1946 Cadillac Series 62

The Cadillac Automobile Company of Detroit, Michigan completed its first car in October 1902 and quickly established a reputation for its superior precision manufacturing technology. Innovations have kept it at the forefront of the industry, and its cars are recognized worldwide as symbols of wealth and prestige. Nearly every year throughout the 1930s brought about a landmark advance in the development of Cadillac's long-running V-8 engine, which by the end of the decade had been rationalized to a single 346 cubic-inch variant, while the V12 and V16-engined coachbuilder models had been dropped from the lineup.

Cadillac's V8 engine was renowned for its smooth operation and a plethora of torque, often backed by the optional Hydra-Matic automatic transmission.

The Fisher-built 'Projectile' or 'Torpedo' bodies first appeared on the 1940 Cadillac range with a revised front-end treatment following a year later, establishing a pattern that would last for several years. Car production halted suddenly throughout the American auto industry in 1942 as factories were retooled in support of the war effort. When peacetime resumed, so did civilian automobile production, but the problem was that the design and development of new models had all but halted during the war as well. Most manufacturers made do with hastily refreshed versions of their existing pre-war models, trying to meet the pent-up demand for new automobiles. All-new designs were being created, but it would be several years (for most manufacturers) before they were ready for introduction.

1946 Cadillac Lineup
The 1946 Cadillac lineup included the entry-level Series 61 priced at $2,050 for the club coupe and $2,180 for the sedan, the bread-and-butter Series 62 priced in the low-$2,000s, the Series 60 Special Fleetwood four-door sedan priced at $3,100, and the range-topping Series 75 Fleetwood priced in the low-to-mid $4,000s. The Series 61 rested on a 126-inch wheelbase, the Series 62 on a 129-inch platform, a 133-inch wheelbase for the Series 60S, and a 136-inch platform for the Series 75. Body styles on the Series 75 included a 5- and 7-passenger sedan, a 7-passenger Imperial Sedan, and a 9-passenger Business Sedan and Imperial Business Sedan. The Series 61 was based on the General Motors 'B-Body' platform which it shared with the Buick 40, Pontiac 26 and 28 series, and the Oldsmobile 70.

All 1946 Cadillac models were powered by the 346 cubic-inch L-head V8 engine with a 7.25:1 compression ratio, hydraulic valve lifters, three main bearings, and delivering 150 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. All models also received ball-bearing steering, mechanical fuel pump, oil bath air cleaner, synchromesh transmission, automatic choke, intake silencer, directional signals, Torbend disc clutch, Super-Safe hydraulic brakes, and sealed beam lighting. The suspension was comprised of coil springs in the front, wax-lubricated rear springs, hypoid rear axle, double-ride stabilizers, and permanently lubricated universals. They rode on slotted disc wheels and low-pressure tires.

Production started shortly after VE day, however, strikes and sheet-metal shortages held Cadillac to 29,214 examples built for 1946, with the Series 62 accounting for approximately 64 percent of the total production. Cadillac sales rose significantly the following year, with approximately 96,000 orders remaining unfilled.

1946 Cadillac Series 62
The Cadillac Series 62 used the C-Body GM platform shared with its 60 Special Fleetwood siblings, the Buick 50 and 70, and Oldsmobile 90 series. Body styles included a four-door sedan with seating for five priced at $2,360 and a convertible coupe at $2,560, both with notchback styling. The two-door club coupe with seating for five was priced at $2,285 and had fastback styling. Standard equipment included bullet-shaped fenders, skirted rear wheel openings, chrome-plated rear fins, and a three-speed selective synchromesh manual transmission. The four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic was optional, along with fog lights, a white sidewall disc, large wheel discs, and a safety spotlight.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021