1931
(1) Part-color V-8 catalog, The Cadillac
Eight on buff cover with emblem in brown, 10x14" (25x36cms), 24 pp. plus covers,
10 models illustrated: (1) Fisher V-8 town sedan (p.3), (2)
Fleetwood V-8 convertible coupe (p.4), (3) Fleetwood V-8
all-weather phaeton (p.5), (4) Fisher V-8 sedan for 5 passengers
(p.6), (5) Fleetwood V-8 roadster (p.7), (6)
Fleetwood phaeton for 5 passengers, with secondary cowl and crank-up windshield (p.8), (7)
Fisher 2-passenger coupe (p.9), (8) Fisher 7-passenger sedan (p.10), (9)
Fisher 5-passenger coupe (p.11), (10) Fisher limousine (imperial) for 7
passengers (p.12), all with interior views or body details. There are also pages on the
engine and other mechanical features, Cadillac service, brakes, transmission, overall
specifications, GMAC deferred payment plan. [ $75 ]
(1a) The 1931 Cadillac Eight and
Twelve, reproduction catalog [unmarked as such] by Heritage House, Temple
City, CA; printed in the early seventies, 8½x11", 36pp., white, tan and black cover,
includes large B&W artist's views of these V-8 models: Fisher town
sedan, Fleetwood 2-pass. convertible coupe, Fleetwood all-weather phaeton, Fisher 5-pass.
sedan, Fleetwood 2-pass. roadster, Fleetwood 5-pass. phaeton, Fisher 2-pass. coupe, Fisher
7-pass. sedan, Fisher 5-pass. coupe, Fisher 7-pass. imperial, as well as these smaller V-12
body styles: town sedan, 2-pass. coupe, 7-pass. imperial, 7-pass. sedan, 5-pass. coupe,
convertible coupe, all-weather phaeton, 5-pass. sedan, roadster and 5-pass. phaeton.
(1a) Options booklet
(2) Part-color V-12 catalog, Cadillac 12
Cylinders with V-12 in circle on pale green cover, 10x14" (25x36cms),
20 pp. plus covers, 10 models illustrated {*** Tuthill listing}
(3) Part-color V-16 catalog, Cadillac
16 Cylinders on white cover with red and black band at LH side, 10x14"
(25x26cms), 16 pp. plus covers, 11 models illustrated, envelope in rear with varying
number [25-35] of designer's drawings on tracing paper {*** ZTV
collection}.
The "real McCoy", original V-16
catalog of designers' drawings
with up to thirty, separate drawings in special pouch - SUPERB piece !
A fine reproduction of the preceding piece, published
by Heritage House, Temple City, CA,
in the mid-seventies [ a packet of miniature designer drawings was part of the
package! ]
(3a) B&W V-16 catalog, reproduction
copy of the original [both covers shown above]. The repro has a white cover with a black
band at the LH side. It measures 11x8" (28x20 cms.) and has 30 pp. incl. the covers.
Illustrations include RH profile view of V-16 engine, LH profile views of 11
models (2-passenger coupe style 4276, 5-passenger club sedan style 4361S, 2-passenger
roadster style 4302, all-weather phaeton style 4380, 7-passenger imperial sedan [Madame
X] style 4175, town cabriolet style 4312, 5-passenger imperial [Madame X]
style 4130, 7-passenger imperial sedan style 4375, town cabriolet style 4220, town
cabriolet style 4225, and limousine brougham style 4391. Envelope on inside of rear cover
page includes designers' drawings of some 24 to 30 basic styles (4130S, 4161S, 4175, 4175S
[all Madame X], 4212, 4220, 4225, 4235, 4260, 4264, 4264B, 4276, 4291, 4302,
4312, 4320, 4325, 4330, 4355, 4355S, 4361S, 4375, 4375S, 4380, 4381, 4391 and 4476).
Trivia 1:
One aficionado wrote in November 2003 that he had recently found an older catalog with 24
such drawings; however, the presence among them of style #4381, suggests it is a later
edition, the latter model being offered only in the Fall of 1930 and through 1931. Walter
Miller offered one on e-Bay, in January 2002, that was said to include thirty such
designers' drawings; it seems, therefore, that their number might vary from one catalog to
the next, as production got under way and demand grew for more styles.
