Rare Rides Icons: The Cadillac Eldorado, Distinctly Luxurious (Part XLI)

Many of the updates Cadillac made to its line for 1965 were under the skin. There was a new perimeter frame that became the de facto underpinning of the traditional domestic sedan, placement of the engine was farther forward than ever before (for more passenger space), and a modern automatic transmission arrived via the THM400. But there were changes on the exterior too. Cadillac shrugged off the protruding tail fins it wore since 1948 in exchange for sleeker integrated ones, and newly stacked headlamps gave the brand’s lineup an all-new look. Today we check out the exterior updates as applied to the new 1965 Fleetwood Eldorado.

(Note: The light blue Eldorado is the 1964, while the blue-green example is a 1965.)

The visual edits to the 1965 Eldorado were obvious upon first glance, just as General Motors intended during its “new every year” era. Stacked headlamps greeted the onlooker and made for a more upright profile from a front three-quarter view. Headlamp awnings were still present but reduced even further, complimented by a thick chrome bezel that came to a point underneath each headlamp. The headlamp arrangement had a notably greater quantity of chrome than in 1964.

Headlamps extended from the grille more than the prior year, as the grille grew more angular. Horizontal sections at either side of the grille pushed the pointed section inward, and made it look more complex. The grille was no longer bisected by chrome or a painted section, and was a single cohesive surface. The design of the grille’s slats was about the same as in 1964, just in a greater quantity given the additional surface area. There was also a new chrome bar at the top of the grille that separated it from the hood.

The hood itself was sharper and taller than in 1964, with a more defined power bulge. It wrapped over the front end more fully than the prior year, and meant the Cadillac crest and wreath were moved a bit lower. It extended outward to meet the fenders, which were now upright and rounded. The redesigned fenders axed the largely flat surface area that was required to cover the span of the ‘64s horizontal headlamps. 

The bumper was a more complex affair for 1965, as it followed the angles of the grille. At either corner it came to a stronger point than the previous year. The grille detailing at the corner was gone (replaced with a headlamp), and confined to a rectangular area ahead of the front wheel. The 6” forward movement of the engine was very evident at the front corners, as the sheer amount of metal ahead of the tire was very noticeable in 1965. For the first time, indicator lamps were integrated into the bumper as they strayed away from the headlamp assembly.

Fender detailing was at an all-time low in 1965. The character line above the headlamps of 1964 was reduced to a mere crease in 1965, carried through as a very soft line across the entire body. Front wheel openings carried over in their design, but the bumper that formed the front portion of the wheel well was smoothed to its fullest extent.

Windshield rake was relaxed somewhat in 1965, highlighted by a thinner chrome window surround and a very angular vent window. As before, there was a limited amount of decoration on the flanks of any Fleetwood vehicle: Eldorado block lettering returned on the lower portion of the fender, along with some simplified rocker panel chrome. Ribbing detail was gone (again), but there was a thin strip above the main rocker trim to emphasize the convertible’s long and low shape. 

At the rear wheel well, the skirted fender which was deemed undesirable in 1964 returned in full force. In this new design it was necessary to make the Eldorado look as long and as sleek as possible. Worth noting, all Cadillacs of 1965 wore a skirted fender, as class and “sports” differentiation faded away. Wheel designs across the line were updated to a polished chrome wheel cover, as the finned or spoke detailing of the prior couple decades were sacrificed in the name of smoothness. Whitewalls were much thinner than the prior year, as thick bands on the tires faded from popularity.

At the rear the Eldorado’s long, slab-like fenders came to their squared-off endpoints. The side view of the car reflected a more formal, upright rear end that lacked the upswept tail of previous versions. Immediately notable were the integrated fins that made every prior Cadillac (and the current Seventy-Five) look dated. 

Fins came to an upper and lower point and lacked any integrated brake or indicator lamps. Lamps instead were consolidated into a rectangular cluster ringed with a thick chrome bezel. Carried over was the simple fender ornamentation of the Cadillac wreath and crest, signifying a Fleetwood vehicle.

The trunk lid was more upright and square, as it absorbed the vertical volume previously occupied by the tall tail fins. Its square shape worked to make the blunt rear end look more substantial. Model branding increased this year, as Eldorado block lettering appeared on the trunk. 

Tail lamps were more complex looking than in 1964, with an outer clear section divided into four segments and a central red lens in a smaller rectangle. Between the lamps was a revised grille detail, which had long horizontal strakes and (oddly) did not mimic the grille detail as previous examples. With more surface area to cover given the square nature, the rear grille, chrome bezels, and bumper were all bigger, chrome-ier, and taller.

The grille detail met with a bumper that was more square, and extended further downward. It joined with the large bezels around the rear lamps, which also extended downward. The rear end now featured a smaller set of traditional tail fins, and a new set of fins underneath. That’s four total fins now, if we’re counting. 

In our next installment we’ll check out the interior revisions made to the 1965 Eldorado. In an interesting turn, though the car underneath was undoubtedly more modern, interior design seemed to take a step backward. You’ll see what that means in the next installment.

[Images: seller]

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Source: The Truth About Cars