Mike Goldman Customs Raises the “Standard of the World” on a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz
Doyle Thomas is a discerning car enthusiast who has had the good fortune to amass a sizeable fleet of vintage cars and trucks – an assortment dubbed by some as the Whata Collection as a nod to Doyle’s multiple Whataburger franchises. Doyle is also a patron to several of our industry’s top hot rod and custom builders and always seems to have multiple cars in the works.
For his most recent project, Doyle wanted to take a rare 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz – the Standard of the World in its day – and bring it up to, well, modern world standards. To achieve that goal, he turned to the team at Mike Goldman Customs. Everyone involved agreed the convertible should retain its classic appearance while taking advantage of some of the best aftermarket mechanicals available.
The first call was to Art Morrison Enterprises, where a GT Sport chassis was built to give the big Caddy a performance-based front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and a triangulated four bar rear suspension locating a Strange 9-inch rearend. Wilwood disc brakes ensured safe stopping and Curtis Speed was called on to whittle 18×8-inch versions of the classic Cadillac Sabre wheels, which were wrapped in Diamondback Classic wide whitewalls.
A big Biarritz just begs for big power, which the Goldman crew delivered with a supercharged Chevrolet Performance LT5 crate engine generating more than 750 horsepower. It’s dressed up with PML valve covers, a good dose of smoothing and painting, a Wegner accessory drive, and Hooker exhaust manifolds leading to a custom exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. An 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission makes it easy to hit the open road.
The custom under-hood panels surrounding the modern engine represent the most significant metalwork on the body. The exterior was essentially left alone, save for tightening gaps and ensuring good panel alignment and straightness. Don Bracken at Mike Goldman Customs gets credit for the brilliant Victory Red finish.
The inside follows a similar theme, with a blend of classic style and modern technology. The modified original Biarritz dash has been outfitted with Dakota Digital instruments, Vintage Air, and a tilt column with a custom steering wheel modeled after the original. Blood red leather stitched by Paul Atkins covers bucket font seats, a custom console, a modified rear seat, plus custom door and side panels.
Finished in time to debut at the 2023 SEMA Show, Doyle’s Cadillac Biarritz takes the Standard of the World to a new level of refinement, performance, and comfort. It’s an ideal cruiser for a night on the town, a road trip, or even a simple run to Whataburger for a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake.
Photos by John Jackson
