1933 LaSalle 345-C

The LaSalle automobiles were publically introduced on March 5th, 1927, and were manufactured and marketed by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. They had a stylish appearance and advanced mechanical components and were backed by General Motors' reputation and experience. Known as a companion model, they were intended to fill a void in the price structure that existed between Buick and Cadillac. They were immediately a sales success, attributed to the design talents of Harley Earl. LaSalle was his first project at General Motors, and through the 14 years of existence, Earl kept close tabs on his project. Many new ideas and concepts were implemented on the LaSalle line prior to any introduction on any of the Cadillacs, and many of the features found on the Cadillac could be found in LaSalle models.

The 1933 LaSalle 345-C

Although the Great Depression brought economic hardship, LaSalle and Cadillac appeared unphased as they continued to introduce new design evolutions and improvement products. All 1933 Cadillac and LaSalle vehicles were introduced early in the year, unveiling dramatic styling changes that were sharp departures from the past. The rectangular look of the previous years was shed in favor of streamlined, integrated bodies with numerous curves and appealing shapes. There were skirted fenders, a new radiator grille, horizontal hood ventilator doors, vacuum-assisted brakes, and no-draft ventilation. The monogram bar was no longer part of the LaSalles, the wheelbase was shortened by four inches, and the price was decreased by around $500 for each body style.

Engine

The L-head 90-degree eight-cylinder engine displaced 353 cubic inches and produced 115 horsepower. It had a cast iron block on an aluminum crankcase, three main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and a standard 5.7:1 compression ratio. It was paired with a selective synchromesh three-speed transmission with a twin-disc clutch. Mechanical brakes at all four corners had vacuum assist and 15-inch drums.

Body Styles and Pricing

Eight catalog bodies were offered with all but one bodied by Fisher. Fleetwood bodied the two-door, five-passenger town coupe on a generous 136-inch wheelbase platform.

Fisher built four bodies on the 130-inch wheelbase and three on the larger 136-inch wheelbase platform. The four on the shorter platform included a two-passenger coupe and the four-door sedan priced at $2,245, and a convertible coupe and town coupe at $2,395. The 136-inch wheelbase was used for the town sedan ($2,495), the seven-passenger sedan ($2,495), and the seven-passenger imperial sedan ($2,645).

Approximately 3,381 LaSalles were sold in 1933.

A Brief Comparison of the 1933 LaSalle to the Eight-Cylinder 1933 Cadillac

A comparison of the 1933 Cadillac and the 1933 LaSalle reveals they were both powered by a 353 CID eight-cylinder engine with three main bearings and 115 horsepower. Both used a selective, synchromesh three-speed transmission and 15-inch drum brakes. Both LaSalle and Cadillac received Fisher no-draft individually controlled ventilation (I.C.V.) this year. Most of the Cadillacs rested on a larger wheelbase than the LaSalle, and prices of the Cadillac exceeded those of LaSalles.

- Three eight-cylinder Cadillac body styles by Fisher were built on a 134-inch wheelbase with prices that ranged from $2,695 to $2,795.

- Seven eight-cylinder Cadillac body styles by Fisher were built on a 140-inch wheelbase with prices that ranged from $2,995 to $3,395.

- At least seventeen eight-cylinder Cadillac body styles by Fleetwood were a 140-inch wheelbase with prices that exceeded $3,295, reaching beyond the $4,000 mark.

Many of the bodies built on the 140-inch wheelbase platform (Cadillac) were seven-passenger vehicles. Approximately 2,100 examples of the Cadillac Series 355-C were built in 1933.

A Brief Comparison of the 1933 LaSalle to the Range-Topping 1933 Buick

The top-of-the-line 1933 Buick was the Series 90 which shared its inline eight-cylinder, overhead valve engine with the Series 80. The engine had mechanical valve lifters, five main bearings, a two-barrel Marvel updraft carburetor, 4.63:1 compression, a displacement size of 344.8 cubic inches, and produced 104 horsepower at 2,800 RPM. It was paired with a sliding gear, synchromesh transmission (3-speed) with a double dry plate clutch.

Thus, the LaSalle engine had a slightly larger displacement size (353 vs. 344.8 CID), a different configuration (V-8 vs. inline), fewer main bearings (3 vs. 5), and more horsepower (115 vs. 104 hp).

The 1933 Buick Series 90 rested on a 138-inch wheelbase, which was larger than the 130- and 136-inch platforms used by LaSalle.

The 1933 Buick Series 90 was less expensive than its LaSalle counterpart, with the seven-passenger sedan listed at $1,955, the Victoria Coupe at $1,785, the club sedan at $1,820, the five-passenger sedan at $1,800, and the seven-passenger limousine at $2,055. Total Buick Series 90 production for 1933 was 4,023 units.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fisher
Engine number: 2001034

The LaSalle brand was publicly introduced on March 5th, 1927. The LaSalle brand, a part of General Motors, was intended to fill a void in the price gap between Buick and Cadillac. They were an entirely separate marque created to complement the top-of-the-line Cadillac. They were attractively priced at about $3,000 and were slightly less conservative than their Cadillac siblings, although built to the same high standards of manufacturing. Almost immediately, the LaSalle brand was a sales success. Much of this was attributed to the design talents of Harley Earl. LaSalle was his first project at GM and remained a close personal project through the 14 years the marque was produced.

After 14 years in production, the division was closed due to the onset of World War II, and even though it had been a sales success in the early 1930s, it failed to improve upon its past success over the years.

