Production Month

Total Cars Shipped

Cumulative Total

Engine Nos.
 From     To

Notes on specific cars [by engine number, where known]

Dec.29

3

3

1

3

#1 built 12/2829; #2 = 4264B [body #1 ???]

Jan.30

5

8

4

8

Feb.30

367

375

9

375

#12 = style 4375S [to NY]; #21= engine only, with radiator & shell; #38=4375S body 45 [Don Lee showroom V16, later chopped to truck, then maybe 4302]; #100 = 4130S [for L.P. Fisher]; #101 = 4355S [went to Denver, CO]; #115=4355 [Rik LeForge former "Ole Yeller", now J.B. Nethercutt];#130=4302 body 3 [special show car]; 132 = 4375  [installed later in a 1933 custom Chrysler Imperial by Lou Fageol]; #150=4380 body 1 [destroyed and re-bodied with style 3882]; #156=4302 body 29; #163=4330 [Robert Taunton]; #169 = 4375-S, body #76 [currently,1998, is a bare chassis - was initially for sale in Bedford, VA, 10/1959 for $125!]; #266 = possibly a bare chassis w/ 4260 style hood for the Maharajah of Orchha - shipped 17.7.1931 to Bombay;  #283 = now a spare engine (offered for sale on eBay, 12/2003;  #298 = 4391 [possibly Ernestine Schumann-Heink car - has survived]; #321=4375S body 333;   #333 = maybe 4302, in France; #353 = 4302 (?) {offered at auction in Geneva, Switzerland, in the nineties); #335 = 4235 for C.T. Fisher

Mar.30

436

811

376

811

#416 = [currently] 4302 [but is a replacement motor]; #425 = demo engine; #476=4330 body 99; #482=4330 body 95 [converted to 4302 body 32]; #492 = 4325; #494 = 4380 body 19 - Hopalong Cassidy car, studio photos exist]; #499=4375; #519=4375S [rusted hulk]; #543=4380 body 34 [built Fleetwood, PA - early '30 details]; #556 = 4260 [W.A. Fisher]; #655 = 4380 [survivor]; #661 = [currently in a boat hauler!]; #665 = 4260; #666=4361S {seen by Rick LeForge in Oregon]; #697 = 4302 [Marc Ohm restoration]; #716 = unk. [currently (2004) a Fisher-bodied AWP]; #733 = 4330S [body #137 - it was exported]; #759 = 4361S body 52, ex-Harrah collection];  #789=4375 body 157; #807 = engine tested by Lycoming Motors, 06.27.1930; #809 = 4302 [survivor]

May.30

442

1829

1388

1829

#1401 = 4330S [shipped to Brooklyn. NY]; #1467-4330S body 27; #1495-4380 body 98 [orig. body destroyed, now 4302 body 20]; #1501 = 4380 [shipped to Washington, DC]; #1502 = 4375S [survivor]; #1519=4375 [engine only - could be also 1919]; #1530 = 4220 town car [shipped to Buenos Aires, Argentina], motor currently in Spain, in a racing car; #1540=4376 body 53; #1550 = 4175S [for C.T. Fisher]; #1554 = 4260 [chassis #7-3101, body #2, European tour car, body later removed and replaced with convertible sedan body by Saoutchik (have build sheet¹) - Steven Nanini, CLC Senior car #141]; #1608=4330S body 320; #1609=4175 body 24]; #1658=4330S body 95 [converted to 4302 ??? -   in France]; #1659 = 4175 [J.C. Leake, "V" windshield "Madame X"]; #1673=4375S body 399; #1701 = 4375S [shipped to Oklahoma City]; #1725 [blank record - possibly "demo" engine on show at Olympia, London, Oct. 1930]; #1733=4276 o3 4376 ??? [now engine only]; #1755 = 4130S [for C.T. Fisher]; #1758 = 4355 (#32); #1769 = 4175 (or 4175S) [sold at Scottsdale, 24.1.1986 for $64000; #1801 = 4376 [shipped to Los Angeles]; #1810=4381 body 19;

