“EL DORADO!”

Over the passing decades, the name Eldorado has come to refer to a legendary “City of Gold,” which has long been sought after but never acquired by all those who seek fame, fortune, and plunder. Only slightly less desirable in 1953 was Cadillac’s Eldorado, which was, at the time, the most glorious automobile that the company had ever produced. It was the first production Cadillac to carry the name that would continue to mean the finest in American luxury for generations to come.

It was one of the 1952 General Motors Motorama dream cars that were ushered, largely unchanged, into limited production the following year. It was, essentially, a Series 62 Convertible Coupe; however, the body was radically reshaped, incorporating a wraparound windshield, Packard Darrin-like “dips” in the doors, and an acrylic fabric convertible top that disappeared neatly behind a metal boot when lowered. This being the 1950s, comfort abounded within. Power seats, windows, and steering were all standard in the leather-trimmed cockpit, as was a signal-seeking radio, an automatic heating system, and windshield washers. The package was finished with wire wheels that were shod with wide whitewall tires.

In a public relations coup for the ages, the first production Eldorado literally rolled out with the president of the United States in the backseat, as Dwight Eisenhower used it for his inaugural parade in January 1953.

Only 533 lucky souls got to experience what it felt to be like Ike. The original Eldorado has gone down in history as the most unique and rarest of the many cars to carry the famous name, and it remains among the most desired of all post-war Cadillacs.

The car offered here, number 288, is actually the second 1953 Eldorado to have been owned by the Andrews, as they are a family that loves its Cadillacs, having owned just about every important post-war model over the years. As Chris Andrews tells it, “We had purchased our first 1953 Eldorado and then came across this one, which was being finished by its owners. It was clearly such an exceptional restoration that when they finished it, we bought it and sold the other one.” The aforementioned prior owner, Ronnie Branch, spent five years on the Eldorado’s restoration, with the work being accurately described in a note to Cadillac historian Yann Saunders as being “very expensive but…very beautiful.”

Today, this is, without a doubt, one of the finest Eldorados known to exist. It is finished in its original color of Azure Blue, and it has a deep, rich shine, which is indicative of careful, correct paintwork over bare metal. The interior is tight, fresh, and simply without complaint. The chrome throughout sparkles, down to the tiniest trim pieces, all of which have been restored to the same extremely high standards, and the dashboard gauges are jewel-clear. Under the hood is correctly and accurately finished to the original standards of factory fit and finish, and it includes its proper tags, decals, and labels, as well as authentic wiring. Panel fit throughout is superb.

This Eldorado is the finest example that RM Auctions has ever had the pleasure of offering, and it is the one that every serious collector has been waiting for. It would surely stand out in any collection, even in the “City of Gold.”