1933 Cadillac Series 355-C Eight

Eight-cylinder Cadillacs were the company's bread-and-butter since 1915, with the introduction of the Type 51 powered by its new L-head V8 engine, the first mass-produced V8, and the first left-hand drive Cadillac with bodies built by Fisher. Cadillac had raised the bar for the luxury car segment, and while many remained steadfast to inline sixes, Cadillac continued to push the envelope, introducing 'The New Ninety Degree Cadillac' Series 314 Eight in 1926, and the Twelve and Sixteen models in the late-1920s and early-1930s.

General Motors introduced the LaSalle brand in 1927 to fill the price gaps that existed between the Cadillac and Buick. (Other GM marques in descending order included Marquette, Viking, Oldsmobile, Oakland, and Pontiac). LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac but were smaller and priced less than Cadillac. The eleven standard body styles were all built by Fisher and ranged from $2,495 to $2,975, plus four custom Fleetwood models. They introduced new styling by Harley Earl, inspired by the best of European and American styles. The LaSalle was so well received by the public that General Motors hired the 34-year-old stylist and created the Art and Colour Section around him. The elegant designs were soon applied to the Cadillac vehicles.

The Series 353 Eight, designed by Earl, was introduced for 1930 in 'Fisher Custom' and 'Fleetwood Special Custom' line in a range of three dozen distinct bodies. Discerning customers could also order a chassis to be clothed by the coachbuilder of their own choice, although less than one percent were so equipped in 1930. Design elements included larger headlights, a slightly sloped windshield, a wider radiator, and chassis devoid of the previous ball and socket spring shackles. The front track increased by three inches to 59 inches, and the rear grew slightly by 1.5 inches to 59.5 inches.

The 1931 Series 355-A Eight wore new bodies that were longer and lower resting on a 134-inch wheelbase with a length of 203 inches. They had metal floorboards, a single bar bumper, dual horns, ventilated doors that replaced hood louvers, a chrome-plated screen that covered the radiator, headlights with a one-inch smaller diameter, and an oval instrumental panel. The 1932 Eight, called the 355-B used a 134- and 140-inch wheelbase, and its bodies were now even longer and lower than before, measuring 207- and 213-inches. The front assembly was restyled, and the roofline was lowered by approximately one to three inches.

1933 Cadillac Series 355-C
The 1933 Cadillac Series 355-C Eight were offered in Fisher bodies resting on 134- and 140-inch wheelbases, and the Fleetwood bodies resting on a 140-inch platform. The 353 cubic-inch, L-head, inline-8 engine delivered 115 horsepower at 3,000 RPM and was backed by a three-speed selective, synchromesh transmission with a twin-disc clutch. Stopping power was by mechanical 15-inch drum brakes on four wheels with vacuum assist. Controlled free wheeling was no longer offered. Prices ranged from $2,700 to $4,150.

Design cues included sectioned bumpers with plain ends and a three-bar center, a vee-shaped grille, and a painted radiator shell. A chrome-plated radiator shell was optional. The fender had valances, and the fender tie-bar was sectioned and the center section disappeared behind the grille. The previous vertical hood doors were replaced by six horizontal doors, and no-draft Individual Controlled Ventilation (I.C.V.) was introduced. The I.C.V. were pivoting vent windows in the front doors and rear door or rear quarter windows. In early production examples, the front door window needed to be lowered to disengage the channel at its front edge from the vent window, allowing the vent window to pivot. Later examples had the sealing channel attached to the door frame allowing the vent window to operate independently of the window glass.

The rear windows and windshield were stationary, and the lack of a windshield operating mechanism allowed room for the wiper motor behind the headboard.

Cadillac produced 2,100 examples of the Eight in 1933, accounting for approximately thirty-two percent of Cadillac's total production. 2,700 examples had been produced a year earlier, 10,717 in 1931, and 14,995 in 1930.

The eight-cylinder Cadillacs were given a completely new chassis (a new frame of X design) for 1934, with wheelbases of 128-, 136-, and 146-inches, along with all-new styling. Among the significant updates were the newly independent 'knee action' front suspension with coil springs and the front shocks serving as an integral part of the suspension. Fleetwood-bodied cars used an inverted steering box, positioned on the outside of the frame. The torque tube was replaced by a Hotchkiss drive and the rear brakes were now operated by pull rods and cables.

Despite the many improvements, Cadillac Eight sales did not rebound until 1936, when 5,248 examples were sold.

Cadillac vehicles would use eight-, twelve, and sixteen-cylinder power through most of the 1930s, with the Twelve being dropped after 1937, and the Sixteen dropped after 1940. The 1941 Cadillac model lineup expanded in 1941 in the wake of the demise of the LaSalle marques with a much broader spectrum of prices. The eight-cylinder engine would continue to power Cadillac vehicles following World War II, with a new overhead valve V8 introduced in 1949.

An overhead-cam V-12 was slated for production in the late 1960s but never materialized. Reports circulated in the late 1980s of a new V-12, proven accurate with the Cadillac Solitaire concept of 1989, powered by a Lotus-designed 6.6-liter DOHC 48-valve V-21 with multiport fuel injection. The Cadillac Cien concept car of 2001 used a Northstar-based V-12 engine. The Cadillac Sixteen concept was equipped with an all-aluminum pushrod V-16 engine based on the same architecture as GM's then-current small-block V-8 developments. Although planned, Cadillac has remained true to its eight-cylinder power.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021