A Personal Luxury Home Run: Designing the 1979-85 Cadillac Eldorado (with Wayne Kady)

[@lancekussell278]

Adam, you are to be commended for documenting this design history with Mr. Kady. Terrific interview and interesting insight into the process of tackling a difficult design brief. Keep it going!

[@paulreed563]

I hope the GM Heritage center is watching these. These interviews should be preserved.

[@joshuagibson2520]

This generation was pure class in American manufacturing and engineering. We even heard Wayne had some good to say about his boss. The world has changed. Maybe I'm just washed up and aging, but this country is a far cry from what it once was. I'm also about Adams age and have massive respect for Mr. Kady's generation.

[@1776-r4j]

You're right, this is clearly a country in decline.

[@danielarndt284]

@@1776-r4j Cadillac makes a 650+ horsepower 6 speed super sedan that trounces everything in it's class. I can't imagine how you can look at 80's car and current cars and somehow equate that we are a country in decline.. absolute madness.

[@1776-r4j]

@@danielarndt284 I said the country was in decline, not the cars.

[@fasterthanyou4997]

@@HelicopterDad-xk5sxhe is not talking just about the cars…

[@jamesmisener3006]

​@@danielarndt284The comment you replied to had nothing to do with Cadillac but that Wayne was a class act who respected his boss and team. Times have changed in how we speak to each other was the point.

[@ricksand6477]

To me, the 1979-85 Eldorado was a cleaner, more modern distillation of the 1967-70 design. Truly beautiful expressions of the Cadillac styling themes at their finest. The proportions on the 1979-85 are just perfect. And the 1984-85 convertibles are absolute home runs from a design perspective as well. Mr. Kady is brilliant. He created some of the most beautiful Cadillacs ever designed. And let's not forget the impact the 1976 Buick Regal coupe had when it debuted. That car was a reskin on a platform that had been around since 1973 and Mr. Kady's reskin absolutely transformed it and raised sales significantly.

[@anthonym.cardali1875]

76/77 Regals with road wheels were a hot thing

[@fasterthanyou4997]

Thank you Mr.Wayne

[@ronaldwarren5220]

I own a Cotillion White over Garnet 1988 Biarritz here in Arizona. It is a "baby" Eldorado that shares many of the designs of the other Eldos. I had it at a car show this last week and it drew a lot of nice comments. One guy told of owning an 84 Black over Red Eldorado that was destroyed in his driveway by a car that ran off the road and plowed into his dearly beloved ride. He was almost crying when he told the sad story. Thanks for you work on these beauties!

[@flyonbyya]

That stainless top on that caddy is ABSOLUTELY KILLER !

[@kellybanning2013]

And expensive! I knew a guy that had the stainless steel top, and he got hail damage on it, and that piece cost $1500.00, in 1986. And his had the moonroof, which was less money, $2500.00 without the moonroof!

[@TinHatRanch]

If you squint you can see the 90’s Eldorado in the first drawing.

[@johnfloore9799]

You sure can. The top sketch looks like a 92-02, and the bottom looks like an 88-91.

[@paulwindisch1423]

It amazes me how much the side view of the top sketch inspires the 1992-2002 Eldorado. That rear sail panel looks almost identical. Edit: the sketch at the 9:50 mark.

[@workingcountry1776]

It's a shame GM build quality on the 92+ Eldorado was so bad. Tyne newest one's have been junked for a decade or more. Lots of electrical and engine issues. But they are still lookers to this day

[@wildcat64100]

Mr. Kady has such a sharp, dry wit. I’ll be he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. It’s a treat to see all his sketches and hear him flesh out the details of the design process. Thanks, Adam!

[@FPH-yi8yl]

My grandmother, who died this year at age 96, bought one of the earliiest 1979 models to leave the factory. In fact, my grandfather took a flight to Detroit to pick it up because the Cadillac dealer in our area didn't have any available. It was a beautiful car and she loved it. Seeing photos of this model makes me think of her.

[@corvettejimmy3323]

Great story!

[@march24-lp4pv]

Privilege.

[@2006gtobob]

As a kid, I LOVED the styling of this car. The chrome, grill, interior, etc. just said "class." What I didn't know, as a kid, was just how weak the drivetrains were. It is a wonderful design that is timeless. A beauty.

