This is still one of the best generations for the Eldorado. This showed how well a car could be much improved when downsized, unlike what came after for 1986! At least they went back to the correct ways for 1992-2002 Eldorado's. This was hands down a huge improvement over all the 70's eldorado's. My parents bought a used 79 Eldorado in the early 80's and drove until our 95 Seville replaced it back around 1999. Production numbers show exactly how much more popular these were before and after. My first car was an 85 Biarritz.
I bought new in 1980. It was a fantastic car. I traded in '86 for a Seville and was very disappointed. The Cadillac El Dorado was a magnificent Automobile. Commentator Mr Hahn 7/13/19 age 94
Completely agree. The suspension system, along with front wheel drive made this car stand out above the rest. The automatic load leveling system did a great job in keeping the rear end from sinking down. These were a pleasure to drive in every sense.
This was hands down a huge improvement over all the 70's eldorado's. My parents bought a used 79 Eldorado in the early 80's and drove until our 95 Seville replaced it back around 1999. Production numbers show exactly how much more popular these were before and after.
One of the best cars ever built, even if it had its hiccups. It was a status symbol with rich artists throughout the 1980s and are very popular collectibles today. That 1979 downsizing was very well done and the Eldorado's Buick & Olds' twins were also very pretty and very well liked.
had a 79 Eldorado white with red leather, absolutely love how it reminded me of the 1967 Eldo,....bring back cars like these not these plastic suv boxes theyre making now
The exterior styling of the 1979-85 Eldorado was a hit in my book. Still looks great after nearly 40 years and it's unmistakably a Cadillac. The early model years were probably the best ones. During the 1980s reliability started suffering from half-baked powertrain "experiments" and subsequent cost cutting.The interior was a bit of a mixed bag. It had a very contemporary theme with its "layers of materials" to the door trim. Sadly, the execution of details, seats and gauges along with an overabundance of faux wood gave it the dubious flair of a funeral parlor (even the door pulls looked like casket handles) and that restricted its appeal mostly to older, "traditional" buyers. But my, oh my, it was so comfortable to drive and as Bob Mayer discovered, quite a nice handling car :)
Interestingly, I fell in love with the '79 Eldorado after testing this one and bought one - brand new. Ended up to be a huge disappointment. Computer problems virtually from day one. Can't tell you how many times I had to call for a tow truck because the car just died. LOVED the ride, handling and overall feel of this one, but the one I purchased was a lemon.
Interesting, thanks for sharing. And yes, you suffered as thousands and thousands did. Lured in by attractive styling and the promise of the brand, let down by a sheer never ending series of quality and engineering glitches. The typical Detroit automobile experience for so many years. And that didn't just apply to American-made cars in those days. Things are the way they are today because, well, they were the way they were! Still, a handsome and (at least on the outside) tasteful and clean design, one that stood the test of time without resorting to blandness.
@@thecardsaysmoops A few things caused that. #1: Computer technology was not robust enough as it is today and when put under the hood/in the car for the 1970s, they didn't react fast enough creating stalling, hesitation and other issues which were objectionable to customers. #2: Those computers (I believe they were Bendix made/assembled) had connection problems as they used the "wafer" style connectors from what I remember. That led to intermittent continuity problems. #3: As the system was fairly new in general (the Seville had fuel injection from the 1976 model year), the system baffled many mechanics at the Cadillac dealers so that led to in many cases "no problem found" or "change it all to be sure" while still not solving the problem. All of them were assembled in Linden NJ, the Eldorado, Riviera and Toronado from 1979 to 1985, and the Seville from 1980 to 1985. I went on a class trip to Linden in 1980 and remember seeing a black and gray Seville Elegante being assembled during the "body drop" stage. We had an '82 Toronado 307 V8 4 barrel (me) and an '80 Riviera with a 307 (my uncle) in the family at the same time. They were both good cars. Both were stolen, I got mine back and put it back together after buying it back from the insurance company and eventually sold it in 2009, and my uncles was stolen and recovered five times and the sixth time it was gone for good. I still do have the VIN # so if it turns up, my uncle might be entitled to it. My father sold these new (he worked at a Cadillac dealer from 1984 to his passing in 1988) and these sold like wildfire. When they downsized in 1986 again, the sales fell off a cliff. No one wanted them as they did not look like Cadillacs.
