1961 Cadillac Series 75

The twelve- and sixteen-cylinder Cadillacs models of the 1930s ignited a 'cylinder war' that left numerous companies unable to compete, falling victim to the Great Depression and the inability to keep pace with the luxury and refinement being offered by Cadillac. Having served their purpose, the twelve- and sixteen-cylinder engines were dropped prior to the start of U.S. involvement with World War II, leaving the eight-cylinder engine as the sole powerplant installed in Cadillac's engine bays. The top-of-the-line and most exclusive model became the Series 75.

The market for seven-passenger sedans and limousine coachwork was limited, and Cadillac considered dropping the long-wheelbase Series 75 in the late 1940s. Its popularity and use by heads of state, prominent and influential industry professionals, movie stars, and even presidents, convinced management to keep it part of the lineup. While the rest of the Cadillac line received all-new post-war bodies for 1948, the Series 75 had to wait until 1950. Production would continue to be exclusive, often with fewer than two-thousand examples built per year, many as commercial chassis later clothed as funeral cars or ambulances.

The late-1950s Cadillac models wore large tailfins, jewel-like grille patterns, and twin bullet taillamps. All-new styling was introduced in 1961, and although its 149.8-inch wheelbase remained the same as the previous year, the length decreased slightly to 242.3 inches. Its height was 59 inches and its width was 80.6 inches, making it among the largest vehicles on the road at the time. A commercial chassis with a wheelbase of 156 inches was available.

The 1961 Cadillac Series 6700 Fleetwood 75 continued to be the company's largest and most luxurious vehicle in their lineup, with a high-headroom roofline and six-window styling. The 9-passenger sedan sold for $9,530 while the Imperial Sedan sold for $9,750. Power came from an overhead-valve, 390 cubic-inch engine with a cast-iron block, hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and offering 325 BHP.

Cadillac produced 699 examples of the nine-passenger sedan and 926 of the Imperial Sedan in 1961. Additionally, 2,204 examples were commercial chassis. The combined 3,829 examples built in 1961 were slightly higher than the 3,710 examples built the previous year.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2013