1948 Cadillac Series 60 Special Fleetwood

All 1948 Cadillac models, except for the range-topping Series 75 Fleetwood, received their first all-new post-war design with tailfins inspired by the Lockheed P-38 fighter plane. Larger bumpers that curved around the fenders and an egg-crate grille sculpted the front-end design with a Cadillac crest centered low in a 'V' were placed above the radiator grille. Within the front fenders were round headlights set within chrome headlamp rims, and the 60 Special had four slanting chrome slashes on the rear roof pillar.

The entry-level Cadillac Series 61 and Series 62 rested on a 126-inch wheelbase and had an overall length of 214 inches. The Series 60 Special Fleetwood was offered solely as a four-door sedan and priced at $3,820. Its wheelbase measured 133 inches (three inches shorter than the Series 75) and its length of 226 inches. Its styling was similar to the Series 61 and Series 62 but its front and rear doors were two inches wider, and they had a thinner type stone shield that curved upward along the front contour of the rear fender. Another rear exterior feature was the band of chrome that traversed the bottom of the fender skirts and quarter panels.

This was the final year for the 346 cubic-inch, L-head V8 engine. It used a two-barrel carburetor, hydraulic valve lifters, 7.25:1 compression, and delivered 150 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. It was replaced the following year by a new overhead-valve V8 with a 331 cubic-inch displacement and 160 hp. A manual transmission was standard on the 1948 Cadillac Series 60 while the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was a $174 option. Additional options included radio and antenna, whitewall tires, rear window defroster, safety spotlight, and fog lamps. Standard amenities included cloth and leather upholstery combinations and leather-grained doors and instrument panels.

The Series 60 was introduced in 1936 and produced off and on through 1993. At its introduction, it served as a price gap filler between the LaSalle vehicles and the Cadillac Series 70. Its 121-inch wheelbase and B-Body were shared with its Buick, Oldsmobile, and LaSalle siblings. In 1937, its wheelbase grew to 124 inches.

The Series 60 became the Series Sixty Special in 1938 and its styling would continue through 1941. A redesign occurred in 1942 and continued through 1947. The styling introduced in 1948 lasted for a year, and for most of the 1950s, it served as a stretched and well-optioned version of the Cadillac Series 62.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021