The V-63 used an improved version of the L-head V8 engine that made Cadillac famous. The main innovation was a cross-planecrankshaft which improved balance and smoothness. This design required complex mathematical analysis, and was simultaneously patented by Peerless. Both companies agreed to share the innovation, which became a market distinction being able to exclusively offer a V8. For model year 1924, the Packard Eight straight-eight was now a competitor due to its reduced vibration.[3] The body style choices were expanded to 14 while commercial applications weren't offered. New innovations included the availability of Balloon tires mounted on either wire wheels or steel pressed discs, while wooden wheels made of hickory were standard equipment along with the availability of front-wheel brakes.[1]
The most noticeable update for 1925 was the introduction of two classifications of body style choices. The "Standard" bodies was added for 1925 that offered a five-passenger Brougham, two passenger Coupe, four passenger Victoria, a five- and seven passenger Sedan and a seven-passenger Imperial limousine. A higher content "Custom" body styles offered a Roadster, Touring Car, Phaeton, five passenger Coupe and Sedan, seven passenger Suburban with the top level seven passenger Imperial limousine, while the mechanicals and chassis were otherwise largely unchanged. Coachwork continued to be offered by Fisher Body who was the primary supplier of all GM products at this time, and Duco automotive lacquer paint, introduced by DuPont was the first quick drying multi-color line of nitrocellulose lacquers made especially for the automotive industry. The introduction of lacquer paint afforded the clients with a choice of 24 matched color choices along with 10 different upholstery patterns.[1] The retail prices listed started as low as US$2,995 ($46,278 in 2021 dollars [4]) for the Brougham, while the top level Imperial limousine was listed at US$4,485 ($69,300 in 2021 dollars [4]).[1]
Series 314, 341 and 353 (1926-1930)
The naming convention was refreshed for 1926 as the Series 314 signifying the engine displacement, with a further enlargement to 341 in 1928.[1] The previous "Custom" line used the 138" wheelbase while the "Standard" line remained with the 132" wheelbase. The New V8 was introduced as the "New Ninety Degree Cadillac" making note of engineering improvements while retaining the flathead architecture. The chassis, body and engineering was shared with the all-new LaSalle Series 303 and also used the V8 but with a 303cuin (5.0L) engine displacement. The commercial chassis returned, offering both an ambulance and hearse while bodywork was now supplied by Superior.[1] 1926 was the year the Chrysler Imperial was first introduced, and the rivalry continued for several decades.
Cadillac identified all products built every year by engraving a number on the engine and all changes made during a model production were recorded by engine number, which affected parts for repair and correct paint number codes. Starting with the Series 314 a unit and car number was instituted which meant each car was assigned an engine number engraved on the engine block and a corresponding plate attached to the firewall to aid in vehicle registration.[1] Cadillac also instituted marketing changes for its products to break away from industry established trends every year. Previously, cars were advertised with the model or series designation along with the name "Cadillac". With the introduction of the Series 314, it was simply advertised as "Cadillac" and every new model thereafter was introduced as "The New Cadillac" with series or model changes only mentioned when the vehicle needed service.[1]
Fleetwood Metal Body in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania began to supplement premium level coachwork in tandem with Fisher Body beginning in 1927. Standard and Custom body style choices were supplied by Fisher, while Brunn & Company offered four choices, and Willoughby Company offered a Town Cabriolet for US$4,800 ($74,878 in 2021 dollars [4]). With the list of available customized coachwork choices continuing to expand, starting with fifty body style and types, five hundred color and upholstery combinations were available while utilizing a 132" wheelbase.[1] 1927 was also the year the LaSalle Series 303 was introduced, allowing Cadillac to pursue ever increasing exclusivity of body style and luxurious appointments in competition with the Packard Eight and the Lincoln L series with their expanding list of coachbuilders.[1]
