1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible
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Artifact Overview
This car symbolizes 1950s America: a time of exuberance, self-confidence, excess, and self-indulgence. Cadillac designers drew on jet aircraft for ideas, from the sharp, swept-back tailfins to the front parking lights that resemble B-52 bomber air intakes. Under that jet-inspired skin is a 345 horsepower engine, air suspension, and a host of luxury options, including an automatic headlight dimmer. We are unlikely to ever see such cars again.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1959
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Designed by Charles M. Jordan; made by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corporation in Detroit, Michigan.
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driving America
Object ID
86.48.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Metal
Fiberglass
Glass (Material)
Vinyl
Leather
Rubber (Material)
Chromium
Color
White (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 54.4 in
Width: 81 in
Wheelbase: 130 in
Weight: 5060 lbs
Inscriptions
On door edge, in chrome: Biaritz
On edge of trunk, in chrome: Eldorado
Behind front wheel wells, in chrome: Eldorado
On hubcaps: Cadillac emblem
Specifications
Make & Model: 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible
Maker: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan
Engine: V-8, overhead valve, 390 cubic inches
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Height: 54.5 inches
Wheelbase: 130 inches
Width: 81 inches
Overall length: 225 inches
Weight: 5060 pounds
Horsepower: 345 at 4800 revolutions per minute
Pounds per horsepower: 14.7
Price: $7,401
Average 1959 wage: $4,965 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 1 year, 6 months
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