Jun.30

384

2213

1830

2213

#1834 = 4380 AWP [Dick Shappy]; #1849 = 4257-H [Joe Morre], #1877=4302 body 58; #1878(?) may be a 4260 phaeton or 4380 AWP, located in Peru (1999); #1901 = 30-168 Fisher conv. coupe [factory service car]; #1954=4302 body 73 [later replaced with 1070]; #2025 = 4335 [restored 2001]; #2029-4225 [Cecil B. DeMille]; #2050=4175 [now engine only]; #2056 [?] = 4130 [Serge Pozzoli, France, chassis 2024(?)]; #2054=4155S body 2; #2073 = Nordberg town car [chassis #2042 (Matt Larson says 2041?)]; #2070-4302 body 77 [has disc wheels]; #2089 = 4335; #2101 = 4130S [shipped to Bloomfield N.J.] (???); #2103=4130S [for sale on eBay, 10/2005]; #2104= 4261S [now engine only in repro 4302]; #2117 = Fisher custom LX2913 shipped 21 June to CT]; #2137=4302 ???; #2152 = 4276, body #14)

Jul.30

297

2510

2214

2510

#2225 = o/s engine now; #2232=4175S body42; #2236 = 4130S [for F.J. Fisher]; #2246=4276 body 17 [engine number changed?]; #2261=4276 [now engine only]; #2270 = possibly custom job for W.A. Fisher]; #2280=4175 body 90 [RHD]; #2291=4276 [new, 10/2004]; #2297 = Van den Plas landaulet [RHD, body No. 556]; #2338=4302 ???; #2363 = 4235 [in Sweden, 10/2000]; #2381=4235 [a survivor]; #2388 = Fisher custom LX2905; #2401=4260 [auctioned 2/06]; #2408=4260 body 41; #2414 = 4302;  #2415=4330S, #2425 = 4260 [late Dick Gold, body #33]; 2455 = coupe style; #2478 = 4260 body 55 for Richard Arlen, Hollywood star [Edward Dauer, CLC Senior car #142]; #2486=4276 body 54 [registered as a '31 car]; #2488=4375 body 319 [Rick LeForge]; #2494 = 4380[?]

Aug.30

166

2676

2511

2676

#2514=4260 [Fred Weber - rebody???]; #2515 = 4260 [Otis Chandler]; #2584 = 4155C [Body #18, currently in Zurich]; this range includes style 4200 (built in Aug. 1930); #2594=4276 body 71; #2619 = 4235 ??? [owned by Bud Tinney, Fla.]; #2631=4375 ??? [now engine only - former White House ???]; #2636 = 4380 [Elliott Klein]; #2655=4235 [Brent Merrill];

Sep.30

82

2758

2677

2758

#2677 = 4260 d/c phaeton body #25 [factory says shipped 30 Aug. to Don Lee]; #2648 (body #357) = 4330S [added 7/2000]; #2734 = 4260 shipped to Berlin]; #2746 = 4175 "Madame X" [body #70, originally shipped to Madrid]; could be chassis #2877 owned by German collector Dirk Mueller [car reported as having been delivered first to Governor of Gibraltar]; #2747 = 4380 [RHD, shipped to Port Elisabeth, South Africa]; #2751=4260 [survivor]

Oct.30

54

2812

2759

2812

#2762 = 4375 [shipped to New York and later diverted and exported]; #2769 = 4175 [exported to London]; #2783=4375 ???;  #2785 = 4330S;  #2800 = bare chassis [exported to Paris - possibly Kellner town car or Saoutchik 5-pass. convertible Victoria]; #2802 = bare chassis [exported to Stockholm]; #2807=4235 body 91; #2809=4175MmeX;

Nov.30

33

2845

2813

2845

Dec.30

38

2883

2846

2883

#2856 = 4375S [exported to Antwerp, Belgium]; #2861 = 4375; #2865 = 4391 [exported to Havana, Cuba]; #2871 = 4260 [exported to Bombay, India (for Maharajah of Tikari???)]; #2872 = 4235; #2873 = bare chassis RHD [exported to London - possibly Van den Plas convertible Victoria or a "sports saloon" by Lancefield; both survive];  #2981 (Matt Larson says 2966) = exported to Antwerp on 17.12.1930 for American millionaire Jay Gould; #2876 = 4235 [currently (2003) in Norway];  #2880 = 4175 body 90 (RHD - Madame X, exported to London); #2881 = 4175 (went to Miami); #2882 = 4375 (went to Cincinnati); #2883 = 4312 (went to Boston);

