rode on springs. I sold it in 1984 to Fred Collins in California. I have photos after I painted this car and used it for my wedding. It would be great if you could send us a couple of them, Glen.
The B&W photos in the upper two rows have been widely publicized; it has often been IDd in error as a 1958 model; in fact it is car #2
of the 1957 production; HOWEVER... in 1958, the body was mounted on chassis #58P014243 and given a new body tag, #475.
The color photo of this car [above are two different versions of the same photo] has always intrigued me; it was featured on the rear cover of a 1957
Cadillac "mailer" brochure entitled, "You and your Cadillac" [the emphasis is actually on the cover title]. The car is pictured at one of Cadillac's
favorite photo-shoot locations in Detroit: "Meadow Brook Hall". The non-standard color suggested to me that this was Brougham #2 [paint code "0"
- special order]; it is the only 1957-58 Brougham to have been painted a special order color]
Car #3 was the SECOND Brougham built; it did not survive; this was the New York auto show Brougham; it was NOT the prototype exhibited one year earlier, in Paris, in December 1956. Car #3 was used in all the Brougham publicity and advertising; it ended its life, wrecked and dismantled, in California [...one down, 703 to go!] The photos [below] was taken at the Tavern on the Green, New York, during the NY show in January 1957.
Car #4 apparently is in Sydney, Australia, possibly owned by Charlie Deen. The Deen brothers have been Cadillac enthusiasts for more than three decades. Chances are, if you own in Australia an older Cadillac that has "collectible status", then probably it was owned at one time by one of the Deen brothers. Late Extra [4/2007]: The car is currently for sale for $49,500 Australian dollars by "Old Yankee Imports, Pty. Ltd." [eMail: yankee57@semet.com.au].
Car #10 was owned in the late seventies by William Claypool of Miami, FL. At that time, William owned also Brougham #129, below.
Car #11 was parted out some 16 years ago by collector-enthusiast, David Barclay.
Car #13 was located by Jean-Claude Franchitti [1960 Brougham #68]. He describes it as missing parts, but roadworthy. Jean-Claude is on the hunt for a nice 1957-58 Brougham and in his travels has come across a few of them that were not previously listed here. I will add them in due course, with his help. This car was acquired recently (2002) by Tony Dutton, a New Zealander who currently [2002] works in Aberdeen, Scotland. In July 2002, Tony wrote: I bought the car in California a few months ago and imported it here to Scotland. I too am someone who left his native land (NZ) to seek fortune (still looking!). The car runs but needs quite a lot of work: engine, running gear, windshield, air suspension, brakes and body, before starting on all the other smaller jobs. The car had been vandalized. I plan to restore it but realize this will be a long, expensive job (I saw Mike Rizzuto's web site before buying the car). I'm not sure of the run number as the plate is missing from under the hood (why the plate is missing I don't know?) but I was told it was # 013?? The engine number is correct as stamped on the frame right hand side behind the engine mount. I will check with the Cadillac archives as posted in the CLC Website to confirm build spec etc. [Tony presumably was referring to this, The (new) Cadillac Database ©). In a subsequent message, he supplied the picture, below; he said: Attached is a picture of the Brougham before it was shipped from California. You'll have to excuse the wheels, the turbines are long gone, I'm afraid. You can see the vandalism damage to the windshield and some hammer dents to the panels. I plan to get some more digital pictures later this month and I will send them if you're interested.
Car #14 was (is?) owned by Larry Watson; Larry had a shop next to George Barris in Hollywood, CA; this was his personal car. It was customized in LEAD by Bill DeCarr but retained it's stock brushed stainless steel top. Larry painted it Candy Raspberry (Pink) over Platinum (Satin) Pearl; 30 gallons of paint were used and create an outstandingly translucent color. It was upholstered by Eddie Martinez. Meanwhile, Bill's Body Shop of Bellflower, CA, moved the fender mounted air-scoops into the front bumper impact guards, replacing the standard rubber tips with the horn bezels (I guess the horn trumpets themselves were relocated behind the front grille); the car also has custom wire wheels. In 1961, the car received over 21 awards including four sweepstakes, three best interiors, plus several first place awards in it's class. You may view (even acquire) a poster of it if you simply click here. Thanks to Jerry Jansson [car #284], for sharing this info with us.
Car #15 is believed to be a parts car; it was advertised for sale, together with car #283, for $9,500, in one of Bill Pozzi's newsletters of the Brougham Owners' Club, in 1986; at that time it was owned by Peter Russ of Detroit, MI.
Car #16 was not previously listed as a survivor. Shawn Dougan of Hyman Ltd. Classic Cars informed me that the car was in that company's possession, along with #76 . I am hoping to get more information about it, as well as a couple of pics for the survivors' roster.
[ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Hyman, Ltd. ]
Could this be the same car? I still have it listed as "unidentified" (after car #704);
it is (was) licensed in Clinton, OH; I will contact Hyman for confirmation
Car #19 was sold on eBay for $29,850 in November, 2004. This one had not been previously included among possible survivors. According to the vendor's ad, the car is in good condition with some minor rust spots. It "needs a little TLC to make this showroom quality". It is missing the front hood "V" and the trunk ELDORADO letters. I imagine we shall be hearing from the new owner soon. The paint and trim appear to correspond to the indications on the original body tag. Late extra [Dec. 2004]: Did that sale go through or not ? The car was again on the block in December with a minimum bid of $24,900. It found no takers.
