1937 LaSalle Series 50

The LaSalle marque was Cadillac's companion car, typically smaller than the Cadillac, priced below the Cadillac, and produced from 1927 to 1940. The medium-priced automobile helped Alfred P. Sloan's General Motors fill nearly every price point and niche. By the mid-1930s, Lasalle faced new challenges from the Lincoln Zephyr and the Packard 120.

LaSalle's were built with quality and Cadillac engineering. The engines were assembled to Cadillac standards in the Cadillac factory, and only the finest components available were sourced from outside suppliers. The list of vendors actively promoted in company literature included A.O. Smith and Stromberg, Borg & Beck, Brown-Lipe, Bendix, and Spicer.

Among the most distinguishable features of the LaSalle was the Harley Earl styling. When Cadillac considered dropping the marque in 1934, Earl responded with modern and attractive designs that breathed new life and ensured further longevity. The 1935 LaSalle models were devoid of the biplane bumpers, and replaced by single-piece bumpers. They had dramatic pontoon fenders, new vee-shaped windshields, and chevron trim integrated into the front fenders.

Total LaSalle production for 1935 was 8,653 cars, an increase over the 7,218 produced in 1934.

The 1936 LaSalle was mostly unchanged, and minor changes were applied to the 1937 models.

Throughout its entire production lifespan, the LaSalle marque offered a single model per year, with a production chassis and a commercial chassis. For 1937, it was the Series 37-50 powered by an L-head eight-cylinder engine with a cast-iron block, hydraulic valve lifters, Stromberg or Carter carburetor, three main bearings, and offering 125 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. The 37-50 chassis had a wheelbase that measured 124 inches and an overall length of 201.25 inches. The commercial chassis had a wheelbase of 160.2 inches and an overall length of 237.4 inches.

The engine was among the most significant changes to the 1937 LaSalles, as the 1936 models used an inline eight with a 248 CID and produced 105 horsepower. The 322 CID unit in the 1937 LaSalle was a V8 sourced from the 1936 Cadillac Series 60.

The engine was backed by a three-speed, selective, synchromesh transmission with a single disc clutch, a 3.92:1 drive ratio, and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Both the LaSalle and the Cadillac Series 60 used a Hypoid rear axle, a new steering box, and a front stabilizer bar.

Body styles included a two- and four-door touring sedan, a convertible sedan, a convertible coupe, and a sports coupe. Prices ranged from $995 for the sports coupe and rose to $1,500 for the convertible sedan. The convertible sedan was an all-new offering for 1937, and all the bodies were formed from steel.

The frontal area of the 1937 Lasalle was revised with a diecast egg-crate style grille with less chrome than in prior years. The Lasalle insignia was placed on the bumpers, the windshields had a deeper vee and a 39-degree rake, the front fenders were new with higher rear halves, and the headlights were mounted lower on the radiator casing. Optional equipment included a flexible steering wheel, wheel discs, side-mount covers, trim rings, radio, seat covers, and a heater.

For 1937, LaSalle produced 32,005 vehicles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2020