Jan.31

25

2908

2884

2908

#2884 = 4260 (for factory stock); #2885 = 4375 (went to Syracuse); #2886 = 4235 (for factory stock); #2887 = 4375 (last 1930 V-16, went to St. Louis);  #2888 = 4330 (?) (1st 1931 V-16, went to New Bedford);   #2889 = 4260 (went to Chicago);  #2888 = 4330 (?) (1st 1931 V-16, went to New Bedford);  #2889 = 4260 (went to Chicago);  #2890 = 4312 (went to Chicago); #2891 = ["43" group sedan?], went to Minneapolis;  #2892 = 4355 (went to Chicago);  #2893 = 4291 (went to Chicago);  #2894 = 4330(?) (went to Chicago); #2895 = 4335(?) Conv. Cpe., Antilles+Boatswain Blue, Wiese Bedford cord, 6 Delphine blue wire wheels, cost $7925 [or $6975?], went to St. Louis; #2905 = AWP, black, Wiese color 3898 [maroon taupe], silver leaf stripe, 6 wire wheels, cost $7925 [or $7205???];

Feb.31

47

2955

2909

2955

#2914 = 4375 [exported to Stockholm]; #2922 = 4375 [under restoration, 5/2004]; #2927 = 4260 [RHD, exported to Bombay, India (possibly for the Maharajah of Tikari???)];

Mar.31

37

2992

2956

2992

#2946=4330S ???; #2974 was exported to London; #2981 = 4330S [shipped to St. Louis, MI]; #2987=4260 ??? [now engine only, in '34 Ford ?];

Apr.31

47

3039

2993

3039

#3000 = 4291 for crown prince of Thailand; #3002 = 4361S [Fred Weber #4361S according to J. Schild; other source saysdestroyed in train wreck ... or possibly #4330S body #282];  #3006 = 4155 #13, currently [2001] in UK; #3026-3029 = unknown [two chassis used for display??? - #3026 is also reported on British style 4381 [reg. London, EUC 510], Motor Sport, 11/62, p. 894 [possibly owing to confusion between engine/chassis Nos.???)

May.31

50

3089

3040

3089

Jun.31

46

3135

3090

3135

#3101 = 4375 [shipped to New York]; $3106=4375S body 449; #3108=4275 body 411; #3118 = 4302 body 107 [last one built]; #3132 = 4276

Jul.31

17

3152

3136

3152

Aug.31

7

3159

3153

3159

Sep.31

12

3171

3160

3171

Oct.31

14

3185

3172

3185

Nov.31

6

3191

3186

3191

Dec.31

0

3191

0

0

Jan.32

0

3191

0

0

Feb.32

59

3250

3192

3251

#3192=[open number - not bodied?]; #3193=[open number - not bodied?];#3215 = 4375S [offered on Hemmings, 12/2003]; #3220 = 4235 [info from K. Kraakmo]; #3223 = possibly 4302 in France; #3225=4260 body 85; #3227=4391 ??? [now engine only]; #3232=[last unit from factory???]; #3245 = 4380 body 363 [survivor]; #3249 = 4260 body 71 [survivor]; #3251 = 4355, to NY [lot may have included style 3289B town car (1932?)]; 3252=[Last V16]

