Gleaming under the sunny Australian skies with a beautiful patina, a 1969 Cadillac Eldorado custom sport wagon is now up for auction in Sydney, having originally belonged to “Rat Pack” member Dean Martin at about the same time as the Dean Martin Show was winning the “King of Cool” a Golden Globe.
Finished in white with ample chrome accents and with faux wood livening up the window pillars, doors, rear quarter panels, and roof, the 1969 Cadillac Eldorado is being sold by Donington Auctions with no reserve and a starting price of approximately $5,568.
Along with the eye-catching sculpting of the uniquely customized eighth-generation Cadillac Eldorado sport wagon’s exterior, several flourishes of late-Sixties technology are also found in this vehicle. The power rear quarter windows slide horizontally into the C-pillar rather than vertically into the body. The hatchback is also power operated.
Under the hood, this sleek machine cradles a 472 cubic-inch or 7.7L V8 gasoline engine developing 375 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque, a remarkable powerhouse for its day. The ’69 Cadillac Eldorado features a front-wheel drivetrain configuration and mates the V8 engine to a three-speed automatic transmission.
Inside the cabin is white and cream upholstery, some of it in need of a little cleaning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the typical amenities found in this Sixties Cadillac sport wagon. The engine starts and runs, but is rough and needs some repair and retuning.
On top of its retro elegance and appeal, this 1969 Cadillac Eldorado has its Rat Pack credentials fully verified and documented. Originally customized for Dean Martin by California custom auto expert George Barris, the owners of Custom Coach in Lima, Ohio, Tony and Richard Baker, confirmed the authenticity of Martin’s ownership. They carried out restoration work on the vehicle 25 years ago and were recently able to verify it is the same machine originally owned by the King of Cool himself.
The sport wagon also comes with a Kustom Industries Certificate of Authenticity signed by the original customizer, George Barris, which verifies the VIN number as belonging to Dean Martin’s Eldorado.
The auction is currently under way and is open to international bidders, with international shipping available through Austorient Freight Services,
Motorsport Logistics of Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia. The current bid as of this writing is the starting price of $5,568 with no reserve, and an estimated final selling price of $16,377 to $22,938.
The video below shows a brief walkaround of the Cadillac Eldorado, so you can decide if you want this exciting piece of automotive and Rat Pack history in your own garage:
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Comments
Those Pep Boys accessory fender bumps on the front seem to say that George Barris probably didn’t want to build this thing, but saw the money and took the job.
Tart it up and ship it!!!
Oi! The George Barris fanboyz are thick in here.
Fair enough. I didn’t read the room.
…That’s Amore!
Where’s the bar?
A sellling point you likely won’t see…..”Ashtray never used”.
Too Italian.
The successor to the Ecto-1.
I’m sorry but that thing is hideous 🤮
Looks like the wagon in Matt Helm movie ….
The Chicago Wiseguys in all it’s glory, “FUGGETTABOUTIT!!!
At least it has white wall tires.
Really should find pictures with him in it.