This Series 61 began as replacement for the discontinued Cadillac companion brand LaSalle that ceased production in 1940. I posted about that here. Some Series 61 background from Wikipedia is here.
The standard Cadillac during those years was the Series 62 that usually out-sold the 61s despite having a higher price range. Here are some sales data (Series 61 first, then Series 62, finally the ratio of 61 to 62 sales):
1941: 29,250 24,726 1.18
1942: 5,700 4,960 1.15
1946: 3,001 18,566 0.16
1947: 8,555 39,835 0.21
1948: 8,603 34,213 0.25
1949: 22,148 55,643 0.40
1950: 26,772 59,818 0.45
1951: 4,700 81,844 0.06
As can be seen, 61s sold comparatively well early in their career and again shortly before the line was cancelled. The reason for cancellation might have been because its body platform was being phased out. Aside from model years 1948 and 1949, Cadillac 61s and 62s did not share the exact same body platform. Cadillac 61s used General Motors' B-bodies through 1947, then after 1949 used what I call the Lesser C-body, whereas Series 62 Cadillacs used the basic C-body. Lesser-C sales dropped dramatically in 1951 because models such as the Buick Special switched to a redesigned B-body that year. So Cadillac management apparently decided to base production on mainline C-bodies to economize on tooling expenses.
Some of my thoughts on the Lesser C-body are here.
Below are images comparing Series 61 Cadillacs with Series 62 examples. Unless noted, images are of for-sale cars.
The link to my earlier post shows similarities between this design and designs proposed for 1941 LaSalles.
B-body Cadillac 61s had a 126-inch (3200 mm) wheelbase.
C-body '41 Cadillacs had the same wheelbase. An easy spotter's guide to 4-door sedans is that C-body sedans were 4-window, whereas B-body sedans were 6-window.
An attractive design, even with those extended front fenders.
C-body wheelbases were increased to 129 inches (3277 mm) for 1942. The added length was ahead of the cowling, and this resulted in longer front fenders. Those larger fenders strike me as looking too heavy, unlike the Series 61 version.
Early post- World War 2 Cadillacs were nearly identical to the 1942 models.
Most Cadillacs got a new C-body for 1949 and 1950. Series 61s looked like the 62 shown here except they didn't have the chrome plaque abaft of the front wheel opening. Wheelbases were 126 inches.
Cadillacs were redesigned again for 1950. Here is a general view.
Side view. Again, a 126-inch wheelbase.
The Lesser C-bodied 61, on a 122-inch (3099 mm) wheelbase again. The most obvious differences have to do with the passenger compartment greenhouse.
The final year.
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