The Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell designed Sixty Special, introduced in 1938, solidified Cadillac's place at the top of the luxury market with more power, lower cost, better quality, and groundbreaking styling. The rakish styling was revolutionary yet tasteful, devoid of running boards, no longer necessary due to the lowered double dropped frame that lowered the floor to running board height. The design carefully blended the chrome and brightwork, and the trunk was not merely an add-on but part of the overall styling. The svelte hood concealed the 345 cubic-inch monobloc Flathead V8 originally introduced in 1937, producing 140 horsepower and offering a zero-to-sixty mph time of 14 seconds, with a top speed of approximately 100 mph. The Cadillac easily out-performed the comparable Packard due to its less weight and more powerful engine.
The first Series 60 Special of 1938 wore bodies by Fleetwood. The 1939 and 1940 models, which used essentially the same design with updated front-end sheet metal and headlights, were built to the Fleetwood design by Fisher Body. The 1940 through 1942 design successfully transformed the 1930s-era classic Cadillac design cues into a more modern context. The all-new body and chassis designs were introduced in 1948, and 1949 brought a modern, high-performance overhead-valve V8, the first all-new Cadillac powerplant in many years.
The 1940 Cadillac Series 60 Special rested on a 127-inch wheelbase, slightly smaller than the 129-inch platform of the Fisher Series 62 (40-62), the Fleetwood Series 72 (40-72) on a 138-inch wheelbase, and the Fleetwood Series 75's 141-inch wheelbase. The Series 62 was the least expensive Cadillac for 1940, priced from $1,745 to $2,200, while the Series 60 Special Sedan was priced at $2,090 and the Town Car at $3,465. The engine was a ninety-degree L-head eight-cylinder unit with 6.25:1 compression and 135 horsepower, and the transmission was a three-speed selective synchromesh unit with a single disc clutch. Hydraulic brakes were on all four-wheels along with slotted disc wheels that measured 16-inches. The suspension included an independent setup with coil springs and a Hotchkiss semi-floating rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs.
Production The Sixty Special was among the most popular Cadillac model for 1940 with 4,600 examples built. The Series 62 was the most popular with 5,903 built, followed by 1,525 of the Series 72 and 956 of the Series 75. 1940 was the final year for the V-16 Cadillac and a mere 61 examples were built. This would be the final year a Cadillac would be powered by an engine other than the V-8 for over four decades. by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2021
Related Reading : Cadillac Series 60 History
The Cadillac Series 60 was produced from 1936 through 1940 when it was replaced by the Series 61. The Cadillac Series 60 was their mid-price offering a vehicle outfitted with a potent 322 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine and stylish bodies. The exterior was designed by the Legendary Harley Earl with their sleek grille and split vee-shaped windshields. The body rode atop of a newly introduced.... Continue Reading >>
Related Reading : Cadillac 60 / Sixty History
The designation Sixty Special has denoted a specific model since 1938. At first, the name was saved for Cadillacs lowest price range but eventually, the Sixty Special name would be reserved for Cadillacs most luxurious automobiles. 1941 was the final year of Bill Mitchells original Sixty Special design and a brand new 1942 model was in the cards. Nearly 17,900 Sixty Specials were produced from.... Continue Reading >>
The Cadillac Series Sixty Special was introduced in 1938 and brought many styling concepts that would be used in the Cadillac lineup in the years to come. The body featured a convertible-style steel top with a thin roof section and a notched back. Th....[continue reading]
The Cadillac Series 60 Specials of 1938 were bodied by Fleetwood. The 1939 and 1940 use essentially the same design but were clothed by Fisher. The Series 60 Special was the first car completely styled for GM by William Mitchell, the protégé and even....[continue reading]
The Cadillac Series 60 was the first car completely styled for GM by William Mitchell. Mitchell was the eventual successor of the legendary Harley Earl. Mitchell made the first 'owner-driver' Cadillac, a car for individual who preferred not to use a ....[continue reading]
The first Series 60 Specials of 1938 were clothed by Fleetwood. The 1939 and 1940 models, which had essentially the same design with updated front-end sheet metal and headlights, were built to the Fleetwood design by Fisher Body. This particular Spec....[continue reading]
Touring-Bodied Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Named Best of Show at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours dElegance
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 26, 2018) — After an intense competition that drew diverse cars from around the globe, the coveted gold Best of Show...
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 20, 2017) — Just a week ago, Bruce R. McCaws 1929 Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer emerged from the restoration shop of Steve Babinsky in Lebanon, New Jersey. Today, having crossed the country, the boattailed beauty captured...
RM Sothebys presents latest featured entries for its now single-day Santa Monica sale, 24 June at the historic Barker Hangar
Highlights include a highly original, California-bred 1929 Duesenberg Model J, a beautiful Light Green Poly 1960 Mercede...
RM Auctions secures a championship-winning 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider competition car for its flagship Monterey, California, sale, August 16–17, after single ownership for 45 years
Also announced are a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, a...
Columbus, OH – Tennessees George Poteet and Nebraskas Ron Cizek collected the top two awards at the Goodguys 16th PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio last weekend. Under brilliant sunshine and in front of record crowds, Poteets vintage NASCAR-inspired...