@@googleusergp It sounds as if Cadillac was still using a descendant of the original analog Bendix EFI setup from the 1958 DeSoto. The Bosch D-Jetronic system in my father's 1969 VW Squareback was also part of that lineage, as Bosch and Bendix shared a lot of their work during that era. I remember that silver box in the rear tailfin that was called a "computer" in the sales brochures, though few would recognize it as such today. I assume it had some of the makings of an analog computer (OP-amps, etc.) inside and was hardwired to add and multiply the voltage levels rather than actual number. I remember GM touting the 1980 Cadillacs as having the world's first digital engine management computers, which would spread to just about everything GM made the next year.
These reviews are so cram packed with info. The cameraman also got good shots showing off the paint quality - a good feat considering the limitations of the camera!
The 4100 engine was even more of a disaster than the V-4-6-8. GM fixed all that with the 4.5 L and 4.9 L versions, but this platform was gone by that time.
Yes, all three "E" cars (Toronado, Riviera, Eldorado) were all built in the Linden, NJ assembly plant. That car also had heated mirrors as you can see the "Heated" script in the mirror glass. The VIN for these would have been: 6 for Cadillac, L for Eldorado, 57 for two door, B for 350 V8 with fuel injection (Oldsmobile built/Cadillac marketed/exclusive), 9 for 1979 model year, E for Linden, NJ assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Linden plant closed in 2005. I had an '82 Toronado and a '79 Toronado parts car, both built in Linden and likely by my grandfather's friend who worked in the plant. My '82 was built on Friday 9/11/81 and was delivered to Ruhe Motor Company in Allentown, PA which was a standalone Oldsmobile dealer for years. It has since closed.
Of the 1979-85 Cadillac Eldorado's I thought 1979 was the best year because of its Oldsmobile 350 V8 engine, 1980 was also a very good year for the Eldorado due to it having the indestructible 368ci V8, sad that the 1981-85 Eldorado's had less durable and more anemic engines than the 1979-80 Eldorado's.
Not true of 1981 if you know what you're dealing with. Disconnect the modulated displacement V8 and you have a reliable 368 CID V8 with fuel injection. The modulated displacement system didn't work well because processing speeds weren't up to the task in 1981. From 1982-1985, yes the engine choices were one worse than the other. The Buick 4.1L V6 was available on the 1981-1982 Eldorado and that was one to avoid along with the Olds 350 diesel and of course the HT4100 V8.
From what I've read, Cadillac started toying with the idea of FWD starting in the late 1950s, but the first FWD prototype GM built was a converted Olds F85, which never made it into production. Ford owned the rights to the "Unified Power Plant" layout (with the transmission lying next to the engine with the right-driveshaft going through a notch in the oil pan) and designed the front suspension of the Falcon for possible FWD use. GM was not happy about paying royalties on the layout of a volume-production car, so they enlarged the engine and transaxle and used them in cars that were guaranteed to remain novelties.
0:48 That's an awfully big car to be rated for only 4 passengers and there seems to be plenty of room for a 3rd passenger in the rear. The later versions of this car had a 3rd seat belt in the back, but I don't know if the weight rating was increased; it still had that odd gap in the cushions to discourage anyone from sitting there, despite the lack of the differential hump that made the middle uncomfortable in many RWD cars. GM also played that game with the 1982 J-cars, going so far as to put a cheap-looking open plastic bin down the middle. After buyers complained, they beefed up the brakes and got rid of the bin.
I bought a new '79 shortly after I did my TV test of the vehicle. A gorgeous car but a lemon. Big computer problems. Had to be towed several times. Sold it in less than a year.
I never cared much for the 79-81 Eldos. My absolute favorite was the 1982. Say what you will about the 4.1, I loved it. Yes, the electronics were glitchy, the engine was riddled with issues, the transmission was unreliable, and the brake systems could be dangerously terrible. In general, the car needed a lot of finessing in order to make it through the first 5 years of its life. But once the bugs were worked out, it's one of the best old cars to drive. I'm dying to get my hands on an 82 Biarritz.
No. The 1980 had a 368 engine, except in California where the 350 was the engine used. 1981 would have the modulated displacement (aka 4-6-8) 368 engine which if you disconnected the modulated displacement you had a fine engine. The real disappointment came in 1982 when the HT4100 debuted. That was trouble for the rest of the model year run through 1985. It started the downward spiral for Cadillac.