[ Photos: Internet, 11/2004 ]
Car #22 was owned by Cadillac enthusiast and collector Frank Corrente. He wrote: I am sending you some photos; this car has been restored it is a very nice car. Frank says the car still has the original notepad and vanity case in the glove box. It was featured on the front cover of BOA Newsletter, Vol. 13, #3. Late extra [2/2004]: Damon Lenszner (car #130) sent this copy of a "For Sale" notice: 1957 CADILLAC ELDORADO BROUGHAM, BLK EXTERIOR, STAINLESS STEEL TOP, LIGHT BLUE LTHR INTERIOR, 28,100 ACTUAL MILES, AIR RIDE SUSPENSION, TOTAL POWER INCLUDING FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING, VANITY, MOUTON CARPET, #22 OF 400 BUILT, ORIGINAL, UNRESTORED, BEAUTIFUL. $79,000 OBO. 562-697-7761 Even-later-extra [5/2004]: the car was featured on eBay (the Internet auction site) in May 2004; starting bid was $50K (thanks for the tip, Jerry). Jerry subsequently informed me that the car had been sold for a reported $73,000 and appears to have gone to the UK. Latest: Yes, the car is in London, England [since 2004]. It was acquired by enthusiasts Darren Cunningham and his father.
All original car with a reported 27K miles on the odometer, this one
belonged earlier to Ralph Lewis of Topeka, KS
[ This photo: courtesy Brougham Owners' Association, BOA ]
[These photos: courtesy of Frank Corrente]
Photos in the above two rows and the one below
are from eBay's Web site
The Body Tag appears to have been was first stamped
"Body by Fisher" and then corrected to "Body by Fleetwood"
Car #25 was owned in the late seventies by Michael Green of Denver, CO.
Car #26 was owned in the late seventies by David W. Jameson of Corona del Mar, CA.
Car #29 is owned by new [1998] BOA member Alphie Quelette of Sherborn, MA; no details are currently available about this car except that it is missing the windshield! It was offered for sale by Alphie at the end of 1999. Alphie also is said to own 1960EB#97.
Car #33 currently [3/2002] is in the hands of customizer emeritus, John d'Agostino of California; he is planning to make a radical custom conversion of this one. The work may take him another 3 - 4 years. John currently is mildly customizing also car #451.
Car #34 was owned in the late seventies by Spencer Smith of Pompano Beach, FL., then by Klaus Wojak of West Palm Beach, FL. At that time, Klaus owned also Brougham #298, below. Late extra: The car is for sale on e-Bay, February 2001. Minimum bid is $40,000 and car is reported to be in good to excellent condition.
Car #35 has been uncovered and is in safe hands. The owner wishes to remain anonymous and I shall respect his wish. One more addition to the slowly growing list of survivors! The new owner describes it as a "pristine original car". Perhaps he might supply a couple of pics, nevertheless, for the Database.
Car #36 is owned by Dave and Linda Adler of Laguna Niguel in California. It has been somewhat modified from original. Dave and I were in contact in June/July, 2002. Here is what he writes: my wife and I are the proud owners of #36. We have owned this car since November 2001. It may distress purists because our car is a "lead sled". It gives us a lot of pleasure. The car has the original interior but the power train is a 350 Chevrolet. The Chevy engine scoots the car along just fine. The original suspension has been upgraded to late model air bags. The car is in a flat color not primer. We have taken long trips in the car in supreme comfort and complete peace of mind. A lot of attention was paid to the electrical system. The A/C is a modern Vintage Air system. We listen to a 12 disc CD player. We have shown the car at a number of custom and hot rod shows to the delight of enthusiasts. Some folks register shock at seeing a gorgeous car such as ours, customized. Other people think we applied the stainless roof and suicide doors and can't believe that these parts are original. Historically, the car was saved from being parted out by the customizer, Kent Kozara of Cambria, California. Earlier this year, the car appeared in a rock video. The Back Street Boys are shown with our car as they perform the song, Drownin", which was a number one hit. Although many people inquire if the car is for sale, we always tell them NO. This is an heirloom and an important part of our family. The Caddy even has a name, Bad Andy. Thank you for maintaining this excellent web site, it is a great benefit to enthusiasts. Late extra (12/2007): The car appears to have been restored (repainted) and was offered for sale by Hyman, Ltd. I shall try to get recent pics from the vendor that show the car in its new (red) garb. Latest [ 4/2008]: This just came in from Shawn Dougan of the Hyman Co; he said: Also we just sold car #36, which you have on your website. The car was an unrestored car that had been painted twenty plus years ago. The custom car #36 is not the same car. We sold #36 to a customer in the Middle East. Could there be TWO 1957 Eldorado Brougham models with the #36 ???
[ Photos: © and courtesy Dave and Linda Adler ]
This is how the car looks today [Dec. 2007]
[ Photos: courtesy Michael Brooks ]
Car #38 was owned in the late seventies by Duane Sell of Hillsdale, MI.
