☰
conceptcarz.com
✕

1958 Cadillac Series 70 Eldorado Brougham

The 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was an exclusive automobile and the 304 examples built accounted for 0.2% of Cadillac's 121,778 total production. It helped the company re-establish itself as 'The Standard of the World.' They were given every conceivable luxury item General Motors could conjure and set a new standard of automotive excellence. Harley Earl's styling team contributed many new ideas, including four-door hardtop sedan bodywork with side windows that disappeared completely. There were rear-hinged rear doors and brushed stainless steel for the roof. In the front were quad headlights that were exclusive to the model and still illegal in most states. The headlights were a first for GM and would later find their way to other GM models. The hand-built cars wore bodywork by Fleetwood, with design cues from Park Avenue and Orleans show cars from 1953 to 1956.

Power options were numerous, including the trunk lid and rear doors that opened and closed with the push of a button. The doors would lock automatically when the transmission was put in gear. The forged aluminum wheels and a memory front seat were the first for a production vehicle.

The elegance, style, and exclusivity were expensive, demanding a cost of $13,974, which was twice the cost of the Eldorado Biarritz Convertible and among the most expensive in the world. Cadillac reportedly lost $10,000 on every car built, which was why it was produced for only two years and only 704 total examples were built, with 304 of those in 1958. Changes for the 1958 models were primarily seen on the interior of the car with the door panels now completed in leather as opposed to the metal finish the cars featured in 1957. Exterior changes now included new wheel covers. The car was available in 15 different monotone color combinations in addition to the 44 different trim combinations.

Power was provided by a 365 cubic-inch overhead valve V8 engine which offered 335 horsepower and mated to a four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission.

Along with the steep price, the end of U.S. production of the Eldorado Brougham was due in large part to the bottleneck the hand-built Fleetwood bodies caused within GM. Beginning in 1959, body production was done by Pininfarina of Turin, Italy.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan

In 1957, Cadillac introduced the ultimate luxury car, rivaling Rolls-Royce, and at a price equal to one, $13,750.00. General Motors made only 750 ElDorado Broughams in 1957 and 1958. They featured pillarless construction (suicide doors), air suspension, a stainless steel roof, mouton carpeting, a compound curved windshield, an automatic opening and closing trunk, memory seats, alloy wheels, quad headlights with Autronic Eye (automatic dimming), six magnetic shot glasses, a ladies compact with cigarette case, make-up mirror and lipstick tube, a note pad with a Cross pencil, and a dispenser of Arpege perfume. This example was originally delivered to Beverly Hills, CA, for rock and TV star Ricky Nelson. The Eldorado Brougham is a premier representation of Cadillac's slogan, 'The Standard of the World.' This is one of only 350 manufactured in 1958.

This 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was delivered to the Cadillac Zone Office Los Angeles for delivery to rock and roll star Ricky Nelson. There were but 304 of these rare Cadillacs built at $13,000 each (you could buy a Coupe de Ville for about $5,000).

The car features a pillarless design with suicide doors, air suspension, a memory seat, Autronic Eye, a stainless top, and an automatic opening and closing trunk. In the glove box are a makeup compact, cigarette pack case, a notepad with Cross pencil, six magnetic shot glasses for a drink or two down the road of life, and the rarest accessory of all, one ounce of Arpege perfume...all standard equipment.

With the rarity and cost, the Eldorado Broughams were owned by the rich and famous...Frank Sinatra, Nelson Rockefeller, Amanda Blake (Kitty from the TV show Gunsmoke), and this one, for Ricky Nelson. The Eldorado Brougham was in 1958, 'The Standard of the World'.

Hardtop Sedan
Engine number: 58P054802

As in 1957, the Eldorado Brougham was Cadillac's costliest model at $13,074 and had its own unique front-end styling. It is said that Cadillac lost as much as $10,000 on each car sold. This is widely considered as Harley Earl's 'tour de force', featuring a pillarless, brushed aluminum roof, center opening doors, and quadruple headlights. Under the hood is a 365 cubic-inch V8 fed by 3 dual-barrel carburetors.

