Cadillac history 1947

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1947 CADILLAC

1947 Cadillac Convertible left side view

Although there was little change from '46, the quickest way to distinguish a '47 was the Cadillac name written in script on the front fenders. And while spartan rubber stone guards had been used on the leading edge of the rear fenders for '46, they were made of stainless steel in 1947. A full wheelcover, which came to be called the "sombrero" because of its size and shape, replaced the diminutive standard '46 hubcap. The housings for the fog lamps and parking lights were combined for '47 and one of the horizontal bars of the grille was eliminated. The trunk emblem, meanwhile, sprouted LaSalle-like wings (except on the Sixty Special). Overall, the effect of the '47 styling was a bit more "Cadillac" than in 1946.

1947 Cadillac 2-door right front view

1947 Cadillac 2-door right front view

Mechanically, the '47 engine was toughened with hardened ball seats as a component of the hydraulic valve lifters. Cadillac considered this improvement important enough to phase it in on the late '46s. Sixty-Two convertibles and the Seventy-Fives were now equipped with Hydro-Lectric window lifts as standard equipment. This was a complicated hydraulic system that requires careful attention to long-term maintenance for the collector who owns a Cadillac so fitted.

1947 Cadillac convertible left front view

1947 Cadillac convertible left front view

By the end of the 1947 model year, Cadillac was back on its peacetime track. The number of cars produced reached 61,926 units, more than twice that of '46. And while Packard had regularly outproduced Cadillac in the prewar years (largely on the strength of its junior cars), and edged out Cadillac by 1579 units for '46, Cadillac beat Packard by a solid 10,840 units in 1947. Packard would enjoy an edge again in 1948 and '49, while Cadillac was tooling up its new postwar styling and sensational overhead-valve V-8.

1947 Cadillac convertible right side view

1947 Cadillac convertible right side view

But when Cadillac showed up for 1950 with new styling again, it left Packard in the dust, never to look back again. The "Standard of the World" reigned supreme in America, and it wasn't until the late Eighties that Cadillac would again face a formidable domestic competitor, this time Lincoln.

1947 Cadillac convertible right front view

1947 Cadillac convertible right front view

But during the Forties, Cadillac not only consolidated its engine and model offerings, but it also managed by decade's end to consolidate its hold on the luxury car market. And it did this by giving its owners a "Rich Reward": quality, style, and performance.

1947 Cadillac convertible left front view

1947 Cadillac convertible left front view

A minor styling facelift characterized 1947 Series 61 Cadillacs, which now had grilles with five massive horizontal blades instead of the six used the previous year. A new identification feature was a striped field for the V-shaped hood crest. Sombrero style wheel covers were an attractive new option seen on many Cadillacs. In the logo, department, a script type nameplate replaced the block lettering used on the sides of front fenders in 1946. Upholstery and paint combinations were generally revised and steering wheel horn rings were changed to a semicircular design. The old style rubber stone shields were replaced with a bright metal type and a new winged trunk ornament was used on all models except the Series 60 Fleetwood Special sedan. Other features were basically unchanged over last year's cars. The Series 61 models continued to utilize the GM B-Body with fastback styling.

1947
Cadillac right front view

1947
Cadillac right front view

I. D. NUMBERS

Cadillac serial numbers again matched motor numbers and were used for all license, insurance and identification purposes.
They were placed in the same locations as before.
Motor serial numbers 5420001 to 5428555 appeared on 1947 Series 61 models.

Model Number	Body Style	Doors	Model	Seating	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
47-61	6107	2-door	Club Coupe	5	2200	4080	3,395
47-61	6109	4-door	Sedan	5	2324	4165	5,160

1947
Cadillac 4-door left side view

ENGINE

V-8 L-head.
Cast iron block.
Displacement: 346 cubic inches.
Bore and stroke: 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches.
Compression ratio: 7.25:1.
Brake horsepower: 150 at 3400 rpm
Three main bearings.
Hydraulic valve lifters.
Carburetor: Carter WCD two-barrel (models 595S or 595SA) or Stromberg AAV-26 two-barrel (models 380154 or 380871).

1947
Cadillac 4-door front view

1947
Cadillac 2-door left side view

Series 62 Cadillacs were again based on the GM C-Body and had a slightly sleeker appearance than models in the outer lines. Notchback styling we seen on all models, except the fastback coupe. However, it was easy to distinguish this car from a 61 coupe, as the door skins did not flare-out above the rocker panels; the side window openings were lower and the reveal moldings circled each window individually instead of looping around all windows as on the smaller car. The 62 sedan also had door skins which mated flush with the rocker panels and featured ventipanes on both the front and rear windows. The 62 convertible was the only open-bodied Cadillac available.

