Does anyone have a old picture that proves what the continental kit style was for the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz model? Please read through to the end.

[RafaelAbrão]

Hello guys. My name is Rafael and I live in Brazil.

First of all, I'd like to begin by apologizing for any misinformation I may have spoken. I do not understand about cars like you and I come here even with a certain shyness, afraid to speak, but even so the certainty that you can give me some help has brought me here.

 Anyone searching on the google " 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Continental Kit" will come across the most diverse types of installation of this additional, many of which allied with descriptions of "custom car", which leads us to believe that they are cars with the kit added many years after the release.

  I'm looking for some image of the time of the launch that has this specific car with this additional installed, because I wanted to be sure of the style of the cover of this continental kit that was installed as an option at the time of purchase at the dealership. The style of the continental kit may not have been as diverse as the results that Google shows. I researched some references on http://www.automobile-catalog.com but also found nothing. Could you guys help me?  I don’t know if it was a kind of spoke wheel with a tire behind, I do not know if it was a kind of hard cover that completely covered the spare tire (as in the casings of the Thunderbirds' spare tire) and if it was that style, how was. I really don’t have any concept to be sure of the ORIGINAL continental kit offered by the resellers at the launch of Eldorado Biarritz. All the photos of the time seen by me so far show the model without this additional.

 Thanks in advance.

[WQ59B]

There was no factory-offered continental kit for '59- that's why Cadillac-created publication/photos/artwork never show a continental kit. I don't know what the last year a factory kit was offered. Looking at it that way, NONE are original.

The reason you see a diversity in vintage pictures is that there were more than 1 aftermarket kit company, and any cars a dealer may have facilitated a kit to be installed on would have likely used one of these multiple kit companies.

[Pomeroy41144]

This is what a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado is supposed to look like---NO continental kit.  

 

 

[Robert G. Smits]

WHY would you add a continental kit to that?????

[Larry Schramm]

It would need it's own zip code for the kit.

[tripwire]

When I saw one for the first time I thought it was a booster stage for an Out of This World Experience.

And, Larry's right: Zip Code, Area Code, etc.

Continent?  Maybe that's why it's called a continent(al) kit?

 

 

[joe_padavano]

Apparently the only time Cadillac offered an "auxiliary wheel carrier" kit (do NOT call it "continental" when it's on a Cadillac ) was 1957.  Even those were aftermarket and dealer installed, but they were factory authorized.

 

 

57WheelCarrier.pdf

[Brass is Best]

8 hours ago, WQ59B said:

There was no factory-offered continental kit for '59- that's why Cadillac-created publication/photos/artwork never show a continental kit. I don't know what the last year a factory kit was offered. Looking at it that way, NONE are original.

The reason you see a diversity in vintage pictures is that there were more than 1 aftermarket kit company, and any cars a dealer may have facilitated a kit to be installed on would have likely used one of these multiple kit companies.

 

The only example of a post WWII standard factory installed continental wheel I can think of is the 1956 Thunderbird. In all other cases it is a dealer installed or aftermarket accessory. That is why no two ever seem to be alike. 

[SC38dls]

1 hour ago, Larry Schramm said:

It would need it's own zip code for the kit.

Zip code how about license for two states at once ?

[RafaelAbrão]

I don’t know how to thank all the information you have brought with you, with so much clarification.

 I'll tell you the reason I came to ask about the - let's call now auxiliar wheel carrier, just to be clearer - so as not to look like a crazy person than I should have already appeared kkkk

 As I think the text shows, I’m no less knowledgeable enthusiast about automobiles, however I have true fascination for the contemporary cars at the Eldorado Biarritz of 1959. Because of this, I researched for a good few days for a miniature that I liked the most purchase. Because I had an obvious preference for Biarritz and because I had found a 1:12 size model, it was pretty much decided that I would buy this one. However, the size and the model itself didn’t make me forget the "absence" of an auxiliary wheel carrier in that car, a detail that in my opinion adds a unique charm to the car, so I thought I'd add this detail.

  BUT as I think it could also be noticed in the text, I never thought about doing something without historical accuracy, it was never in my plans to “add any tire to the back of the car and that's it”. The information that this item was not included in the factory default for this car came quickly to my ears, but even so I thought it could be bought as an option at the dealership at the time, or that at least there was something that could assure the existence of any standard look for the item added precisely to that car. Thanks to your help, I clarified that no, that what I thought has no basis.

