Confusing Looks of the Allante?

[caddymark]

Can anyone tell me the major body differences between a 91/92 and a 93 model Allantes? Are there major ones in styling other than the side window?

I am looking at Allantes, and maybe it is the photos, but the earlier models look so much smaller (87-89) and even the early 90's seem different from 92/93. Some white Allantes look beige, while others are brilliant white. Isn't there just one Allante white? Could it be the camera? Thanks!

[wcoates]

The outward appearance differences that you refer to are the windows on the '93 plus the front lower air dam was changed in '93 to accomodate the introduction of the N* engine.

Pearl white sometimes referred to white diamond and others was a three stage paint process that ages with some color distortion (yellowing). Refrigerator white as referred to by many was a later add and had significantly lower production numbers. I'm sure Stealth has many of these questions answer in the FAQ section.

[wcoates]

This is an explanation that was sent me months ago that explains the mid year changes in the 93my I thought it was a saver. Also speaks to some general changes of the '93 to prior. Hope this helps!

There are two varieties of 93 Allantes: The V4J cars and the non-V4J cars. I would guess that more than half are V4J, but not many more.

The V4J has a powertrain essentially identical to that in the 1993 Eldorado ETC, of which a good many were built, and for which parts would not be a problem for a good while. The non-V4Js have a unique transmission which does not interchange with anything else. That is the big significance of the V4J in 1993.

The 93 continues the electric latches of the soft top to the windshield header exactly like the Phase 2 system introduced with the V4J in 1990.

The 93 Allante has different doors which have one-piece window glass, unlike the "fake" vent windows (which are actually anti-wind buffet devices, streamlining the air flow past the ends of the windshield). You get more wind buffet with the top and/or windows down in the 93 than with the earlier cars under the same condition. (Why would a 50k+ (and up) car have "fake" vent windows?)

93 Allantes have more body flex than the earlier cars and that may have to do with the door latches which are quite different from the pin-type locators on the earlier doors.

The 1993 Allante does not have the Keiper-Recaro seats. Instead, they have American built seats very similar to those in the Eldorados.

The very early 93 Northstar engines had a tendency to leak oil at the mid-block joint which would fail and require replacement. This was a dealer job to fix, and generally cost in the order of $2k and up. On the plus side, most of those were replaced under warranty, but the possibility that a few have been missed exists. If you go to see a 93 for sale, check the garage floor where it sits. If there is a block leak there'll be a lot of oil there. Then ask. If the gasket replacement was never done and should have been, cut your offer by about $3,000 ... the likely Cadillac price these days.



The 93 shares the same top pulldown oddities as every other Allante. Oh, and it came standard with an EC center mirror prone to fail, dumping purple, acidic fluid on the carpet and upholstery. A Donnelly-made replacement exists, and some owners got failed mirrors replaced free, or at a significant discount.
It appears in the database that the V4J option set begins around PU127025 or so. Perhaps they made an effort to begin them at PU127000. I don't know that, though. PU127031 was built in November, 1992, and it is a V4J.
For pursuit of the ultimate 93, I would do my looking in the 128000 to 129311 (last Allante) area. The later the better.
There is one problem, though. If you get too far out there, you run into cars that are (or tend to be) all Natural Beige Interiors, all Silver Accent strips, and all Analog clusters.
And, just to be double-safe, always look for the V4J on the SPI sticker in the spare tire well.