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1933 Cadillac Series 370-C Twelve news, pictures, and information

Town Sedan
Coachwork: Fisher
 
This 1933 Cadillac Twelve Model 370-C spent most of its life in the New England area of the United States. The body style is also referred to as 'close coupled,' arguably the most handsome of closed body styles.

The Fisher-built body was installed on a 140-inch wheelbase chassis and the base price was approximately $3,500.

For 1933, Cadillac offered V-8, V-12, and V-16 engines. This V-12 developed 135 horsepower from its 368 cubic-inches. The transmission featured synchromesh gears.

This car was acquired by the current owner in a disassembled condition ('basket case') and restored. Since 1933 was Cadillac's lowest sales year, obtaining the parts necessary for the restoration represented a real challenge.
In 1927, the Art and Color department was formed at General Motors with Harley Earl as its leader. For the next fifteen-years, the styling and engineering leadership would keep the Cadillac marque at the top of the fine-car market. Cadillac shocked the world in 1930 with the introduction of its sixteen-cylinder model and sent its competitors scrambling to keep to pace. The hits kept on coming; in 1931 Cadillac introduced a V12 model that retained many of the luxury amenities found in the sixteen-cylinder version, but had a lower price tag.

In 1932, the models were longer and lower and incorporated several stylistic and technical changes and improvements. This would also be the final year for the classic Cadillac styling spear-headed by its tombstone radiators and clamshell fenders. The bodies featured curved running boards which blended in with the front and rear fenders. There was a vacuum-operated automatic clutch and two-way hydraulic shock absorbers which were controlled from the driver's seat. The synchromesh transmission used silent helical gears in all three forward speeds and there were mechanical fuel pumps and Detroit Lubricator carburetors.

Visually, the eight and twelve-cylinder cars were nearly identical with the most distinguishable feature being the radiator badge or hubcap inserts which gave clues to which model was the 12.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2008
With nearly identical overall styling and appearance to the V-8 except for the emblems, the Cadillac 370B was introduced in 1932.

Nearly all of the features were very similar to the 370-A.

With an engine that was basically identical, the fuel feed changed to mechanical from vacuum tank.

A new Cuno disc type self-cleaning oil filter was also mounted at the right hand side of clutch housing and as connected to a starter pedal that rotated disc each time the pedal was depressed.

After nearly twenty years of Cadillac utilizing a Cadillac-Johnson carburetor, the new Detroit Lubricator dual carburetor was featured.

Much of the mechanical features were only slightly differentiated. The increase of power and weight are examples of the improved gear ratios, tire sizes, battery/generator capacity and vacuum assist on brakes.

The dual exhaust system now had tuning chambers in mufflers instead of attachments to the tail pipes. Now the dual ignition coils could be found mounted in the top tank of the radiator.

By Jessica Donaldson
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Arrow Right 1933 Cadillac models
Cadillac 355 C Eight
Cadillac 452C V16

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Similarly Sized Vehicles from 1933
Cadillac 355 C Eight

Similarly Priced Vehicles from 1933
Packard 1005 Twelve ($3,700-$4,700)
Pierce Arrow Model 1242 Twelve ($3,796-$4,365)

Average Auction Sale: $60,388

 
Cadillac: 1931-1940
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Image Left 1932 370B V12
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