Cadillac 75 Generation 3 Series 41-75 7533 Touring Imperial by Fleetwood
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Car producer : |
Cadillac |
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Model: |
75 Generation 3 Series 41-75 7533 Touring Imperial by Fleetwood |
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Year: |
1941-1949 |
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Type: |
Sedan |
For 1941, the wheelbase was reduced to 136 in (3,454 mm), though power on the 346 cu in (5.7 L) L-head V8 engine was up to 150HP (112 kW). The one piece hood came down lower in the front, included the side panels and extended sideways to the fenders. A single rectangular panel of louver trim was used on each side of the hood.[1][2] The rectangular grille was wide, vertical, and bulged foreword in the middle.[1][2] Rectangular parking lights were built into the top outer corners of the grille.[1][2] Headlights were now built into the nose of the fenders, and provision for built in accessory fog lights was provided under the headlights. Three chrome spears appeared on the rear section of all four fenders. Rear fender skirts were standard. Unlike other Cadillacs the Series 75 could only be ordered with running boards.
The eight Fleetwood Seventy-Five sedans, all on a 3454mm wheelbase, had seating configurations for five, seven, or nine. Further, they came with or without the glass "Imperial Division," which was electrically powered (also available on the Sixty Special and Series Sixty-Seven). The Seventy-Five was also available on a 4140mm-wheelbase commercial chassis. Compared to 1940, the Series Ninety (V-16) and Seventy-Two were gone, but the Series Sixty-One, Sixty-Three, and Sixty-Seven were new.
The '41 Caddy was the first luxury automobile with a fully automatic transmission, four-speed Hydra-Matic, which had been pioneered by Oldsmobile in 1940. About 30 percent of production came equipped this way for '41, and that would double the next year, and more than triple post-war.
The '41 model year also saw the introduction of air conditioning as a Cadillac option. Truly, this was a big step from the classic era into the modem age -- even though only 300 cars were equipped with the bulky apparatus that occupied a considerable amount of space throughout the car. In fact, the unit had no automatic clutch and could be disengaged only by removing the belt in the engine compartment. By comparison, Packard had advertised its "Weather-Conditioner" as early as February 1940, and it was every bit as bulky and primitive as the Cadillac arrangement.
As noted above, Cadillac frequently used the word "economy" in describing its cars, and backed it up by pointing out that the '41 engine was 15 percent more economical than the 1940 unit. Performance wasn't neglected, either. Cadillac claimed that its 5.678 litres V-8 had undergone "hundreds of improvements," including a higher 7.25:1 compression ratio (up from 6.25:1 and 6.70:1 in 1940). The changes boosted output of the L-head unit to 150 horsepower at 3400 rpm, enough to propel the lightest models from 0-60 mph in about 15 seconds, and from 0-30 in about four. Safety wasn't overlooked either, as directional signals were standard equipment, unusual in 1941.
Styling was heavily emphasized for '41, and the new Cadillacs emerged looking quite distinctive. The prow-nose motif of the Thirties was gone, replaced by a blunter and more massive frontal design that was highlighted by a dramatic horizontal egg crate grille -- a theme that has been continued to this day. That, plus the coffin-nose-style hood (evidence of the industry-wide effect of Cord styling), and the headlights integrated into the broader fenders, separated it from all Cadillacs that had gone before. Meanwhile, a three-piece front bumper guard (one horizontal) provided a cove to protect the license plate, and provision was made for extra-cost fog lights under the headlights (cars without them sported round emblems with a "V" in their centre).
At the rear, fenders were squarer, the left taillight hid the gas-filler cap, and on most models twin vertical bars divided the rear window into three segments. A large circle medallion on the fender skirts and three horizontal chrome "speed stripes" on the front and rear fenders of most models also set the cars apart from previous Cadillacs.
Cadillac's 1941 model line-up was considerably -- and shrewdly -- realigned. The companion LaSalle was discarded, and the Series 61 returned to take its place. The 62 remained the volume series, offering a full range of body styles, including convertible coupe and sedan. A bit further up the price ladder was a lone four-door under the new Series 63 designation. Wheelbase on the Sixty-Special was shaved 25mm, to 3200mm, to match that of the three lower-priced lines. At the top of the heap were the 3505mm-wheelbase Series 67 and 3454mm Series 75 models. Accessories abounded: radios, fender skirts, driving lights, mirrors, windshield washer, backup lamps, and new Hydra-Matic self-shift transmission were all available.
Running boards were concealed or no-cost options on all but the 60S and 75; the Sixty Special had none and the 75s had nothing but. Power tops, electric divisions, factory installed air conditioning, and Hydra-Matic transmissions were available.
Serial numbers were located on the left frame side bar, opposite the steering gear. Starting number: Same as the engine number. Ending number: Same as engine number. Engine numbers were on the crankcase, just behind the left cylinder block parallel to the dash.