This example with body number 625 is finished in Fairfax Blue (notably, the color featured in period Cadillac advertising) over a seldom-seen Medium Blue Parisienne Cloth and White Leather interior delivered with blue Mouton carpet. It was delivered new to Daniels Cadillac of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was not sold and titled until December 29th of 1960. It was eventually acquired by Thomas R. Mullen, co-founder of Lehigh Structural Steel, and retained the car for just over two years. In February 1963, it was acquired by Milton W. Wood, also of Allentown. After Wood's death in 2003, it was acquired by its current owner (also of Allentown) from the Wood family in 2005.

This Cadillac has its original material, and the suspension airbags were replaced with conventional springs, a task believed to have been performed shortly after its initial sale—a common conversion due to the system's complexity, even at the time. The correct underhood air compressor is retained. The car rides on Cadillac Sabre wheels, rather than the Eldorado Brougham-specific design.

This Eldorado Brougham has fewer than 42,500 miles on the odometer. It earned an AACA Historic Preservation of Features (HPOF) Junior award in 2016, followed by a Senior in 2018. The only other exhibition was in 2007 at the Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance.


A standout at custom car shows, this sleek Cadillac was customized by noted craftsman John D'Agostino. To enhance the car's dramatic profile, D'Agostino sectioned the body four inches and fitted an adjustable air suspension system. Legendary custom painter Gene Winfield applied its attractive 'fade' paint.

by Petersen Museum

Hardtop Coupe
Chassis number: 58P063101

The world was shown the Eldorado Brougham concept vehicle for the first time in 1955 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was a pillarless low slung vehicle with suicide doors and intricate amenities. A few years later, in 1957, Cadillac offered a road-going version of this concept that was truly unique from other vehicles found on the roadway at the time. It incorporated the four-door pillarless hardtop design with pedestal-mounted seats, a brushed stainless steel roof, and air suspension. They were outfitted with nearly every available feature and amenities, such as air conditioning, a beverage bar, and vanity sets. There was an E-Z-Eye tinted windshield and automatic headlight dimmer. Weighing over 5,300 pounds, it was one of the heaviest sedans in America.

The 1957 and 1958 Broughams were very similar with only a few distinguishable features between them. Both had the quad-headlamp treatment. For 1958, wheel covers were updated along with the addition of some new exterior colors. Minor differences could be found inside, such as upper door panels that went from a metal finish to leather cladding. The compression ratio in the engine was increased to 10.25:1, and Rochester triple two-barrel carburetors replaced the Carter dual four-barrel carburetors from 1957.

Only 304 examples of the Brougham were produced in 1958 and they had a factory base price of $13,000. This example is car number 648 with body number 650. This stainless steel-topped sedan came with an extensive array of options such as factory air conditioning, memory seating, power side windows and vent windows, Guidematic control for the headlights, standard radio, power locks, and an automatic trunk pull-down. There are 43,409 miles on the odometer and the interior white leather with black inserts is in new condition.

At the 2009 Houston Classic Auction in Seabrook, Texas, presented by Worldwide Auctioneers, this Eldorado Brougham was estimated to sell for $70,000 - $90,000 and offered without reserve. The lot was sold for the sum of $77,000, plus the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan
Engine number: 58P088156

Harley Earl and his styling team contributed multiple new ideas to the creation of the ultimate Cadillac of the late 1950s. It was given a litany of power accessories, including a trunk lid and rear doors that were operated by a push of a button. The doors would lock automatically when the transmission was put in gear. A memory front seat was a first for a production car, as were the forged aluminum wheels.

The Eldorado Brougham had style, power, luxury, and a price tag that was twice the cost of the Eldorado Biarritz Convertible. With a base price of $13,974, it was reported that Cadillac lost $10,000 on every car built. Production lasted only two years with just 704 examples produced.

