Home
History
Documents
Photos
Links
|
Home |
History |
Documents |
Photos |
Links |
Sections:
Standard 1978 Eldorado Models
1978 was the last year for the large, front-wheel drive Eldorado weighing in at 4,906 pounds and a wheel base of 126.3 inches and overall length of 224 inches (18.66 feet). In 1979, the down-sized Eldorado weighed in at 3792 pounds with a wheelbase 13 inches shorter and an overall length of 10 inches shorter than the 1978 Eldorado.
The engine was a cast iron block and head V-8 with displacement of 425 cubic inches (7.0 liters). The engine had a compression ratio of 8.2:1 and developed 180 horsepower at 4,000 rpm. The high benchmark for the Eldorado was a 1970, which was before the fuel economy requirements, with a 500 cubic inch V8 (8.2 liter) engine and horsepower of 400. The big "Eldos" got about 10 mpg.
Cadillac produced 46,816 Eldorados in 1978. Cadillac started off with three Eldorado models: the Coupe, the Eldorado Cabriolet, and the Custom Biarritz. These are the three models that Cadillac started with for the model year in 1978. About 40% of the total Eldorado production was of the special Custom Biarritz (also called the Special Edition). The complete line sales brochure mentioned all three of the Eldorado models. There was also a separate sales brochure for the Eldorados which just mentioned the three models. In fact, in a press release probably before the 1978 model year started, Edward C. Kennard, general manager of the Cadillac Motor Division and vice president of General Motors, noted that the "special edition" Biarritz package would be offered in five colors and easily recognized by its unique, padded vinyl roof, wide body moldings, opera lamps, distinctive Biarritz script, special accent stripes, and color cordinated wheel disks. The Biarritz interior highlights plush appointments with 50/50 pillow type leather/vinyl seating. The special edition interiors were also offered in three two tone colors: light and dark blue, medium and dark saddle, and mulberry and dark mulberry. This press release made no mention of the Eldorado Custom Biarritz Classic.
1978 Eldorado Classic
The Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz was announced to the dealers in April 1978. The Classic was a limited production Biarritz model with only two-thousand units produced between May to July of 1978. The Classic included the following options which were basically offered on the Custom Biarritz. There was the two-tone exteror paint, which combined the Arizona beige and Demitasse brown which was on the front hood and the roof surface. There were additional options that were offered unique to the Classic which were the two-tone interior in light beige and dark saddle, leather wrapped steering wheel rim, gold plated Biarritz script on the exterior sail panels and the trunk lid, and dark brown accent stripping. The options for the Eldorado Custom Biarritz Classic were available for an extra $2,466.
All of the 2,000 Classics were modified as original equipment at American Sunroof in the Southgate, Michigan plant. The Arizona beige Eldorados were sent to American Sunroof, and there, American Sunroof applied the caps for the padded half-vinyl elk grain roof treatments. They also applied the interior window trim to style-down the size of the back window to match the exterior vinyl top. The window was full sized but was covered by the interior trim and the cap that was applied. American Sunroof also did the sunroof treatment for 500 of the total 2,000 Classics. The car came from Cadillac to American Sunroof with the interior pretty much complete with the two-tone interior treatment and leather wrapped steering wheel. The Arizona beige car was painted at American Sunroof with the Demitasse brown painted on the hood, and the front half of the roof was also painted Demitasse brown. The Biarritz trim molding was added as well as the dark brown accent striping. The special gold plated Biarritz script was also added. This completed the work by American Sunroof, and the cars were shipped back to the Cadillac factory. The production of the Classics probably started in the first week in May of 1978 and continued until late July of 1978. When the Classic was completed, a sticker was added on the driver's side door above the door lock mechanism on the end of the door jam. Click here to view a picture of this. This American Sunroof sticker was approxiamently 1.25" x 4". This sticker told the date that the car was manufactured and when American Sunroof completed the car. It should be noted that many of these stickers are still on these door jams, but the printing has either faded or washed away.
The concept of the Biarritz Classic was probably born after the production was started on the Eldorado line. The chairman of American Sunroof and the general manager of Cadillac wanted to commemorate the last production year of the large Eldorados. This is how the concept of the Classic was born.
Next this concept had to be carried out to produce the Classic. American Sunroof was about seven miles from the Cadillac factory. The Eldorados, which were to be modified, were drop shipped from Cadillac factory to American Sunroof on daily basis as the cars came off the production line between May and July of 1978. At American Sunroof, the cars were received painted Arizona beige with the two-tone interior and the leather wrapped steering wheel. American Sunroof then applied the Demitasse brown paint to the hood and halftop. They also added the Biarritz half vinyl top, brown trim pinstriping, stainless steel Biarritz molding, and gold Biarritz script. American Sunroof also did 500 sunroof treatments and one power T-top to the Classics. The cars were with American Sunroof for a few days before they were drop shipped back to the Cadillac factory. The actual production time on the line at American Sunroof was between four and six hours.
