Rare Pickup Conversion: 1975 Cadillac Eldorado Project
While they’re certainly not a common sighting, more than one coachbuilder thought it would be a good idea to turn Cadillacs into pickup trucks for drivers desiring plenty of luxury up front with a decent hauling capacity in the rear. Companies such as Traditional Coach Works offered a Coupe DeVille made into what’s known as the Mirage, with the Formal Coach Corporation producing a similar transformation from an Eldorado called the Comstock, which I believe is what we’re seeing here. This unusual car/truck combo is presently in Conway, South Carolina, and can be spotted here on Facebook Marketplace, where the seller has set his asking price at $6,800. We’d like to send our gratitude out to Barn Finds reader Mpower for the great tip here!
We get very few specifics about this one, other than the seller telling us it’s a barn find that’s been stored somewhere for more than 10 years. The Caddy is reported to be currently running and driving with 75,000 miles on the odometer, but we don’t get details about how well it’s performing plus it hasn’t been on the road very much as of late since one of the front tires is completely flat. There’s also no photo provided from the engine compartment.
Paint chipping and rust are showing on the driver’s side fender that’s hopefully not beyond the surface along with some cracking present on the top, but the chrome trim around the roof area seems to be in surprisingly good condition. It’s hard to see the entire bed with the tarp or whatever this material is remaining inside, but at least some of those items being stored in the back were removed before this photo was taken. We don’t get any shots from underneath, but below the doors is always a good place to inspect and I’m not spotting any rot here, though it is a very limited view.
A peek inside shows most of the interior appearing better overall than I was expecting, not perfect but with a thorough scrubbing and maybe a new carpet I’m speculating things would look quite a bit better in there, though that’s a pretty sizeable rip on the side section of the seat. The ’75 Eldorado was also a front-wheel drive, so you don’t have the driveshaft tunnel to contend with, and if the factory engine is still in the bay you’ll have a 500 cubic-inch V8 to brag about. Do you think this 1975 Cadillac Eldorado pickup is a project worth considering?
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Comments
Puts the “El” in “Eldorado” eh?
You win, that’s a good one!
Caminoado? Cadimino? Cadillaceldomino?
El Camodo? EL Dorito? El Pickupo? El Corrodo?
A lot of these truck conversions were purchased by funeral homes . They were called flower car. They carried the flowers from the church to the graveside. There was one similar to this year’s ago at a funeral home on the way to myrtle beach. Wonder if it’s the same one as conway is not far from the location I would see it.
Others were purchased by geophysicists in the oilpatch. Often they would have Cadillac written in script on the tailgate. If you lived in the oilpatch they could be fairly common as the geophysicists tended to brag with them.
The oldest I recall was a 1953 Cadillac complete with a Continental kit on the tailgate.
Growing up in Fort Worth and obsessed with cars from a young age, my Dad and I would drive around on the weekends and go look at cars. He had a 78 El Camino that was his pride and joy. There was an entire lot of these brand new for sale. We called it the rich man’s El Camino. Didn’t see a lot on the road and kind of thought I imagined the Eldorado El Camino but apparently they were real! Would love to have or even see one one in pristine condition.
Eldormino? Elcamado?
Yes, there are funeral flower cars out there, but this appears to be an authentic pickup conversion as rich Texans used to have them made from Eldorados and DeVille coupes.. The El Camino used to be called a Cowboy Cadillac, and this takes the theme up a notch.
Flower Cars were/are TOTALLY different. No tailgates and the “bed” was lined with stainless steel, due to all of he water associated with fresh cut flowers. Also, flower cars were frequently bare bones cars with very little accessories. These cars ARE NOT THAT. My Caribou is “loaded”. . . . .
Love vintage Cadillacs, but this is definitely CADILLACKING in so many ways!
They blew it on the rear end gate treatment. It looks quickly thought out and cheap. C”mon it’s a Cadillac, no fancy trim running the bed border, nothing moving on that bluck gate. My 68 SS Elcamino has more going on than this does. Neat but pass.
I kinda like this. I have always appreciated the concept of this type of conversion, and seen many of varying quality and appearance. I have been tempted on a few local ones over the years, but they were always former flower-cars. The flower-cars usually had fairly low sides, and there was no. functioning tailgate. A deal-breaker for me. I agree that the tailgate on this conversion appears unfinished, but I think it could be somewhat easily improved.
I have owned several Eldos from this generation and currently have a ’71 convertible in my collection. A pick-up would be a nice addition.
If this car were local, I would consider it. It needs lots of work, but I think it would be a fun project. The reality is, the market for cars like this is very limited. Like many hot-rods, it comes down to personal taste (or lack of it).
This car would be more a labour of love than a financial decision, and will likely cost more to complete than it will be worth.
I have a Caribou survivor if you’re REALLY interested . . . . . COMPLETELY unmolested and original. Found it in Denmark. Still drive it.
If this wasn’t dirty, tires flat, and junk in the bed it would probably show pretty well and attract some serious buyers. I’d like to see the whole car before I jumped into the bidding. Too bad.
Ewww……
Remember song Witch Doctor? EW E O ah ah no want this walla walla tin can! 🤮 🤮 🤮.
I agree with the above. Clean the junk out of the bed, put some wind in the tires pop the hood take underside photos. So many people are so half hearted when they list a vehicle for sale. Its like theyre trying NOT to sell it. Here it is…….. If you really want it……
You can buy kits now to convert Volkswagen Beatles and jettas and other cars to trucks I wonder if this was a prototype for that company? But I’m learning more towards a long weekend and lots of alcohol.
Dean Martin had a station wagon version back in the day, used it for carrying his golf bags I suppose
As I recall, Cadillac did make that type of truck in 1976 from the factory but all were sold before they shipped them.