Exported cars: Seventy units are reported to have been exported, but the total, in fact, comes to seventy-two units if we include the two cars sent to San Juan, in Puerto Rico (that island was taken over by the USA during the Spanish American war of 1898, although it has always maintained autonomy as a  "free commonwealth associated with the USA").  The seventy remaining cars went to Antwerp, Belgium (14 units), Madrid, Spain (12 units), Berlin, Germany (11 units - of which one style 4325C town car landaulet, license #1A75825), Mexico City, Mexico (7 units), Paris, France (6 units - of which at least one style 4130 and one 4330 or 4375 with French tourist registration No. 2017XB), Stockholm, Sweden (5 units), Copenhagen, Denmark (4 units), London, England (2 units),  Buenos Aires, Argentina (2 units - engine #701530 is currently in Spain, in a custom racing car), Havana, Cuba (2 units  - one was a style 4391 Town Car Brougham, the other may have been a style 4175 Imperial) Bombay, India (1 unit - a style 4260 sport phaeton with RHD for the Maharajah of Tikari),  Manila, Philippines (1 unit), Honolulu, Hawaii - Hawaii did not become a State of the Union until August 21, 1959 (1 unit  ),  Moscow, (former) USSR (1 unit) and Port Elisabeth, South Africa (1 unit - a RHD style 4380 all-weather phaeton).

Fleetwood style 4325C exported to Germany;
this was one of only three units built in 1930-31

Bare chassis for domestic coach-builders: Eleven of them were released from the factory; of these, one is known to have received a roadster body by Rollston, another a phaeton body  by Murphy and a third a town car body by Waterhouse (the first two cars are known to have survived).  Nothing is currently known about the remaining eight units.  I suspect that one of them may have been returned to the factory and given a 1929 sport phaeton body.

The Rollston roadster
Photo: courtesy the late Gene Babow

Export chassis for foreign coach-builders: Twenty-one were thus released.   The following have been identified: a convertible Victoria by Saoutchik¹, France (license # ....RF4, that is October 1931, not a known survivor), a limousine-landaulet by Van den Plas, Belgium (it has survived), a British saloon [sedan] with "sunshine roof" by the U.K. affiliates of  Van den Plas (license #...341; this car has survived and is in Pakistan - June 2004),  a town car landaulet by Kellner, France (not a known survivor), a town car landaulet by Nordberg, Sweden (it too has survived, license #M778), a boat-tailed roadster by Farina, Italy (it too has survived), a roadster by Voll & Ruhrbeck, Germany (not a known survivor).  Two other foreign bodies are suspected of  having been built: another saloon [sedan] by Lancefield of  England - unless that is the car attributed to the U.K. branch of Van Den Plas, above - and a razor-edged town brougham (like Fleetwood style 4264B, but with quarter windows) by Bronkhorst²;  I have not been able to determine if this defunct coach-building company was Belgian or Dutch.  That would leave twelve or thirteen of the exported chassis to be accounted for. Who knows, perhaps one or more of them will surface one day...  Engine #701530 [mentioned above] was brought to my notice in Jan. 2000; currently it is mounted in a custom racer and is located near Alicante, Spain; it was acquired by the present owner in Argentina around 1984.

   
Two custom landaulets: left, by Van den Plas (UK/Belgium), right by Nordberg (Sweden)
[Photos:  left, Gene Babow, right Nordberg archives]

^{______________________________________
1} This was Fisher order #2587; the car was shipped to Copenhagen, Denmark on June 11, 1930 for the European promotional tour.  Upholstery was Radel Spanish grain leather #2400, trim style 19 (or 1930?);  the entire hood, cowl and body panels were painted in R&M Indiana gray (Duco #20157), as were the wheel hubs, spokes and felloes.  The molding and the hood and cowl vents all  were painted Saxon gray (Duco? #2445519);  fenders and chassis were painted Ravenwood brown (Duco #5782). The finish moldings on top of the belt were chrome-plated. Wire wheels (six) were mounted, including two in the fenders; the original tires had black side walls.  A travel trunk was mounted in the rear.  Paris'  Jacques Saoutchik later mounted a sedan body on this engine/chassis combination, with a special sliding roof [in France, it carried license  #8651RK2].  The original sport phaeton body is rumored to have survived and to have been mounted on another V16 chassis. The car was owned in 1960 by an elderly lady (89 years old) and would have been sold at auction by a Paris garage, had she not sent an agent in the nick of time to pay an outstanding repair bill. A few years later the car was acquired [from the elderly lady's estate?] by an auto merchant, Johnny Thuysbaert, then by the late Serge Pozzoli, editor of France's "Le Fanatique de l'Automobile";  Serge sold it to Hubert le Gallais (CEO of   "Poker" beer, in France, and restaurateur in Fontainebleau).  I lost track of it in the late seventies and assume it returned to the USA in the mid-to-late-eighties or early nineties.   Car Steig of the CLC is said to know the story of the car after it returned to the USA; more information available since 1/2001 from current new owner.
²  this may have been a modified body on the chassis of  the special Fleetwood town brougham (style 4264B)  that was also one of the six V-16s sent to Europe