Car #40 was advertised for sale in Ohio in May, 1992 [info supplied kindly by Jason Frey]; the car was described as black with 77,000 miles on the odometer and the asking price was (only?) $25,000. Not a bad price, says Jason, considering that in the same month of the same year and in the same state a restored 1953 Eldorado was offered for sale for $225,000 dollars! Such, Jason, is the price differential between a sedan and a convertible of equal rarity. Thanks for adding one more Brougham to the list. Late extra [1/2006]: Thanks to enthusiast, David King for bringing to my attention the presence of this car for sale on EBay. Now it is located in North Carolina. The vendor says about the car: This car is not restored, it is all original [my emphasis]. This car has been garaged throughout it's lifetime. The windshield glass is perfect! There is no rust on the entire car. This car is in absolutely incredible shape, but is not perfect. With very little work, and a few finishing touches, this car would be Barrett Jackson quality! Paint and trim do appear original but, from what I can see, the ELDORADO lettering on both the hood and trunk are non original; these block letters are too wide and too low [BTW, I saw a set of repro letters for sale on eBay, in Jan. 2007, with a starting bid of $100]. There may be also other "minor" originality flaws, such as that weird, carpet-covered instrument panel! I believe this is the same car that was offered at auction by Kruse, in Fort Lauderdale, in January, 2006 [Lot #5012]. Am I correct? Later still [1/2007]: the car was offered for sale again, this time on eBay, by that master of inventiveness, "luvdg". Remember him? He's the millionaire with the museum and the Ph.D. in Ft. Lauderdale who sold that bizarre, prize-winning red, restored-to-perfection "1959-60" Cadillac with in-dash TV, claiming it to be "the" 1959 prototype 1960 Cadillac show car from the 1959 GM Motorama ...which was staged in October 1958! He said it had been painted "Brenton Blue" and had two witnesses testify to it in writing ...until he found he had screwed up on the dates of the show and on the paint and trim codes on the factory build-sheet. Then the car became a "GM Design Experiment", straight from Harley Earl's own skunk works. Need I add, for the attention of potential buyers of this particular Brougham, caveat emptor ! Interestingly, "luvdg" recently paid over $50 on eBay (item 290065407769) for a boxed set of silver "Cross" pen and pencil; he said it was "for his Brougham". This was lot #7167 at Russo & Steele's Monterey venue in 2007; according to the catalog description, the car was restored to meticulous standards [???] over the past 12 months, with $111,000 spent on this 79,000 mile car. The results are breathtaking! Nevertheless, I believe no sale ensued (the bidding closed at $110,000). You will note that despite the $111,000 invested by "luvdg" to restore this car, the dash is far from perfect and the hood and trunk lettering remain non-authentic. I imagine a few other corners were cut too.
Instrument panel covering looks like carpet !
[ Photos: Internet, 1/2006 and Yann Saunders collection ]
Hood and trunk "ELDORADO" lettering appears
non-authentic (pics 1 and 2); correct lettering is shown in, pics 3 and 4
[ Photos: Internet, and Yann Saunders collection ]
Here are three views of the interior after an alleged
$111,000 restoration; the interior trim (black throughout)
no longer corresponds to the body tag (beige cloth and leather); the dash has been
hastily (and wrongly) restored at best
Car #41 was owned in the late seventies by Duncan Emmons of Rancho Mirage, CA. Duncan was an active member of the BOA under the presidency of Cy Strickler. At that time, Duncan owned also the following 1957-58 Broughams: #114, 115, 154, 288, 348, 367, 460 and 525. Late extra (3/2006): This from enthusiast, Morgan Murphy in Alabama: Just a quick note to say that Brougham #41 has surfaced again at Frank Corrente's in California. He has pictures on his Web site. The car looks pretty weathered, but Frank says it runs, is on air, and is fairly complete. He tells me the original paint code is 136 (Plantation Green). I've never seen that color before. Pretty rare. Yes, Morgan, only 7 cars were ordered in this color in 1957 (...and none at all in 1958). Late Extra [Dec., 2006]: Perhaps this is one of the two '57 Broughams that Frank was offering for sale in Self Starter for September, 2006. This one had a $40K ticket.
Car #43 was not previously listed here. Enthusiast Jean-Clause Franchitti writes: I did come across 57 EB #43, #95, #103. I will forward pictures. There is almost nothing left of #95 so you can consider it destroyed. #103 is in extremely poor condition but restorable, and #43 has been reassembled from parts (it does not have the original drive train). Last I heard, the whole package had been purchased by someone in Australia where the cars are now. A 58 parts car was part of the package and I will check for the number.
Car #44 was owned in the late seventies by C. Vaughan Lewis of Utica, NY. At that time, Vaughan owned also Broughams #214, 622 and 627. One of the '57 models [car #44 or #214?] with a reported 10K miles and ALL accessories was offered for sale by Vaughan in the CLC's "Self Starter" magazine in Nov.-Dec. 2000 for ...$65,000.
Car #45 currently [2002] is dismantled, awaiting restoration; it is owned by David Barclay of New Jersey [this from Brougham enthusiast Jean-Claude Franchitti ('60 EB #68)]. Late extra (5/2005): David says this car has gone to Texas in parts. I wonder if it will ever be reassembled ?
Car #48 was owned in the late seventies by Ron Wade of Wade's Specialty Vehicles in Vancouver, WA.
Car #49 was advertised for sale, for $8,000, in one of Bill Pozzi's newsletters of the Brougham Owners' Club, in 1986; at that time it was owned by Gale Roberts of Florissant, MO. In March 1997 it was offered for sale in the CLC's Self Starter for $40,000 by Keith Beers, of Texas. It was still for sale in Texas in February, 1998. The car is on coil springs and is reported to have "excellent chrome". More recently, in April 2000, I was informed by Mr. Beers that this car was located in Waxahatchie, TX. He said it is a running, driving car; it is black with a white interior (originally it was Fairfax blue [code #126] with a blue and white cloth & leather interior [code #218]) Keith says the upholstery was done over in vinyl (!); not immediately visible in the small photo, below (right), one may see that the original pattern was not followed either. There were no visible vanity items left. Like car #324, below, it has the sabre-spoke wheels. Keith mentioned also a "modified nose" (custom job). The car was for sale for $28K [call (972) 490-7579] in Dallas or e-Mail keithhelen@aol.com for more details. Late extra (5/2005): the car was offered again for sale at auction on eBay in May, 2005. The asking price was up from $28K to $50K. I guess to justify the price hike, the vendor mentions a recent [but unconfirmed] eBay sale of a similar car for $175,000 [car #130]. Latest [10/2007]: The car was acquired in November 2005 by Texas collector and enthusiast, Bruce Bixby of Abilene from a Waxahache collector; it is being cared for there by Gordon Bartlett. With help from collector-owner-enthusiast, Dale Armstrong [#554], Gordon has returned the front end to original factory specs. Sadly, two door handles were lost at the platers, so any help finding replacements would be greatly appreciated. Former owner, Lance Hirsch [#436], believes the door handles from any regular 1957 Cadillac model should fit. No harm in trying, for sure.