[@pcno2832]

I wonder how the current prices of the '79-'81s, which had solid engines (if you disabled the shaky 6-cylinder mode of the '81) compare to the '82-'85s. The '85s might have had bearable reliability, with some of the bugs worked out of the 4100, but even those engines seem pretty dainty and slow.

[@InTeCredo]

@@pcno2832 Of course, you can always swap the HT4100 engine for 368 engine.

[@howardfletcher7206]

Agreed drivetrains badly lacking but a 368 or even a 425/472/500 could work right? A good choice would be the 79 with an Olds 350 if you are not a purest and demand Cadillac power.

[@anthonym.cardali1875]

Good Choice...but even with the bad powerplant choices, those babies floated down the road@@howardfletcher7206

[@2006gtobob]

I'd go for a V8-6-4 for sure, remove the equipment, and possibly swap the fuel injection for a nice 4 barrel carburetor tuned for the Arizona environment. I'm sure there are a few mechanics out there who remember how to do this.

[@normbizik3401]

My stepfather had the exact same car in the pictures. That black with the red leather and the stainless steel roof was a perfect combination. His had the Goodyear Double Eagle tires which looked great on that car. Thanks for that video!

[@KO-pk7df]

These are some of my favorite video subjects. The designers' interviews with all the wonderful information they bring to us. I would like to see a collection of their drawings, stories and history, maybe a big coffee table book filled with original sketches, drawings and photographs. As a kid growing up in the 60s & 70s, I had hundreds of models and hundreds of drawings of cars and ones I styled myself. Thought I would design cars one day. I joined the navy in 76 and when I came home my mother had put all my drawings into two large Samsonite suitcases. They got misplaced and I never saw them again. So sad.

[@edwardpate6128]

All 3 versions of those E body cars just amazing looking!

[@NorlandBoxcar]

Very nice video Adam. Mr. Kady made a huge contribution in a generation that really made an epic difference in automotive design. Kudos to him! 👍👍

[@donjuanseville3039]

1979-1981.....BEST YEARS

[@skinnerhound2660]

1979-1980

[@mikemasiello9625]

Really love the "Inside Baseball" of these interviews. Mr. Kady is a true modest gentleman. Class act all the way.

[@WalkiTalki]

9:45 one of the best looking Caddies ever made.

[@giuliopedrali4794]

Fantastic the Cadillac and the GM of the first 80s years

[@craig5042]

Great channel. Thank you.

[@aldoparise1224]

The bustleback proposal for the Eldorado looks really nice. It looks better as a coupe compared to the Seville.

[@markbehr88]

These were an excellently styled car. Well done Wayne.

[@christopherkraft1327]

I always thought that this generation Eldorado looked very classy, especially the Biarritz!! 👍👍🙂

[@markaustin4370]

What s nice and talented guy!!!!

[@turdferguson4124]

That lower sketch at 12:54 is remarkably prescient of the 1992 Eldorado in proportion and detail. The nose treatment looks almost identical to the 1988 Cadillac Voyage concept. The date on the lower right corner is 1976-a decade and a half and two design generations before the 1992 model debuted. Wayne and the other designers you feature are so talented with their ability to sketch up new concepts, I wonder if any of them still sketch cars today. It would be interesting to know what they would design.

[@michaelsimko7694]

The 1979-85 Eldorado was a beautiful car and is one of my favorite Cadillac designs of all time. Not only was it easily recognizable as a Caddy, but it still had styling cues from previous gen Eldorados, making it easily recognizable as an Eldorado.

[@roberthead5291]

Well done, Adam. Thoroughly enjoyable and educational video. Thanks to Mr. Kady for sharing his experience and expertise.

[@rudolphnicholson9138]

Thanks once again Adam for bringing a very insightful interview with Mr Kady! One day we will look back at these interviews and be grateful for the effort you put in to make this happen. I take my hat off to Mr Kady for the amazing work he has done over the years and for creating some of my most loved designs. I always loved these cars as a youngster growing up. They came out when I was in sixth grade and I always admired them, never thinking I would be lucky enough to own one, let alone two of his design inspirations. I owned a Twilight blue 1980 Eldorado with a 368 V8. Sadly I sold that car about 10 years ago with 40k miles. I still own my 1981 Seville Elegante with 22,000 miles. It has a Superior blue upper body and Twilight blue lower body. It is absolutely exquisite, definitely a keeper. Here’s to many more interviews. Thank you

[@DSP1968]

IMHO< this was the 2nd best Eldorado, the first being the '67-'68 version. And it's always a pleasure to hear Wayne tell the design story of a car he was involved in.

