Luxury in Chrome and Fins The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible is an American classic. With its jet-inspired design, twin-bullet tail lamps, and massive tailfins, this vehicle typifies luxury and that you’ve “made it.” Steve Plunkett purchased this vehicle twenty years ago from a collector who was downsizing. (It’s one of three cars he bought at that time.) Its body and paint had been restored but it needed a lot of, “small mechanical work,” says Steve who is known for taking every car in his massive Cadillac collection out for exercise on a regular basis. The company made only 1320 of these models overall. Only one hundred of them had bucket seats. And only forty-six of them came with all the options, like Steve’s. In 1959 it arrived standard with power steering and brakes, power windows, and seats. But Cadillac piled on the extras for those who could afford the definition of luxury. They included air ride suspension, cruise control, an automatic headlight dimmer, and air conditioning. It also had a unique power folding fabric roof with a metal parade boot, which is a hard, body-colored cover that hid the folded top. There would be no stuffing the top at the back of this high-end ride the way so many other convertibles did. “These ‘59 Cadillacs were the ultimate example of excess and flamboyance of the fabulous 1950s,” Steve says. They had it all, power and good looks. A 345 horsepower 390 cubic-inch V8 engine equipped with a Hydra-Matic transmission, the heavy, rear- wheel-drive car offered a smooth and powerful ride. It had a 130 inch wheelbase and at just three inches short of nineteen feet long, it was definitely meant for the owner who wanted to be noticed. The quintessential “big fin” convertible, with lots of chrome on the outside and plenty of leather inside, had a high price tag that put off many buyers. Its 1959 sticker cost was $7401.00, nearly $2,000 more than a standard convertible. Adjusted for inflation, that price is equal to more than $82,000 today. Not surprisingly, the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible signifies wealth in movies and on TV. This model made appearances in many films including “Breathless,” “Into the Night” and “Tommy Boy.” More recently, it animated versions of the vehicle appeared in “The Cleveland Show” and “American Dad” and turned up in a historic background during the megahit live-action series, “Stranger Things.”
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 Komoka, Steve tours invitational car events and shows across North America, showcasing his classic cars.
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KKD Villager October 2025
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