These photos: courtesy of the former owner, Gale RobertsLate Extra [Jan., 2008]: Gordon sent the updated photos, below, as well as details of the work done since the car was acquired by its new owner. Gordon says: We're still looking for front door handles , OEM factory radio and lower trunk latch Micro switch. Front End sheet metal has been returned to the original factory design. The engine and transmission have been completely rebuilt. Factory Original cloth and Leather interior was still intact, under the vinyl seat covers; it was carefully cleaned and redyed to factory colors . The car was completely stripped and repainted factory Fairfax Blue Metallic. All Vanity items are there, except the Atomizer. The car has both sets of wheels (turbines and sabres). The factory air ride components are there, minus the actual air bags; these have been replaced with coil springs and non- factory lower rear control arms. Diecast parts have been replated along with the bumpers . Restoration of the car continues at this time [Jan., 2008]. Current mileage is 68K.
[ Photos: © 2008 and courtesy Bruce Bixby and Gordon Bartlett ]
Car #50 was owned in the late seventies by Kenneth Anderson, Jr. of Southwick, MA.
Car #52 [NEW, May, 2007] although it was a known survivor, this car's whereabouts remained a mystery for the last 30 years. Today it is (newly) owned by Dorene and Len Esteb of Olympia, WA 98502. The Estebs purchased the car from Ralph Stangland on April 16th 2007. They will restore it. The car has been sitting in a garage for the last 25 years. The car was an original Oregon delivery, so it has not strayed too far from home. The original owner was a Mr. Borden of Pacific Beach in Washington. The car was damaged in an accident and was bought from the insurance company by a local Aberdeen auto wrecker by the name of Benny Smith. He repaired the vehicle and drove it for a while. After he died (date unknown), Ralph Stangland bought the Brougham from Benny Smith's estate. Mr. Stangland drove it very little; it sat in his shop in Central Park, a community east of Aberdeen, for about 25 years. After installing a battery, pretty much all of the systems worked; however, the engine won't be started until it is rebuilt. The car currently [May, 2007] has 97,033 miles on the odometer and does need a lot of TLC.
[ Photo: © 2007 and courtesy of Doreen and Len Esteb ]
Car #55 is currently reported in France; I have it on the roster of survivors since the mid-seventies, but with no indication of its whereabouts. Mr. Branthomme, the current owner who resides in a provincial town south west of Paris tells me it was owned formerly by the French artist Armand, now a resident of the USA. The car is in reasonably good condition but has been converted to coil springs; none of the vanity items remain. This one was shipped originally to Texas. The present owner has also 1960 Brougham #72, the one that belonged first to the Emir of Qatar, then to a French postal worker. He picked it up in the South of France in summer, 2001.
In the foreground is 1957 Eldorado Brougham #55; in the background, 1960 Eldorado Brougham #72
Although the tags on this car (U43-5FM) appear to have been issued in New York
[red Statue of Liberty between two sets of digits] I believe it is car #55 belonging to Mr. Branthomme
[ Photos: © 2002, and courtesy Dirk Van Dorst ]
This is "a" NY number;
it is NOT the tag on the car
Car #56 was owned in the late seventies by Alvin Grosse of La Mesa, CA.
Car #59 appears in the auction catalog results of the 1991 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ, where it is identified only by its engine number [#5770-080542]. The condition was described as "very good/excellent". In the late seventies, this car was owned by Don Johnson of Dearborn Heights, MI. It underwent a complete restoration, in Michigan, where it was owned by Dick Baruk, the Brougham collector who completed restoration of the unique 1956 Eldorado Brougham town car. The car changed hands in April, 2002, and currently belongs to Paul Dehnert, a Texan collector who recently mentioned that he had acquired also car #241.
Car #62 was known to have survived, already back in the late seventies; however its whereabouts were unknown. In January, 2007 it turned up for sale on eBay. It looks in quite rough condition.
Good luck restoring this baby !
Car #63 was owned in the late seventies by Paul Overton of Overton Cadillac-Pontiac Co in McHenry, IL. This car (engine. #5770083365) was delivered first to New York. It is currently (9/2000) in Sweden and is owned by Björn Tunqvist of Skyttegatan 18, SE 193 32 Sigtuna, Sweden (no known e-mail). The foregoing info was supplied kindly by Jerry Jansson, a Brougham aficionado from Sweden. Thanks Jerry!
Photo [cropped] taken at a Swedish Cadillac Club centennial meet
[ Photo: © and courtesy Jan Strandberg, CAC ]
Car #64 was said to have had red leather seats and instrument panel; the carpet was gray mouton. In 1975 this car was listed under two different owner names (Jalon Brown and Don Rancatti, both in MA). Late extra [June, 2008]: the car turned up for sale on eBay. I will add details shortly. It appears to be original and there is no sign of any red trim anywhere in the interior.
If you are unfamiliar with this model, the image at left shows
the lambswool carpet in the rear passenger compartment
[ Photos: Internet ]
Car #65 was owned in the late seventies by Earl Spitzack of Faribault, MN.
