Simon Cars - Cadillac 1938

Cadillac 1938 - 47

A young William L. (Bill) Mitchell, GM styling chief designed the new 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special, a model based on the standard Cadillac Sixty but built on a longer 127-inch wheelbase. Power for the Sixty Special was a 5,676cc L-head monobloc V8 engine. The Series 60 was dropped but the Sixty Special continued with a redesigned nose for 1939. A new lower priced Series 61 was launched in 1939 with the styling of the Sixty Special but on a 126-inch wheelbase. Cadillac gave the body of the Sixty Special to its subsiduary Fleetwood who only built one 4-door sedan model. In 1940 a new Series 62 was introduced to replace the Series 61, built on a 126-inch wheelbase which the Sixty Special also adopted in that year. Bill Mitchell was responsible for the new GM C-body which was shared with the bigger Buicks and Oldsmobiles. For 1941 the Cadillac Sixty Special was given a V8 engine uprated to 150bhp coupled to a 4-speed Hydramatic gearbox. Styling was altered for 1941 giving the Sixty Special an 'egg crate' grille. In 1942 the Sixty Special was given a new body, actually an extended version of the Series 62 Cadillac and continued like this through many iterations.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 -= badge on bonnet

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible - 'Flying Goddess' hood ornament, fitted to many Cadillacs

Cadillac Sixty Special 1941 - badge on bootlid

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible - grille. This 'egg crate' was new to Cadillac in 1941 and would become a Cadillac hallmark.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible. New for 1941 were the headlamps integrated into the front wings and the 'egg crate' grille. A 5,678cc 135bhp monobloc V8 engine powered all Cadillacs in 1941

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible front

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible. Introduced in 1940 as the cheapest Cadillac, the Series 62 really took over from what had been LaSalle. It had a 5,678cc Nailhead monobloc V8 shared with the rest of the Cadillac range, and the frontal styling was also carried onto other Cadillacs.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible - wheel. For 1941 the front wings incorporated the headlamps. On the Series 62 the front wings stopped short of the doors, but in the Sixty Special they continued into the door.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible rear

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible. The Series 62 Cadillacs introduced in 1940 shared their new GM C-body with the larger Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible. Revised styling for 1941, on a 126 inch wheelbase, with power from a 7-litre 'Nailhead' V8 engine.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible frontb

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible. Built on a 126-inch wheelbase and powered by a 5,670cc (346) V8 engine. When introduced in 1940 it became the entry level Cadillac until 1942 when the Series 61 returned. Body was GM C-body shared with some Buick and Oldsmobiles, styles included both a 2-door and 4-door convertible, 2-door coupe and a 4-door sedan.

Cadillac Series 62 1941 Convertible - interior

Cadillac Series 61 1947 Custom Sedan front

Cadillac Series 61 1947 Custom Sedan. Imposing though this looks, in fact it is the entry level Cadillac for 1947 and was powered by 5,676cc (346) V8 engine, but a new ohv V8 came in 1949.

Cadillac Series 61 1947 Custom Sedan rear

Cadillac Series 61 1947 Custom Sedan. The entry level Cadillac for 1947 built on a 126-inch wheelbase. New bodies would be given in 1948.

Cadillac Sixty Special 1941. New for 1941 was the 'egg crate' grille and the headlamps integrated into the front wings. The engine was a 5,676cc L-head monobloc V8 uprated to 135bhp.

Cadillac Sixty Special 1941. Designed by Bill Mitchell for 1939, the Sixty special broke the mould of American car design with the absence of running boards, wings that merged into the doors, and a proper rear boot (trunk). Fleetwood built the Sixty Special body

Cadillac Sixty Special 1941 - vents on the bonnet sides. For 1941 the Cadillac Sixty Special was given an 'egg crate' grille and these matching bonnet vents.

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