1955 Cadillac Sixty Special Fleetwood

Cadillac began using the name 'Sixty Special' in 1938 on a Harley-Earl and Bill Mitchell-designed, long-wheelbase version of the Series 60, often called the Fleetwood Sixty Special. Body styles included a four-door sedan and, for a brief period of time, a four-door hardtop. The name was used until 1976, often used to denote Cadillac's most luxurious vehicles, and then revived in 1987 and used until 1993.

The 1955 model year is considered the fifth generation of the Series 60 Special name. All 1954 Cadillacs received new sheet metal and designs, with the Series 60 having a similar appearance to the lower-priced Series 62 sibling, but fitted with a more luxurious Fleetwood-style interior. Its wheelbase measured 133 inches which were the same dimensions used back in 1949. It had Fleetwood script, a wraparound panoramic windshield, V-shaped ornaments on the rear deck and hood, a new grille, and longer sweeping fenders. The overhead-valve eight-cylinder engine had hydraulic valve lifters, a Carter four-barrel carburetor (a Rochester four-barrel configuration was also available depending on the setup - such as air conditioning), and five main bearings. It displaced 331 cubic inches, delivered 230 horsepower at 4,400 RPM, and was mated to a three-speed automatic transmission.

Since the 1954 Cadillac models received a significant restyling in 1954, the 1955 model year received only minor changes and refinements. In the front was a redesigned grille with wider spaces between the blades and the parking lamps were repositioned directly below the headlights. The bodyside moldings traversed from the front grille to the middle of the rear doors. The four-door sedan with seating for six was the only available body style, with prices beginning at $4,725, a slight decrease from the prior year's price of $4,800.

Modifications to the engine brought horsepower to 250 bhp at 4,600 RPM. Total 1955 model year output was 140,777 units with 18,300 of those being the Series Sixty Special, an increase of approximately 2,000 more Series 60 than the prior year.

Series 60 Special Fleetwood models came standard with wheel discs, an oil bath air cleaner, an automatic choke, directional signals, backup lights, a 12-volt electrical system, push-button automatic windshield washers, knee-action front suspension, and a hypoid semi-floating rear axle. The 'glamour' upholstery was similar to the metallic thread fabric with the leather trim combination used on the Series 62 Coupe DeVille.

The top-of-the-line 1955 Cadillac was the Eldorado convertible priced at $4,480, with the most expensive Cadillacs in the lineup being the Series 75 Fleetwood long-wheelbase models with prices beginning at $6,200. The Series Sixty Special Fleetwood was considered the company's prestige leader and offered elegance and refinement for the company's discerning clientele.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2020