@@googleusergp I've heard that the 4-6-8 ran fine if you just disabled (whatever that entailed) the 6 cylinder mode, which shook like hell. That would be the ideal setup for a car collector, since the 4-6-8, with all its flaws, was still the first of a kind.
@@pcno2832 No, you got rid of it entirely to run on straight 8 and you were good to go. The computer wasn't reacting fast enough because technology in 1981 wasn't as it was today.
It's a little longer than most modern cars, but no wider. And at 3,900 pounds, its in the same weight range as a modern luxury car, and a lot lighter than a lot of the SUVs that have taken the place of large cars.
Ugly - you can't put 1976 proportions on that small of a frame.....totally miss-shaped and repulsive. The Toronado and Riviera were far better looking and cheaper to buy and own. No wonder Lincoln started spanking Cadillac in sales and practically left them in the dust in the middle 1980s.
This is still one of the best generations for the Eldorado. This showed how well a car could be much improved when downsized, unlike what came after for 1986! At least they went back to the correct ways for 1992-2002 Eldorado's. This was hands down a huge improvement over all the 70's eldorado's. My parents bought a used 79 Eldorado in the early 80's and drove until our 95 Seville replaced it back around 1999. Production numbers show exactly how much more popular these were before and after. My first car was an 85 Biarritz.
That 40 years sure flew by .
So did the three years since your comment.
I bought new in 1980. It was a fantastic car. I traded in '86 for a Seville and was very disappointed. The Cadillac El Dorado was a magnificent Automobile.
Commentator Mr Hahn
7/13/19 age 94
Completely agree. The suspension system, along with front wheel drive made this car stand out above the rest. The automatic load leveling system did a great job in keeping the rear end from sinking down. These were a pleasure to drive in every sense.
This was hands down a huge improvement over all the 70's eldorado's. My parents bought a used 79 Eldorado in the early 80's and drove until our 95 Seville replaced it back around 1999. Production numbers show exactly how much more popular these were before and after.
Owned a triple white one from 84...met my lovely wife with that car. Loved that too...
One of the best cars ever built, even if it had its hiccups. It was a status symbol with rich artists throughout the 1980s and are very popular collectibles today. That 1979 downsizing was very well done and the Eldorado's Buick & Olds' twins were also very pretty and very well liked.
The luxury car choice for ‘79…. That’s Cadillac! This was the jingle for Cadillac in 1979.
$17,055 in October, 1978 = $62,404 in September, 2017.
= $64,965.63 in September, 2018.
@@robinatkins1292 = $1,225,575.00 in 2098
had a 79 Eldorado white with red leather, absolutely love how it reminded me of the 1967 Eldo,....bring back cars like these not these plastic suv boxes theyre making now
The exterior styling of the 1979-85 Eldorado was a hit in my book. Still looks great after nearly 40 years and it's unmistakably a Cadillac. The early model years were probably the best ones. During the 1980s reliability started suffering from half-baked powertrain "experiments" and subsequent cost cutting.The interior was a bit of a mixed bag. It had a very contemporary theme with its "layers of materials" to the door trim. Sadly, the execution of details, seats and gauges along with an overabundance of faux wood gave it the dubious flair of a funeral parlor (even the door pulls looked like casket handles) and that restricted its appeal mostly to older, "traditional" buyers. But my, oh my, it was so comfortable to drive and as Bob Mayer discovered, quite a nice handling car :)
Interestingly, I fell in love with the '79 Eldorado after testing this one and bought one - brand new. Ended up to be a huge disappointment. Computer problems virtually from day one. Can't tell you how many times I had to call for a tow truck because the car just died. LOVED the ride, handling and overall feel of this one, but the one I purchased was a lemon.
Interesting, thanks for sharing. And yes, you suffered as thousands and thousands did. Lured in by attractive styling and the promise of the brand, let down by a sheer never ending series of quality and engineering glitches. The typical Detroit automobile experience for so many years. And that didn't just apply to American-made cars in those days. Things are the way they are today because, well, they were the way they were! Still, a handsome and (at least on the outside) tasteful and clean design, one that stood the test of time without resorting to blandness.
@@thecardsaysmoops The Americans gave the market away Bob.Such a shame!
