I've completely forgotten.. How soft is the ride compared to my Fleetwood Brougham.. I know the suspensions back then (79-85) were softer - and I know the wheelbase was shorter... But I'm wondering if the ride could be nearly as soft because of those old mushy suspensions...

Oh, man, they were SWEET.

The car rode softer, but didn't weigh as much as your Fleetwood so it was a little easier to handle. FWD on those cars did tend to "plow" through hard turns, but under moderate acceleration they were fine.

I think that the wheelbase on those cars was somewhere around 114" but I'm not sure. That's still longer than most cars on the market today.

Amazingly, the back seat was bigger in '79 than it was in '78.

So, say a '79 Eldorado Biarritz - or even an '85 - it rode SOFTER than my Fleetwood Brougham? :D

I got ONE reply?

...not that it wasn't a good one. :p

So, say a '79 Eldorado Biarritz - or even an '85 - it rode SOFTER than my Fleetwood Brougham? :D

I think so.

I've driven both, although I drove the Eldorados a minimum of twenty years ago and the Fleetwood three months ago. My recollection is that the Eldorados were softer.

By softer, I mean "bouncier" and that they floated more. That's not necessarily a good thing.

If that bounce or float eats the bumps in the road better, that's what I'm wondering about.. It sounds as if it does.. It's been so long since I've driven in one of those old Eldorados.. I"m going to need a very big garage one day. :o

They wern't real tight handling cars...But the ride was sweet and they were very roomy. If my '85 would have had more power I'd probably still be driving it today!

I have had 3 early 80's eldo's and all 3 drove like a dream. I had to replace alot of front suspension parts to get a tighter feel but in all the ride was a true pleasure. The only thing that the car lacked was POWER. Other than that I still would like to someday have another one.

The '79 had an Olds 350. Plenty of power there!

I've never driven a Fleetwood like yours, Sal, but I can tell you that my 85 Biarritz Coupe just floats along like a hovercraft.

My son and I drove it from Phoenix, AZ here to Cincinnati, OH just before Christmas. 2100 miles in 3 days and we arrived home fresher and more relaxed than a 4-5 hour cross-country flight in coach.

Just a 2 ton leather couch...

Bob

The 80's model Eldogs road like whip cream! They were smooth and very floaty and did not handle very well. But that ride was very nice and smooth. The leather in some models was nice and so was all of the electronic dash stuff.

What was it that made those cars so soft, exactly? I want one again.. My '79 Biarritz was pretty quick.. I guess it had that Oldsmobile 350...

It has soft everything...springs and shocks. The car is very disconnected from the pavement and has enough mass that the body damps really well.

It doesn't make for a great handling car, the car is easily upset if you try a quick steering maneuver and that mass and front wheel drive kinda defines understeer.

The 4.1 liter V8 is smooth and just enough to move things at a dignified pace. The '79 might, indeed, do better in the horsepower dept.

I have a '97 Corvette in the stable if I feel the urge to scamper around the back roads but the Caddy rules the superslab... ;)

By comparison, though, my recollection is that the Eldorado is much more nimble than the DeVilles were in those years. And yes, Sal, the 79-80 models had the Olds 350. The '81 got the 8-6-4.

I'd love to see some pictures of your car... I need to get our Photo section repaired AGAIN. Every time I do an upgrade on vBulletin, it causes problems with Photopost. :<

A few things you can do to an early 80's Eldo or Seville to make them handle better. 1. turn the bolt on the front torsion bars clock-wise to put more tension in them. 2. adjust the rear level ride link to add more air to the rear air shocks. 3. replace the sway bar link rubber with harder types. 4 Go to a 16 inch wheel and shorter tire. I had '94 alloys from a Sedan DeVille redrilled and installed on my '84 Eldorado. The freeway ride was the same, the cornering was much improved. Still miss that Eldorado!

You bet! I have an '85 Biarritz, and even after I dropped the back 2 1/2 inches it still rides like you're on water.

Probably the best Caddy I have owned was my 89 Eldorado, that is until I slipped into the 05 STS. Nice riding car.

Funny... my Mom had an 80s Eldo back then, and I recall the rear particularly being harsh. I think it had a manual air-leveling switch under the dash--that was probably aftermarket... ruining the ride.

Regarding handling... apparently there was a sport handling option for a few dollars more. Check out this article from the heyday...

1981 Popular Science: Three Classy Coupes
http://www.imperialclub.com/Articles/81PopSci/index.htm

If you want the most awesome ride, the full size 70s were it. The 80s were smaller and had less mass to dampen the ride. In my 75 Deville I can take just about any speed bump at just about any speed I damn well please. Like the ones on a street I always go on I have to take them at 20 in the ETC, but I've done 55 over them in the 75 and it was about the same harshness as 20 in the ETC. The 81 Eldo I got to drive once was in between.