Good Reading: England's Motor Sport for 11/62, p.894, recalled that "several" V16s [six to be precise] were seen in Cologne in 1930.  These cars were on a promotional tour of  Europe; they included one each of  the following Fleetwood styles:  4260 phaeton [with French tourist license #2145XB],   4361 town sedan [license #2146XB], 4335 convertible coupe [license #2147XB (unsure!)], 4175 [or 4130?] Madame X limousine [license #2148XB], 4264B town brougham with canework applied to the lower rear body¹ [license  #2149XB] and 4235 convertible coupe [license #2150XB] .  The Motor Sport article mentions also a chassis with "English" coachwork, shown at Olympia, in 1930 [this may have been the sport saloon with body by Lancefield or by the U.K. branch of  Van den Plas (engine #2873?)].  The cost of a bare chassis was given as £1500 and that of a standard limousine [4175 or 4375 ?] as £2450.   A Motor Trend article published in January 1965 said that two V16s were shown at the NY auto show in the week of  01.04.1930 [it has been ascertained that one was Pennsylvania-built Fleetwood style 4155C "Madame X" landaulet - later converted to style 4108C with the addition of a light-colored fabric top - the other is believed to have been Fleetwood style 4264B, one of three razor-edged town broughams with canework applied to the lower rear body; this may have been the European Tour car.  The 1000th V-16 engine was shipped on April 8, 1930.  Total production during the first year was 2887 units.  Prices for the new models ranged from $5350- $15000.

The European tour V-16s line up at the border between
France and Spain,  in the village of Le Perthus

¹  As mentioned in the preceding "box", this car may have been re-bodied by the Dutch or Belgian coach-builder, Bronkhorst

Miscellaneous notes: The bare V16 chassis [costing $4800] was not included on the V-16 price list after October 1930.

Useful books/articles on file (or wanted):

-  Automotive Industries, November 12, 1938
-  The production Figure Book of US Cars, Jerry Heasly
-  Kelley Wholesale Blue Book, March-April 1940
-  Motor Trend, January 1965

V-16s reportedly owned by film stars and other (sometimes notorious) personalities:

-  1933 All-weather phaeton (ex-Al Jolson - former Harrah collection);   see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1933 Convertible Victoria (ex-Robert Montgomery); see "Star Cars 2" section
-  1933 Town car (ex-Joan Crawford, now Hillcrest Cadillac, LA);  see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1933 Town car (ex-Marlene Dietrich, according to the Keyaerts Museum in Langeais, France,
    but possibly confusion with the 1935 town car she owned (see below);   see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1933 Aerodynamic coupe 5899 (ex-William Knudsen, GM - he had use of the unique World's Fair
    car until he got body #1 of the 1934 production;  see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1934 Aerodynamic coupe 5899 (see above, ex-William Knudsen, body #1 - story by
    Robert De Mars in CLC)
-  1935 Town car (ex-Marlene Dietrich - sold at Sword Auction in 1965; was reported to have gone to
    Australia but  has been located in the Southwark Museum in New Zealand);  see "Star Cars 1"      
    section
-  1938 Formal Sedan (ex-Mae West); see "Star Cars 2" section
-  1938 Conv, coupe (ex-Gary Cooper)
-  1938 Coupe (ex-W.C. Fields);  see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1938 Limousine (ex-Teddy Roosevelt)
-  1938 Stretched parade car (only 2 were built as White House security cars - both have survived);
    see "Star Cars 2" section
-  1939 Sedan (ex-W.C. Fields);   see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1940 Town Car (ex-Eddie Cantor);   see "Star Cars 1" section
-  1940 Town Car (ex-Darryl Zanuck); see "Star Cars 2" section
-  1940 Formal Sedan (ex-Al Capone);   see "Star Cars 1" section