🎵Oh where oh where has my hood emblem gone.🎶
🎼 Oh where oh where can it be. 🎵
They did. And the bottom of the bed was done in teak wood. Any thing else is a copy.
Never saw the caddy version before. Loved the GTO conversions I have seen. Hope this goes to someone who will finish it.
…Comstock?
I grew up across the street from old Elmer Comstock and his chicken coops and neither he nor his poultry would be seen dead in this.
Seriously though, it doesn’t look like the worst conversion I have ever seen.
this era chevelle/camino, (3rd last gen), is likable Y not
have this 1 as well. Shoulda put in the curved head
bd/back glass from the other. Flower car/el comenalack
dont matter. Never carry ‘couple bales to the back 40’ just
a few drops of sno or rain.
@ The Cadillac Kid,
Cadillac never made a pickup truck from the factory. They commissioned a company (can’t remember the name right now) to take Coupe de Villes and make a gentleman’s pickup called the Mirage.
Just like the station wagons, very few were made, although, several companies joined in to make those. Some had liftgates, some had tailgates, some had the 1971 thru 1976 disappearing tailgates.
Whenever someone makes a pickup out of a coupe, they inevitably screw up the tailgate,IF they put one on in the first place.
Ya’ll know that’s a pet peeve if mine.
This one, however, actually does have a tailgate, small as it is.
Cadillac Kid, do you agree with me on the huge mistake with the rear of this “truck?”
Those are not Eldorado taillights. That whole mess is de Ville/Fleetwood . Eldorado had vertical backup lights on each side of the license plate.
1975 Eldorado had horizontal taillights with a Cadillac emblem in the center.. 1976 was the same. But without the emblem in the center.
Other than that phopah, it’s not a bad rendition.
@ Earl E. Howard
Cadillac never made a station wagon or pickup truck from the factory, teakwood or not. For awhile, you could ORDER a station wagon or pickup truck from a Cadillac dealer, but it was always commissioned to an outside company. Usually de Villes and Fleetwoods were used for the station wagons and the pick up was called the Mirage.
Very rarely did a company use a FWD Eldorado for either the station wagon or pickup. Those were usually back yard warriors.
Think about it, GM/CMD were interested in the bottom line. It was not financially viable to retool to make a station wagon or pickup in such low numbers.
1976 was the first year a Cadillac was over the 5 figure numbers. A Coupe de Ville was over $10,000 and a Fleetwood was over $12,000. One of these conversions was over $20,000.
Who, in 1976 was going to spend $20,000 on a Cadillac, except movie stars, politicians and the ultra rich. The numbers didn’t warrant a retooling.
This particular 1975 (?) Eldorado has a few “problems” that I would slot it in the backyard warrior position. The rear taillights are 1974 thru 1976 de Ville/Fleetwood. The rear bumper is Eldorado. Notice the cutout in the bumper is larger than the license plate opening. That’s because Eldorado had the vertical backup lights on each side of the license plate.
I also just noticed the hood is 1977/78.
The 75/76 Eldorado did not have the word “Eldorado” spelled out across the front of the hood.
Nice to hear from you and I do agree with most of your comments, except, I have a Cadillac book I bought 20 years ago and cost $85.00 then and it shows most everything about Cadillacs and their factories from 1904 to the publication date. It shows Cadillac trucks rolling off the assembly line. It was 1976, the year I graduated and I bought a gold 65 Caddy to go with my blue 65 Caddy. Also,60 minutes had a special on them as well. They only made 1,000 exactly and they were all sold.
The more I look at the back bumper, the more I’m sure it is not from a 75 Coupe. The horizontal lamps are but they are not part of the bumper. All my 75/76 coupes and sedans had very narrow (about 1” wide)vertical lamps on the outside and they went almost the whole length(vertically)of the bumper. I also think mine had the same vertical strip on the inside as well, both lighted. This looks like a 77 bumper maybe. I might consider buying it. I’m looking to buy another one between 1960 and 76. I have only one Escalade now.
I have researched and that bumper is that of a 75 Eldo. but the horizontal lamps are not.
Looks to me like, whoever made this truck, might have gotten the fiberglass component parts from Lou Schorch. The truck looks identical to my caribou.
Ok, I agree that the styling on this rig is wanting. I am a true dyed in the wool UTE fan. But this does nothing for me.
ALSO, I would be concerned about structure stability. You say, “But it has a frame!” And that is true. The Eldorado and Toronado frames only travel as far as the front of the rear leaf spring. The rear of the rear leaf spring attaches to the body. If you pull the body off of one of these. The rear spring shackles are now pointing up to the sky. (or they have flopped over onto the leaf spring)
I think if you USED this vehicle as a part time truck. Bad things would happen after a fashion!
Just my humble opinion.
Very interesting. Just earlier today I was looking through some old magazines that I have and there it was, an article on the Cadillac Mirage. For those interested this article is in the November 1976 issue of PICKUP VAN & 4WD magazine.
Some interesting facts from the article is that the Traditional Coach Works Ltd of Chatsworth Ca did the conversions to Coupe De Villes. They also converted Cadillac Brougham 4 door sedans into station wagons. Those were called Castilian Fleetwood Estate Wagon. Both the pick up and the wagon conversions were sold through the Neiman-Marcus department store and 50 Cadillac dealers. The original selling price for a Mirage was $18,000 to $21,000 depending upon the factory equipment. At Neiman-Marcus they were $24,500. They all carried the same warranty as any other new Cadillac. When they first started doing the conversions they were doing 3 cars per month. By the time this article was written they were making 18 cars per month.
I don’t remember the year, but in the early ’70s a Big Cadillac dealer in Pittsburgh had the pick-up and the station wagon in the main showroom.
Evil Kinevil had two of the pick-ups, they were made from the flower cars.