Cadillac history 1930

1930-31 CADILLAC V16

The V16 (series 452 and 452-A) is one of the most desirable Caddies today for a number of reasons, but most of all because of the shape, style, and obvious quality.

BODY

Although full-custom bodies were built by Fleetwood, Murphy, Waterhoulse, Saoutchik, VandenPlas, Pinin Farina, Pininfarina, and others; most were "catalog customs" by Fleetwood. A few cars had Fisher bodies. Only about one fifth were open or convertible. Two-thirds were five or seven passenger sedans or Imperials. The rest were Coupes or Town Cars.

More than 50 body styles were offered, but the list consists of only a few basic shells with several variations each: metal or leather quarters, with or without quarter windows, fixed or collapsible (Landau) quarters, with or without Imperial division, straight or coach sill, plain or recessed hood/cowl, etc.

With few exceptions, the "41" styles had plain hood and straight sill, the "42" styles had plain hood and coach sill, and the "43" styles had recessed hood/cowl and straight sill.

Windshield treatment varied from vertical Vee to 22 degree sloping as follows:

Windshield type	Body Style
Vertical Vee swing-out (Penna.)Windshield type	4130, 4155
7 degree flat swing-out	4212, 4220, 4225, 4264, 4291
7 degree V-type swing-out	4312, 4320, 4325, 4376, 4380, 4391
7 degree flat crank-up (V-V)	4330, 4355, 4361, 4375, 4381
16 degree flat swing-out, folding	4302
18 degree flat crank-up (V-V) "Madame X"	4130, 4155, 4161, 4175, 4276, 4476
21 degree flat swing-out	4235
22 degree flat, divided	4260

The sobriqet "Madame X" (with an "e") is not prominent, if it appears at all, in Cadillac promotional literature. Perhaps the only place Cadillac printed it is in body styling listings found in various parts lists, as early as March, 1930. The term is associatated with job/style numbers 4130, 4155, 4161, 4175, in plain, -S, -C, or -SC variations. In later parts lists, job number 4476 is listed as having a "Madame X" windshield. 1930 Cadillac Madame X

"Madame X" has a Hollywood flavor, but is no more inappropriate than the style designations "Fleetbourne," "Fleetdowns," etc. the term must have arisen from a distinctive styling feature common to the four basic body styles. Further, the term more likely came from Detroit than from Pennsylvania Dutch country. The most distinctive styling feature of the "41" series bodies built in Detroit is the 18 degree flat, crank-up (V-V) windshield. It is unlikely that the Pennsylvania version with vertical Vee swing-out windshields were thought of as "Madame X" bodies. Job/style number 4276, being style 4476 with coach sill, also has a "Madame X" windshield.

Chrome plated window reveals were used on "41" bodies but were not unique to those styles. Although early body specs listed chrome plated reveals, July 1930 body specs listed painted reveals on "41" bodies. Painted window reveals on "Madame X" bodies are probably as rare as the "standard" rear-mounted spare tire.

In simplest terms, 1930-31 Fleetwood four door bodies with 18 degree windshield, mounted on Cadillac V-16 chassis are "Madame X"; and two Coupe body styles have the "Madame X" windshield.

Body details unique to the V-16 or introduced with the V-16 and seen on the full 1931 line include: Single bar bumpers, dual horns, concave monogram bar, radiator screen. 13 inch Guide "Tiltray" headlights, dual rear lights matching the headlights, triple molding on dust shield panels of straight sill styles, five doors in the hood, single matching door in the side of the cowl, and none, one, or two rectangular vent doors in the top of the cowl. Most bodies with recessed hood/cowl had one triangular door in the top of the cowl.

CHASSIS

Frame similar to 353 except for five-point engine mount on V-16. Brake system had vacuum assist operated on manifold vacuum, not vacuum pump. Brake drums 16.5 inch diameter. Specially balanced white wall tires used.

Wheelbase	148 in.
Overall length	222.5 in
Front Tread	59 in.
Rear Tread	59.5 in.
Tires	7.00 - 19 early (7.50 - 19 mid-model)

DRIVE LINE

Rear engine support at tail of transmission. Heavier clutch linings (chassis unit 7-2991 and later used thinner lining of V-8). Rear axle shafts same as on 353 except made of special steel. Optional 3.47:1 final drive ratio dropped mid-model.

ENGINE

Extra effort and expense went into a polished, plated, enameled. uncluttered engine compartment. Wiring was concealed and covers were used on engine and dash to hide plumbing and controls.

