Little change was evident for 1966, the final season for the rear-drive Eldorado. This was a record sales year for Cadillac, its fifth in a row, and 1966 Eldorado production was exceeded only by the 1955 total. And that’s as it should be, for a car with such a great heritage should end on a note of triumph.
But by now, Cadillac had decided it was again time for something truly new. It appeared the following year in the form of the first front-wheel-drive Eldorado, which would set a new standard for personal-luxury transportation. This car would only strengthen Cadillac’s dominance in the upper end of the market. In first-year sales alone it exceeded its predecessor’s combined total for the previous 10. Nevertheless, this success wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the memorable Eldorados of the Fifties and early Sixties. With the best of everything Cadillac had to offer in those years, they left an indelible impression in the minds and hearts of owners and would-be owners everywhere, and you can’t ask much more than that.
FLEETWOOD ELDORADO SUB-SERIES 684
Fleetwood type trim was seen again on the Eldorado. Equipment additions included white sidewall tires and a six-way power front bench seat. It was to be the last season that conventional engineering characterized this model.
STYLE
Model Number
Style Number
Body Type
Seating
Factory Price
Shipping Weight
Production Total
66-684
68567-E
2-door Eldorado Convertible
6
6631
4500
2,250
ENGINE
Type
V-8 Overhead valves
Block
Cast iron block
Displacement
429 cubic inches
Bore and stroke
4.13 x 4.00 inches
Compression ratio
10.5:1
Brake horsepower
340 @ 4600 rpm
Bearings
Five main bearings
Valve Lifters
Hydraulic valve lifters
Carburetor
Rochester four-barrel type, model 7026030
CHASSIS
Wheelbase
129.5 inches
Overall length
224.5 inches
Front tread
62.5 inches.
Rear tread
62.5 inches.
Automatic level control standard where indicated in text
A new engine mounting system and patented quiet exhaust were used.
Tires
9.00 x 15
CONVENIENCE OPTIONS
Air conditioner
$495.
Controlled differential
$54.
Cruise Control
$97.
Door guards on two-door models
$4
Soft Ray tinted glass
$52.
Delete-option heater and defroster
$97 credit.
License plate frame
$6.
Power door locks
$46
Power headlight control
$51.
Power vent window regulator option
$73.
Radio with rear speaker
$165.
Radio with rear speaker and remote control
$246.
AM/FM radio
$191.
The new seat warmer
$60.20
Rear seat belts
$18.
Head rests
$40.15
Front seat belt delete-option
$17 credit.
Adjustable steering wheel
$91.
Twilight Sentinel
standard
Five white sidewall tires 9.00 x 15 size with four-ply construction
standard
HISTORICAL NOTES
Best ever sales and production year in Cadillac history.
Second year running for sales increases, despite a downturn in the overall market for U.S. cars.
First season for delivery of more than 200,000 new units.
A record of 5,570 one-week builds was marked December 5 and a record one-day output of 1,017 cars was achieved October 27.
The 1966 models were introduced October 14, 1965.
Towards the end of the summer 1966, a new assembly line was setup to manufacture front-wheel-drive Eldorados conforming to 1967 model specifications.
