I have never really pretended to be any fan of George Barris’s work after the early 1960s. His late model “kustom” Camaros and Prius hybrids are the kinds of things that make you want to wash your eyes out with boiling acid. As history will show, he was at it long before Toyota stuck batteries in a bread box. This eBay find is an illustration of his “kustom” touches applied to the otherwise fantastic looking 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. This special Barris version of the car was called the Del Caballero and it was apparently designed with the discriminating pimp in mind as the primary customer. I was not alive in 1967, so I need someone who was to verify that this thing would have been a rolling disaster are back then or that it would have been cool.
The Del Caballero was a Barris design that was executed by the Universal Coach Corporation, a company that was normally in the business of converting cars into limos and hearses. With the Del Caballero, Universal added the sunroof over the driver’s area, the landeau half roof out back with the hearse-like metal side bars, a silver name plate with the owners name, deluxe hubcaps, special rear window, the horrifying grill, and the interior that simulates what death would look like if you fell into a vat of Velveeta. Reportedly, several dealers across the country sold these special editions. We have no idea how many, but we’re guessing (praying?) that it wasn’t a large volume operation.
The owner of this car has invested tens of thousands of dollars (so claimed) in having the Caddy painted, the interior redone, and other cosmetic work completed. He is selling this “very rare” car and may be a little depressed that the current high bid is a shade over $1,000. Some cars are rare because they were specialized machines and their hand built construction kept production numbers low. Other cars, like this one are rare because the world simply didn’t want them or they answered a question no one asked. Or they looked like something that a character in the as yet un-invented genre of blaxsploitation films would drive. If forced at gun point, we’d choose this Barris inspired design over this Prius work, but then we’d drive the thing into the Grand Canyon (while watching safely from a ridge).
Scroll down to see more photos and the eBay ad! If you were alive…was this “cool” in 1967?!
ebay ad link: 1967 Barri Del Caballero
Brian, It’s 6:45am and I am nauseous.
Five minutes ago, I was feeling great.
This is your fault!
LMAO! x2!
need sunglasses, and a barf bag, just for the inside of this car….
I’d roll in it.
Barris’ cars are all overcooked POS. The cartoon/superhero cars were cool for kids but this thing is typical Barris crap. And this guy is considered an industry icon?
George Barris in my book is one heck of a car guy and has done much in the past six decades as a positive spokesman for all gear heads, in general, and Kustoms, in particular.
As the only English teacher to Wisconsin State Prison convicts, I heard plenty in the late Sixties in my classrooom about the Del Cabarello, mostly from pimps and pimp wanabees. It was the ultimate vehicle to own as far as they were concerned. Their eyes lit up every time they mentioned it.
The James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever was a good show place for these cars. Im pretty sure there was at least one on big screen…
Be harsh all you want, but the gaudy neo-classic style was an emerging competitor (and reaction) to muscle car tropes at the end of the ’60s. And as literally millions of earth-toned, neo-classic Detroit personal luxury coupes in the ’70s and ’80s proves, this affectation ended up dominating the mainstream.
(Of course things swung too far in the other direction in the mid-80s and ’90s with the predominance of drab, metallic areo jelly beans, boxy SUVs and “football-shaped” “bubble” sedans)
Barris merely reflected a popular trend in that aesthetically bankrupt era.
BTW, the “hearse-like metal side bars” are properly known as Landau bars, and were an ersatz detail that evoked old drop-head coupes and earlier horse-drawn carrages. They were popular among devotees to neo-classic “Continental” style, and even OEM on some vehicles.
J.C. Whitney and Pep Boys likely sold thousands of sets back in the day.
No one builds cars that satisfy everyone, but before you come down on George too hard…..have you been more successful than him? The quality of his work is legend…..plus….he has done much for the industry….cars are like women….a 10 to one guy may only be a 1 to someone else…..Go George!
^^^ What he said.
Ever hear that song? diamonds in the back, sunroof top, diggin the scene wit a gangster lean, uh huh??? Hahaha!!!
This looks like a tame version of the pimp rides and disco mobiles of the early to mid seventies. Maybe its the car that started it all???
In my opinion this car and the over the top ones like it are like todays donks. I remember them back then with the landau roofs, big furry interiors, wire wheels, wide whites, curb feelers, ect, ect.
Yes, and let us not forget the old car salesman’s credo…”There’s an ass for every seat”!
Shit i like it
It’s okay I guess but the lack of swivel capitain’s chairs is a deal breaker for me.
If J.D. Hogg wore a velveeta suit this would have been his ride- just add bullhorns! THEM DUKES! THEM DUKES!
Id drive it if it were a different color,I like these Caddies and this on the more tame side was a pretty cool style,some looked really nice. Still better than the subdued boring crap thats out there today. The James Bond movies that has a few like this in it is “Live and let die” they are actually from Dunham coach in NJ.
Can I get one in purple?
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Looks like a four wheeled creamsicle . . . . .
I was alive back then and I’ve seen pimpmobiles like this on the streets of Detroit and Chicago. This Barris creation (except for the color) isn’t as gaudy as some of the ones done by “custom” shops. Get the dvds of Superfly and Dirty Harry for more of these in action…
I’d paint it matte black and put an obnoxiously loud exhaust on it, keep it utterly filthy inside and out, and thrash the crap out of it.
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I have a 1969 Eldorado that looks VERY similar.
Mine is Gold, white vinyl roof complete with landau handles, Rolls Royce type grille, standard interior.
Still has an original ‘Jack Kent, Denver Colo. Cadillac’ badge on the back.
It certainly gets noticed!
Gary
Auckland
New Zealand.