1979 Cadillac Eldorado US import, Left-hand drive. One of a kind in UK.

1979 Cadillac Eldorado coupe 2-door Description

This car was hit while stationary by a van. Driver side door (left hand drive) sustained damage in that there is a crease and door doesn't fully close properly. I know a mechanic who can get this fixed for an affordable price. (This repair has NOT been done yet. If you want to buy, you will do it after the sale.) I am about to accept an insurance payout and let the insurance company take away the car and destroy it. If anyone who is a Cadillac enthusiast or wants to do a project on this car like doing up and selling it, as long as you meet the reserve price, I am happy to sell to you. If not, I will accept insurance payout and let the car RIP.
(So please don't make silly offers. Anything below reserve price, I will not even consider as I will get more cash by accepting cash settlement from insurance company.) I would rather go to someone so the car can live on as it is still beastly-going on luxury machine, than to RIP it, but I just don't have the time. (Done-up, flashy, good condition cars like this are up for sale for anything from £15k to over £25k if you look around.)
This is probably the only one 1979 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz in the UK.) In July 2016 I saw exactly the same (all white) in excellent condition being sold in Germany for well no 5 figures. I have owned this car for the past 8 years since the summer of 2008. During that time, I barely did 3,000 miles. (So on average I did about 400 miles a year.) This was my 3rd car. (I have my everyday car, my weekend car adn my one of a kind car. This is the last of those.) I will tell all good and bad bits.
BAD bits:
- This car is almost 40 years old and has gathered a lot of rust especially on the front side chrome bumper and hood (bonnet).- Some plastic lining (cosmetic) parts just above and to the side of the bumpers both on the front and back sides are missing.- The external roof part (leathery material) has worn off.- Internally it's not looking great. Leather seats (white with blue trim) has become dated so doesn't look like brand new.) Ceiling on the inside does look worn out. Small decroative wood-effect parts (for example to either sides of teh door handle) have come off so I have had to sello tape them. Some interior lining and trimming have deterioated considerably.- This car was hit by a van while stationary. (They admitted liability.) The driver side door (left hand drive) is creased and does not shut properly but I know a mechanic in London (Brixton) who can fix this for about £300.- Air conditioning doesn't work.- Power steering pulley disc is bent but it still drives.- Sometimes when you drive and accelerate, especially turning sharp corners, it makes a very high-pitched noise and the steering wheel isn't smooth and instead it's heavy. I think that is the power steering pulley disc not being straight and the pulley belt not being straightened. But it still drives OK.- So basically this car drives fine but it looks very dated and worn with a lot of rust. That's why it's a few thousand. If this car was wholly redone to a shiny and flashy like-new condition, this car would cost a few tens of thousands. (I wish I could to it and have wanted to but I just don't have the time.)- One of the seat's back pocket lining has come off, it has a metal bit that the previous owner placed to close the gap but it's come off so is hanging loose, but you can still put stuff in there, as a pocket it will functions. Just looks lousy and undone or damaged.- Almost no logbook prior to 2008. When I bought the seller (in UK) gave me some paperwork like most recent MOT pass certificate, but there wasn't really any history of the car.- The steering wheel feels a little loose and you can lift it upwards. But you wouldn't want to do that, and it drives fine.- Battery always drains from full to flat after 10 days of not using. I had 3 car electricians to have a look. They couldn't find the cause. So now when I park the car, I open the bonnet and disconnect the battery so as not to get the battery flat the next time I drive.- Car usually doesn't start the first time. But after about 3rd or 4th attempt it will start and the engine will hold. (Nothing wrong with the engine. Just the age, like if you're 40yo, you don't run like a 20yo sprinter anymore.)- MOT expires in 2 or 3 weeks' time on 30 Nov 2016.
GOOD bits:
- Car drives fine.-52,986 genuine mileage from 1979 in almost 40 years. (When I bought the car in 2008 mileage was56112. So I did on average about 400 miles a year for the past 8 years that I owned it.)- Car had a brand new gear box (July 2016) with 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty, whichever comes sooner.- Most of electrics works, still after almost four decades! (The door lock button doesn't work, and lowering and closing the passenger side window from driver side doesn't work, but from the passenger side window works fine. All mirrors are electrically adjusted and works fine both side. Seats are supposed to be adjusted front and back, reclining down and back up, and going up and down. I think 2 of those 3 functions work fine.- When I bought this car in 2008 it only had seat belts on the front seats (which was the legal requirement at that time for a car of this age). But I installed airplane-style seat belts on all three back seats.- I had this car (in London UK) since 2008. Previous owner had it for 5 or 10 years I believe, that person is a British Cadillac enthusiast and collector. Before that I believe there were 2 or 3 owners in USA.- Car has a spare tyre and 1 emergency tyre. Has all kits for replacing tyre yourself like jack or whatever you call it etc. Car comes with many small accessories like headlight casing parts. I also have some small Cadillac emblem or wheel centre part, as well as Eldorado or Biarritz writing logo that you can stick on the car. I will throw all those in for free.- Most of lights work. All lights that need for passing MOT works. (Headlights, side lights, high beam, indicators, hazard warning lights, fog lights (which was installed by previous owner to comply with UK/EU requirements when imported), all dashboard lights, internal central ceiling lights, internal back passengers reading lights all work. the visors for driver and passengers, when flip you open the cover, i think lights are supposed to come on. (I know this as I was driven in one of these in the 80s and I remember.) But that mirror lights on the visor don't work. The boot lights work. (When you open the boot you'll have lights.)- Radio, CD player and speakers all work fine.- Good tyres on all four wheels.- The car can be driven away right now.