Trivia 2:
In numerical sequence, below, I have listed many Fleetwood designer drawings similar to
those included in the 1930-31 product catalog. I got these (copies) on e-Bay, in 2001,
from Craig Watrous, a fellow CLC member and V-16 enthusiast. I am
guessing they are from an in-house Fleetwood book probably dated early 1932 (none of the
early Madame X cars with the vertical, "V" windshield are included). In
this listing, the style numbers shown in italics, followed by the letter
"D", in brackets, indicate a duplicate designer's drawing that shows inner as
well as outer dimensions. Those that are struck through, like this: "4211",
indicate that no single unit of this style was actually built. Those in italics
followed by the letter "O", in brackets, indicate again a duplicate drawing of
either (a) a roadster, convertible coupe or phaeton with the top lowered, (b) a town car
or Brougham with the chauffeur's canopy in place or (c) a landaulet style with the rear
roof portion in the "open" position. Those followed by the letter "V",
in brackets, are the Pennsylvania Madame X models with vertical "V"
windshield. Those appearing in bold type are drawings of styles NOT
included in the selection I got from Craig but that we know were effectively built.
Therefore, if you eliminate the "O" and "D" versions, below, plus four
1932 designs that were included also in the package (viz. styles 5112 [32-16-225], 5175S
[32-16-212], 5180, 5181 [32-16-222]), then the total number of styles
that were effectively built in 1930 and 1931 [and which I have highlighted in blue] comes to a staggering sixty-nine1. Here is that selection (BTW, many were available
additionally on the V-8 and V-12 chassis, so you might want to multiply
the total by three !): 2950X, 3289A,
3289B, 3981, 3991, 4108C, 4130, 4130 (D), 4130 (V), 4130S, 4130S (D), 4130S (V), 4155, 4155 (D), 4155 (V), 4155C, 4155S, 4155S (D), 4155S (V), 4155SC, 4161, 4161S, 4161S (D), 4161SC, 4175, 4175 (D),
4175 (V), 4175S, 4175S (D), 4175S (V) [unsure], 4200, 4200 (D), 4205,
4206, 4206 (D), 4207, 4207 (D),
4208, 4208 (D), 4210, 4211,
4212, 4212 (D), 4212 (O), 4212C, 4213, 42142, 4214 (O), 4218, 4220, 4220 (O), 4220B, 4220C, 4225, 4225 (D), 4225 (O), 4225C, 4235, 4235 (D), 4235 (O), 4248, 4257,
4257A, 4257H, 4257H (D), 4260, 4260 (D), 4260
[dual cowl], 4260 [dual cowl] (D), 4260A, 4260A (D), 4262, 4264, 4264 (D), 4264 (O), 4264B, 4264B (D),
4264B (O), 4264B
[with cane work], 4275, 4275 (D), 4275C, 4276, 4276 (D), 4280, 4280 (D), 4280 (O), 4280A, 4285, 4285 (D), 4291, 4291 (D), 4291 (O), 4291C,
4302, 4302 (D), 4312, 4312 (D),
4312 (O), 4312C, 4320, 4320 (D), 4320
(O), 4320C, 4325, 4325 (D), 4325 (O), 4325C, 4330, 4330 (D), 4330C, 4330S, 4330S (D), 4330SC, 4335, 4335 (D), 4335 (O), 4355, 4355 (D),
4355S, 4355S (D), 4355C, 4355SC,
4361, 4361 (D), 4361C, 4361S, 4361S (D), 4361SC, 4375, 4375 (D), 4375C, 4375S, 4375S (D), 4375SC, 4376, 4376 (D), 4380, 4380 (D), 4380 (O-1), 4380
(O-2), 4381, 4381 (D), 4391, 4391 (D),
4391 (O), 4391C, 4412, 4476, 4476 (D).
______________________________
1 At the dawning of the new millennium, Cadillac car
styles were down from sixty-nine (on JUST the V-16 chassis for
1930-31) to only four: the De Ville,
Seville, Catera and Eldorado. I have deliberately excluded
trucks and SUVs from
this comparison since none were available on the V-16
chassis - and what a shame that must have been for the moneyed
outdoorsmen of their day!] Now (in 2004) we are actually UP
to five car styles [despite the acceptable demise of the
Catera and the unfortunate loss of the Eldorado],
thanks to the addition of these acronymic novelties: the Cadillac
Excelar, the Cadillac Essarex and the Cadillac
Seetee-Ess. To be honest, I much preferred the images conjured up by
the names Eldorado, Brougham, Biarritz, Coupe
de Ville, Seville, Park Avenue...