[@Fleetwoodjohn]

Those profile sketches of the 79 look like the profile of the 92!

[@sasz2107]

I remember when these Eldorados were new and how popular they were. They definitely had a presence. So much was lost in the 1986 redesign, unfortunately. For multiple carlines, it seemed like 1985 was the end of the good, traditional styling, and 1986 was the beginning of styling that was supposed to be more modern but was just all around so much worse and less attractive. The Eldorado, Toronado, and Riviera in these years really looked classy. I remember driving one in the mid 90s. I don't know how you have access to the designers of some of these cars, and the original sketches, but it's very good information - no one else is going to know as much about certain cars as the designers and how the cars started out. It's also quite some time ago now since they were in the design stage; it's good these guys are still alive and are willing to share their stories. That part about the 76/77 Buick Regal tail lights was really interesting. I always wondered why they did that. They separated the coupe styling from the sedan styling in 1976. The 73 - 75 Regal tail lights were like those on the sedan. Then in 76 they totally changed the front, the rear, and also removed the swoop spear on the Regal (and Century) coupes, but the sedans were much less changed. My friend's mom drove a gold 1977 Buick Regal coupe that I remember riding around in. Interesting to hear from the man who was responsible for the tail light design of that car and how that came to be.

[@aeHyde]

would love to see your take on a future classic.the XLR

[@kc0lif]

i like 1979-1985 Eldorados. my other favourite is 1971-1972 generation too.

[@omniphoriusvcf907]

Priceless interview and sketches. Even though American "boats" are not a passion of mine, the relaxed conversation highlighting design mentally and Cadillac history was entrancing. Thanks so much.

[@johnplovanich9564]

I am so glad Mr. Kady is still alive and doing well and that he does these interviews with you.Where else in the WORLD could you get 1st hand information from they guy who did it.Awesome. Cheers

[@lorieandpatrickdavies7483]

One of my favourite Cadillacs, certainly among the top 5 anyway, particularly the Touring Coupe. Just a beautiful design from all angles. I would love to own one, one day. I can't remember when I last saw one on the street, although there is an early 9th (1971-1978) generation Eldorado just down the street from us. I really enjoy these episodes with the designers, you are so fortunate to have them join you. Its remarkable how much the first couple sketches you show resemble the 12th (1991-2003) final generation Eldorado.

[@giggiddy]

Yes! They resemble cadillacs that wouldn't come out for 20 more years. Amazing talent

[@splender88]

This man helped design some of the most impressive-looking cars of all time. Glad to see for a man of his age he looks like he is doing very well.

[@Lasuvidaboy-jp4xe]

Another very interesting interview with Mr. Kady. The 1979-85 Cadillac Eldorado, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado were all great looking cars. Far superior than the earlier models IMO. One of the cost cutting features I didn’t care for were the inoperable rear quarter windows.

[@patcurrie9888]

Enough drop top Riviera owners will tell you the quarter windows are a pain.

[@Shadow_Banned_Conservative]

We had a 74 Olds Tornado, I think that was the last year the rear windows went down. I've always loved the Cadillac coupes. I've had two Eldorado, 94 and 98, and now have an 14 ELR that I found when looking for a CTS coupe. My first love for Cadillac would probably be the 78 Coupe DeVille. My friend's mother had one and I drove it on occasion when I was 16, I loved those big doors, and big body on that car. I think it was a 425 V8 under the hood which had a good amount of torque. I've probably had more Cadillacs than anything other brand in my around 30 vehicle ownership lifetime. In retirement a few years from now I'm hoping to put a 09, or possibly 07-08 XLR in my garage to take the place of my Corvette that I just can't work the clutch in anymore.

[@royperry2859]

I have always liked the GM e nody coupes 1979 to 1985. Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado, and Olds Toronado. I would have approved the bustle back Eldo. Great work Mr Kady!

[@InTeCredo]

This generation is particularly my favourite of all Eldorado due to its perfect blend of style, proportion, luxury, and size. When my family and I holidayed in Europe in the very early 1980s, we were surprised to see so many Eldorado in the Switzerland as they were very popular there due to the manageable size. I love the export taillamps with amber turn signal indicators, which was tastefully done, on Eldorado.