The Al Jolson car, formerly of the
Bill Harrah collection, Reno, NV

Miscellaneous Jottings:

-  An article in Automobile Topics, on March 29, 1930 mentions 31 models in the preliminary
    Price list; it  also explains the new  marketing strategy and refers to the V-16 as a sales "stunt"!
-  Starting with engine #703005 wheel spokes were tapered and  7.00x19 tires fitted
-  Starting with engine #702502 the oil dip-stick was moved from the rear of the engine to the side
-  It has been said [inter alia by Dave Towell, Cadillac dealer in Akron, OH] that all export chassis
    had RHD; in fact only the few that went to the UK, India or South Africa had RHD, that is
   3 or 4 cars at most]
-  On the 1933 V-16 models there is no V16 nameplate or emblem anywhere on the car
-  On the World's Fair V-16, in 1933, the gas filler spout was located  in the tail-light housing
    [cf. Robert De Mars story in CLC Annual Self-Starter, Fall 1974 issue]

 

(résumé en français)

Le tableau ci-dessus fournit les statistiques de fabrication mensuelles des Cadillac à moteur seize cylindres,   années 1930-31.  On constatera que le gros de la production se situe entre février et juillet 1930.  Par la suite ces unités de très grand luxe ne seront construites qu'au compte-gouttes.

Sur 3251 chassis-moteurs sortis d'usine, soixante-douze voitures complètes furent exportés, dont 14 vers la Belgique, 12 vers l'Espagne, 11 vers l'Allemagne, 7 vers le Mexique, 6 vers la France, 5 vers la Suède,  4 vers le Danemark, 2 vers le Royaume-Uni, 2 vers l'Argentine, 2 vers Cuba, 2 vers Porto Rico et 1 chacune vers l'Inde, les Philippines, Hawaii, l'URSS,  et l'Afrique du Sud.

Onze chassis nus furent livrés à des carrossiers indépendents aux Etats-Unis.  Seuls trois exemplaires ont été répertoriés à ce jour:  un spider carrossé par Rollston, un phaéton par Murphy et un Coupé de Ville par Waterhouse.  Il se peut qu'un quatrième chassis ait été renvoyé à l'usine pour y recevoir une carrosserie de 1929 (phaéton sport à parebrise AR rabattable).   On ne sait rien des sept chassis manquants. 

Par ailleurs, vingt-et-un chassis nus furent exportés pour être habillés par des carrossiers autres que Fisher et Fleetwood, les deux carrossiers attitrés de la GM.  On a répertorié entre autres un cabriolet Victoria à cinq places dû au maître carrossier parisien Jacques Saoutchik (a survécu), un Coupé de Ville landaulet par Van den Plas en Belgique (a survécu), une berline sport à toit ouvrant par Van den Plas au Royaume-Uni, un Coupé de Ville landaulet par le parisien Kellner, une carrosserie semblable par Nordberg en Suède (a survécu), un spider bateau par Farina en Italie (a survécu) et un spider normal par Voll & Ruhrbeck en Allemagne.  Je soupçonne également la fabrication d'une berline par Lancefield au Royaume-Uni [à moins qu'il ne s'agisse de la berline Van den Plas fabriquée dans ce pays], de même qu'un Coupé de Ville par Bronkhorst (Pays-Bas), avec vitres de custodes et cannage sur les flancs at à l'arrière [à moins qu'il ne s'agisse encore d'une modification ultérieure du Coupé de Ville type 4264B par Fleetwood, lequel faisait partie d'un cortège de six V16 qui firent un tour d'Europe en juin/jiuillet 1930 à des fins publicitaires].  Reste donc une douzaine de chassis/ carrosseries à retrouver. Où donc se cachent-ils.

A titre d'information encore, le moteur no. 701530 qui au demeurant équipait un Coupé de Ville Fleetwood type 4220 se trouve actuellement près d'Alicante, en Espagne.  Il sert à la motorisation d'une barquette de course construite sur place, semble-t-il.   Ce moteur provient d'Argentine [acheté  là-bas  en 1984].   S'agirait-il du moteur de l'une des 2 voitures exoprtées là-bas en 1930-31?