Right now, luxury icons of the ‘70s and ‘80s are one of the hottest segments in the old car hobby. Whether it’s because these were formerly unobtainable status symbols, you remember them from the past, or perhaps because there’s still nothing else that feels like a true American luxury car, we can’t say. What we can say is that we’ve sold every one of these that we have featured, and this 1981 Cadillac Eldorado is one of the best we’ve had yet. With just 15,975 original miles, a lifetime in warm, sunny Florida, a long list of options, and that cloud-like ride that you can’t get anywhere else, it’s definitely a trip back in time. It’s also handsome, surprisingly practical, and with so few miles, it remains fully operational and drives like a new car. For the money, where else can you get this much luxury and comfort?

The color is called Waxberry Yellow, and it looks great on the angular Eldorado bodywork. That is unquestionably 100% original paint, including the fender and bumper extensions, which are in very good condition. The long hood/short deck styling has aged rather well, so the downsized Eldorado still looks impressive and all that chrome certainly helps reinforce the notion that this is luxury, American style. With original paint and so few miles, you know there’s no nonsense under the skin, and the doors fit so well you might have to give them an extra slam—Cadillac used oversized weather seals to make their E-bodies especially quiet. There are a few signs of use and age, some very, very small chips on the hose and a few nicks in the paint, but you’ll have to look pretty hard to find them. The padded half-roof matches the bodywork almost exactly and adds to the dressed-up look, and we love the bright red taillights’ contrast against the light yellow bodywork. All the Cadillac crests are crisply rendered, the chrome emblems are sharp, and even the rubber rub strips on the bumpers are virtually unmarked and in fantastic shape. We challenge you to find one nicer than this!

Although the car was purchased in Illinois, it was destined for Florida and was kept there at a resort home, which probably explains the cloth upholstery. Unusual for an Eldorado, it was surely a lot more comfortable when the sun was out. The attractive tan velour upholstery is plush and suitably luxurious, and shows very little wear, in line with its extremely low mileage. The carpets are just as nice, wearing original carpeted floor mats for protection, and as a car that has been in the sun most of its life, the dash pad is unblemished and the steering wheel—notorious for cracking—is simply gorgeous. All the luxury features work, including the automatic climate control, trip computer, and power accessories, and it even still has its original AM/FM/cassette/CB stereo with mic! The only notable item not working is the power antenna, whose motor still works but it seems that the plastic gears have finally given up (a common issue that’s relatively easy to fix). Overhead the headliner is in excellent condition with none of the delamination or sagging that’s depressingly common among GM cars of this era and even the seat belts are like new. The trunk is quite spacious and is fully upholstered in matching tan carpets, including the spare tire, which has never been down. This is a seriously well-preserved car!

Cadillac’s 6.0 liter OHV V8 wasn’t designed to win any drag races, but it’s massively torquey, smooth, and competent, and once you get it up to speed, it’ll run all day at 100 MPH without a whimper. The V8-6-4 mechanism, obvious under the oversized valve covers, deactivates cylinders under partial load to save fuel, a clever idea that has recently come back into use by almost every automaker in the world. The mechanism manages the fuel by shutting off the valves rather than fuel injectors, reducing parasitic losses and improving efficiency, and while it has a reputation for being finicky, it works just fine here and defaults to V8 operation should anything go wrong. The engine bay is extremely sanitary with all the original equipment intact and only service items like filters, belts, hoses, and the battery being replaced. In fact, it had a recent tune-up and today runs superbly, offering fairly effortless torque and such smoothness that you might be tempted to hit the key again when it starts. Given the low mileage, it’s probably safe to assume that this car has a lot of happy motoring in its future.

In 1981, all Eldorados used a 3-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels, as it had been with Eldorados since 1967. It’s the same familiar drive system that was indestructible behind 400-horsepower 500 cubic inch V8s, so it should have no problems in this version. It shifts cleanly at any speed, with most upshifts being completely unnoticeable, and with towering 2.41 gears in the differential, it’s a fabulous high-speed tour car. You can also see that the undercarriage is extremely clean with no winters and it appears to still be carrying its original exhaust system, including factory catalytic converter. The CV joints have been recently serviced and there are some new front suspension components, so the car is 100% ready to drive anywhere. 4-wheel disc brakes were standard equipment as was the automatic load leveling rear suspension. Correct-looking 205/75/15 whitewall radials are recent and those sparkling wire wheel covers look great.

The car is nicely documented with all its original manuals, including tire warranty and a letter from GM about the innovative V8-6-4 engine. It also includes 1981 Cadillac brochure, factory service manuals, fuel injection supplement, and electrical troubleshooting manual.

These cars are fantastic ways to attend any of the old car events because they ask so little of their owners. Comfortable, smooth, fast, and reliable, with the bonus of ice-cold A/C, this Eldo is a wonderful way to attend Cadillac/LaSalle Club and AACA events, where it will be very welcome. In preservation class judging, it will do extremely well, and if you just want one of the nicest 40-year-old cars we’ve ever seen, well, this is a heck of a lot of car for the money. Call today!

Harwood Motors welcomes and encourages personal or professional inspections of any vehicle prior to purchase.