1972 Cadillac Eldorado Station Wagon

This two-door Eldorado wagon is the result of extremely rare custom work by the American Sunroof Company (ASC), one of a handful of firms recommended by GM to carry out conversions in the 1970s and 1980s; Wisco Corp/Custom Craft were the ASC divisions that carried out the work.

Advertised options in GM literature essentially ‘pimped’ Cadillacs for owners who wanted that extra level of ‘bling’. Usually, this involved exterior cosmetic mods that Huggy Bear would dig – like Superfly headlights (Google it!) – but there was also plenty of work to be had adding ‘TVs in the back’ and Funkadelic trim which, in the disco era, was decidedly encouraged.

This level of custom work was rarely ordered, as the cost was so vast, which means there are thought to be no more than eight ASC converted Cadillacs produced (according to the Cadillac Owners’ Club US).

With both its interior by Fleetwood and body by Fisher looking a little tired, from nearly 30 years of dry barn storage, this Eldorado project still looks super solid. With only 43,307 miles on the clock, wear on the inside is even less evident. 

With over 18-foot of metal, it would’ve been hard not to appear imposing, but that architectural front end – with its columnar chrome grille slats – really ups this Caddy’s majestic air. As this one’s a project, it’s showing its age pretty much everywhere, but seems very far from beyond help. Quite the opposite, in fact, it looks to be extremely solid, with just some light surface rust poking through the paint.

The good news is that the panels all appear really straight, with no signs of accident damage and the usually rotten or missing rear wheel covers are still present and correct. The oxidisation to the chromework would likely be improved immeasurably after a going-over with some metal polish. It’s all present, which means minimal parts hunting will be required by its next owner.

Vinyl, covering the rear end, has remained in remarkable condition. Usually prone to stretching or moisture trapping; this doesn’t appear to have suffered much from either. It still looks good, with its dark brown/red shade perfectly contrasting the white of the bodywork. Only a little lifting on the tailgate, due to some corrosion underneath, looks like it’ll need work.

Elsewhere, the glass appears in good order, aside from a crack in the windscreen (nearside bottom corner). One hubcap is missing in action (offside rear) and we’re not sure when it was last on the road; according to the ‘Big Sky Country’ plates from Montana dated ’75, it could have fallen into a ditch somewhere in Yellowstone.

If you were drawn in by the outside of this big luxury barge, you’ll lose your mind when you see its interior. The sumptuous and supple seats still look fantastic, with minimal wear and a deep red hue everywhere you look. The headlining and trim remain in first-class order, aside from a little threadbare appearance to the headlining, concentrated around the sunroof. Read carpets and rouge Cadillac mats complete the ruby run of this living room on wheels. 

As is traditional for America’s Rolls-Royce, there’s plenty of toys in this Cadillac. Climate control was by no means a given in an early 1970s automotive environment – when power steering was barely classed as common – yet it’s found here along with power seats and windows. Light monitoring was a new feature for this era of Eldorado, with fibre-optics showing the working (or not) state of the head, tail, brake and signal lights.

The deceased estate, from which this Eldorado was sourced, unfortunately misplaced the history and keys, so the barrel has been butchered in order to release the steering lock, to get this project mobile again. As for any further damage to the inside, that’s limited to a crack in the driver’s door card.

A peak in the back of this vast estate reveals plenty of spares plus some literature. According to the vendor, the missing engine parts (more on that shortly) are all here. Less welcome is the mould on the rear trim, but that should be an easy wipe-clean fix. All of the leather and wood in this vast and beautifully-trimmed cabin seems to be present and in great shape, we even found the missing rear-view mirror in the glovebox.

With an engine lid the size of an aircraft carrier flight deck, it’s a little unsurprising to discover it takes a little effort to gain a glance at the powerplant. The offside cylinder head and carburettor have been removed from this big V8, but is apparently both are included in the sale (carb seen in the ‘boot’). The engine soundproofing is coming away from the underside of the bonnet and the ’bay in general is showing plenty of dirt and light surface rust, however, it’s more important that all the bits needed to put this car back together come with it.

Underneath, there’s also some surface rust where the factory protection has waned, but it doesn’t appear to be any more than superficial. The floors, sills and frame all look solid, with no obvious rust holes and bushes and plastics also look undamaged.

The vendor is pleased to report the following:

"Mr PB Burnett of the Burnett Produce Co was the first owner of this car, Mr Burnett ensured that all of his family ( they were all employed by him ) drove Cadillacs. We gathered this information from Gayle & Jesse Slagle, business associates and personal friends to the Burnetts (and still are very close friends with the son of PB Burnett, Doug ). 

Jesse Slagle was the registered agent for Burnett Produce Co. , the person used as a contact for the company hence his knowledge of the car.

The car has caused a certain amount of excitement from the people that we have been speaking to in the states.

There was only a maximum of 8 of this particular model produced by ASC !!

It was bought to this country approximately 28-29 years ago and it has since been kept in a wood store ( hence why its so solid ) for the past 27 years. We purchased the car from the deceased estate of the last owner."

Inside the car, there’s not a lot in the way of history – we could only find the new-vehicle warranty in the glovebox. The rest has either been misplaced or has remained in the States. Considering the project nature of this Caddy, it’s advised that you’ll have to go through every part of it anyway, making older service evidence largely irrelevant. 

Like its namesake golden city, there’s the alluring promise of treasure emanating from this Eldorado. It’s an astoundingly rare station wagon, even in the USA. We can’t prove it, but it’s likely to be the only example of its kind in the UK, or even Europe. 

The all-important trim and cabin appointments remain in fantastic condition, which are the really hard parts to find. The mechanical bits are apparently all there too, but if anything needs replacing, there’s the vast resources of the internet to call upon. 

If you want a near unique family wagon with the luxury level of a limo, this Eldorado’s hard to top. We estimate that this fine slice of 70s Americana will sell for £8,000-£12,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Reading, Berkshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.