1936 Cadillac Series 90

The Roaring Twenties was a time of technological advancement with such innovations as the telephone, aviation, radio, and the electric power transmission grid. It was a time of economic growth and prosperity and many companies, including General Motors, saw their stocks soar. In the summer of 1929, it became evident that the economy was contracting, and the stock market reacted with a series of unsettling price declines. This led to investor anxiety, coming to a head on October 24, 28, and 29 (known respectively as Black Thursday, Black Monday, and Black Tuesday).

In the midst of this economic turmoil, some of the finest, most opulent, and most luxurious automobiles were introduced. Duesenberg halted trading on the stock exchange with its announcement of the Model J, which debuted on December 1 at the New York Car Show of 1928. Cadillac stunned the automotive community with the introduction of the 16-cylinder automobile on January 4, 1930, at the New York Auto Show.

Cadillac was the first true 16-cylinder engine to be designed and purpose-built from scratch. Owen Milton Nacker, working under GM Engineering chief Charles Kettering, led the V-16 development. The clandestine project began in 1926, complete with cover stories and notations on various blueprints stating the V-16 was intended for a new GM bus or coach design. The introduction followed three years of process development by Cadillac engineers and designers. The platform was subjected to actual tests for hundreds of thousands of miles under all available road and climatic conditions.

The engine had external manifolds, modern overhead-valve cylinder heads, and a 45-degree cylinder bank angle. The engine compartment was designed for easy maintenance and repairs, and this was the first automotive engine ever to be 'styled' with completely hidden wiring and the use of polished aluminum, porcelain, and a pair of valve covers with brushed aluminum ridges prominently featuring the Cadillac emblem. It was conservatively rated at 175 horsepower and delivered incredible low-end torque, rated at 320 foot-pounds at just 1,200 to 1,500 engine revolutions. The potent engine was well-suited to carry the large and stately bodies by Fleetwood and other talented and respected coachbuilders of the era. The V-16 was incredibly smooth, thanks to evenly-spaced firing intervals and a massive but well-balanced forged crankshaft, supported by five main bearings. Hydraulic valve-silencers contributed to the whisper-quiet operation. Other innovations included a silicon-aluminum crankcase, five-point engine mounts, carefully engineered pistons, and rings, plus a single distributor with two sets of breaker points, controlled by two separate ignition coils.

With the cylinder wars in full swing, luxury marques were forced to invest dwindling resources to produce a product that could compete for the rapidly declining pool of buyers willing to part with a small fortune to purchase their product. Many automakers went out of business. Cadillac survived the early 1930s thanks to the financial resources of GM, its massive parent company. Without this support, Cadillac could never have produced such a limited-production, luxurious automobile.

Production began slowly, with a few cars being produced per day, and within a few months had ramped up to twenty-two. By April of 1930, 1,000 examples had been built, and by June, 2,000 units. The catalog list of body styles included 10 basic styles by Fleetwood, with an envelope containing approximately 30 additional designer drawings.

Around 2,500 examples were built in 1930, and by the mid-1930s, around 50 were built each year. In 1936, it was re-designated the Series 90 as Cadillac reorganized its model names. Nearly half of the fifty-two units sold that year were limousines. Hydraulic brakes were added a year later, the last year of the first generation. 1938 through 1940 Cadillac V-16 was powered by a new L-head, 431 cubic-inch engine with an in-block valve design with a wider 135-degree V-angle, twin carburetors, twin distributors, twin water pumps, twin fuel pumps, and nine main bearing crankshaft.

The V-16 continued in production through 1940 with total production reaching 4,378 units.

by Dan Vaughan

Aero-Dynamic Coupe Style 5899 by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 5110209
Engine number: 5110221

Cadillac was formed from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company when Henry Ford departed. Henry M. Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company persuaded the remaining partners to continue the automobile business using Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine. On August 22, 1903, the company was renamed the Cadillac Automobile Company.

The Cadillac's biggest selling point was precision manufacturing and reliability based on winning the British Dewar trophy for the most important advancement of the year in the automobile industry. General Motors acquired the company in 1909. Cadillac's introduction of V-12 and V-16 powered cars in 1930 kicked off the 'cylinder wars' among the American luxury marques leading Packard to introduce their line of twelves. The V-16 powered 90 Series was Cadillac's top-of-the-line car until production ceased in 1940. The 90 Series rode on a 154-inch wheelbase with the 452 cubic-inch V-16 engine delivering 185 horsepower. The bodies featured GM's all-steel Turret Top with Vee windshields. Only 52 were produced in 1936, all built to order.

The Aerodynamic Coupe body style was the production version of the show car built for Chicago's 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair and represents a unique shape and size for Classic Era cars. It represented a major accomplishment for Harley Earl and his design team. This was a concept that went right to production. These cars were built to impress.

The interior of this example features gold-finished hardware with windows edged in walnut. Cloth sun visors, shaped like abstract leaves, feature screw heads that imitate pearls.