@@thecardsaysmoops A few things caused that. #1: Computer technology was not robust enough as it is today and when put under the hood/in the car for the 1970s, they didn't react fast enough creating stalling, hesitation and other issues which were objectionable to customers. #2: Those computers (I believe they were Bendix made/assembled) had connection problems as they used the "wafer" style connectors from what I remember. That led to intermittent continuity problems. #3: As the system was fairly new in general (the Seville had fuel injection from the 1976 model year), the system baffled many mechanics at the Cadillac dealers so that led to in many cases "no problem found" or "change it all to be sure" while still not solving the problem.
All of them were assembled in Linden NJ, the Eldorado, Riviera and Toronado from 1979 to 1985, and the Seville from 1980 to 1985. I went on a class trip to Linden in 1980 and remember seeing a black and gray Seville Elegante being assembled during the "body drop" stage. We had an '82 Toronado 307 V8 4 barrel (me) and an '80 Riviera with a 307 (my uncle) in the family at the same time. They were both good cars. Both were stolen, I got mine back and put it back together after buying it back from the insurance company and eventually sold it in 2009, and my uncles was stolen and recovered five times and the sixth time it was gone for good. I still do have the VIN # so if it turns up, my uncle might be entitled to it.
My father sold these new (he worked at a Cadillac dealer from 1984 to his passing in 1988) and these sold like wildfire. When they downsized in 1986 again, the sales fell off a cliff. No one wanted them as they did not look like Cadillacs.
@@googleusergp It sounds as if Cadillac was still using a descendant of the original analog Bendix EFI setup from the 1958 DeSoto. The Bosch D-Jetronic system in my father's 1969 VW Squareback was also part of that lineage, as Bosch and Bendix shared a lot of their work during that era. I remember that silver box in the rear tailfin that was called a "computer" in the sales brochures, though few would recognize it as such today. I assume it had some of the makings of an analog computer (OP-amps, etc.) inside and was hardwired to add and multiply the voltage levels rather than actual number. I remember GM touting the 1980 Cadillacs as having the world's first digital engine management computers, which would spread to just about everything GM made the next year.
These reviews are so cram packed with info. The cameraman also got good shots showing off the paint quality - a good feat considering the limitations of the camera!
Last of the great Cadillac’s
Loved these cars!
*Best of all, it’s a Cadillac!*
Loved this design.
My dad always drove Eldorado My My mom a t bird or lincoln I loved them what a time it was luxury was luxury
If they had just kept that 350 engine in it , it would have been a killer .
The EPA and CAFE standards helped put an end to that. They went smaller to save fuel and be compliant.
The 4100 engine was even more of a disaster than the V-4-6-8. GM fixed all that with the 4.5 L and 4.9 L versions, but this platform was gone by that time.
Yes, all three "E" cars (Toronado, Riviera, Eldorado) were all built in the Linden, NJ assembly plant. That car also had heated mirrors as you can see the "Heated" script in the mirror glass. The VIN for these would have been: 6 for Cadillac, L for Eldorado, 57 for two door, B for 350 V8 with fuel injection (Oldsmobile built/Cadillac marketed/exclusive), 9 for 1979 model year, E for Linden, NJ assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Linden plant closed in 2005. I had an '82 Toronado and a '79 Toronado parts car, both built in Linden and likely by my grandfather's friend who worked in the plant.
My '82 was built on Friday 9/11/81 and was delivered to Ruhe Motor Company in Allentown, PA which was a standalone Oldsmobile dealer for years. It has since closed.
The last good Eldorado!
Of the 1979-85 Cadillac Eldorado's I thought 1979 was the best year because of its Oldsmobile 350 V8 engine, 1980 was also a very good year for the Eldorado due to it having the indestructible 368ci V8, sad that the 1981-85 Eldorado's had less durable and more anemic engines than the 1979-80 Eldorado's.
Not true of 1981 if you know what you're dealing with. Disconnect the modulated displacement V8 and you have a reliable 368 CID V8 with fuel injection. The modulated displacement system didn't work well because processing speeds weren't up to the task in 1981. From 1982-1985, yes the engine choices were one worse than the other. The Buick 4.1L V6 was available on the 1981-1982 Eldorado and that was one to avoid along with the Olds 350 diesel and of course the HT4100 V8.
Wish these were longer , very cool though.
