The Cadillac Series 70 (models 70 and 75) is a full-size V8-powered series of cars that were produced by Cadillac from the 1930s to the 1980s. It replaced the 1935 355E as the company's mainstream car just as the much less expensive Series 60 was introduced. The Series 72 and 67 were similar to the Series 75 but the 72 and 67 were produced on a slightly shorter and longer wheelbase respectively. The Series 72 was only produced in 1940 and the Series 67 was only produced in 1941 and 1942. For much of the postwar era, it was the top-of-the-line Cadillac, and was Cadillac's factory-built limousine offering.
Production of the short wheelbase Series 70 ceased in 1938, but reappeared briefly as the relatively expensive Series 70 Eldorado Brougham four-door hardtop from 1957 to 1958, while the long wheelbase Series 75 made a final appearance in the 1987 model year.
1936–1937
The 1936 Series 70 and 75 both had V-shaped windshield styles by Fleetwood. A narrower radiator shell was supported by the new louver style "Convex vee" grille. Headlights were mounted on the radiator shell. Parking lights were inside the headlights. Front fenders were new with a crease along the center line. The cowl vent was changed back to opening forward. There were built-in trunks on "touring" styles, town cars and four-door convertibles. Coupes and two-door convertibles had rumble seats plus a separate door for the spare tire at the extreme rear of the deck. All bodies now featured the Fisher Turret Top.
The Series 70 and 75 were powered by the new Monobloc V8, This 135 hp (101 kW) engine was both less expensive and more powerful, and the stylish body by Fleetwood should have made the Series 70 and 75 an instant hit. However, the high price (US$2,445 and up ($ in dollars )) limited their appeal in the Great Depression era. Only 5,248 were sold for 1936.
In 1937 bodies were the same except for drip moldings running from the bottom of the front pillar up and over the doors and rear quarter window, new fenders and bumpers, headlights rigidly attached (adjusted by moving reflector), wheel discs incorporated a hubcap, and a built-in trunk was incorporated on most bodies. A die-cast eggcrate grille was used, but the hood louver treatment differed from that used in Fisher bodied cars. Chrome die cast strips were used at the rear of the hood side panels. A seven-passenger Fisher-bodied Special touring sedan, without a division window was offered on the wheelbase. These two body styles had the eggcrate hood louvers typical of all Fisher bodied Cadillacs for 1937. The Business car line included eight-passenger versions of these Special sedans plus eight-passenger versions of Fleetwood body styles. The eighth passenger was seated with two others on auxiliary seats. A commercial chassis on a wheelbase was offered. Engine changes included a lighter flywheel, a generator relocated in the vee, an oil filter, a new carburetor with full automatic electric choke, an oil bath cleaner, and a relocated distributor. A new transmission design featured pin-type synchronizers, shifter rails relocated to the side of the case, a cover on the bottom of the case, and an extension integral with the transmission mainshaft. Sales totaled 4,332.
1938–1940
For 1938 the Series 70 and Fisher-bodied Series 75 Specials were dropped. The Series 75 used a wheelbase and now only offered bodies by Fleetwood.
In 1938 the Cadillac Series 65 and the Series 75 shared a new front end style featuring a massive vertical cellular grille, three sets of horizontal bars on the hood sides, alligator hood, and headlights on the filler space between the fenders and the hood. Optional sidemount covers were hinged to the fenders. Quarter windows were of sliding rather than hinged construction. The rear of the body had rounder corners and more smoothly blended lines. Trunks had more of an appearance of being an integral part of the body. Bodies were all steel except for wooden main sills. New chassis details included a column gear shift, horns just behind the grille, battery under the right hand side of the hood, transverse muffler just behind the fuel tank, wheels by a different manufacturer, "Synchro-Flex" flywheel, hypoid rear axle and the deletion of the oil filter. All Cadillacs shared the same 346 in3 L-head V8, although the 75 generated 140 hp (104 kW) instead of 135 hp (101 kW) like the rest of the line thanks to a higher 6.70:1 compression ratio, necessitating the use of higher octane fuel.
For 1939, all Cadillac V8s had new grille styling; similar in appearance but different in detail dimensions on each series. The pointed center grille and the functional side grilles were die-cast, with fine pitch bars. A single die-cast louver was positioned to the rear of each hood side panel. Headlights were once again attached to the radiator casing. Chassis changes included: tube and fin radiator core; sea shell horns under the hood; 10mm spark plugs.
In 1940 the one year only Series 72 was introduced as a less expensive companion to the Series 75. 1940 was the final year for the optional side mounts. Sealed beam headlights were standard equipment. The engine manifold was set at five degrees to the engine to cancel the rearward tilt of the engine and give balanced distribution.
Series 72 The Series 72 had the same general appearance as the Series 75 but it was three inches shorter and set apart by rectangular taillights set high on the sides of the trunk. Recirculating ball steering was tried on Series 72 in 1940, to be adopted on all series in 1941. Like the Series 75 it was Fleetwood bodied, but rode on a wheelbase.
