For General Motors, 1953 was a landmark year. Buick was celebrating its 50th anniversary and GM’s traveling Motorama was warmly welcomed by the public. Alongside the astonishing, new and very pricey Buick Skylark and Oldsmobile Fiesta, Cadillac introduced the Eldorado, which at $7,750 was the most expensive GM car to date. This lofty sum was 90-percent above the sticker on a standard Series 62 convertible and nearly $2,000 more than the next most expensive model, the Series 75 Fleetwood Imperial Sedan.

With a unique wraparound windshield and custom interior, only 532 examples were built for privileged clients and, in conjunction with their Oldsmobile and Buick counterparts, have come to represent a veritable “Grand Slam” in the collector car community.

Cadillac also celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1953. The cars it presented to the market for this important milestone were emblematic of its stature as “The Standard of the World.” Big, luxuriously equipped, opulently trimmed and powerful, the 1953 Cadillacs deserved their position at the top of the General Motors line. These were cars to which a generation aspired.

The model gained additional exposure when Dwight Eisenhower rode in one during his January 1953 Presidential inaugural parade. For many, this signaled their first opportunity to see this phenomenal new Cadillac.

The long and low appearance of the Eldorado is no mere illusion. It actually rode lower than the standard Series 62 convertible, and it is easily distinguished by its fender dip. The 1953 Eldorado has a body by Fleetwood, while the chassis and powertrain were basic Series 62: 210-hp, 331 cubic inch overhead-valve V-8 and GM’s excellent Hydra-Matic four-speed self-shifting transmission. The compression ratio had been increased for 1953, and all Cadillacs had a 12-volt electrical system, a sign of things to sweep the industry during the next three years. New for ’53 was the optional Autronic Eye, an automatic headlight dimming device that responded to oncoming lights; this is seen as an extra on this beautiful car.

The Eldorado came with a host of features as standard equipment: whitewall tires, wire wheels, signal-seeking radio, foglights, automatic heating system, color-keyed parade boot, fender skirts, windshield washers, license plate frames; power seat, windows and steering. This Eldorado also has a power radio antenna.

This Eldorado is an outstanding example of a certified Milestone Car and one of Cadillac's most desirable classic automobiles. It has been professionally restored in the late 1990s by Harbor Auto Restoration in Pompano Beach, Florida and looks beautiful in Code 22 Artisan Ochre with a Code 4 Black soft-top and Code 35 Black leather interior. The Eldorado is an AACA “standard” that is in Class #29 and is recognized as Car #11341.

Among the many awards it has received are the Amelia Award at the April 1998 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance; October 1998 AACA National First Prize (Junior) at Hershey, Pennsylvania; January 1999 Ocean Reef Concours d’Elegance Best of Show – Post War Class, March 1999 AACA Winter National in Orlando, Florida; March 11, 2001 Cadillac LaSalle Club National First Place – Primary in Denver, Colorado; March 10, 2002 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance; August 10, 2002 Cadillac LaSalle Club of Canada National First Place Senior in Dearborn, Michigan; November 2, 2002 AACA Grand National First Prize (Junior) in New Bern, North Carolina and in August 16, 2003 AACA Grand National (Senior) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Exciting in its mood, brilliant in its styling and dazzling in its beauty – the dramatic Eldorado introduced an entirely new concept of motorcar design. Created by the master craftsmen of Cadillac, this creation exceeded the fondest visions of America’s automotive enthusiasts in period. The fascination and desirability for this American luxury standard is unwavering.