1976 Eldorado Cadillac history

Cadillac’s personal-luxury coupe had lost its rear skirts in a major 1975 restyle.

• This year brought no drastic changes, but some styling refinements.
• The “Cadillac” script signature was now on the hood (driver’s side) rather than the grille itself.
• Though similar to the 1975 version, this year’s crosshatch grille was dominated by vertical bars.
• peaked forward at the center.
• It at so reached a bit higher than the quad rectangular headlamps.
• New amber-lensed parking lamps rested down in the bumper; horizontal amber-lensed cornering lamps sat back on front fenders.
• Massive vertical extensions of the outboard bumper protrusions stood at front fender tips.
• Eldorado script was on rear fenders and decklid.
• Wide, simple new taillamps were continuous red slots within wide bezel frames, below the decklid and above the bumper.
• Backup lights were on each side of the license plate.
• Additional red lenses, facing both side and rear, sat in the massive vertical chrome fender extensions.
• Distinctively-shaped opera windows sloped down and forward at the base, following the dip in the quarter panel.
• Other styling highlights included dual accent stripes next to upper and lower crease lines of the hood’s beveled edges.
• Upper stripes ended at the hood’s rear edge; lower stripes extended all the way to rear edge of door.

The big 500 cu. in. V-8 powered Eldos once again, but in weakened, detuned state compared to prior years as a result of more rigorous emissions standards. Bendix electronic fuel injection, which had become optional in 1975, was available again; but the basic engine held a four-barrel carb.

New wheel covers had a black center hub area with bright metal raised wreath-and-crest. Eldorado’s simulated wood dash insert displayed a carved gunstock pattern. Four-wheel power disc brakes were standard, as was a padded vinyl “half” roof. A sunroof was optional. So was the Astroroof that debuted in 1975, with tinted panel for power sunroof, along with sunshade and metal slider.

The front-drive Eldo’s rear suspension included upper and lower control arms, helical-coil springs, and automatic level control. Up front were torsion bars. A chain drive connected the torque converter section to the gear portion of the automatic transmission. Interiors could be Mansion Knit fabric in any of four colors; Merlin Plaid in two; or 11 Sierra Grain leather possibilities. The Custom Cabriolet option had first appeared in 1972. That roof this year featured padded Elk Grain vinyl in choice of eleven colors with bright chrome molding, plus wreath/crest ornamentation on sail panels.

A Custom Biarritz option arrived late in the model year. That one included thick padding on back roof area, a limousine-style backlight, opera lamps. chrome molding along fenderline, and Sierra Grain pillow-soft leather seats. The package came with or without an Astroroof or sunroof. Eldo held the dubious record of being the world’s biggest car with front-wheel drive–delivering gas mileage to prove it. Back in ’76, though, the coupe got far less attention than the convertible, simply because this was the final year for any GM ragtop. Though hardly rare with 14,000 copies rolling off the line, they gained considerable media coverage and the covetous attention of speculators hoping to profit mightily from the last of a long line of open- topped Caddies. Except for the final 200 all-white examples, Eldorado’s convertible top came in white, black, dark blue, firethorn, dark blue-green, buckskin, or ivory color.