Twin coils were mounted in recesses in the radiator top tank. Spark plug wires came out the rear of the double deck distributor cap and disappeared under the cover inside the Vee. The narrow (45 degree) Vee allowed for outboard mounting of manifolds and dual carburetors. Intake pipes from higher in the engine compartment were added at engine number 702502 to eliminate the problem of road splash entering the carburetors. Fuel feed was by dual vacuum tanks operated by vacuum pump. By May, 1930, the chrome plated vacuum tanks were superceded by painted units. The dual exhaust system ended in fan-shaped tail pipe tips.

To silence the overhead valve system, hydraulically rotated eccentric bushings were used in the rocker arms. The early use of a different head thickness for various compression ratios was replaced by the use of a single head with gaskets of different thickness. Right and left heads and blocks were interchangeable. One row of head studs went through the block to the crankcase, the second row sealed in the block.

Engine lubrication was full pressure from oil pump on rear main bearing cap. At engine unit number 7-1038, the oil level indicator was moved from rear of right hand cylinder block to left side of crankcase. The belt driven fan was mounted on ball bearings, lubricated by grease fitting, not engine oil pressure. Crankshaft thrust was taken by center main. A harmonic balancer was mounted on front end of crankshaft. A single chain to drive camshaft and generator was provided with automatic adjuster incorporated in an idler acting on the outside of the chain. A thermostat was used to close the crankcase ventilation intake at higher engine temperatures.

The double outlet water pump on the right side of the engine was driven by an extension shaft from the rear of the generator. A cooling system condenser tank was used once again.

The engine, transmission assembly was mounted at the four corners of the engine plus a dual mount at the rear of the transmission. The front mounts were supported by diagonal members in the frame.

Description	45 degree overhead V-16, Cast Nickel Iron blocks on Silicon/Aluminum crankcase
Bore and Stroke	3.00 x 4.00 in.
Displacement	452 cu. in.
Compression Ratio	5.35:1 early std., 5:11 std., 4.98:1 opt.
Brake H.P.	175-185 @ 3400 rpm
SAE/Taxable H.P.	57.5
Main bearings	five
Valve lifters	Push rod/rocker arm with hydraulic rotary eccentric silencer in rocker arm
Carburetor	Cadillac/Johnson

TECHNICAL

Transmission	Selective, synchro-mesh
Speeds	3 forward, 1 reverse
Drive control	Left hand drive with center controls (right hand optional)
Clutch	Twin disc
Drive	Shaft with torque tube
Rear axle	3/4 floating rear axle
Rear differential	Spiral bevel drive
Overall ratio	4.39:1 std (3.47:1, 4.07:1, 4.75:1 opt)
Brakes	Vacuum assisted mechanical brakes on four wheels
Wheels	Wood artillery (wire, disc, demountable wood were optional)
Wheel size	19 in.

I. D. DATA

Serial numbers were not used on the 452/452-A series. Engine numbers were stamped on crankcase right hand side, on the generator drive chain housing. Starting 700001. Ending: 703251.