1947
Cadillac 4-door back view

1947
Cadillac 4-door back view

I. D. NUMBERS

Motor serial numbers 8420001 to 8459835 appeared on 1947 Series 62 models.

Model Number	Body Style	Doors	Model	Seating	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
47-62	6207	2-door	Club Coupe	5	2446	4145	7,245
47-62	6267	2-door	Convertible Coupe	5	2902	4455	6,755
47-62	6269	4-door	Sedan	5	2523	4235	25,834
47-62	-	-	Chassis only	-	-	-	1

1947 Cadillac convertible left front view

ENGINE

V-8 L-head.
Cast iron block.
Displacement: 346 cubic inches.
Bore and stroke: 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches.
Compression ratio: 7.25:1.
Brake horsepower: 150 at 3400 rpm
Three main bearings.
Hydraulic valve lifters.
Carburetor: Carter WCD two-barrel (models 595S or 595SA) or Stromberg AAV-26 two-barrel (models 380154 or 380871).

1947
Cadillac 4-door right side view

SERIES 60 SPECIAL FLEETWOOD

Two-inch wider doors were again seen on the Series 60 Special Fleetwood line, giving this car a custom look, as compared to standard Series 62 sedans based on the same GM C-Body shell. A heavy upper beltline molding, individual window loop moldings, and four slanting louvers on the rear roof pillar were identification features as was the new Fleetwood trunk ornament, which varied from that seen on lower models. Bright metal stone guards were adopted this season and skirted rear fenders were used again.

I. D. NUMBERS

Motor serial numbers 6420001 to 6428500 appeared on 1947 series 60S models.

Model Number	Body Style	Doors	Model	Seating	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
47-60	6069	4-door	Sedan	6	3195	4370	8,500

ENGINE

V-8 L-head.
Cast iron block.
Displacement: 346 cubic inches.
Bore and stroke: 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches.
Compression ratio: 7.25:1.
Brake horsepower: 150 at 3400 rpm
Three main bearings.
Hydraulic valve lifters.
Carburetor: Carter WCD two-barrel (models 595S or 595SA) or Stromberg AAV-26 two-barrel (models 380154 or 380871).

SERIES 75 FLEETWOOD

Unchanged in all but minor details for 1947, the big Fleetwood 75 series continued to use the touring sedan body with a stately, pre-war appearance. It came in the same five configurations marketed the year before and had the same assortment of standard equipment geared to the luxury class buyer.

I. D. NUMBER

Motor serial numbers 3420001 to 3425036 appeared on 1947 series 75 models.

Model Number	Body Style	Doors	Model	Seating	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
47-75	7519	4-door	Sedan	5	4340	4875	300
47-75	7523	4-door	Sedan	7	4517	4895	890
47-75	7523L	4-door	Business Sedan	9	4195	4790	135
47-75	7533-L	-	Imperial Business Sedan	9	4388	4800	80
47-75	7533	-	Imperial Sedan	7	4711	4930	1,005
47-75	-	-	Chassis only	-	-	-	3
47-75	-	-	Commercial Chassis	-	-	-	2,423
47-75	-	-	Business Chassis	-	-	-	200

Note: The Commercial Chassis and Business Chassis featured a 163 inch wheelbase.

ENGINE

V-8 L-head.
Cast iron block.
Displacement: 346 cubic inches.
Bore and stroke: 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches.
Compression ratio: 7.25:1.
Brake horsepower: 150 at 3400 rpm
Three main bearings.
Hydraulic valve lifters.
Carburetor: Carter WCD two-barrel (models 595S or 595SA) or Stromberg AAV-26 two-barrel (models 380154 or 380871).

CHASSIS

Model	Wheelbase	Overall Length	Front Tread	Rear Tread	Tires
Series 61	126 inches	215 inches	59 inches	63 inches	7.00 x 15
Series 62	129 inches	220 inches	59 inches	63 inches	7.00 x 15
Series 60S	133 inches	224 inches	59 inches	63 inches	7.00 x 15
Series 75	136 inches	226 inches	59 inches	63 inches	7.50 x 16

POWER TRAIN OPTIONS

None available

CONVENIENCE OPTIONS

Hydra-Matic transmission ($186)
Large wheel discs ($25).
White sidewall discs.
Fog lights.
Safety spotlight.
Fender mounted radio antenna.
And more.

HISTORICAL

Division windows between front and rear windows were available on some Fleetwood models for limousine use.
Commercial and business chassis were provided to Professional car makers.
The Classic Car Club of America recognizes all 1947 Series 75 models as classic cars.

NEXT: History of the 1948 Cadillac

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May 11, 2000; March 8/03