This particular example is one of 146 LaSalle Convertible Coupes produced in 1933. The current owner acquired the car in 2009. It spent twenty-four years in Dr. Barbara Atwood's collection. At some point in its history, it was given a restoration. The current owner had the work re-freshened, including new paintwork, refinished wire wheels, and a new convertible top.

This car has period-correct items such as the Trippe driving lights, a correct winged bird radiator mascot, dual side-mounted spares with metal covers, and an AM radio in the dashboard's center.

by Dan Vaughan

Pick-Up

This particular vehicle is a LaSalle 345-C Pickup. The owner believes it is the only one ever produced. Its body tag is 33-668, a Convertible Coupe with coachwork by Fisher.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fisher

In the late 1920s, companion cars were all the rage at General Motors. Buick had Marquette. Oldsmobile offered Viking. Oakland featured Pontiac, and Cadillac had the stylish LaSalle. By 1932, both Marquette and Viking had been dropped; Oakland, too, as it was usurped by its understudy Pontiac. Inside GM, there was talk of dropping LaSalle which bothered Harley Earl tremendously. LaSalle was, after all, his baby. Ultimately, the struggling early Thirties economy made it a tough go for automobiles, especially upstarts like LaSalle. The nameplate was discontinued following the 1940 model year.

Town Sedan by Fisher
Chassis number: 5003-2-1
Engine number: 2000449

This LaSalle Five-Passenger Town Sedan by Fisher was ordered by General Motors of Canada, Ltd. on January 5th, 1933. It was shipped to Oshawa, Ontario, on January 10th and was finished Quebec Gray and Arlington Gray and equipped with fender wells, six 7.00-17 Royal tires, and painted tire covers. Years later, it was acquired by Butch Brown of Kearny, Nebraska. In 1993, it was purchased by the Merrick Auto Museum. Since then, it has received a 1,500-hour, frame-off restoration and finished in silver with a maroon body and hood side panels. The interior is upholstered in pleated, buttoned grey cord, and the ornate dashboard has full instrumentation, including an indicator for the adjustable shock absorbers.

There are wire wheels painted to match the body sides, and they are fitted with 7.00-17 Lester wide whitewalls. There are side-mounted spare tires with metal covers.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fisher
Chassis number: 203141
Engine number: 2002405

The 1933 LaSalle shed its rectangular body in favor of modern, curvaceous, and streamlined lines with skirted fenders, horizontal hood ventilator doors, and a V-shaped radiator shell and grille.

This particular example is one of 146 Convertible Coupes built for the 1933 model year. The current owner acquired it in 2012 from its previous owner of seventy years. Service work performed by Stone Barn Restoration soon commenced with receipts totalling $39,000. In 2016, Frank Scudese of Hardwick, New Jersey, was commissioned to restore the LaSalle to factory specifications. The work included sourcing a proper (non-original) 1933 engine to replace the incorrect one that was installed in the car when the current owner purchased it. The work was completed in 2021 with receipts totaling in excess of $300,000.

This LaSalle wears a Fawn Beige exterior with black accents over a dark red interior and matching wire wheels. There is an accessory trunk rack and dual side-mounted spare tires.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fisher
Chassis number: 203141
Engine number: 2002405

In the late 1920s, companion cars were all the rage at General Motors. Buick had Marquette. Oldsmobile offered Viking. Oakland featured Pontiac. And Cadillac, the stylish LaSalle. By 1932, both Marquette and Viking had been dropped; Oakland, too, as it was usurped by its understudy Pontiac. Inside GM, there was talk of dropping LaSalle which bothered Harley Earl tremendously. LaSalle was, after all, his baby, and he was responsible for its styling since LaSalle's introduction in 1927. Ultimately, the struggling early Thirties economy made it a tough go for automobiles, especially upstarts like LaSalle. The nameplate was discontinued following the 1940 model year.

This car was in the possession of its second owner for seven decades before it was purchased by its current caretakers.

Town Coupe by Fleetwood
Chassis number: 2bgr0708702002851

This 1933 LaSalle 345-C Town Coupe wears an older restoration and is powered by an upgraded 427 cubic-inch Cadillac V8 engine rated at 375 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque. There is a Turbo 400 automatic transmission, four-wheel disc brakes, an air conditioning system, and a 12-volt electric system. The interior contains blue cloth upholstery and a Lokar shifter. The reconditioned wire wheels are wrapped with wide whitewall tires.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe by Fisher
Engine number: 2000404

The styling of the 1933 Cadillac and LaSalle automobiles were different from the previous years, shedding the previous rectangular shapes and embracing modern, streamlined designs. The bodies now had an abundance of curves, which flowed smoothly from bumper to bumper, complemented by a V-shaped radiator shell and grille, horizontal hood ventilator doors, skirted fenders, and a streamlined 'Torpedo' radiator ornament.

This particular LaSalle 345-C Convertible Coupe wears an Autumn Blaze Mist Red and Grey exterior over red leather with black convertible top. A total of 146 examples of this body styles were built by Fisher for LaSalle in 1933, and only five examples are known to exist in modern times.

This 345-C has been given a meticulous, frame-off restoration executed in Canada while under the care of a previous owner. Period-correct features includes an accessory trunk rack, Trippe lights, Jaeger instrumentation, a woodgrain dash, a rare period-correct radio, and a pair of side-mounted spares. The color-matched wire wheels are wrapped in Firestone wide whitewall tires.

by Dan Vaughan