1984 & 1985 Eldorado Biarritz American Sunroof Company Convertible – Detail Reference Page

• Color : where only available in white  (Except on a black sable limited edition)
• Material & texture:
• Rear window : is made of Glass  
• Seam edging: 
• Chrome tips :
• Head linear :  
• Perfect corners as pictured below 

• other then white (except on a Black Sable limited edition )
• Not made of the material as pictured ( Hartz canvas material)
• Different grain or texture . 
• Poorly fitted back corners , When these cars were built they  had a piece of plastic in these area that prevented them from "puckering " after 40 years the plastic is hard and brittle and cracks when top is replaced 
• wrinkles or sags . 
• Large or puffy from leading edge where it meets the windshield header 

These are made of plastic and as the car ages the plastic  hardens and the adhesive bites in—so removal and reinstallation without damage to them is difficult. Replacement (aftermarket) moldings  often point to paint or panel work, I have also seen many times they are left in-place on a car repaint or repair and painted in place. 

• Color-keyed: Moldings are molded plastic in a solid color to match the body color 
• Material & texture: Plastic with a subtle, uniform grain—not glossy, 
• Placement: Runs straight along the mid-body character line on the front fender, door, and rear quarter. Height is consistent across the door seam.
• Profile & ends: Even thickness, sits flush, with a spear and beginning of fender and ends with a square cut , Starts with a square cut & ends with a square cut on door , Starts with a square cut  and ends with a spear on rear 1/4 panels 

• Not color matched to car
• Not made of the plastic as pictured 
• Different grain or width. Feels coarser/finer or looks slightly too wide/narrow.
• Cut ends. Square, razor-cut tips instead of molded, spear ends.
• Waves or drift. The line isn’t perfectly straight, or it steps up/down at the door seam.
• Visible tape. Exposed adhesive, lifting corners, or gaps at panel edges.

1. Sight the line: Stand back at fender height and look down the side—should be arrow-straight.
2. Check the seams: The front fender, door, and quarter pieces should align perfectly where panels meet.
3. Feel the texture: OE grain is shallow and even; many replacements feel different.
4. Edge audit: No exposed tape, ooze, fresh cut edges, or overspray at the molding line.

The wheels and tires found on 1984–1985 Eldorado Convertibles often raise questions, especially regarding whitewall width and correct sizing. Because these cars were converted by ASC and produced during a transitional period for GM tire specifications, variations do exist — but they follow a clear pattern once understood.

1984 & 1985 Cadillac commonly used the 1.5-inch wide whitewall 

There has been a rumor that the 1985, Eldorado Convertibles used a smaller white wall as Cadillac had transitioned to the much thinner whitewall stripe that was becoming the  standard across the lineup. But any of the images I have come across show the larger 1.5 " white wall .

Dealers also frequently substituted Vogue tires at the buyer’s request. Although they were a premium option and remain available today, they were never standard equipment from Cadillac.

A standard 1984 & 1985 Eldorado came with a P205/75-R15 tire 

If some one opted for the optional "touring suspension" option code FE2 they would have the P225/70-R15 

ALL 1984 & 1985 Eldorado ACS Convertibles had the FE2 suspension as part of the special built Eldorado Biarritz hard tops that were sent to ACS to convert into a convertible . SO all 1984 & 1985 ACS built convertibles has P225/70-R15 tires as evident by the sticker in the door jambs  

• Do not confuse 225/70R15 with 225/75R15.
  The 225/75 is nearly two inches taller, will not fit the Eldorado correctly, and dramatically affects the car’s appearance and drivability.

Today, the challenge is that very few manufacturers produce a 225/70R15 with a wide whitewall. Options include:

• Vogue Tyre only makes a XXXXX tire (thin whitewall with gold stripe)
• Vogue Tyre  Has a new Classic white , but not in the correct size 
• Diamond Back custom whitewall (premium, but expensive)

At the moment, no mass-produced option offers the classic 1.5-inch whitewall in the correct overall diameter.

Summary

Understanding the tire and wheel details on these rare convertibles helps preserve authenticity and clears up common misconceptions. A 1985 Eldorado Convertible wearing wide whitewalls is not automatically incorrect, nor does a thin-stripe car necessarily indicate a tire change — it all depends on production timing, original dealership delivery, and decades of owner preference.

The quarter trim moldings on the ASC-built Eldorado convertibles changed between 1984 and 1985, but the pieces will interchange if you replace the complete set. Here are the key differences:

• The side molding narrows as it curves upward toward the rear of the car.
• Where the molding meets the trim piece that runs across the back of the car (just above the trunk and boot snaps), the 1984 design is visibly thinner.

• The molding is wider and more consistent in thickness along the top edge.
• The rear trim piece that spans from side to side is also wider, matching the updated side moldings.

• The pieces do physically interchange—but only if you swap:
  
  • Both side moldings, and
  • The small center trim piece that covers the seam where the rear moldings meet above the trunk.

Some early-production 1985 convertibles still used the 1984-style moldings, depending on ASC inventory at the time.
Because of this overlap, owners should inspect their existing moldings to determine which style their car uses before ordering replacements.

Most convertibles came equipped with one of the following:

• Wire wheel discs (locking type) – the most common wheel cover on 1984–1985 convertibles.
• Aluminum spoked wheels (RPO PG9) – optional and seen less frequently, but available from Cadillac.(discussed below) 

Both wheel types were offered only in 15-inch size, matching the factory tire specifications.

You could not order the optional Alloy wheel option PH3 when ordering a Convertible 

One of the most frequently asked questions about the 1984–1985 Eldorado Convertibles concerns pinstripes — and the answer often surprises people.

The factory-built Eldorado convertibles (converted by the American Sunroof Company – ASC) did not receive side pinstripes when new. The reason is simple: during the conversion from coupe to convertible, ASC’s modifications to the upper body and beltline interfered with the original coupe’s pinstripe location. As a result, no side stripes were applied at the factory.

However, every Eldorado Convertible did receive a single factory pinstripe on the trunk lid. Any side striping seen on these cars today was either added by the selling dealer for aesthetic reasons or applied later by an owner.I spoke with an employee of a Cadillac dealer who sold these cars and there service manager would have the body shop add stripes to the Brand new cars thinking there was an error at the factory and they were improperly not added 

It’s worth noting that the presence or absence of side pinstripes does not indicate whether a car has been repainted or altered — many left the dealership brand new with added stripes, while others remained plain as delivered. The trunk stripe, on the other hand, is an excellent originality indicator if it remains intact and properly positioned.