[@vontegethoff]

This could be my favorite Cadillac

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

My best friend had an Eldorado. Early 80's I think. Loved that car. So comfortable. And I don't know if it was the original engine or not. But it had a 350 that would melt the front tires off if you were so inclined. First time I ever saw a front wheel drive car smoke the tires. I miss being young and ignorant. And I really miss those old cars. Modern vehicles are disposable appliances without a soul. Garbage crossovers with their giant screens and other unnecessary technology. My 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan is as new as I will ever buy. My next car will be something from the 60's to 80's

[@johnplovanich9564]

I had an 85 Eldo.4.1 l,blue with white leather interior and stainless steel roof. My daily driver for 10 years.I inherited it from my grandmother.Great car and cheers Adam.

[@dosgos]

Wonderful downsizing work. Detroit was under so much pressure to change. The Eldorado team killled it!

[@rawsketch]

The success of the downsizing shows just how piggish and excessive the previous Eldo was.

[@robertmurphy5624]

Another fascinating interview with retired one of the GM design directors. I think the real tribute to Mr. Kady's designs is that they actually look best in "base" trim; aluminum wheels, not wire hubcaps, steel tops not half-vinyl roofs. His basic shapes were so great in the proportions (as he discussed) that they survived all the gingerbread (as Lee Iacocca called it) and still looked good. The "standard" Seville and Eldorado models look great with their simpler interiors. I'd love to have either. -RDM

[@RobertSmith-jl4yw]

Absolutely. Those de-trimmed models are the best looking of the bunch. Shame the performance wasn't pepped up.

[@jeffstonecipher1594]

Sketch shown @ 16:50 looks like the '80 -'82 Imperial front end -minus the hood ornament and then add some flaps over the head lights.

[@wincrasher2007]

Not surprising it was a success. "Personal Luxury Coupes" were all the rage at the time, and this Cadillac was at the end of the era where a Cadillac was still a Cadillac. Expensive, but not insanely crazy compared to other options. Smart styling and tidy dimensions, quite modern compare to the preceding models.

[@MrSpartanPaul]

I was given the opportunity to take ownership of my uncle's new Eldorado from dealership in 85. My uncle was out of town, so I was chosen to accept hisnew car. They did the Gold Key process for me as a 19 year old kid. Pretty interesting experience. Main take away was how floaty the front end was. Seemed like the shocks were worn out on a brand new car, but that's probably what people liked? My uncle sold it the next year and bought a Mercedes SL.

[@OBC-radio]

Another great GM conversation with Wayne and Adam. In addition to being a gifted designer, it’s clear from his sketches that Wayne is a talented artist. I’d love to hear about some of Wayne’s later Buick design efforts as well. I would’ve loved the bustle back Eldorado!

[@fleetwoodpup8328]

The last gen. Buick Roadmaster was under the direction of Mr. Kady.

[@Jameshe-o5m]

I love these old Cadillacs. I’d really like to get one

[@davidreynolds2943]

I had a 79 when I was 18, the car was all class

[@scotthedgecock1060]

Thank you, Adam, for recording these videos with some of the great automotive giants who are part of our history. Their stories need to be told, heard, and archived.

[@scotthedgecock1060]

but where are the martini's?

[@michaellindquist31]

My first Cadillac was a 1985 Eldorado. I bought it new in Bayside, NY. It was black with a tan cloth interior and no vinyl roof. I ordered it with the wire wheel covers and a few other options and out the door was $23,500. With the 4.1 engine, it was no stoplight racer but would do 90 on the highway all day. What a great riding car. I kept it for two years and sold it to a friend and bought a 1987 Mustang GT with a 5 speed and T-Tops.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Anyone have any insight on how many were made and how many possibly remain? I think it can't be very many. Especially fine examples.

[@RareClassicCars]

They averaged about 65-70k per year sales over the run, but I’d say fine copies are very limited.

[@anthemss]

The ‘75 Electra doesn’t get enough accolades. I had one and was a great looking and riding car IMO. Nicer looking than the ‘76.