Car #67 I got this message in the Cadillac Database "Visitors' Book" from enthusiast Glen Durmisevich: I currently own this car. Very good original 72,000 mile car with air suspension. Original owner was Gustav Von Reiss of Bloomfield Township, Michigan who owned it about 10 years. During that time, besides winter trips to Florida, #67 was once taken to Sweden on vacation. Previous owners included Doug Dalgleish of Dalgleish Cadillac in Detroit, Michigan who owned it about 10 years and had it repainted it’s current silver. Two-time Meadowbrook Concours d'Elégance winner (1987 and 1990). Glen wants to send some more recent pictures of his car; I will post them when received.
This photo was taken at the GM Technical Center
in Warren, MI ,
a most appropriate location for a car as mechanically complex as this one
[ the car is seen here with non-original, sabre-spoke, cast aluminum wheels ]
This photo was taken in front of the same stately home where Brougham #2
was photographed in 1957; in this photo the car has the correct turbine wheels
The small photo (two rows up) was previously shown (in error) under car #118
[ All photos of EB #67 (except lower right): courtesy Glen Durmisevich, owner ]
Car #68 [NEW, 1/2008] was offered for sale at auction, on Ebay, in January, 2008. It appears all original [except for having been converted to coil springs], including the seat material, Karakul carpets and headliner. It was owned by the same collector for 20 years and was delivered originally to New York. Repainted and rechromed in the vendor's shop, this is a low-mileage example of the first-year Eldorado Brougham. No vanities were mentioned.
Car #69 On May 16, 2005, this message was posted in the Database Guest Book by an enthusiast named "Glenn" ( no email / no homepage). He wrote: In case your interested 1957 El Dorado Brougham #69 is in Portland Or. It's Gun metal blue. Originally, this car was painted white and had dark and light gray leather trim. Late Extra [Dec. 2006] : the car has been acquired by an enthusiast who wants to remain anonymous; I shall respect his wish. Perhaps he might supply a couple of pics, nevertheless, for the Database.
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 from 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.
Car #71 is believed to have been parted out. Enthusiast David King wrote, in November 2005, that he had acquired a large cache of parts from another enthusiast, Steve Barnett (ex-#563). Among them were many from this car, including the oil change and ID tag from the driver's door jamb.. David was wondering if the stripped chassis or body had survived. If anyone has the answer, let me know through the Database Guest Book.
Car #72 was owned in the late seventies by Tom Jaime of Bridgeport, CT, then by Kenneth J. Anderson of Southwick, MA, who had it offered for sale in one of Bill Pozzi's newsletter of the Brougham Owners' Club in 1986. Where is it now?
Car #74 was owned in the late seventies by Louis Mickelson of Center Valley, PA. Late extra [Dec., 2005]: the car has been offered for sale on EBay with a very reasonable starting bid of $100. Reported in the Carolinas, it appears [photos] to require considerable work to attain show car status. Late extra [3/2006]: The car has found a new home and is in the safe hands of an owner who wishes to remain anonymous.
[ Photos: Internet, 1/2006 ]
Car #76 [NEW, 4/2007]; was a known survivor but had been lost from sight for almost 30 years. Shawn Dougan of Hyman Ltd. Classic Cars informed me that the car was in that company's possession, along with #16 (above). I am hoping to get more information about it, as well as a couple of pics for the survivors' roster in the near future.
[ images to come ]
Car #77 was offered for sale in the first quarter, 1998 for $14,500. It was described as a "disassembled CA project car". In another ad by the vendor, Mike Rizzuto, it was described thus: Rare, desirable colors, bondo and rust free, disassembled California project car from Palm Springs. Only 400 built and one of ten built with Maharani Maroon #152 paint code. The most sought after color of all! This car is in Sweden where it is being restored for a mysterious "Mr B" by Hans Emeren of Autocraft in Vikarbyn.
Car #79 was last reported (1978) at the Indianapolis 500 Speedway Museum; at that time, the odometer showed 6000 miles. Is the car still there? I don't recall seeing it when I visited the museum in September, 2006. On that visit, I was more interested in the museum's 1932 Cadillac V16, "Madame X" model!
Car #80 is currently [1998] in Norway, with Classic Auto Parts of Trondheim; it is on air springs and is undergoing a total restoration. The owner, Mr. Kjell Kraakmo, informed me in March, 2003, that his car is undergoing a full "nut and bolt" restoration. Kjell was fortunate to find, a couple of years ago, a full set of NOS air diaphragms, still in the sealed factory boxes; he also has acquired a set of the Mastermind repro airbags that he keeps in temperature-controlled storage, so he us assured that #80 will be "riding on air" for (at least) the next 45 years! Parts for these cars, he says, are going over the moon; for example, he had to pay over $1000 for a nice, original front hood "V" !
Car #81 was offered for sale in Las Vegas in the first quarter, 1998; no price was given. It was said to be in condition #4 and comes with five excellent hub caps.