Style Number	Doors	Model	Seating	Price	Weight
4108-C	4-door	Imperial Landau Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4130	4-door	Imperial	5/7P	7300	5920
4130-S	4-door	Sedan	5P	6950	5850
4155	4-door	Imperial Cabriolet	5/7P	7350	5940
4155-C	4-door	Imperial Landau Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4155-S	4-door	Sedan Cabriolet	5P	7125	5900
4155-SC	4-door	Landau Sedan Cabriolet	5P	-	-
4161	4-door	Imperial Club Sedan	5P	-	-
4161-C	4-door	Imperial Landau Club Sedan	5P	-	-
4161-S	4-door	Club Sedan	5P	6950	5740
4175	4-door	Imperial	7P	7525	6020
4175-C	4-door	Imperial Landau	7P	-	-
4175-S	4-door	Sedan	7P	7225	5980
4200	4-door	Sedan Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4206	2-door	Coupe	2/4P	-	-
4207	2-door	Coupe	2/4P	-	-
4208	4-door	Imperial Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4212	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	5/7P	8750	5915
4212-C	4-door	Collapsible Transformable Town Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4220	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	8750	5850
4220-B	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4225	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	8750	5850
4225-C	4-door	Collapsible Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4235	2-door	Convertible Coupe	2/4P	6900	5670
4243	4-door	Phaeton	-	-	-
4244	4-door	Phaeton	-	-	-
4246	4-door	Phaeton	-	-	-
4257-A	4-door	Transformable	7P	-	-
4257-H	4-door	Transformable	5P	-	-
4260	4-door	Sport Phaeton	5P	6500	-
4260-A	4-door	Sport Phaeton	5P	-	-
4260-B	4-door	Sport Phaeton	5P	-	-
4262	4-door	Imperial Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4264	4-door	Town Brougham	5/7P	9200	5765
4264-B	4-door	Town Brougham	5/7P	9700	5675
4275	4-door	Imperial Sedan	7P	-	-
4275-C	4-door	Imperial Landau Sedan	7P	-	-
4276	2-door	Coupe	2/4P	6850	5765
4280	4-door	All Weather Phaeton	4P	7350	5675
4285	4-door	All Weather Sport Cabriolet	5P	-	-
4291	4-door	Transformable Limousine Brougham	7P	8750	6020
4302	2-door	Roadster	2/4P	5350	5325
4312	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	5/7P	7000	5930
4312-C	4-door	Collaesible Transformable Town Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4320	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	7150	5850
4320-C	4-door	Collapsible Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4325	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	7150	5850
4325-C	4-door	Collapsible Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	-	-
4330	4-door	Imperial	5/7P	6300	5920
4330-S	4-door	Sedan	5P	5950	5850
4335	2-door	Convertible Coupe	2/4P	5900	5655
4355	4-door	Imperial Cabriolet	5/7P	6350	5940
4355-C	4-door	Collapsible Imperial Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4355-S	4-door	Sedan Cabriolet	5P	6125	5885
4361	4-door	Imperial Club Sedan	5P	-	-
4361-S	4-door	Club Sedan	5P	5950	5740
4375	4-door	Imperial	7P	6525	6020
4375-C	4-door	Collapsible Imperial	7P	-	-
4375-S	4-door	Sedan	7P	6225	5980
4376	2-door	Coupe	2/4P	5800	5750
4380	4-door	All Weather Phaeton	5P	6650	5690
4381	2-door	Coupe	5P	5950	-
4391	4-door	Transformable Limousine Brougham	7P	7150	6020
4391-C	4-door	Collapsible Transformable Limousine Brougham	7P	-	-
4412	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	5/7P	-	-
4476	2-door	Coupe	2/4P	5800	5765
3289-A	4-door	Transformable Town Cabriolet	7P	-	-
3981	4-door	Sedan Cabriolet	5P	-	-
3991	4-door	Transformable Limousine Brougham	7P	-	-
2950-X	4-door	Sedan	7P	-	-
2901-LX	4-door	Sedan	7P	-	-
2951-LX	4-door	Sedan	7P	-	-
30-X	4-door	Sedan	7P	-	-
LX-2905	4-door	Town Sedan	5P	-	-
LX-2913	2-door	Coupe	5P	-	-
30-152	4-door	Town Sedan, Fisher	5P	-	-
30-158	2-door	Coupe, Fisher	2/4P	-	-
30-159	4-door	Sedan, Fisher	5P	-	-
30-168	2-door	Convertible Coupe, Fisher	2/4P	-	-
30-172	2-door	Coupe, Fisher	5P	-	-

OPTIONS

Mirrors	$10.00-32.00
Sidemount cover(s)	$5.00-40.00
Tonneau windshield	$185.00
Wind wings	$47.50
Radio	$200.00
Heater	$41.00-55.00
Heron or Goddess ornament	$20.00
Auxiliary lights	$37.50-75.00
Seat covers	$26.75-73.50
Trunks	$100.00-119.00
5 wire wheels	$70.00
6 wire wheels, fender wells, trunk rack	$210.00
5 demountable wood wheels	$50.00
6 demountable wood wheels, fender wells, trunk, rack	$190.00
5 disc wheels	$50.00
6 disc wheels, fender wells, trunk rack	$190.00
Fenders other than black	$100.00

HISTORICAL

Introduced January 1930
Model year sales: 3251
Model year production: 3251
The president and general manager was Lawrence P. Fisher
Although a token number (approximately one percent) of the V-16 chassis were sold to domestic and foreign coachbuilders, all body styles advertised by Cadillac were "Catalog Customs" by Fleetwood. The customer was able to order limited variations in the "Catalog Customs" or order a full-custom creation.
It is remarkable that Fleetwood was able to turn out four to five hundred bodies per month at a time when activities at the Pennsylvania shop were being phased out and "production" at a new location in Detroit was being set up.
Through the Fall of 1930, dealers were required to furnish the factory with weekly and monthly owner reaction and service reports on each V-16 delivered.

NEXT: History of the 1931 Cadillac

Sign My Guestbook

View My Guestbook

1920-21 1922-23 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937

May 12/00; March 8/03