[@weegeemike]

Love these videos with Wayne, remiiscing about the days when GM still was what it was originally intended to be. Each division had its own look, themes, and concepts about what they wanted the cars to be. Differentiation between divisions that disappeared in the 80s. Back when the important decisions about individual models were made by the division general managers instead of corporate. Back when Fisher Body was still badically the manufacturing division, lending thoughts to how stylistic elements would be executed. The '79-'85 Eldorado were truly one of the last great Cadillacs. Into the 90s and to present day, Cadillac has abandoned their traditional identity and are always chasing the Eurpeans, and often being a step or two behind as a result.

[@petertornabeni602]

Excellent content Adam , thank you for bringing Wayne aboard - this is truly appreciated !

[@ENDTIMEsVideoLibrary]

Another great interview!! Thank you..

[@davidgold5961]

Adam - please reveal the name of the book or magazine you are showing in this video! Thanks.

[@toml665]

Mom had a 79 Rivera and then an 81 ElDorado beautiful lines on both cars. She had the 4-6-8 in the Caddy, maybe the only one that didnt have any major issues on Earth. Car lasted without incident until 1995.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

Awesome cars especially with the aluminium roof super classy...never was a big fan of the Touring package but can appreciate what they were going after. God bless Wayne, hes as cool as the other side of the pillow!

[@jeffmiller3150]

The roof is not aluminum, it's stainless steel!

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

@@jeffmiller3150 okay Jeff "stainless steel !" ... Edit: lol

[@kroge007]

Beautifully designed Wayne. To bad the engines weren’t up to Cadillac standards.Adam, Some of those early sketches look like the 2000’s Eldorado. Even one those ketches look like the 81-83 Chrysler Imperial with the buckle back. I love how Wayne always gives credit to his team. A real class act.

[@antonfarquar8799]

I had an '81 Eldo for a demonstrator with the 864 and loved it - I cannot sufficiently praise the torsion bar front suspension - the HT-4100 was the death knell for Cadillac it was just one in a series of bad engines.

[@votingcitizen]

wow - dig that Cousin Itt red mohair carpet at the 1:15 mark. DEEEluxe. Those first couple sketches looked like winners to me. I'd buy one of those. I am curious how much time Wayne had to spend on administrative and managerial tasks and still be able to design and draw. Those pesky, less glamorous aspects of the lofty "Chief" position.

[@stevevogelman3360]

Boy. It sure is neat hearing him tell his stories and seeing those beautiful sketches. Thank you for bringing him to us Cadillac fans. Very cool Adam.

[@leewaken5059]

Those "76" renderings look more 1990! Wayne was 2 decades ahead in his design(s).

[@allenwayne2033]

Facsinating sketches! I definitely see the 92 in those first sketches. Wayne was right about the 74 Riv, it wasn't nearly as nice stylistically as the boattail, looked like a gussied up LeSabre, and it got even worse in the next generation. Never cared for the 71-78 Eldo's. it seems like they really lost their way. Loved the 79-85's but bought a Mark 6 instead. as it seemed to overall be a more solid and well built car, but I preferred the style of the Eldo. Very interesting to hear Wayne's take on it all, especially his explanation of how corporate politics and economics played a role! Yes, all the 71-78 Rivs, Toros, and Eldos would have looked so much better had they been built on the Grand Prix/Monte Carlo scale. They were so bloated looking and it wasn't corrected until the excellent 79 redesign. Good episode!

[@Sedan57Chevy]

I have enjoyed all of your guest interviews, but the ones with Wayne are always my favorite. Not only is Wayne still sharp, he was a part of such an interesting period of Cadillac, and played an important part in creating several of my favorite cars. The 79 wasn't just a good design- it was a good example of how GM could share some body elements with sister cars, but retain a unique brand look and identity. Compare an eldo to a Riviera or a toro and they're all rather distinct. Too bad Cadillac didn't share in the one big advantage the other two had... an olds 307! I agree with you Adam, I was seeing some elements of the 92 Eldorado in a few of the sketches.

[@johnwinter9722]

Interviews with Wayne are terrific. A humble and incredibly talented guy. My dad had an '83. Post blue with white leather and an HT 4100. He had it fitted with a white vinyl top and a continental kit. I loved his Cadillacs, and mine as well in later life, but that Eldo was not my cup of tea. He drove it well over 100k (two motors, though). Perhaps the poor performance of that overdone blue Eldo was why he transitioned to two successive Allantes (one with the vastly improved 4.5 liter and one with the Northstar) in his next Cadillac adventures.