The first displacement upgrade to the Cadillac V8 was introduced in 1928, the first change since the engine was introduced in 1915, and while the internal designation was now known as the Series 341-A, the car was advertised simply as "The New Cadillac" along with the introduction of LaSalle junior companion brand and was the first time there were more than one product line from Cadillac.[1] GM had successfully purchased Fisher Body and Fleetwood Metal Body earlier in 1925, and provided the Cadillac customer 15 separate coachwork choices from Fisher on a 140" wheelbase, and a separate 25 individual choices from Fleetwood also on a 140" wheelbase. The most exclusive Fleetwood choice listed was the Touring Town Collapsible Cabriolet at US$6,200 ($97,842 in 2021 dollars [4])[1] Ambulance and Hearse choices were on a 152" wheelbase provided by Superior. As before, visual, equipment and mechanical changes separated it from the previous year. A monogram plaque engraved with "V8" first appeared attached to a rod connecting the massive 12" headlights. Fleetwood bodies featured a "sweep panel" which was a styling flourish that started at the top of the hood next to the radiator and gradually progressed outward towards the cowl then down the sides of the engine covers. Sometimes this trim device was used to separate different complementing colors if desired.[1] One of the documented distinctions between the Series 314 and Series 341 is the positioning of the starter; 314's had it installed vertically while 341's were horizontally positioned.[1]
The 1929 Type 341-B continued the tradition of appearance, engineering and equipment available upgrades, introducing a synchromesh transmission, Security-Plate safety glass installed for all windows, and electrically powered windshield wipers. Fisher Body coachwork selections offered 12 choices, while Fleetwood offered 33 documented selections; the "sweep panel" introduced the previous year was now a standard feature on all Fleetwood products and some vehicles had two-tone paint appearances while others used a single color with the "sweep panel" used. The Cadillac hood ornament made its appearance as an extra cost option of US$12 ($187 in 2021 dollars [4])for the "Herald" ,"Heron" or "Goddess", while a heater for occupants was US$32 ($499 in 2021 dollars [4]) and a rear folding trunk rack was US$25 ($390 in 2021 dollars [4]).[1]
September 1929 is when Cadillac introduced its all-new 1930 Series 353, one month before the Cadillac V-12 and the Wall Street Crash of 1929.[1] Luxury, optional equipment, interior and exterior choices and exclusivity had become expected of the order catalog for Cadillac products and the list was refined and expanded. All Fisher coachwork choices were now identified as "Fisher Custom" and reduced to seven closed bodies, while the more exclusive "Fleetwood Special Custom" choices were consolidated into 11 basic bodies with many variations.[1] With the introduction of the wireless radio, all bodies were prewired for the optionally installed AM radio for US$175 ($2,839 in 2021 dollars [4]) with the radio antenna concealed inside the roof. The Fleetwood catalog consisted of 37 distinct variations in an array of color and upholstery types, to include mohair, leather or any other choice desired with the most exclusive choice documented was the 4-door Collapsible Touring Limousine Brougham at US$5,945 ($92,740 in 2021 dollars [4]). Model year sales were recorded at 14,995.[1]
1924 Cadillac V-63 Standard Touring Sedan
1925 Cadillac V-63 Custom Suburban Sedan
1926 Cadillac Series 314 Touring Sedan
1928 Cadillac Series 341-A Town Cabriolet by Fleetwood
LaSalle was an American brand of luxury automobiles manufactured and marketed, as a separate brand, by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. Alfred P. Sloan, GM's Chairman of the Board, developed the concept for four new GM marques - LaSalle, Marquette, Viking and Pontiac - paired with already established brands to fill price gaps he perceived in the General Motors product portfolio. Sloan created LaSalle as a companion marque for Cadillac. LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were priced lower than Cadillac-branded automobiles, were shorter, and were marketed as the second-most prestigious marque in the General Motors portfolio. LaSalles were titled as LaSalles, and not as Cadillacs. Like Cadillac — named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac — the LaSalle brand name was based on that of another French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was Chrysler's top-of-the-line vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, after which it became a standalone brand; and again from 1990 to 1993. The company positioned the cars as a prestige marque to rival Cadillac, Continental, Lincoln, Duesenberg, Pierce Arrow, Cord, and Packard. According to Antique Automobile, "The adjective ‘imperial’ according to Webster's Dictionary means sovereign, supreme, superior or of unusual size or excellence. The word imperial thus justly befits Chrysler's highest priced model."