Car #83 [NEW, 1/2007] has turned up unexpectedly (it was not included previously on this roster of survivors); it was offered for sale a number of times on Internet (EBay) by Chicago Classic Cars. The listed "buy-it-now" price is gradually increasing: first it stood at $92,500, then $110,000, then $125,000. The original owner was P.K. Wrigley [Philip K. Wrigley was the longtime owner of the Chicago Cubs, which he inherited when his father, chewing gum mogul William Wrigley Jr., died in 1932]. The description included the following: this is a pillarless 4-door hardtop sedan, Camelot Gray [the only one painted that color in 1957] with Black & White leather upholstery, all vanities except beveled mirror, original Bill-of-Sale indicating P.K. Wrigley as the buyer, original matching numbers 365cid V8 engine with dual quads, automatic transmission, autronic eye, power windows, power vent windows, power seat with memory, polarized sun visors, air conditioning, power trunk open & close, clock, signal seeking am radio with twin speakers, day/night rearview mirror, L78x15 white-wall tires, electric door locks, stainless steel roof, power steering, power brakes, forged aluminum wheels, outside rearview mirror with remote control, mileage: 50,886, VIN: 5770090427. In one attempt to sell the car [March 2007] the vendor added the mileage (50,886mi); he said: Driven only 81 miles in the past 19 years.
Car #89 was reported in the Aalholm Museum, Denmark, in the seventies. I was in letter contact with its owner, Count J.O. Raben, at that time but have since lost touch. Of the "personal accessories", the only one on this car is the beveled mirror]
Car #90 Brougham enthusiast Jim Jordan of Oklahoma sent in this information: This car was traded in, in 1958, on a new Fleetwood 60 Special because it was too small for its original owner, a tall fellow, in Oklahoma City. Subsequently it went to a doctor in Norman, OK and then to a couple of attorneys in Oklahoma City. It has not been seen since those attorneys went through a divorce in the mid 1970's. Late extra (Sept., 2003): This just came in from enthusiast, Ken Zimmermann, who currently owns the car: Hi, first time on your site. Just love it. So much valuable information. I wanted to update your Brougham page with information about my 1957, #90. I have owned it since 1991. Bought it from a gentleman in Middleton, Ohio. I believe he owned it for about 8 years before me. Kenya Beige, working air ride, all original condition, roof is excellent, chrome is good, paint and interior are fair. Runs well. I garaged the car in Chicago for 11 years. It currently lives in my garage in Florida. I've been a long standing member of the CLC and Brougham Owners Club, but haven't heard from the Brougham club in a long time. Is the club still in operation? A address, phone or e mail would be helpful. Thanks for all your hard work on your site. Ken Zimmerman. Sad to say, Ken, I have no idea about the future of the BOA since the untimely passing of its President, Allan Dowling, on February 22, 2003. I have not contacted Allan's widow; I will allow for a normal period of mourning.
Car #91 was not previously listed as a survivor. It was brought to my attention by a posting from its present owner on the Cadillac-LaSalle Club Inc. message Forum. He says : I own a 1957 Eldorado Brougham that is not yet listed in the Data Index [the Cadillac Database] and I desire to put it on the market for sale. However, because of it's uniqueness, I need advice on how to set a price and what the best route is for finding a buyer. Should I set a price and advertise or seek out an auction house or go to Ebay or contact museums? Does it make financial sense to invest in paying for restoration (fix the airbags, deal with the problems caused by it sitting unstarted for twenty years, and sew a few of the seams splits in the leather seats together) prior to selling it, or look for an individual who relishes the chance to restore the vehicle? Plus, does having the original manual and the tumblers and cigarette case factor into a final price? Well, Matthew, I share the opinion of other CLC members who responded to your query. If you are bent on selling the car, I recommend you leave it "as is" and find the highest bidder. These cars certainly have appreciated in value over the last 10 years; from your description, it sounds as though it is in good to very good condition; it is a two-owner, low-mileage car that has never left Pennsylvania, where it was delivered, initially, in 1957. That said, I would not recommend that anyone buy it without a thorough inspection by a Eldorado Brougham expert. There are a few in the club. BTW, factory records show that your car had the Karakul nylon carpets and not the optional Mouton style. Late Extra [12/2004]: Brougham enthusiast Ron Susser wrote to say : #91 will be available for sale soon by me. It's in fantastic original unrestored condition. Late Late Extra [6/2005] I saw it advertised by Ron, in June 2005, with a $80K price tag. Check it out on this Web page. Even Later Extra [9/2005] : the car was advertised on eBay. Here are excerpts about the car's history, as provided by the vendor : The car was just purchased from the second owner's grandson. His family has owned the car since 1958. He said : The car was purchased in 1958 by my Grandfather and has been in the family since. It was delivered at a Cadillac dealership in Lancaster, PA, and remained in PA until we moved to Illinois in 2004. It has been garaged for the entire time. From what family members say and then confirmed in the insurance papers, the price paid was $15,000. My grandfather loved the car and used it only on special occasions and to go to church. Mr. Hicks chauffeured the car when my Grandmother went to Atlantic city for a number of years as a summer escape (pre-casinos). My mother once drove the car by herself for a weekend trip to New York City. It carried my mother and her new husband from their wedding reception to the Honeymoon car parked outside of town. It also carried my grandfather's widow Rhoda and family to the funeral in 1965. After his death the car became the property of his wife, Rhoda . She used it on occasion. As a child, I remember being driven to the pool in the Brougham as well as to a drive-in movie. My friend and I played with the electric windows and ran the battery down so that the car had to be jumped to get home. The rising of the car [air lift] when it started was a very memorable event. The car's ownership came into my hands upon my grandmother's death in 1985. I did not live in the area however, and the vehicle stayed in the garage of the same house that my mother then inherited. Mr. Hicks was the gentleman who would take care of the car and changed it's oil, gave it a great coat of wax and started it regularly. He did this until his death in 1998 at the age of 97. More pics of Car #91 may be seen on this web page.
[ Photos : © 2004, Ron Susser, and Internet, 10/2004 ]
Car #92 was owned originally by the CEO of Dow Chemicals; it was reported as a survivor but now is classified as only a parts car by enthusiast/owner Paul Dehnert of Austin, TX (cars #59 and #241).