[@MarinCipollina]

There's never been a car that looks better with a conti kit.

[@rainbowwarrior2635]

I was reading about the actual events that led to the film "Casino" in 1995. It's basically all a true story. And it is true that for just the 1981 model year they put a massive steel plate under the drivers seat to correct a balance issue and that's what saved the guys life.

[@AlexanderWaylon]

Awesome video. You see the Buick angles in some of his artwork perhaps habit formed from his time at Buick? I find it so interesting yet it makes total sense the resemblance of the 76 Regal and 77 Riviera to the 79 and 80 new Cadillacs because he did them all 😁 @ 20:48 that looks an awful lot like the 80-85 Toronado! I wonder if that design didn’t get shown to Oldsmobile division. I had thought to myself that his Riviera proposal that got him in trouble was the basis of the 79 E body design. Thanks again.

[@jkholley1118]

An amazing and beautiful car. Wish they made cars like that today.

[@CSltz]

I sure would like to talk with him about the new designs for Cadillac. What amazes me is how the new designers have come to the conclusion. That the American people have gotten smaller and more flexible with time. I had a lot more room in my 93 Sedan Deville than I do in my 98 Deville. Headroom especially.

[@pierreinuk]

What is the book with the Cadillac pictures, please? Many thanks for all your great videos.

[@davidbolt5113]

The magazine is Collectible Automobile.

[@pierreinuk]

@@davidbolt5113 Thanks

[@xxtaas777]

What is the name of the booklet/Pamphlet that contained all the photos of the Eldorado design & development?

[@Flies2FLL]

I was 13 years old when these came out in 1979 and I thought these were some of the best looking American cars ever, and the best looking Cadillac ever. The interesting part is that this used the original longitudinal FWD drive train that dated back to the '66 Olds Toronado, a very classy touch. Great video!

[@marko7843]

Longitudinal yes, original no... They had a smaller Turbo 325 trans instead of the 425.

[@Flies2FLL]

@@marko7843 YES Marko that is true. I think that Cadillac should have kept this drivetrain for their cars and let the other divisions have the transverse layout with the transmission behind the engine. It just looks "right" for a Cadillac to have the valve covers north and south versus east and west....

[@Flies2FLL]

I didn't reply for this video-

[@danharasty6686]

FIRE in BAY TWO ! So goes likely the ECM this time as Tech driving my 85 into Keyser Cadillac Shop... again. They give you a free cut-glass bowl fancy candies free for any repair bill over $2000.00

[@jimmyg5636]

My favorite El Dorado thanks to Mr Kady. Where are the martinis? Love that touch in the interview

[@garyruark9506]

It was a styling home run. Wish the next generation was. Seems it was possible to be too small.

[@atikovi1]

How was the stainless steel top attached to the roof?

[@MarinCipollina]

Industrial grade adhesive was used.

[@puffkendrick6850]

Wow ,I owned a 67 ,68 ,72,75,76,78 and 79 Eldogs.The79 came with the 350 Olds engine which I was forced to install a carburetor on engine,otherwise great autos to drive.

[@arevee9429]

This looked so much better than the 4 door version - the Seville. Lack of a "bustle back" probably helped a lot.

[@cabaneencac5168]

9:00 In these early sketches of Eldorado there is room in the front overhang to put a V-8 in longitudinal position with axle transaxle directly to the rear of the engine. Low hood ? ...a flat boxer 8 maybe . 12:00 lower one look like a Citroen Sm

[@Flies2FLL]