The 36-90 Aero-Dynamic Coupe had an $8,150 price tag, making it one of the most expensive Cadillacs in 1936. The Series 90 models were fitted with Fleetwood coachwork and only 52 were produced on the 154-inch wheelbase. 24 of those were 7-passenger limousines.

This Cadillac Sixteen #5110209 was purchased by Mrs. Helen G. Olsen and is one of only five that are known to survive. Accordingly, her name is spelled 'Olson' as etched into the steering wheel hub. Which spelling version is correct is unknown but she was purported to be a prominent tennis star in the 1930s. The car has had several owners since then and was put in storage from 1965 until 1989. It was last restored in 1994 and has spent much of its life in California in ownership by several car enthusiasts which probably contributed to the preservation and condition of this rare model.

The Coupe was powered by the overhead-valve, 452-cubic-inch, V-16 engine producing 165 horsepower and 320 foot/pounds of torque.

Town Sedan by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 5110221

When the Henry Ford Company failed, Henry M. Leland of Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company persuaded Henry Ford's remaining partners to continue the automobile business. On August 22nd of 1902, this new enterprise was renamed the Cadillac Automobile Company in honor of Leland's distant ancestor and founder of Detroit, explorer, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. The early Cadillacs used Leland's proven 1-cylinder engine.

One of Cadillac's biggest selling points was precision manufacturing and reliability based on winning the British Dewar Trophy for the most important advancement of the year in the automobile industry. General Motors acquired the company in 1909. Cadillac's introduction of V12 and V16 powered cars in 1930 kicked off the 'cylinder wars' among the American luxury makers leading Packard to introduce their line of Twelves.

The V16 Series 90 was Cadillac's top-of-the-line car until production ceased in 1940. They rode on a 154-inch wheelbase and were powered by a 452 cubic-inch engine offering 185 horsepower. The bodies featured GM's all-steel Turrent Top with Vee windshields. Only 52 were produced in 1936, all built to order.

The current owner acquired the car in 1995 in good original condition. A full restoration was completed over the next three years. It is finished in its original tunis blue color with a taupe interior in leather, Bedford cord, and broadcloth. This town car, initially priced at $7,250, is the only remaining of eleven built in this body style over the four-year production life of the 90 series.

Convertible Sedan with Dividers by Fleetwood
Engine number: 51102222

Launched at the New York Auto Show on January 4, 1930, the Cadillac was the first production road car to be built with a V16 engine. Owen Nacker designed the V16 based on two straight-eight Buick engines with a common crankshaft but with each bank independently operated by a center-mounted camshaft with pushrod valves. Cadillac general manager Lawrence Fisher and GM stylist Harley Earl were responsible for the Cadillac's styling, and most were bodied by Fleetwood although the customer could choose from over 70 different body styles.

This car was first delivered to the Cadillac dealership in Brooklyn in 1936. In 1957, with just over 16,000 miles on the clock, it was donated to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and it remained there until 2008. It has now been restored to its original specifications by its current owner.

1936 was the second-to-last season for Cadillac's original V-16 and just six examples of the Series 90 Convertible Sedan were built that year. The original owner of this example is not known; the owner's name was not 'tagged' on the sheet which may suggest that it was built for showroom display.

By the 1940s, it was in the care of John B. Hawley Jr., of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Around this time, it was given streamlined, curved running boards. The front fenders were modified with built-in headlamps and the dual side-mounted spares were removed. One of the spares was relocated to inside the trunk.

The car remained with Mr. Hawley until 1949, at which point it had 17,000 miles recorded. He gifted the car to the Museum of Science & Industry. It remained in the museum for the next 59 years. In 2008, it was deaccessioned by the Museum and acquired by its current owner.

The car was serviced and inspected and the only major restoration work included returning the fenders to their original configuration. The body was re-finished in its original Phantom Metallic, with a proper interior in the correct leather.

The car made a class award-winning appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2015.

Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood

Cadillac's chief engineer, Owen Nacker, was responsible for the ground-breaking V-16 engine that kept the company at the top of the luxury car market between 1930 and 1940. The 16-cylinder engine was first shown at the Detroit Opera House in January 1930, prior to the Detroit Auto Show. Cadillac general manager Lawrence Fisher and GM stylist Harley Earl were responsible for the V-16 Series 90 styling, and most of the cars were bodied by Fleetwood in Pennsylvania, which was later purchased and moved to Michigan by GM to keep the coachwork business in-house. Customers could choose from 70 different styles, all highly individualized in detail. A total of 4,076 V-16s were constructed in several series with minor upgrades separating each one.

