1937 Cadillac Series 60

Cadillac vehicles throughout the 1930s were powered by eight, twelve, and sixteen-cylinder engines, offered with a Plethora of body styles in a vast array of chassis sizes. The prices catered to the most affluent in society, and for those who did not meet that requirement, Cadillac offered a similar, but a less expensive option with the LaSalle. Within General Motors' hierarchy, nearly every price point, need, and configuration could be accommodated from the entry-level Chevrolet, followed by Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, LaSalle, and top-level Cadillac.

The Cadillac lineup became more diverse in 1936 with the introduction of the Series 60, the brainchild of new Cadillac manager, Nicholas Dreystadt, who envisioned filling the price gap that existed between the LaSalles and Series 70 Cadillac models. The price of the Series 60 coupe was approximately $700 less than the previous year's least-expensive Cadillac (the Model 355-D Eight Series 10 Sport Coupe of $2,345), but above the 1936 LaSalle Series 50, priced from $1,175 to $1,225. The LaSalle used a 120-inch wheelbase chassis, a three-speed selective synchromesh transmission, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, and was powered by a 248 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine with five main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and delivering 105 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. The Cadillac Series 60 of 1936 rested on a 121-inch wheelbase and was powered by a 322 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine with three main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, and delivered 125 horsepower. The engine was backed by a three-speed selective, synchromesh transmission with a single disc clutch, and stopping power was by hydraulic drum brakes at all four corners. In comparison to the previous year's entry-level Cadillac, the 1936 Cadillac Series 60's wheelbase was seven inches shorter, and its engine produced five horsepower less than the 353 CID eight-cylinder unit powering the 1935 Cadillac Series 355-D. The monoblock engine in the Series 60 was the same powering the Fleetwood-bodied V-8s, but with a 3 3/8-inch bore instead of the 3 1/2-inch bore of the larger 346 CID eight.

The three body styles offered on the Series 60 by Fisher included the coupe, convertible coupe with rumble seat, and touring sedan. The B-Bodies platform was shared with LaSalle, Buick, and Oldsmobile. The Harley Earl-designed body featured a split vee-shaped windshield, a slender grille, and Fisher Body's new Turret Top one-piece roof. Features that help distinguish it from its lesser-priced siblings included the Bendix dual-servo brakes and 'Knee-Action' independent suspension, first introduced by Cadillac in 1934.

During its inaugural year of production, Cadillac built 6,712 examples, slightly more than the 5,248 of the combined Series 70 and Series 75, and much higher than the 52 examples of the range-topping Cadillac Sixteen. The total number of LaSalles built-in 1936 was just over 13,000 vehicles.

For 1937, the engine's displacement grew to 346 cubic inches, and horsepower was now rated at 135 bhp at 3,400 RPM, surpassing the engine output produced by all V8 Cadillacs of a few years earlier. A convertible sedan joined the lineup and was priced at $1,885. The sport coupe was priced at $1,445, the convertible coupe at $1,575, and the touring sedan at $1,545. Styling updates included higher fenders with a crease along the top, bumpers with the Cadillac emblem, hood louvers, and an egg-crate grille with three horizontal bars on either side of the grille. The wheelbase grew to 124 inches and a commercial chassis was available with a 160 3/8-inch wheelbase.

Series 60 production rose slightly in 1937, reaching 7,003 units. The Series 65 had 2,401 sales, the combined Series 70 and 75 sales were 4,232 units, and the Sixteen remained exclusive, with just 50 examples built. LaSalle had 32,005 sales in 1937.

The Series 60 continued for one more year and was replaced in 1939 by the Series 61. The Series Sixty Special of 1939 was bodied by Fleetwood and was not the same as the previous Fisher-bodied Series 60. It was offered solely as a sedan on a 127-inch wheelbase with optional Sunshine Turret Top or center division. The Series 61 had a 126-inch wheelbase and was priced from $1,700 to $2,265.

During the three-year production lifespan of the Series 60, a total of 15,767 units were built. 1937 was its best year with 7,003 examples built, followed by 1936 with 6,712 built and 2,052 in its final year.

After LaSalle was discontinued in the early 1940s, the Cadillac lineup absorbed some of its price structure, dipping into the low-$1,000 range. Cadillac's experimentation with eight-, twelve-, and sixteen-cylinder models were consolidated in 1941 (albeit the twelve-cylinder Cadillac had ended in 1937), and for the first time since 1926, Cadillac's entire lineup was once again powered by the same engine.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021