The Cadillac Fleetwood is a model of luxury car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of General Motors between 1976 and 1996. The "Fleetwood" name was previously used as a prefix on several of Cadillac's models dating back to 1935. Four-door Fleetwoods generally had longer wheelbases than Cadillac's more common Series 62 and DeVille models.
The Limited was Buick's flagship limousine between 1936 and 1942 and, during model year 1958 during GM's Fiftieth Anniversary, the halo car for Buick. After the vehicle was retired in 1959, Buick has intermittently used the "Limited" name for several decades to denote those models which featured a high level of trim and standard options in its various model ranges. Vehicles given the Limited nameplate were in direct competition with Cadillac senior sedans for clientele who wanted a GM luxury sedan but regarded Cadillac as "ostentatious" or "flamboyant" as Buick had over time earned a reputation of low-key conservative appearance while focusing on durability and reliability. The Limited nameplate returned in the mid-1960s denoting the top trim package on Buick vehicles for several decades thereafter.
The Cadillac Sixty Special is a name used by Cadillac to denote a special model since the 1938 Harley Earl–Bill Mitchell–designed extended wheelbase derivative of the Series 60, often referred to as the Fleetwood Sixty Special. The Sixty Special designation was reserved for some of Cadillac's most luxurious vehicles. It was offered as a four-door sedan and briefly as a four-door hardtop. This exclusivity was reflected in the introduction of the exclusive Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham d'Elegance in 1973 and the Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham Talisman in 1974, and it was offered as one trim package below the Series 70 limousine. The Sixty Special name was temporarily retired in 1976 but returned again in 1987 and continued through 1993.
The Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was a luxury car manufactured by Cadillac from 1977 through 1986. In 1987, the Fleetwood Brougham name was shortened to simply Brougham, with production continuing through 1992 with only minor updates.
The Cadillac Series 70 is a full-size V8-powered series of cars that were produced by Cadillac from the 1930s to the 1980s. It replaced the 1935 355E as the company's mainstream car just as the much less expensive Series 60 was introduced. The Series 72 and 67 were similar to the Series 75 but the 72 and 67 were produced on a slightly shorter and longer wheelbase respectively. The Series 72 was only produced in 1940 and the Series 67 was only produced in 1941 and 1942. For much of the postwar era, it was the top-of-the-line Cadillac, and was Cadillac's factory-built limousine offering.
The Cadillac V8, introduced as the Type 51, is a large, luxurious automobile that was introduced in September 1914 by Cadillac as a 1915 model. It was Cadillac's first V8 automobile, replacing the four-cylinder Model 30, and used the all new GM A platform for the entire series shared with all GM division brands using a 122 in (3,099 mm) wheelbase, while a 145 in (3,683 mm) chassis was offered separately to be used for custom coachwork. The Types 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61 were introduced every year through 1923 with yearly improvements until an all new platform was substantially updated and introduced as the V-63 using the business philosophy called planned obsolescence. It was built at the Cass Street and Amsterdam Avenue factory in Detroit, with the coachwork provided by Fisher Body. The chassis could be purchased separately and sent to the clients choice of coachbuilder optionally.
The Lincoln Custom is a custom limousine and long-wheelbase touring sedan that was built by Lincoln in 1941 and 1942 and the lower level series Lincoln produced in 1955. Initially it was a replacement for the previous Model K Lincolns and earlier luxury cars of the 1920s and 1930s. The body work for the Custom was provided by the factory and came in one appearance and abandoned the previous Model L and Model K of years past of manufacturing only the chassis then a long list of coachbuilders would provide coachwork to the customer's preference. In later years it was simply the base model series.
The Cadillac DeVille is the nameplate used by Cadillac over eight generations, originally used to designate a trim level of the 1949 Cadillac Series 62 and later to designate a standalone model in the brand range. The last model marketed specifically as a DeVille was the 2005 full-size sedan, at the time, Cadillac's largest model.