2 This looks identical to Style 4264B with canework
(4) The New Cadillac V-8, green,
black and white catalog, Cadillac emblem on pink-bordered, yellow-hued cover,
5½x8½" (14x22cms), 12 pp. including covers. Illustrations include:
"hourglass" worm gear, engine, brake detail, and the 4-door sedan. There is a
list of ten models and prices {*}.
Enlarged view of the Fisher-bodied sedan for 7
passengers
(Fisher style #31-8-162)
(5a) The V-12: a Wholly New Cadillac
(similar to item 4, above), green, black and white catalog, Cadillac emblem on
beige-bordered cover, 5½x8½" (14x22cms), 12 pages including covers. Illustrations
include: engine, convertible coupe, interior of Fleetwood 5-pass. coupe, town sedan
(in full color in center pages), all-weather phaeton, quarter panel hardware, 5-pass.
coupe, 7-pass. sedan, hourglass worm gear, engine, brake detail, and the 4-door sedan.
There is a list of ten models and prices.
This enlarged copy of the center pages gives an idea
of the quality of color reproduction in the thirties
(5b) Sales presentation booklet for the new
twelve-cylinder Cadillac models; possibly a dealer item.
(5c) Part-color V-12 folder entitled In
Cadillac's accustomed sphere..., in circle in gray and pale green cover, 4x9"
(10x23cms), opens 4 times cover size, 3 models shown {***}
(5d) Multicylinder Performance,
9x12½", 20pp.; this is the original of the reproduction catalog described below; the
large, full-page illustrations are in full color and include the V-12 5-pass.
town sedan, the V-12 5-pass, coupe the V-12 2-pass. coupe, the V-16
town brougham (Fleetwood style #4264B), the V-16 5-pass. coupe (Fleetwood style
#4381), the V-16 all-weather phaeton (Fleetwood style #4380) plus 20 smaller,
B&W illustrations of other body styles. Content
details, scans of cover image and inner sample page, below, from Matthew Sonfield,
collector of fine classic automobile literature.
The text on the sample inner page (right) is
illegible on this greatly reduced scan; it reads as follows:
Motordom's finest achievement in beauty, luxury, and brilliant performance. This is
the most
highly personalized of all motor cars -- a car unmatched in every aspect of fine motoring
The town Brougham illustrated here, with its notable boot
toe or coach sill, its razor edged
rear roof styling and its imitation canework applied painstakingly by hand from special
paint
tubes, was the most expensive in the V-16 lineup with a base sticker price
of $9750;
a plain version (sans cane work) carried the same Fleetwood style number
(4264B)
For your enjoyment, Matt sent also this second V-16
model from the same catalog; it's Fleetwood style #4381
the coupe for 5 passengers, which listed at $5,950; this particular style,
introduced into the line in the Fall
of 1930, is an exception to the (unwritten) rule requiring that all Fleetwood body
styles with initial digits "43..."
have the raised panel and bead molding that curves across the hood and down behind
the side-mounted spare
wheels [a typical, example is shown below, left - style #4335 convertible coupe]; a
second exception is style
#4302, the sporty V-16 roadster [below, right], today's most sought after
and popular V-16 model
Left: Fleetwood style #4355 convertible coupe with a
hood design typical hood of styles with initial digits "43..."
Right: one of two exceptions: the style #4302 roadster; its straight (horizontal)
sill and belt molding
ought to have put it - and Fleetwood style #4381, above - into the Madame
X series with initial digits "41...";
the latter, however, accepted only closed cars and landaulet styles, all with four
doors.
(5e) Multicylinder Performance - Cadillac,
reproduction catalog [unmarked as such] by Heritage House, Temple City, CA;
printed in the early seventies, 8½x11", 20pp., pale green cover, includes large and
small B&W artist's views of these V-12 models: town sedan, 5-pass.
coupe, 2-pass. coupe, 5-pass sedan, 7-pass. sedan, 5-pass. all-weather phaeton, 2-pass.
roadster, 2-pass. convertible coupe, 7-pass. imperial, 5-pass. phaeton, and these
Fleetwood V-16 body styles: 4264B town brougham, 4381 5-pass. coupe, 4380
all-weather phaeton, 4225 town car, 4312 town car, 4220 town car, 4130 Madame X
5-pass. imperial, 4476 coupe, 4175 Madame X 7-pass. imperial, 4155S Madame X
5-pass. formal sedan, 4375 7-pass. imperial, 4302 roadster, 4361S town sedan, 4235
convertible coupe, 4260 special phaeton and 4276 coupe [excellent
copy available: $30].