The production date of all the Eldorados can be determined by looking at the data plate which is located on the driver's side firewall.
Rare Power T-top
![ttop [13937 bytes]](images/ttop.jpg)
The history of the Power T-Top started in 1976. In a joint effort between Oldsmobile and American Sunroof Company, a new 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado XSR was designed to be produced as a new model in 1977. The plan called for 2,000 XSRs to be made in the model year of 1977. The XSR was to have Power T-Tops.
Unlike many models of this era that had removable T-Tops, Oldsmobile came up with an engineering study and designed retractable power plexiglass T-Tops. GM had no convertibles this year and wanted to produce a unique car that had the convertible feel but had the convenience of a power sunroof.
Olds and American Sunroof Company took the design and produced one XSR in 1976 for the 1977 model year with the Power T-Tops.
In the 1977 Oldsmobile large car brochure, page 22 and 23 show the 1977 XSR
that was to be available at dealers.
Unfortunately, because of production
problems in producing the Power T-Top, only one XSR was ever produced. This car
was owned by Donald T. Ross in Southbury, Connecticut, and is now owned by Matt
Verzi of New Jersey. Matt Verzi's '77 Toronado XSR was featured in Collectible
Automobile Magazine in June of 2003 (read article). Automotive Information Clearinghouse verified that there was only one of this model ever made. The XSR Project was eliminated and the XS model was produced in 1977 and 1978. It's interesting that the XSR, even though it was never produced, ended up in the sales brochure. Also, there were many other items produced of the XSR. One was a Topps trading card, and the other was a Tomica toy car. 
After Olds decided not to produce the XSR, changing it to the XS, American Sunroof decided to keep this car since they had done the engineering work and effort to produce the XSR. American Sunroof thought it was an excellent idea to have Power T-Tops that could be added to other cars.
In 1977, American Sunroof took the Power T-Top concept to Cadillac. In a joint effort, they produced a triple-white 1978 Eldorado. This car was shown at the Detroit Car Show in January of 1978. So now American Sunroof had two Power T-Tops that had been produced, the XSR and the triple-white Eldorado. American Sunroof was still trying to sell the concept of the Power T-Top and using these two cars as demonstration models as Power T-Tops. The Triple White was recently acquired by Joe Bortz of Highland Park, Illinois and added to his collection of over 50 of some of the most interesting and historic and unusual vehicles. Click here to view an interesting article about the Bortz 1978 white Eldorado T-top.
Later in the model year of 1978, a third Power T-Top was produced as a custom Biarritz Classic. This car was produced as another demonstration car and was actually used as the personal car for Heinz Prechter, Chairman andChief Executive Officer of ASC Incoporated (formerly American Sunroof Company).
Robert Seebruck (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) was helpful in locating the only classic power T-Top ever made that has now found a home in Arizona with the Richardson family. This Eldorado classic power T-Top (pictured) was owned by Heinz Prechter. In researching the Eldorado classic and power T-top, contact was made with Lonny Cowsart, Prototype Supervisor, of ASC, Inc who was a Tech in 1978. Lenny recalls that American Sunroof Company did make two Eldorados for Cadillac in 1978. He said that the car was never mass produced for GM because it was "out of tolerance" and would have taken too much time on the assembly line to produce. Plans had called for 2000 Oldsmobile Toronados to be produced in 1977. Only one unit was produced for Olds and a few units for Cadillac before the power T-Top idea was dropped. In the last ten years or so unique, prototype cars like the power T-Tops would never had made it to the street. They are now destroyed in the crusher because of product safety issues.
The Richardson Eldorado power top was a late production done in July of 1978. All the classics were original equipped cars. The cars were shipped by Cadillac and then returned to the factory. Modified cars were done after receipt by dealers.
New Power T-Top Discovered
 | In October of 2002, Johnny Romine of La Mirada, California informed this author that he owned a white 1978 Eldorado with Power T-Top (see picture to the left). The Power T-Top was placed in the Eldorado by ASR in June of 1978 and ended up being sold in Southern California by a dealer in August of 1978. |
| Home Address | Phone Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Richardson | Hm: 602-993-9015 | phxjer@hotmail.com click to e-mail |
| 225 W. Seminole Dr. | Off: 800-248-3921 | |
| Phoenix, AZ 85023-5294 |