The Buick Master Six Series 40 and Series 50, based on the wheelbase used, was an automobile built by Buick from 1925 to 1928 and shared the GM B platform with the Oldsmobile Model 30. Previously, the company manufactured the Buick Six that used the overhead valve six-cylinder 242 cu in (4.0 L) engine in their high-end cars, and the Buick Four for smaller, less-expensive cars. Starting with 1918, they dropped the four-cylinder engine and designed a small six, which they called the Buick Standard Six, to replace that end of the market. They coined the name "Master Six" for the high-end cars, now powered by the 255 cu in (4.2 L) engine released the year before. The yearly changes were a result of a new business philosophy called planned obsolescence
The Lincoln L series is the first automobile that was produced by the Lincoln Motor Company. Introduced in 1920, the L series would continue to be produced after the bankruptcy of Lincoln in 1922 and its purchase by Ford Motor Company.
The Pontiac Streamliner is a full-size car produced under the Pontiac brand by General Motors from 1932 to 1952.
The Chrysler Six was a series of cars that were all installed with the Chrysler Straight Six when the company assumed operations of the Maxwell Automobile Company in 1924, and Chalmers Automobile Company in 1926. The Chrysler Six initially consisted of several Models, then Series designations that originally declared the approximate top speed each vehicle was able to consistently maintain, then each series number was incrementally updated every new model year, and each series was offered in several body style choices. The engines were technically advanced for their time and were entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for 1925, 1928 and 1929.
The Packard Twelve was a range of V12-engined luxury automobiles built by the Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan. The car was built from model year 1916 until 1923, then it returned 1933 until 1939. As a sign of changing times, the majority of second generation Packard Twelves received standard bodywork, with custom bodywork gradually losing favor. Many of the custom cars were actually only "semi-customs", with Dietrich assembling Packard-made bodies with special touches. The first generation engine was modified for military use and became the Packard 1A-2500 which began usage in 1924.
The Oldsmobile Six, also known as the Model 53, 54 and 55 (1913-1915) then a brief cancellation until it reappeared as the Model 37, 37A and 37B (1917-1921) was a top level sedan along with the Oldsmobile Series 40 junior vehicle produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division and was manufactured at Lansing Car Assembly in Lansing, Michigan. It replaced the Series 28 also known as the "Oldsmobile Autocrat" and was replaced by the Oldsmobile Model 30 in 1927, and shared wheelbases with the Buick Six.It continued to use the T-head engine for two years. The various bodystyles were supplied by Fisher Body of Detroit, MI. It competed with the Chevrolet Series C Classic Six as Chevrolet was an independent company before becoming a division in 1917. Oldsmobile also shared technology with GMC for commercial and industrial products.
The Oakland Model A was the first four-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1907 which became a division of General Motors in 1909. The Model A was developed and manufactured from former Oakland Motor Company sources while the engine was provided by Northway Motor and Manufacturing Division of GM of Detroit. The Model A was available in several body styles and prices ranged from US$1,300 to US$2,150. Once Oakland became a division of GM, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their four-cylinder models with Oakland. Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan. Oakland (Pontiac) wouldn't use another 4-cylinder engine until 1961 with the Pontiac Trophy 4 engine.
The Oakland Six was the first six-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1913 which became a division of General Motors in 1909. The Oakland Six was offered in many different model names that changed every year, along with several body styles and engine displacements until 1929, when the V8 was reintroduced, then in 1931 Oakland was renamed Pontiac. When Oakland became a division of GM and introduced the Oakland Four, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their six-cylinder models with Oakland. When Chevrolet became part of GM in 1917, Oakland chassis and bodywork were shared with Chevrolet. Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan.
The Pontiac Six was a more affordable version of its predecessor Oakland Six that was introduced in 1926, sold through Oakland Dealerships. Pontiac was the first of General Motors companion make program where brands were introduced to fill in pricing gaps that had developed between Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Oakland and Chevrolet. The original marketing approach begun when GM was incorporated in 1908 was to offer a range of vehicles in various body styles based on affordable to extravagant, and the customer base would gradually trade up every few years to the next hierarchy brand. Pontiac was introduced as an affordable Oakland, followed by LaSalle for Cadillac, Marquette for Buick and Viking for Oldsmobile. Pontiac's introduction was a sales success while customers shied away from the more expensive Oakland, and once the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression followed, both Pontiac and Oakland were being considered for cancellation but the decision was made to keep Pontiac as the economy began to recover.
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