1 of 1 Eldorado SCO 00

Description

For auction is a 1968 Cadillac Eldorado full-on project vehicle honestly described. I purchased this car in December 2017 because of my affection for 1968 Eldorados. It is non running, clear titled vehicle requiring complete restoration.
This 1968 Eldorado is largely complete. The previous owner dug into the engine so the valve covers are off, manifold is there. I have access to the valve covers making the sale largely complete.
Please read content before asking questions. The car has the title signed by the previous owner so it is transferrable and clear. This Eldorado does not run. It rolls and steers and has brakes.
** Has rare 4 note horn which is a desirable option on most GM cars of this era and worth $200 by itself! **
The drivetrain IS complete. The hood is loose so I was unable to lift up and hold up to take a photo of the engine bay but it is there, not removed.
This car is a special ordered car with paint code 00-61. This means the factory pulled this car off the assembly line and painted it a color not available in 1968. The color is Wisteria-Lavender-Heather shade of paint with good copy paint still existing in the trunk and jambs.
This makes this car essentially one of one. The -61 in the paint and trim code means white vinyl top and the one on the car is original.
The interior is also original and presently in good condition saving the restorer a ton of money. The dash and dash pad are nice, non cracked and frankly I am afraid to touch the dash pad for fear of a crack. The door panels are near pristine except for the wood veneer. The upholstery needs redone. However, the fabric is intact. It is what is called Houndstooth but officially is Deauville cloth and vinyl, a very sporting compliment to the body and vinyl top.
But whatever, this car is headed to the crusher frankly, unless someone who sees the photos can restore this 1 of 1 car, it will be crushed.
I try to save cars, but this one is too big for my 1947 circa garage as you can see from the photos and would drain my daughters college savings and retirement accounts to restore. So, I am offering it to the restoration community.
If no one wants it, even at a loss to me, then I will pull some easy to remove parts, sell those and crush it. Sad to say but that's the state of the hobby now.
Problems that I have seen since buying:1. rust in the rear of the roof which is very common on these cars. On this car it is restorable. OK, so what does that practically mean? Once the top is removed, the rust can be treated, sealed and or cut out and new metal welded in. 2. Body damage on the passenger side. This will require a body restoration. I have 2 spare doors to replace that bad door but for that rear quarter a person needs body repair skills or deeper pockets than I have.
3. The key is broken off in the ignition. I have the trunk key and I believe a spare key but one needs to extract the broken key from the ignition. THIS DOES NOT EFFECT MOVE ABILITY. The car though heavy as **it does steer, brakes and roll. (1st photos are when picked up, later photos are in my garage)
4. Complexity of the 1968 Eldorado. These cars have air ride, which is often by passed. Just be aware.
Positives.
This is a disc brake car. I have heard disc brakes were standard on 1968 but it is best to confirm because disc brakes are a ++.
The interior is in much better shape than most. The door panels, dash are nice, just dusty. This would save several thousands over a bad one.
**
Please note this is an attempt to move this car to an enthusiast and not an attempt to make money. ebay has minimum charges of $50 or so listing fee and final value fees which for a model train locomotive which I listed for like $650 sold - was $125!
Therefore, I am starting this auction at the minimum I need to recover to not take a loss on the ebay auction costs. Unlike most folks, I have no issue telling you what I have in the car. It's not a lot. If you contact me through ebay I will advise. However, it is NOT 4 figures (LOL)
Personally I doubt this car will sell and I am sure I will be parting it out in a week. I am 54 years old, with tons of hobbies, interests, and a time consuming job. If I was 34 years old, and had my old man cave garage, then this car would not be given away here. In my opinion, this car deserves and can be restore in a body off manner over 5 to 10 years.
While I roll my eyes at those craigs list ads that say "it would be worth $100,000 when done" there is some truth to that. Do a search of 1967 to 1970 Eldorados on ebay and off ebay and you will see nice drivers, low mileage originals are asking and getting $10,000 to $18,000. When you add in that this car will be a unique car, with phenomenal interior Houndstooth and such, it should command a $18,000 to $25,000 sale when done.
Keep in mind that paint code 00 allows the buyer to paint this car any color they want and it would, if restored properly - win a CLC National award. You could paint it YELLOW if you wanted, the 00 code means it is OK at any Cadillac LaSalle Club meet for judging. BUT, I love the "Heather" or Wisteria color, which was seen in late 50's GM cars, some early 60's Cadillacs as well, It popped up from time to time but you would have the only 1968 Eldorado in this color if purchased.
I need the car moved within 60 days. I live in Des Moines, Iowa. I am usually here to help BUT if you get it picked up by a transporter and they show up at 5:00 am on a Friday morning, maybe not. Coordinate with me.
Questions I have not answered? Let me know