If you want the most awesome ride, the full size 70s were it. The 80s were smaller and had less mass to dampen the ride. In my 75 Deville I can take just about any speed bump at just about any speed I damn well please. Like the ones on a street I always go on I have to take them at 20 in the ETC, but I've done 55 over them in the 75 and it was about the same harshness as 20 in the ETC. The 81 Eldo I got to drive once was in between.

Wow. I'm very curious to ride in one of those. I've never had the luxury of doing so. Fancy living rooms on wheels. How do they handle? I read on an article that while cornering on some of the larger cars you would lose sight of the markings on the road due to the lean.

Allegedly the Lincoln Town Car, has that same technology of the "old days" and that car is smooth on a straight line, but pitches and rolls like the Queen Mary.

On my ETC I have CVRSS and my two rear shocks are leaking :suspense: Car still handles well, but I'm careful over bumps and such as those struts are $700 a pop.... they have to be replaced in pairs... ouch. :crying:

I had an '83 Eldorado Touring Coupe and it had the best handling and "road feel" of any Cadillac I've ever driven (And I've driven alot!) I sold it to a guy who owned a '94 or "95 ETC and he preferred the handling of the '83!

I had an '83 Biarritz...am actually on the market for another, i loved it so much...

The 83 Eldorado I have had a very sweet ride. I say "had" because I haven't had it on the road since 98. It came with the "touring suspension", making it nice and soft. No not a canyon carver by any means, but I don't expect that out of an 80's cruiser.

My eldo definately rides like a boat. don't expect ANY sharp turns out of this thing.:lildevil: But my shocks are the original factory-stock shocks (i know, i know, but i don't have any money right now) and they are LONG past their prime. I feel EVERY bump on the road and I actually drive on the inside lane so I can avoid the gutter lane, which is usually more torn up because of rain run-off, etc.

Wow. I'm very curious to ride in one of those. I've never had the luxury of doing so. Fancy living rooms on wheels. How do they handle? I read on an article that while cornering on some of the larger cars you would lose sight of the markings on the road due to the lean.

Handle, eh? The 80s models don't handle very well, but man the 70s models are the worst. I will take it to next months autocross and videotape it and post it here so you all can see.

I have an '84 eldo as my daily driver. I live only 1 1/2 miles from work, and I couldn't be happier with the ride.

Whoever said it earlier was correct in saying that it is like driving a living room couch. Mine has a cloth interier, instead of the leather, but it is still great. On the open highway, it's like your floating on air. I don't think they handle too bad, considering the weight. It will plow some if you go into a turn hard, but mine doesn't lean hardly at all.

I know this is off the subject, but the other great thing about these eldo's is the styling. They really look nothing like what's on the road today, and mine looks like it is brand new. When I first got it, I asked my mother in law what year she thought it was, and she said an '02. I told her she off by a couple of decades.

People kind of look at it funny, because it's been 20 years since they made these cars, and they have never seen one. Sometimes they will say something like "my grandfather had one of these".

Definitely the 1979-1985 Eldorado has very tasteful styling.... ahead of it's time. If you get a chance, look up what it was running against on the article from Popular Science circa 1981:Three Classy Coupes...


http://www.imperialclub.com/Articles/81PopSci/index.htm

I will take it to next months autocross and videotape it and post it here so you all can see.

We would enjoy that! I'll look forward to it.:rolleyes:

Hehe - 2.1 Gallons of displacement on the '75 SDV. I like that......

There's a little story behind that. My friend who drives a ricer Saturn with a 1.9 liter asked how big the engine was so I told him 2.1. He started making fun of it, saying it must be the slowest car ever... until I said gallons.

Damn I miss the days of smooth riding beasts. My 97 deville rides ok but by far the 85 Eldo minus the power rides the best. My 2002 Impala is like riding a horse however. Seems technology and time exceed comfort these days.

From what i recall , they were a sweet ride....now mind you, not quite as nice as driven on a pillow say in a 76' Sedan De Ville, but it's a caddy nonetheless...and every moment in a caddy is Sweet ! :thumbsup:

Yes, my 84 and 85 Eldo Biarritz have a comfort of a soft leather couch! They literally float over the road. Not quite as nice as a 77 Lincoln I drove, but still not bad.

But they also handle like a couch. No sudden turns, please! :)
The rear end is very light and wants to break free during sudden line shifts or turns.
Since it is a couch on wheels, it also has plenty of roll!

But I still love the ride! Nothing like what today's cars have.

And since I also own a 93 Eldo TC, I have the best of both worlds (just not in the same car)

:D
Peteski