 

  Therefore, since my intention was never to do something out of historical accuracy, even if this "charm" guaranteed by the presence of the auxiliary wheel carrier is missing, if a 1959 Eldorado Biarritz shouldn’t contemplate the presence of any similar item, this will certainly not be any longer added in my miniature.

 

A superthank you to all.

Edited January 17, 2018 by RafaelAbrão (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

At least this owner found the one car he could park next to that was LONGER... 

 

[tripwire]

Rafael,

I hope we didn't insult you or otherwise hurt your feelings with our postings.  We can be a cynical bunch of grey beards here and usually the comments are meant to be in fun.  It's nice to see people involved with old cars regardless of where they are from or what area of interest they have; our interest is very diverse, much like the people we interact with. 

I'm sure you'll find quite a few of us can and do find many car related items to collect: model cars, books, pictures, posters, badges, car show plaques, etc. 

I'd love to be able to afford and store all the cars I find interesting and exciting but I'm no Jay Leno.

Good luck with your modeling.

 

Wes in VT

[RafaelAbrão]

7 minutes ago, tripwire said:

Rafael,

I hope we didn't insult you or otherwise hurt your feelings with our postings.  We can be a cynical bunch of grey beards here and usually the comments are meant to be in fun.  It's nice to see people involved with old cars regardless of where they are from or what area of interest they have; our interest is very diverse, much like the people we interact with. 

I'm sure you'll find quite a few of us can and do find many car related items to collect: model cars, books, pictures, posters, badges, car show plaques, etc. 

I'd love to be able to afford and store all the cars I find interesting and exciting but I'm no Jay Leno.

Good luck with your modeling.

 

Wes in VT

I didn't feel offended at all, in any post, for whatever reason, Tripwire. Thank you for your concern.
  In fact, if at any time there was something that I could be offended about, I must confess that my ignorance with some english terms may have kept me from this risk KKKKKKKKKKKK
  I only have nice things to say about the help all of you gave me. If I seemed to feel offended by anything, you can be sure that it was all for my fear of being seen as ignorant asking questions about something I don''t understand and that you do understand - and quite apparently.   ;D

[jrbartlett]

I'm old enough to have been a teenager in the late '50s. I can tell you that continental kits back then were far more rare than they are on today's restored cars. 

[Larry Schramm]

4 hours ago, tripwire said:

Rafael,

I hope we didn't insult you or otherwise hurt your feelings with our postings.  We can be a cynical bunch of grey beards here and usually the comments are meant to be in fun.  It's nice to see people involved with old cars regardless of where they are from or what area of interest they have; our interest is very diverse, much like the people we interact with. 

I'm sure you'll find quite a few of us can and do find many car related items to collect: model cars, books, pictures, posters, badges, car show plaques, etc. 

I'd love to be able to afford and store all the cars I find interesting and exciting but I'm no Jay Leno.

Good luck with your modeling.

 

Wes in VT

 

Don't forget about Lionel Trains and etc...

[tripwire]

1 minute ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

Don't forget about Lionel Trains and etc...

Lionel Trains are the best.

How about Aurora Thunderjet HO Scale cars?

[Bleach]

That's a great example why these cars should not have one.

 

[Bloo]

The gas fill on a 59 Cadillac is in the center on the back.

[Wheelmang]

Can't imagine the cost to re-chrome that. WOW!

[Joe in Canada]

One thing you should note is to take everything out of your trunk before you put it on.  You will never be able to reach into it again.

[RafaelAbrão]

3 hours ago, jrbartlett said:

I'm old enough to have been a teenager in the late '50s. I can tell you that continental kits back then were far more rare than they are on today's restored cars. 

Thanks for this interesting info, jrbartlett.

[tripwire]

I found some rigs that don't look too bad with auxiliary wheel carriers mounted.

[tripwire]

And here's one with a Continental kit.

[joe_padavano]

15 hours ago, jrbartlett said:

I'm old enough to have been a teenager in the late '50s. I can tell you that continental kits back then were far more rare than they are on today's restored cars. 

This sadly is true with most "restored" cars today. Every "restored" muscle car today has every single option possibly available from the factory. When these cars were new, hardly any came fully loaded like that. We were lucky to be able to buy a stripped down version. Heck, we wanted performance, not power windows and cruise.

[Buffalowed Bill]

Muscle cars with every single option, but not a whitewall to be seen or a wire cap either. When they were new more then half came with the first, and a good chunk of their less well powered siblings, came with the second.