The Eldorado is one of the most important American luxury vehicles ever made. For decades, it set the standard for cruising in comfort, but in 1992, Cadillac launched the 12th and last generation, which lasted until 2002. It’s not a very popular collector car, so Tyler Hoover of Hoovies Garage was able to buy this rare example for just $12,000.
The average price of a 1999 Cadillac Eldorado is about $10,000. However, this is no ordinary example. Back almost 25 years ago, GM designers collaborated with California Street Rods of Huntington Beach to create a 1-of-1. We do know some things about it, but not why it was built or for whom.
Hoovies speculates the Eldorado concept was put together for the SEMA Show of that year. However according to the information we found, the “EldoRODo” was presented by GM vice president John Smith at the 2020 Los Angeles Motor Show. It was meant to pay tribute to the hot rod scene and how it had been creating custom machines since the 1930s.
In 2009, when GM was going bankrupt, the custom Eldorado sold at Barrett-Jackson for $60,000, and it exchanged hands again in 2016 (for $17,600). But Tyler was able to get it for 1/5 of the price, partly because it’s not in the greatest mechanical shape.
But it does have undeniable curb appeal. The standard body of the 12th-gen Eldorado coupe is lowered, 2 inches by cutting the roof and another 2 by channeling the chassis. It also has “barreled” bodywork over the sides, some slit-shaped headlights, and amazing-looking machine-styled “spun disc” wheels.
As you can probably tell, the front and rear windshields have been angled by about 10 degrees to meet the roof. And everything is finished nicely in this shade of hot rod-inspired paint called “Ignite Orange,” which is used by brand new Cadillac sedans on sale today. Another modern touch: carbon fiber trim for the dashboard… paired with wood.
Mechanically, this features a 300-horsepower version of the infamous Cadillac Northstar 4.6-liter V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic. So it’s a 1-of-1 body paired with an unreliable engine, which would be fine for any famous 1960s classic, but not a concept nobody has heard about. Classic hooptie!
Hoovies Garage will obviously partner with the famous Car Wizard, David Long, who has plenty of experience with the Northstar and other hoopties. And already, the EldoRADo presents many challenges. How do you the tires up? Do you need to take off the body to get to the rear wheels? How do you open the doors?
Fixing the issues with its lowered suspension and small oil leak could potentially cost as much as the car itself. Not many people would bother with this unknown concept, but it does make for great Hoovies content.