Cars #93 and 94 [current whereabouts unknown] had specially dyed blue mouton carpeting.
Car #95 was located in 3/2006 by enthusiast Jean-Clause Franchitti. He writes: I did come across 57 EB #43, #95, #103. I will forward pictures. There is almost nothing left of #95 so you can consider it destroyed. #103 is in extremely poor condition but restorable, and #43 has been reassembled from parts (it does not have the original drive train). Last I heard, the whole package had been purchased by someone in Australia where the cars are now. A '58 parts car was part of the package and I will check for the number.
Car #97 This one belongs to Adrian Vigil; it is located in New Mexico. It was delivered first to California. I had it listed previously as being owned in 1998 by BOA member Alphie Quelette of Sherborn, MA. Apparently, Alphie's car is 1960EB#97, not THIS car. BTW, the car illustrated below sold at auction in April, 2008, for $125,000.
These photos were supplied kindly by
the new owner, Adrian Vigil
Car #98 is reported to be an original, one-owner car ...but a non-runner; nonetheless it was offered for sale in 1998 for $21,000 as part of an estate sale.
Car #99 was owned in the late seventies by Edwin Alfred of Merion, PA. Eldorado Brougham "sleuth", Jerry Jansson from Sweden, sent me this ad in August 2002: FOR SALE ELDORADO: 1957 Brougham, restored from low mileage early serial number 99, air ride, rebuilt engine, trans, susp, etc, also 1958 Eldo Brougham, complete for parts or restoration, $35,000. PH: 845-359-5439, NY. Late Extra (10/2002): CLC member, Joe Rubert owns this car (10/2002); the car is restored; it has 37K miles and still includes a number of the original vanities. Later (11/2007): the car was offered on Ebay and sold for $115,000. It was described as a"strong #2" and had a reported 45+K miles; it came with all the vanities. Later still (3/2008): Currently located in Texas, the car is up for sale on EBay once again. A few more photos have been added, below. It certaiunly looks to be in fine condition. Latest (4/2008): It's on Ebay again, until April 13, 2008, with a Buy-It-Now price tag of $145,000 [that's up some from $35,000 in 2002!]. Admittedly, nice ones like this are getting hard to find ...at any price! The mileage is "back down" to 38+K although it was reported to have 45+K miles when it sold in 2007. Obviously, one or other of these figures is mistaken. The auction ended ...without a buyer.
[ Photos: Internet, 10/2007 ]
[ Photos (above 2 rows): Internet, 3/2008 ]
Car #100 is currently [1998] in the Detroit area. The owner sent me this information after reading the Brougham section of "The (new) Cadillac Database". The car has very low actual mileage [circa 34K]. It was originally exported [I am guessing to Canada]. The car was purchased from John P. O'Sullivan of Grand Blanc, MI in Sept. 1994 (Mr. O'S had acquired it eight years previously from a vendor in central PA).
Car #101 Resides in the former Harrah's collection in Reno, NV. This information was supplied kindly by Damon Lenszner of England (car #130). Thanks Damon. Isn't it amazing how more and more Brougham survivors just keep popping up? Late extra [from Jerry Jansson, Sweden, 3/2006]: well, it seems there are TWO Harrah Broughams. Car #101 apparently is silver-gray, not blue; so it is NOT the car shown immediately below; that one now remains to be identified correctly. Can anyone supply the VIN numbers of the two cars? Latest [3/2006]: #101 is now in the collection of Dr. Rick Zeiger, a most enthusiastic collector of exotic Cadillacs, as well as a regular contributor to the Cadillac Database ©.
These three rows show car #101; Jerry Jansson sent me a far better picture of the body tag, where you can see
that the Trim and Paint numbers correspond to factory records as #859-1 and #112 respectively; trim code #859-1
is white leather with black leather accents and black Karakul nylon carpets[this appears to match the photos]; the
original paint was Chamonix White [code #112]; here we see a silver-gray car [possibly Brougham color Argent]
This is the "other" Brougham from the Harrah collection;
Photo supplied kindly by UK enthusiast, Damon Lenszner
Car #102 [NEW, May 2008] turned up at a Barrett-Jackson auction, out of the blue; it was not previously known to have survived. I believe it is the car shown in the photos below, sporting 1953 Eldorado-style spoke wheels. It was brought to my attention by Brougham enthusiast, George Poretta. Thanks, George.
Car #103 was owned in the late seventies by Carl Gorton of Merritt Island, FL. Late extra [3/2006]: Enthusiast Jean-Clause Franchitti writes: I did come across 57 EB #43, #95, #103. I will forward pictures. There is almost nothing left of #95 so you can consider it destroyed. #103 is in extremely poor condition but restorable, and #43 has been reassembled from parts (it does not have the original drive train). Last I heard, the whole package had been purchased by someone in Australia where the cars are now. A 58 parts car was part of the package and I will check for the number.
Car #105 was owned in the late seventies by John Miller of Natick, NY. At that time, John owned also 1957-58 Broughams #199 and 305, 1959 Brougham #92 and 1960 Broughams #22, 75 and 97. Car #105 was used recently [1998] to test after-market air diaphragms. It was offered for sale in the first quarter, 1998 for $27,500 and at the end of 1999 for $27000. Mike Rizzuto, the vendor, claims that he has $54000 invested in the car including a $10000 new air ride system. It needed only "cosmetics" to be a show car. In Jan. 2000 this car was acquired by CLC member Tom Beard from Mike Rizzuto of Mastermind. He says it will have a wonderful new home in Florida where he will continue the restoration that Mike started.
