Name that year/model of Cadillac?

[Bruce Nunnally]

[scott y]

83 Eldorado aftermarket rag??

[JimD]

Four sealed beam headlamps were used in the 1960's and 1970's. Both Devilles and Eldorados had convertible models.

It will take a "real" Cadillac fan to nail that one.

[CarlaValentine]

I'm gonna take a stab at this and say 1984 Eldo Biarritz. My grandfather had one when I was little, and I think it looked like that one, only his was dark red.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Check: Here is a photo of a 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

Slightly different angle but appears to be a match.

[Texas Jim]

I had an '85 Eldo convertible for a while... back in '86 / 87.

It was dark red with snow white leather.

I really liked that car.

[CarlaValentine]

That second picture looks like the same color and car my grandfather had. It had a light colored interior too, maybe white, I don't remember as he always had seat covers in it to protect it from us grandkids. I was only 8, and my brother 6 when he passed away so I don't think I ever saw it without seat covers in it. I distinctly remember though that there were no lights on the front corners.

[scott y]

The grille/parkinglights, front end treatment is virtually indistinguishable from 83-85

[CarlaValentine]

The grille/parkinglights, front end treatment is virtually indistinguishable from 83-85

The 1984 was a guess, and a lucky one at that. I just knew my grandfather's was an 84 because it was a year older than me, and I was born in 1985.

[KHE]

1984 or 1985 Eldorado Biaritz convertible. The convertable conversion was done by a coachbuilder - Superior, I think.

[CarlaValentine]

Here's a 1985 Eldo Biarritz.http://www.fleetofcads.com/85black.htm

Absolutely gorgeous car. I wish I could find one around here because I would definitely buy one if the price was right. KHE, you're right, there really isn't a noticeable difference between the 84 and 85 body style.

[Eldorado1]

Let me help with this mystery! The car shown is a convertible, and authorized Cadillac dealers offered convertibles converted by ASC (American Sunroof Corporation) for Cadillac Motor Division during 1984 and 1985 model years, based on the Eldorado Biarritz model. There were five exterior colors for 1985, and three exterior colors for 1984. Interiors were either Red Leather, White Leather or very scarce were the two-toned White & Dark Blue Leather Interiors of the Commemorative Editions in 1985. The paint shown is a shade of blue, and in 1984 the color was Hatteras Blue (darker than the car shown, with slight purple hues) and in 1985 the blues offered were either Commodore Blue (very rare and on Commemorative Editions only, and a much darker shade of blue, like Navy Blue) and Corinthian Blue Firemist--which was a sort of highly metallic blue, lighter than the 1984 Hatteras Blue color--and that is what this car appears to be: a 1985 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible in Corinthian Blue Firemist with a White Leather Interior. In 1985, the other exterior colors for an Eldorado Biarritz Convertible were Autumn Maple Firemist (Red), Cotillion White and Sable Black, with the very few Commemorative Eldorado Biarritz Convertibles built in Commodore Blue (Navy Blue). Actually, from 1979 to 1985, some coach builders did offer conversions of the base Eldorado Coupes into convertibles, and those are even more rare. One company doing this was Hess & Eisenhardt, out of Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1979, some were made in California, among others. Unfortunately, except for 1979 and 1980, those attractive Eldorados had undesirable power-plants, with 1981 getting the V-8-6-4 variable displacement engines, and the 1982 through 1985 Eldorados receiving the weak HT 4100, 4.1 Liter, aluminum block V-8's.

[Bruce Nunnally]

and Corinthian Blue Firemist--which was a sort of highly metallic blue, lighter than the 1984 Hatteras Blue color--and that is what this car appears to be: a 1985 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible in Corinthian Blue Firemist with a White Leather Interior.

This seems correct. I didn't consider that the color/shade might deduce the year model. Well done.

Background: Originally someone else asked this question, along with the single photo, on a general forum.

[HartfordGuy]

Eldorado1 nailed it. This bodystyle ran from 1979 thru 1985. The 80-82s had amber front turn signal lamps. The 79,83,84 & 85s had the clear ones.

The 79 front signals were one piece, where the 80-85 lenes had a chrome divider. So the 79s are easy to spot. The 81s had a fine eggcrate grille texture.

The 82-85s had the same grille, except the 82 didn't have the name Cadillac on the grille as the 38-85s did. So the 83 84 & 85s are harder to tell apart. Another easy way is to look at the front fenders. The 82 and 83 had the HT4100 engine badge (unless it was a Diesel or V6). The 84 & 85 had no engine badge on the front fenders. After that you need to know your annual colors. There are a few other ways they differ, rear lamp emblems, interior trim, etc.

But for exterior clues, these are the ways I tell them apart. Yeah, I need a life. LOL

1979 Below

1981 Below

1982 Below

1983 Below