This particular example is the third-from-last original Eldorado Brougham. It remained in the family of its original owner until 2007. The new owner restored its mechanical components and has driven it extensively. It has been driven from coast-to-coast, across the United States, and it visited the 2009 Cadillac-LaSalle Club Grand National in Las Vegas.

The car has its original interior and still rides on its rare original air suspension system. Currently, the car shows under 75,000 actual miles. The engine is an overhead valve 365 cubic-inch V8 engine mated to a four-speed Hydra-Matic transmission. Power hydraulic brakes are located at all four corners.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan
Chassis number: 58P021440

Cadillac built the original Eldorado Brougham for just two years, from 1957 to 1958, with 704 examples built. Just 304 of those were built in 1958.

This particular example was originally delivered in Connecticut. It left the factory finished in Deauville Gray with a Medium Blue and White leather interior. The car eventually made its way to Providence, Rhode Island, where it was discovered in 1983. In 2010, its longtime owner sold it to Don Ghareeb of Alabama, who gave it a restoration to concours standards.

When the restoration work was completed, it was awarded Post-war Best of Show at the Grand National Meet of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club in June 2012, and subsequently Chairman's Choice at the 2014 Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan
Chassis number: 58P000610

This Cadillac Eldorado Brougham is one of 304 built for the 1958 model year. It was completed on October 23rd of 1957, wearing body number 402, and received a restoration in the 2000s that included a rebuild of its mechanical systems. The factory air suspension, missing from most Broughams today, remains and operates in good condition. It has factory air-conditioning and factory vanity items, including a comb and mirror, ladies compact and powder puff, lipstick holder, Arpège perfume bottle with atomizer, memo book and pencil, tissue dispenser, and a set of six shot glasses with magnetic bases.

In 2010, this car won Best of Show at the Cadillac & La Salle Club Southern California Meet.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan
Chassis number: 58P020084

Cadillac produced just 400 examples of the Eldorado Brougham in 1957 and 304 the following year, for a combined total of 704 units. The elegant four-door sedan featured quad headlights, rear-hinged rear doors, and side windows that disappeared completely (including the frames). The roof was a broad expanse of sparkling brushed stainless steel. Power accessories included the trunk lid which opened and closed with the push of a button, and the doors would lock automatically when the transmission was put in gear. There is air conditioning, and the vanity set includes tumblers, an acrylic cigarette case, a perfume bottle, a notepad, and a vanity case.

The forged aluminum wheels and the memory front seat were a 'first' for a production car.

The Eldorado Brougham was priced over $13,000, making it more expensive than a Rolls-Royce or Ferrari, and Cadillac reportedly lost $10,000 on every car built.

This particular example was once part of the John O'Quinn Collection. It is finished in black over a white leather interior accented by black buttons. It was given a restoration in the late 1990s with the original air springs changed to conventional coil springs.

by Dan Vaughan

Hardtop Sedan

The Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, which was built in 1957 and 1958, was truly over the top. Built to compete with the new Continental Mark II, the cars were essentially hand-built on a separate Cadillac production line. The actual cost to build the cars was an estimated $23,000 but they sold for $13,070.

Among the car's many unique features were the brushed stainless steel roof, under-seat heaters, a glove box, and rear seat compartment that included drinking cups, lipstick holder, cigarette case, mirror, note pad and perfume atomizer! Plus, these industry firsts: quad headlamps, all-transistor radio, year-round fresh air conditioning. A mind-boggling 45 interior options were available as well as 15 exterior colors.

The 365 cubic inch Cadillac OHV V8 developed 335 horsepower thanks, in part, to three two-barrel carburetors. The car featured a four-speed automatic transmission, air ride suspension, auto leveling, automatic headlight dimming and automatic start - plus power trunk opener and closer.

Only 400 were built in 1957; 304 were built in 1958.