Series 63s are something of a puzzle. Production levels were low: 5,050 for 1941 and 1,750 for the war-shortened 1942 model year out of total Cadillac numbers for '41 and '42 of 66,130 and 16,511. So Series 63 shares for the two model years were 7.6 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively. Yet their General Motors B-bodies were slightly differently shaped than conventional B-body GM cars, which required some special tooling that perhaps cost more money than sales ever justified. (Series 63 sedans were priced 17.3 and 14.0 percent more than B-body Cadillac Series 61 sedans for '41 and '42.)
As far as I've been able to discover, the version of the B-body used by Series 63 Cadillacs was unique in GM's product line.
All cars shown below are 4-door sedans for comparison purposes. Unless noted, images are of for-sale cars.
Series 63 Cadillacs had the same 126.0-inch (3200 mm) wheelbase as Series 61 and 62 Cadillacs.
Nearly all General Motors B-body sedans were fastbacks, but 63s featured a mild bustle back.
This is a standard fastback B-body 4-door sedan Cadillac 61.
The other 126-inch wheelbase Cadillac was the Series 62, based on GM's C-body. C-body 4-door sedans were four-window style, not 6-window as on B-bodies.
Note that GM's A-body 4-door sedans also were 6-window format. This car's passenger compartment greenhouse is similar to the of the Series 63, but not the same.
Differences from the A-body version are apparent when comparing this 63 to the Pontiac in the previous photo. The differences are small, but required their own tooling: little or no sharing.
Comparing 1941 61s and 63s.
The 63s had the roof profile altered about halfway down the C-pillar zone. Also a revised trunk shape.
Most 1942 GM cars featured front fenders that continued onto front doors.
The same different shaping as in 1941.
No comments:
Post a Comment