1941–1942, 1946–1949
For 1941, the wheelbase was reduced to , though power on the L-head V8 engine was up to 150 hp (112 kW). The one piece hood came down lower in the front, included the side panels and extended sideways to the fenders. A single rectangular panel of louver trim was used on each side of the hood. The rectangular grille was wide, vertical, and bulged forward in the middle. Rectangular parking lights were built into the top outer corners of the grille. Headlights were now built into the nose of the fenders, and provision for built in accessory fog lights was provided under the headlights. Three chrome spears appeared on the rear section of all four fenders. Rear fender skirts were standard. Unlike other Cadillacs the Series 75 could only be ordered with running boards. It was with this generation that all GM vehicles experienced increased width dimensions to accommodate three passengers on the front bench seat and an additional three passengers on rear bench seat installed vehicles. This was accomplished with the deletion of running board thereby adding additional room inside the passenger compartment.
In 1941, the Series 67 was introduced using Fisher Body coachwork on a wheelbase and an overall length of , and offered the Touring Sedan seating either five or seven passengers, and continued until 1942 with a listed price of US$2,890 ($ in dollars ). A passenger compartment divider was optional for US1,500 ($ in dollars ). The Series 67 was longer than the Fleetwood bodied Series 75 using a wheelbase, and a listed price of US$4,045 ($ in dollars ).
The grille became more massive in 1942, with even fewer bars and was the beginning of the traditional "egg crate" appearance that all future products adopted. Parking lights became round and fog light sockets became rectangular and were included in the grille area. A bullet shape appeared on the tops of the bumper guards. The nose on the hood louvers were more rounded. Unlike other Cadillacs the fender treatment remained unchanged. A new fresh air ventilating system with air ducts leading from the grille replaced cowl ventilators. Handbrake control was changed from lever to tee-shaped pull handle. Radiator shutter control of engine temperature was replaced by a blocking type thermostat in the water return fitting in the radiator. Prices listed for the top level Series 75 seven-passenger Formal Sedan were listed at US$4,484 ($ in dollars ) while the Business Imperial nine-passenger was listed at US$3,306 ($ in dollars ).
The Series 75 returned after the war as Cadillac's largest model. It retained most of its pre-war styling and rode on the long wheelbase and used a distinctive body not shared with other general Motors divisions. Five different touring sedan configurations were featured: with quarter windows; with auxiliary jump seats; business; Imperial seven-passenger and Imperial nine-passenger (the latter two both having jump seats). The engine was the same 346 in3 L-head V8 used by other Cadillacs that year. Standard equipment included large wheel discs, fender skirts, hood, side and lower beltline moldings and stainless steel running boards.
Unchanged in all but minor details for 1947, the big Series 75 continued to use the touring sedan body with a stately prewar 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.
Consideration was given to the deletion of the long wheelbase line in 1948, but competitive pressure from Packard in the luxury class market dictated the retention of the Series 75. Again they featured General Motors old-fashioned "Turret Top" styling, a throwback to the prewar years. Minor revisions on the outside of the cars included a new background for the V-shaped hood emblem and Cadillac script, replacing block lettering, low on the fenders behind the front wheel opening. Buyers ordering fog lamps got rectangular lamps in place of the smaller round style. Stainless steel running boards were seen once again. A new dashboard with rainbow style instrument cluster and burled leather trim extending to the carpets was seen this year.
To accommodate luxury-class buyers the long wheelbase Series 75 was carried over in 1949 without any basic changes except that a more conventional dashboard design appeared featuring a horizontal speedometer. The new Cadillac OHV V8 was the big news for 1949. This engine produced 160 hp (119 kW).
Series 67
The Series 67 of 1941–42 was somewhat longer than the 75. It was a Fisher bodied car, but rode on a wheelbase.
The series 67 used standard sheetmetal, that was similar and in most cases interchangeable with lower 61 and 62 series. It had a more streamlined appearance than the taller, more formal series 75, which had a higher cowl and hoodline.
1950–1953
An all-new Series 75 was introduced for 1950 which conformed to the postwar styling introduced on other Cadillacs in 1948. This would replace the pre-war design dating back to 1941 with a new wheelbase. It featured six-window styling, a one piece windshield, the absence of running boards and a "high-headroom" limousine-type appearance. Seven-passenger seating was again offered via jump seats in the sedan, business sedan and Imperial sedan. Surprisingly Hydramatic automatic transmission was optional but power windows were standard equipment.
A minor face lift and small trim variations were the main Cadillac styling news in 1951. Miniature eggcrate grilles were set into the out-board grille extension panels below the headlights. Larger, bullet shaped style bumper guards were used. Jump seats were used in both the seven-passenger sedan and Imperial limousine. Hydramatic automatic transmission was optional and hydraulic window lifts were standard. Business sedans were built in limited numbers on a special order basis.