The Detroit, MI based Cadillac Company offered three different and very distinct chassis and drive trains, a V8, V12 and the massive V16 in 1931. The series 355-A had eight cylinders, the 370-A had twelve-cylinders, and a continuation of the 1930 and 1931 series 452 and 452-A V-16. A total of 10,717 automobile were produced.
Over 5725 370A vehicles were produced from 1930 to 1931. It was available in the two door coupe, 4 door limousine, 2 door roadster, 4 door sedan and the 2 door Tourer. Model year sales were 5,733.
The 370-A series was very similar to the 1930-31 V-16 except some bodies were built by Fisher, but all body interiors were built by Fleetwood.
The hood was four inches shorter than the V-16, and five inches longer than the V-8. The battery was mounted in the right front fender, and the coach sill was modified with a single molding on the splash shield.
The headlights were smaller in diameter than the V-16 headlights by one inch, and the instrument panel was very similar to the V-8 panel. It also had ball shaped dual rear headlights like the V-8 and dual hors that were smaller than on the V-16.
The front tread was the same as the V-8, and the frame had divergent side rails like the Series 355. Rear springs were mounted under the frame rails.
The sedans had two wheelbases, 140' and 143', though the semi-commercial unit had a 152' wheelbase.
Featuring very fine Fleetwood coachwork in standard Fisher bodies, the Fleetwood Body Company was also located in Detroit Michigan.
With a OHV V12 engine, 368 cid and 135 hp, the 370A was priced at $4,895 when new. Able to reach 160km/h, the Cadillac Fleetwood Sport Phaeton came with a narrow-angle V16 power unit.
The 370-A engine had dual intake silencers that were slightly smaller than the single unit on the V-8 engine. The silencers were positioned at the rear were the V-16 vacuum tanks were mounted.
It also had carburetors that were reversed yet very similar to the V-16 so the air inlet was located at the rear.
The V-16 oil filter was mounted on the center of the dash near a single vacuum tank.
The Cadillac V-12 was the official pace car in 1931 for the Indianapolis 500.
By Jessica Donaldson