1959 Cadillac Eldorado

Eldorado was a model built by Cadillac from 1953 to 2002. The name Eldorado was derived from the Spanish words "el dorado", the "gilded one"; the name was given originally to the legendary chief or "cacique" of a South American Indian tribe. Legend has it that his followers would sprinkle his body with gold dust on ceremonial occasions and he would wash it off again by diving into a lake. The name more frequently refers to a legendary city of fabulous riches, somewhere in South America, that inspired many European expeditions, including one to the Orinoco by England’s Sir Walter Raleigh. 

For the 1959 model year Cadillac produced a total of 142,272 cars. 1959 therefore was Cadillac’s third-best year in the 50‘s. The 1959 Eldorado incorporated totally new styling: large tailfins, twin bullet taillamps, two distinctive rooflines and roof pillar configurations, new jewel-like grille patterns and matching deck latch lid beauty panels personified these cars. They reflected the innocence, unsophisticated excitement and self-satisfaction of America during that era. They were Rock ’n’ Roll, outer Space and color TV – wrapped up in chrome and sheet metal with wide whitewall tires. And then those fins, the most popular ones in Automotive history.