Car #107 was featured in the Fall 2002 edition of the BOA's Newsletter (Vol. 14, #3). Owned by Robert Werner of Dayton, OH, it received a recent full restoration by Bob Morris of Morris Auto Restoration in Bellbrook, OH, and immediately won three prizes at the Boonshoft Concours d'Elégance in Dayton, OH, September 8, 2002 ("Judges' choice", "Best of Show" as well as the category "Cadillac, 1947-77"). On September 12, 2003, the car got another award of excellence in the premier class of the Boonshaft Concours. Originally Deauville Gray (paint code 118) the car is now painted Dakota red. Photo below, courtesy BOA. Robert is the son of Calvin J. Werner who was Cadillac President and General Manager from September 1, 1966 to June 30, 1969. There is a fine article on this car in Hemmings Classic Car for August, 2005.
Car #109 was offered for sale in the first quarter, 1998 for $33,900. Restoration was described as "under way", with only the seats, trunk and wheels to complete. Late Extra [Nov., 2007]. Belgian enthusiast, Dirk Van Dorst, saw this one on a recent trip to Hershey, PA, and kindly sent the photo, below. Apparently the car was sold recently by the Kruse organisation. If anyone has more info (price, location?), I shall gladly add it here.
[ Photos: courtesy Dirk Van Dorst ]
Car #110 currently is owned by Ken Long, a CPA from Dallas, TX. Thanks to Wayne Meadlin of Fort Worth, TX for this new information [Wayne is currently restoring car #274 for its owner]. I believe car #110 was offered for sale in Chicago, IL, in January, 1971 [no price given at that time].
Car #113 was discovered in Sweden by my favorite Eldorado Brougham "sleuth", Jerry Jansson. This was an export car (initial destination unknown); currently it belongs to Borje Hedman of Alvdalen, Sweden. The owner currently [7/2002] has the car completely dismantled and undergoing a meticulous restoration. Mr. Hedman provided a copy of an Illinois title from June 28, 1989 listing the [then] owner as Mr. Harry Shepard of Lincolnwood, IL. According to Mr. Hedman, Mr. Shepard was the first owner of the vehicle; nonetheless, the records show it was an export model
[ Photos from the early 90s: courtesy Borje Hedman and Jerry Jansson ]
Car #114 was owned in the late seventies by Duncan Emmons of Rancho Mirage, CA. Duncan was an active member of the BOA under the presidency of Cy Strickler. At that time, Duncan owned also the following 1957-58 Broughams: #41, 115, 154, 288, 348, 367, 460 and 525. This particular car was used as a show car for the Canadian Exposition, before it was delivered to California; rumor has it that it was first purchased by Bob Hope [Bob is also rumored to have owned car #571]. It is listed as a Senior car in the latest CLC Directory (2002), owned by member Don Weber of Sacramento, CA.
Car #115 was owned in the late seventies by Duncan Emmons of Rancho Mirage, CA. Duncan was an active member of the BOA under the presidency of Cy Strickler. At that time, Duncan owned also the following 1957-58 Broughams: #41, 114, 154, 288, 348, 367, 460 and 525.
Car #116 is a parts car located in Quincy, MA; it is owned by Rich Laretano who advertised it in the Winter 2000, BOA Newsletter. Phone (617) 847-4817 or (617) 688-4837
Car #117 is a known survivor; it was previously listed here but the owner has requested that I remove my comments and his photos. Done [P.S. [3/2003] Despite this car being alleged the "finest Brougham in the world", it found no buyer willing to pay six digits for it]. Late Extra [August 2004]: the car has a new owner who kindly provided this update: Since we last spoke I have had numerous things done to the car. This has been a rather continuous process which has been successful in terms of concours events in Southern California this year. The car has consistently won either First In Class, Best of Show and the like. It was First in Class at this year's Southern California Cadillac-LaSalle Club meet on May 2 and First in Class and Most Elegant at the Muckenthaller in Orange County May 16. The car was completely restored prior to my purchase; it was without vanities and owners manual. I have since located and purchased all the vanities. I have not been able to purchase a correct owner's manual. We did find some problems with paint, chrome, a/c, electrics (seats, e.g.), radio not working, antenna not extending fully, service work on the engine, a turn signal short and the like. The car sat continuously with the previous owner and I suspect that led to some of the problems. I used Alan Taylor Restorations in Escondido, California. As you probably know, Alan has consistently prepared numerous cars for Pebble Beach and is considered one of the finest restorers in the nation [yes, I am familiar with his outfit]. Fortunately, he also has enormous experience with Cadillacs of all ages, but more importantly someone on his staff intimately familiar with all aspects of the EB. The car is not the original colors of 148 Kenya Beige with 434 Beige Cloth/Leather. It is now Fairfax Blue with Blue Leather and Mouton carpet. All of the above-mentioned problems have been rectified and all systems on the car now function correctly. If you would like some current pictures of the car just let me know. I am hopeful we can work together to update the Database. Thanks, I look forward to getting some photos from you. Later [June, 2006]: I never got the photos but I see the car is for sale again, on eBay, with a starting bid of $225,000 and a "Buy-it-Now" price of $250,000! Remember, those prices are not a reflection of what the car is worth (that is a matter of market trends, supply and demand), it is only an indication of what the car is worth to its present owner. Also it will enable him - and other vendors - to up the ante by asserting, later: I saw one of these for sale on eBay, in June 2006, for $225,000! Latest [Dec., 2007]: The car is again advertised for sale, this time in Hemmings Motor News, Dec., 2007, with a price tag just $100 short of $240,000. The photos below are off eBay:
