The Star-Studded Journey of Steve Plunkett’s 1961 Cadillac Several of Steve Plunkett’s Cadillacs have storied histories tied to music and movie stars. But only one is currently in a
supporting role for a major streaming series. Steve’s 1961 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible is in Hamilton, Ontario, where Amazon Prime is producing a new series based on the life of Mohamed Ali. Called The Greatest , it’s just the latest version of Ali’s life story, authorized by the late champion’s family. Magnum PI star Jaalen Best will play Ali. Early on, when Ali collected prize money for fighting, he bought this gorgeous
vehicle in pink as a gift to himself, and a ’59 Cadillac for his mom. When Steve purchased this car twenty-four years ago it already had a history of transporting celebrities. It was owned by a wealthy Alberta family, the Catalinis. They operated several hotels in Medicine Hat, Alberta, including the Assiniboia, Cosmopolitan, Royal, and Corona Hotels. When there was a parade in Medicine Hat and a visiting dignitary needed to be chauffeured in luxury, this was the vehicle they rode in. Princess Anne was driven in this car. So were Canadian country music superstars Tommy Hunter and Wilf Carter. They enjoyed one of the smoothest rides of the time. The four- speed automatic has a 390 V-8 engine giving 325 horsepower to those relaxing in its leather seats. This vehicle is one of Cadillac’s rarest models. Only 1,450 were produced with a base price of about $6,500 USD. That’s almost 4.5 times what a VW Beetle cost then. If this premium car drove through your town, it would definitely make your head swivel. It came loaded with options most cars of the day didn’t have, including factory air conditioning and power windows, locks, seats, and radio antenna. It also has remote controlled side mirrors and automatic-dimming headlights. Cadillac liked exotic names. Eldorado is a mythical city of gold that supposedly existed in South America in the 16th and 17th centuries. The first Cadillac Eldorado was introduced as a premium convertible only in 1953. As of 1956, the company split the Eldorado into two models. The Eldorado Seville was a two- door hardtop, and the Eldorado Biarritz, the convertible. They
borrowed Seville from the city in southern Spain. And Biarritz is a city just north of Spain on the coast of France. The Seville was dropped in 1961 but the Biarritz continued until 1964. That year, the Biarritz name was retired and the line was renamed, Fleetwood Eldorado. The Biarritz title was revived from 1976 to 1991 to name a décor upgrade for Eldorados. For fifteen years, Steve Plunkett turned his love of cars into the Fleetwood Country Cruize-In, an event that supported local Charities and raised over $1.7 million. “Taking a passion that I love and creating an event that benefits so many people has been a blessing,” says Steve. The event attracted thousands of people and cars from across North America. When not at home on his estate on the outskirts of Byron, Steve tours invitational car events and shows across North America, showcasing his classic cars.
Page 6 Byron Villager June 2025
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