
The Eldorado Brougham is sometimes called Cadillac’s answer to Ford Motor Company’s Continental Mark II, though in reality General Motors’ product was more impressive. The Eldorado Brougham was not only more exotic and exclusive than the Mark II, it commanded a price nearly a third higher than the Mark II’s $10,000 sticker.
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1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car concept. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ImA9F2) |
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The engine view of 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car concept included the gold plated valve covers. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1LMQ8lp) |
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The passenger compartment interior view of 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car concept with gold trim. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1LMQ8lp) |
Inside, the passenger compartment was done in beige leather in a “biscuit and button” motif with gold trim; the chauffeur was treated to black Moroccan leather and chrome. The passenger compartment was equipped with twin compartments furnished with, among other items, a decanter and cups, a vanity case and a tissue dispenser, all in gold plate. The divider bulkhead had a sliding glass window, but for contacting the chauffeur without opening the window, a bulkhead-mounted telephone was provided, also in gold.
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Rear side view of 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car concept. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1ImA9F2) |
The staff at Warhoops, however, could not bear to euthanize it, so the Town Car sat for years under a tarp until discovered by renowned Chicago entrepreneur, collector and restorer Joe Bortz in 1989. Bortz has made a career of rescuing and collecting concept cars and prototypes, particularly GM Motorama alums. Bortz did not restore it, however, but he sold it to J.C. Whitney owner Roy Warshawsky in the early 1990s. Warshawsky planned a total restoration but passed away before he could complete the job. A subsequent owner was Dick Baruk of Detroit.
Ultimately the car’s restoration was completed by RM Auto Restoration. One particularly complex portion of the project was fitting the car with a V-8 motor from a 1956 Cadillac sedan donor car. The engine compartment was dressed up with such items as gold-plated valve covers, dual four-barrel carburetors and unique air cleaners. Had Cadillac brought their prototype to running condition, this is what it would have looked like. It should be noted, however, that RM did not build the car to be road- and highway-worthy. The intention of the modification was to allow the fortunate new owner to run and drive the car on the show field and on and off the trailer.
The restoration is now several years old, but it still presents extremely well. The whitewall tires have yellowed somewhat, but the gold trim is intact and vibrant. The steering wheel is unmarked, the dashboard equipped with the original Wonderbar signal-seeking radio, and air conditioning cools the car, front and rear. The passenger compartment has deep-pile Wilton carpeting, which matches the beige leather, all in excellent condition. The engine compartment is clean and well detailed.
A star in its day, and hardly faded by time, this Motorama show car presents beautifully. In an age where bulky stretch limousines are the norm, it is sylphlike and sultry, seductive and smart, just the right car in which to amaze onlookers at a concours event. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RM AUCTIONS | BORNRICH]
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