-Cadillac for their FWD cars should have kept the longitudinal FWD drivetrain that debuted in the '66 Toronado. Apparently GM changed the actual transmission behind engine, but it is still the same basic drivetrain. They could have used the transverse FWD layout with the transmission behind the crankshaft for everything else, and the 3800 Buick V6 engine. When you open the hood of a Cadillac, you should see valve covers going north and south, not east and west like a Volkswagen Rabbit. Hello? In any case, I think it was about 1985 when the FWD A bodies [Olds 88/98, Buick Park Avenue, Pontiac Bonneville] came out with the transverse layout and the boxy, easy-to-recognize-from-brand-to-brand body came on the market. GM in it's great bean counting ways used its engineering talent once again to produce the "lowest common denominator", or the cheapest car that would still sell to idiots who were determined to buy a GM product, hell or high water. Here's how it works folks: GM has the best automotive engineering staff in the world, bar none. Not Mercedes Benz, not Toyota, not Porsche. GM is the best. But the difference with the companies mentioned is that GM uses TO THIS DAY their engineering muscle not to produce the best car possible with the fewest problems, but the CHEAPEST to car to produce that will still sell in volume. Which means they spend their time researching what things "irk" people and specifically steer away from these, while actively trying to produce a part as cheaply as possible. Reliability at 200k miles? That may be an issue at Toyota, but not in southeastern lower Mish-Gin, I'll tell you! -My dad was an engineer for Detroit Edison and we lived on Grosse Ile, surrounded by families who's fathers were engineers for the auto companies. He told me his golf buddies who worked at the auto companies told him that the atmosphere in the engineering departments was not good. Everyone was trying to stab each other in the back to get ahead, and you were only as good as your last cost cutting idea. Apparently Ford was the WORST and they had problems with executives committing suicide due to the pressure! Anyway, great video! I fly 767's for a reason-

[@fob1xxl]

Hands down the best-looking Cadillac back then. To me, the 1984- 1992 Lincoln Mark VII series was a sleeker, more aerodynamic design. The Cadillac was still stuck in the boxy look.

[@wmalden]

In 1986, I was tempted to buy a 1982(?) Eldorado Biarritz from someone at work. I loved the look of the car but I decided not to buy it because of the V8-6-4 engine it had. I ended up buying a 1985 Continental Mark VII LSC from a dealer. Best decision ever. I absolutely loved that car.

[@solemandd67]

​@@wmaldenI enjoyed my '89 MK VII LSC. Excellent car. I considered a '84 Eldorado Touring Coupe, but the underpowered HT 4100 axed it in my mind.

[@humanbraininrobotbod]

That glass of water next to the artwork is making me nervous! (I just spilled a cup of coffee on my keyboard yesterday.)

[@michelbeauloye4269]

The Hunchback Cadillac has been in my opinion very much inspired by a Daimler (UK) design, the Daimler DS420 Monarch Limousine.

[@glennmullis1477]

This body style of the Cadillac Eldorado and the Buick Rivera of this same design are my favorites.

[@smiddysmidton8313]

Amazing ! Thanks for these interviews.

[@patcurrie9888]

The 84/85 Eldos were beautiful but plagued with electronic problems.

[@markharkey2480]

Nice video Adam! These were all my favorite models back in the day.

[@fhwolthuis]

Great interview again, Adam👍🏻👍🏻😀

[@johnireland6301]

I had a new 1983 Eldorado diesel. Very trouble free car. I put a John Deere water separator on it and John Deere fuel conditioner in it and never gave a minutes problem.

[@JS.436]

I wonder what Wayne thought about the 1981 Imperial.

[@Mr.Higginbotham]

Very nice. Love the exterior but the interior is absolutely gorgeous.

[@TimGrimes-q2q]

ah, yes. my dad's first Cadillac, just as pictured. he was very proud to finally have arrived as he would phrase Cadillac ownership. unfortunately, dad never understood shop math, as in how many days of the mouth would the caddy be in the shop? and the answer is, V8-6-4

[@bobbbobb4663]

I grew up riding around in a 1981 Eldorado. Had the pre DX block that was eventually swapped. Fondest memory was when the passenger side window got out of track and broke when my brother closed the door (due to the frameless design). This was the car the finally caused my father to go to Mercedes and he is still driving them.

[@marko7843]

I fell in love with a customer's 2-tone '79 as a kid, in copper & chocolate brown, and I swear I would still be driving my '81 if the (cast iron!) engine hadn't self destructed... Alas, it happened AFTER I had made my own "Touring Coupe" with the factory mags, new rear glass and trim pieces, and removing the padded landau when I repainted it & replaced the headliner. I agree with Adam, in fact the sketch at 9:00 looks even more like the '92 Eldo - and I think there was a Chrysler spy in the room at 1:51... I see the 1981 Imperial!

[@DD-dj4jr]

Yes that bustle back design that was not chosen for the 1975 Seville and kept creeping in by designers who weren’t aware of the need for a classic instead of a fad design on high end cars…..had that 1980 Seville been more of a 4-foot Eldorado Cadillac perhaps might have not lost as many buyers…..maybe

[@adamsneidelmann8976]

Great with the 350 gasser.