(5f) Part-color catalog, Motoring Luxury Its
Utmost Expression, dated May 9, 1931; it measures 5½x8½", 6 pp. plus covers,
includes three color drawings of some Fleetwood body styles. Cover features lady and dog
plus Fleetwood style #4276 coupe for 2 passengers; the 6-page folder stapled on the inside
features three V-16 models as follows: Fleetwood styles #4276 2-pass.
coupe, #4375 7-pass imperial, and #4235 2-pass. convertible coupe. Content details and cover image scan, below, from Matthew Sonfield,
collector of fine classic automobile literature.
Cadillac's famed V-16 was described as the
world's most highly personalized motor car;
Among the beautiful models displayed in this superb, color catalog was Fleetwood
style #4276,
the coupe for 2 passengers; its base price was $6850 f.o.b. Detroit, with only the
"regular"
equipment; those side-mounted spare wheels and tires were optional at extra cost !
Here is a better view of that car, reduced from the
full-sized scan
sent kindly by enthusiast and collector Matthew Sonfield
(5g) Rare, Dutch brochure/portfolio,
12.5x11.3", 4 pp., listing all (71) La Salle, and Cadillac (Fisher and Fleetwood)
body styles, with descriptions and technical specifications; has six plates with tipped-on
B&W drawings of various body styles, all with artistic backgrounds and captions in
English (may have been printed in France).
Content details, cover image and model scans, below, from Matthew Sonfield,
collector of fine classic automobile literature.
The cover (left), enlarged title and crest (center),
representative model (right)
This is an enlargement of the model shown at top
right [minus slender tree]; it is
Fleetwood's Transformable Town Cabriolet (town car), style #4212 on
the V-16 chassis
(6) Part-color V-12
folder entitled You are a mature judge of motor car values, on gray and partly
blue cover, 6x9" (15x23cms), opens 3 times covers size, 3 models shown {***}
(7) Rare, bound catalog-portfolio published
in England, in 1931, for Lendrum and Hartman, the London Cadillac-LaSalle dealer, printed
by Herbert Fitch, 11½x15" (28x40cms), brown cover with tan edging strip, bronze-like
cover plaque embossed The Four Most Distinguished Motor cars, being the Cadillac V-16,
V-12 and V-8 models and the La Salle V-8 models. The inner page
is marked Some Coachwork suggestions by famous builders, has 10 pp. including one
transparent inner cover sheet; printed on thick card; introductory pages have B&W
photos of the Lendrum & Hartmann showroom facilities in Albermarle Street,
London, and four views of the extensive modern service works at Willesden where
specialized craftsmen maintain Cadillac-La Salle efficiency at a constant high standard.
At L&H sales and service headquarters, classic coachwork and superb chassis may be
examined in delightful surroundings where the importunities of forced selling and bustle
are definitely excluded (...having myself taken a test drive of a '59 Series 75 limousine
there, in 1960, I can attest to the truth of that bold statement). There are abridged
specifications of the Cadillac V-8, the La Salle V-8, the Cadillac V-16
and the Cadillac V-12, followed by a brief history of Cadillac and a 2-page
description of The unique range of 16, 12 and 8 Cylinder Cars featuring a
mis-spelling of Cadillac's Synchro [instead of Syncro]-Mesh transmission
[obviously the Brits assumed the Yanks had made a spelling mistake, whereas Syncro-Mesh
(with no "h") is a Cadillac registered trademark]. In addition to a superb
sepia-colored RH side-view of the powerful new V-16 engine, now into its second
year of production, there are seven plates in a rear pocket. I cannot resist showing them
to you, below, with kind permission of the owner, ZTV, who admitted
to me, in May 1995, that this superb piece was the most expensive one in his
vast collection of auto sales literature:
Above: the cover (left) and two sample pages;
Below: the beautiful artwork contained in this RARE catalog from England