The 1936 Cadillac V-16 (Series 36-90) was a continuation of the 1935 cars. Built to order only, nearly half of the fifty-two units were seven-passenger limousines. As with V-8 and V-12 lines, Fleetwood bodies for the V-16 used the all-steel Turret Top and all body styles had V windshields. A minor mechanical change involved the use of the 'Peak-load' generator. The rumble seat is special in that the original Fleetwood design comprised two Opera-type (auxiliary seats) facing sideways and were concealed in side walls when not in use. This car had a special notation on the build sheet to eliminate the two inside opera seats and install a rumble seat. Another special order was for dual side mounts with painted wheel covers ordered in body color of Thessalon Green with a Silver Goddess. It has a 16-cylinder, 45-degree overhead drive 452 cubic-inch engine producing 185 bhp at 3,800 rpm.

In 1936, just two of these Series 90 Convertible Coupes were specially ordered with dual side mounts and painted wheel covers. This car was also delivered with a rumble seat in the rear. Fresh out of a restoration, it has been brought back to its original colors.

The Cadillac V16 is considered one of the finest automobiles of the pre-war era, though Cadillac lost money on each one sold!

Henry Martin Leland and his son Wilfred were partly responsible for making Cadillac one of the finest of all American Automobiles. Henry was renowned for his precision engineering and for standardizing manufacturing. He helped make Cadillac into one of the finest of all American Automobiles. Later, he founded Lincoln. Even after the Leland's departed from Cadillac, the marque remained a top-of-the-line figure.

Cadillac did not rely on four- or six-cylinder power. Every one of the company's cars was fitted with a V engine of 8, 12, or 16 cylinders. They were smooth and powerful.

During the late 1920s, the cylinder race was in full force. Cadillac's engineer Owen Knacker was tasked with developing a V16 engine that would keep Cadillac at the forefront of the race. Their hopes were to displace Packard at the top of the luxury car market.

From 1930 through 1940 Cadillac produced a monstrous sixteen-cylinder engine. It was first displayed to the automotive community at the Detroit Opera House prior to the Detroit Auto Show. This was the largest number of cylinders to power an automobile of all time. The hood that housed the engine was intimidating, larger, and longer than any other vehicle. Up to this point, there were only a few manufacturers that produced a twelve-cylinder engine, mechanical achievements in their own right. The introduction of the sixteen-cylinder engine was historical and seen as revolutionary at the time.

Up to the 1990's there have only been three manufacturers of a sixteen cylinder engine. The Bugatti Type 47 never made series production while the Marmon Corporation offering was short-lived. In comparison, the Marmon built V-16 was more powerful. By using aluminum, the 491 cubic-inch engine with its overhead values weighed just over 900 pounds. The engine was formed by merging twin-eight cylinder engines at a 45-degree angle, giving the engine an impressive look and an astonishing 200 horsepower. The use of steel cylinder sleeves added to the longevity and durability of the engine. The V-16 engine earned Howard Marmon the Society of Automotive Engineers' annual design award.

The Cadillac V-16 was the first and remained in production for eleven years.

A new sixteen-cylinder engine was introduced by Cadillac in 1938. This was not their first V16 engine; their first had been designed by engineer Owen Nacker of Marmon fame. It had an overhead valve design and mounted at a 45-degree to one another. Each back of the sixteen cylinders had their own exhaust and fuel system. The engine featured hydraulic valve adjusters that helped with the silent valve train operation. The exterior of the engine was equally as impressive, with all the wiring and hoses concealed undercover and finished in chrome, polished aluminum, porcelain, and baked enamel. The result was a 452 cubic-inch engine that was nearly unmatched in the industry at the time.

A V12 version followed shortly after the introduction of the V16; it displaced 368 cubic-inches and was basically three-quarters of a V16. Both of these engines remained in production through 1937. The V12 did not resume production for 1938. A new engine was introduced in 1938 and that very different than its predecessors. It was an L-head design, cast in a 135-degree vee, and featured a monobloc design. The was easier and more economical to manufacture and it weighed 250 pounds less, had 21 fewer cubic-inches, but developed the same power.

The V12 engine was used to power the Series 85 for 1937. The Series 75 and Series 85 were the same vehicles, with the exception of the powerplant. The Series 75 used a V8 engine. In 1938 the V12 was discontinued, and the V16 took its place. The sixteen-cylinder cars were shortened to a length similar to the Series 75, and the chassis and bodies were interchangeable.

There were twelve body styles available, including coupes, convertibles coupes, and sedans, as well as the larger seven-passenger sedans and limousines. These larger vehicles were called Formal Sedans or Imperial sedans depending on whether they had a division partition.

The Series 90 experienced its best year in 1938 with 315 examples built. The five-passenger Touring Sedan was the most popular, with 41 sold.

In 1939, the front of the V8 Cadillacs was mildly updated. The grille was raked back and the headlights were now mounted to the nose and flush with the top of the grille. Chrome moldings were added to the running boards and the fender ornamentation was now fully chromed. The rear license plate was moved from the left fender to the trunk lid.

There were a total of 138 V16 cars produced in 1939. A few changes or modifications to the car followed for 1940. A total of 61 V16 cars were built this would be the final year for their production. A total of 4,400 examples were built over an eleven-year period.

by Dan Vaughan