They were a little odd looking, though they made much better use of the space than the piggish '71-'78 series.
Cadillac Eldorado did not begin FWD until 1967, over a decade after its inception.
True, but the E body 67- Eldorado was an entirely different car from the -66 C body.
From what I've read, Cadillac started toying with the idea of FWD starting in the late 1950s, but the first FWD prototype GM built was a converted Olds F85, which never made it into production. Ford owned the rights to the "Unified Power Plant" layout (with the transmission lying next to the engine with the right-driveshaft going through a notch in the oil pan) and designed the front suspension of the Falcon for possible FWD use. GM was not happy about paying royalties on the layout of a volume-production car, so they enlarged the engine and transaxle and used them in cars that were guaranteed to remain novelties.
True, he lied about that.
@@waterheaterservices Irrelevant. He said ALWAYS HAS HAD, which was NOT TRUE.
This was the only one that came with the best engine Oldsmobile 5.7 EFI
'Not a big car by any standard'. It's almost as long as a Merc SEL!
Great 👍🏼
James Caan rocked one in Thief.
0:48 That's an awfully big car to be rated for only 4 passengers and there seems to be plenty of room for a 3rd passenger in the rear. The later versions of this car had a 3rd seat belt in the back, but I don't know if the weight rating was increased; it still had that odd gap in the cushions to discourage anyone from sitting there, despite the lack of the differential hump that made the middle uncomfortable in many RWD cars. GM also played that game with the 1982 J-cars, going so far as to put a cheap-looking open plastic bin down the middle. After buyers complained, they beefed up the brakes and got rid of the bin.
The 1979 with the Olds Rocket 350 was the best !
I had an 1984. Cosmetically Beautiful...mechanically. Crap ate starters. Furl pumps and trannys.
I bought a new '79 shortly after I did my TV test of the vehicle. A gorgeous car but a lemon. Big computer problems. Had to be towed several times. Sold it in less than a year.
I never cared much for the 79-81 Eldos. My absolute favorite was the 1982. Say what you will about the 4.1, I loved it. Yes, the electronics were glitchy, the engine was riddled with issues, the transmission was unreliable, and the brake systems could be dangerously terrible. In general, the car needed a lot of finessing in order to make it through the first 5 years of its life. But once the bugs were worked out, it's one of the best old cars to drive. I'm dying to get my hands on an 82 Biarritz.
17 grand that's about 70 grand today
The responsive engine would be killed the very next model year.
I thought it was in 81?
No. The 1980 had a 368 engine, except in California where the 350 was the engine used. 1981 would have the modulated displacement (aka 4-6-8) 368 engine which if you disconnected the modulated displacement you had a fine engine. The real disappointment came in 1982 when the HT4100 debuted. That was trouble for the rest of the model year run through 1985. It started the downward spiral for Cadillac.
@@googleusergp I've heard that the 4-6-8 ran fine if you just disabled (whatever that entailed) the 6 cylinder mode, which shook like hell. That would be the ideal setup for a car collector, since the 4-6-8, with all its flaws, was still the first of a kind.
@@pcno2832 No, you got rid of it entirely to run on straight 8 and you were good to go. The computer wasn't reacting fast enough because technology in 1981 wasn't as it was today.
Oldsmobile 350
1:45 That's a LIE. Eldorado got FWD in 1967. Before that, RWD like all the others.
A LIE? Hardly. It was a mistake I made 44 years ago.
No comments about a putrid odor on this one.
Eldorado was not always front wheel drive
You're the first person in more than 40 years to catch that error. You are absolutely correct!
@@thecardsaysmoops NOPE. Air Conditioner Fan (above) discovered it three years EARLIER!!!
Lol nimble
This car was considered "small"? It's a boat!
It's a little longer than most modern cars, but no wider. And at 3,900 pounds, its in the same weight range as a modern luxury car, and a lot lighter than a lot of the SUVs that have taken the place of large cars.
Why is this in comedy?
Nice with the 350 Buick engine the ht 4100 Cadillac engine was a turd slow and problematic
Ugly - you can't put 1976 proportions on that small of a frame.....totally miss-shaped and repulsive.
The Toronado and Riviera were far better looking and cheaper to buy and own.
No wonder Lincoln started spanking Cadillac in sales and practically left them in the dust in the middle 1980s.