Cadillac

US, 1903 to date

(1) Cadillac Automobile Co, Detroit, Mich., 1903 – 1905

(2) Cadillac Motor Car Co, Detroit, Mich., 1905 to date

The ‘Standard of the World’ started humbly as a single-cylinder car selling for $750. Henry M. Leland, its creator, had been associated with Henry Ford and has also built engines for Oldsmobile. The Model-A Cadillac was markedly similar to the early Fords in having a horizontal underfloor engine, 2-speed planetary transmission and central chain drive via a spur-type differential, but Cadillac’s 1½-litre inlet over exhaust power unit had one cylinder where Ford used two. There was no bonnet on the early Cadillac models. This very successful design remained in production until 1908, later improvements including rack-and-pinion steering, transverse front suspension and a dummy bonnet. The Cadillac marque was introduced to Britain by F.S. Bennett, who in 1908 conducted a ‘standardization test’ at Brooklands. Three single-cylinder Cadillac cars were dismantled and the parts mixed up – they were then reassembled and the vehicles run on the track. The R.A.C. awarded Cadillac the Dewar Trophy for this achievement.

A 30hp 4-cylinder Cadillac car with separate cylinders and copper jackets was announced for 1906 and 75.000 of this type Cadillac were sold before it was discontinued in 1914. The original planetary transmission gave way first to a conventional 3-speed box, and finally in 1914 to a 3-speed box with 2-speed back axle. Cadillac was one of the firms organized into the General Motors group in 1909 by W.C. Durant, and in 1910, when a 4-cylinder Cadillac tourer could be bought for $1600, the company was claiming that tolerance on 112 parts of the car were accurate to one-thousandth of an inch. 1912 saw a most important Cadillac innovation: the standardization of the Delco system of electric lighting and starting on the Cadillac, now of 5½-litres capacity and capable of 60mph. The first left-hand drive Cadillac of 1915 was also the first of the company’s V8s, to become as much a hallmark of the breed as were Buick’s overhead valves. Inspired by the De Dion Bouton of 1910 it had 5.1-litre engine and sold for $2700. 13.000 V8 Cadillac  cars were sold in the first year of production and the model was widely used by the U.S. Army in World War 1. Cylinder heads were detachable from 1917 on, and 1924 Cadillac versions had Duco cellulose finish and front wheel brakes.

In 1927, when 47.000 Cadillac cars were sold, a less expensive companion make, La Salle appeared, and the cars were restyled in 1928. The synchromesh gearbox made its world debut with the 1929 Cadillac models, which also featured chromium plating and safety glass, with a price range from $3.295 to $5.995. 1930 saw the advent of the ohv Cadillac V16 of 7.4-litres, which gave 185bhp and had a wheelbase of 12ft 4in. This sold at an average rate of 500 Cadillac cars a year for eight seasons in the $6.000-$9.000 price backet. It was joined in 1931 by an equally impressive ohv 6-litre V12 Cadillac for sale. Improvements over the next few years included power brakes (1931), ride control (1932), no-draught ventilation (1933), Dubonnet type independent front suspension (1934) and ‘turret-top’ all-steel bodies (for sale in 1935). 1938 Cadillac models had column change as standard, a year ahead of other GM products, while the V12 and V16 were dropped in favour of a side-valve short-stroke Cadillac 16-cylinder model which was made until 1940. Another new model for Cadillac in 1938, the 8-cylinder Cadillac Sixty Special, anticipated GM’s 1940 styling with its absence of running boards and 4-light sedan bodywork. 5.7-litre side-valve V8s in three wheelbase lengths made up the 1941 Cadillac range, on which Hydramatic transmission was optional for the first time.

The post-war era was to see Cadillac outstrip all its competitors in the top-price class and become an international symbol of wealth. Sales climbed from 66.000 cars in 1941 to 103.857 Cadillac cars in 1950, and to a new record of 165.959 Cadillac cars in 1964. Tail fins made their first appearance on Cadillac’s 1948 fastback coupé, and in 1949 Cadillac, along with Oldsmobile, adopted overhead valves and oversquare cylinder dimensions, their new 5.4-litre engine developing 160bhp. Cadillacs were raced at Le Mans in 1950 by Briggs Cunningham and the Cadillac engine was also used in export editions of Britain’s J2. Allard. Power output increased steadily: 190bhp in 1952 (by which time manual transmission was no longer offered), 210bhp in 1953 (when a 12-volt electric system was standardized), and 230bhp in 1954, the year when panoramic wrap-around windscreens and power-assisted steering became standard on the Cadillac for sale.

The expensive Cadillac Eldorado Brougham of 1957 (it cost over $13.000) was the first car to have air suspension (dropped after a few seasons) as standard equipment, while Cadillac, along with Lincoln, started the fashion for four headlamps, that later became universal in the USA. 1966 Cadillac cars featured GM’s perimeter-type chassis frame, a 340bhp 7-litre engine, variable-rate power steering, full air conditioning, electric door locks and seat controls, a time switch for the headlamps and a six-position steering wheel. Prices started at $4.650. In 1967 Cadillac set a new sales record of 213.161 cars, bettered in 1969 with 266.798/ They introduced a fwd car on Oldsmobile Toronado lines, the Fleetwood Cadillac Eldorado with torsion-bar ifs, self-levelling suspension, and front disc brakes, these last being applied to the more expensive Cadillac Fleetwoods with conventional drive, and to all the 1969 Cadillac range. Capacity of the Cadillac V8 engine was increased – to 7.735cc in 1968 and to 8.2 litres in 1970, but otherwise there were no major changes. In 1973 Cadillac were one of the few firms offering a nine-seater limousine: the Cadillac 75 with a wheelbase of 12ft 7½in and an overall length of 20ft 8in.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Imperia

B, 1906 – 1949

(1) Automobiles Imperia, Liège, Nessonvaux, 1906 – 1929

(2) SA des Automobiles Imperia-Excelsior, Nessonvaux, 1929 – 1949

The first Imperia cars were the work of the German Paul Henze, who himself handled an 8-litre car in the 1907 Kaiserpreis. At first only a Imperia 24/30hp four of 4.9-litres was marketed with low tension magneto and coil-ignition, 4-speed gearbox, and shaft or side-chain drive. The smaller 3-litre Imperia car that followed was shaft-driven, and a 1.767cc monobloc four arrived during 1909. As late as 1911 an immense, Kaiserpreis-inspired chain-driven 9.9-litre 50/60 Imperia car was still offered. In 1912 Imperia cars merged with Springuel, but though the latter name soon vanished, Jules Springuel took over the management, and some Springuel designs were sold under the Imperia car companies name. In 1914 Imperia cars in a range of conventional, well-made small volume fours, of 1.8-litres, 2.6-litres, 3.6-litres and 5-litres was offered.

In 1919 the Imperia car company took over the manufacture of the Spanish Abadal (this had always had a substantial Belgium content), offering both a 3-litre Imperia Type E, and the Hispano-Suiza-like 80x180mm 3.6-litre Imperia Type T, complete with handsome V-radiator as found on subsequent Imperias. These Imperia cars were made in small numbers until 1922, though a 6-litre twin-carburettor sohc Imperia-Abadal straight-9 with Perrot fwb on a 12ft wheelbase never progressed beyond the prototype stage. Equally short-lived Imperia car, was a promosing sports car, the long-stroke 16-valve ohc 4-cylinder 3-litre with which de Tornaco won the 1922 Belgium GP. In 1923 M.A. van Roggen, now in charge at Nessonvaux, came up with his side-valve 1.100cc 6CV Imperia car, a small tourer of Panhard-like appearance, but with an unusual servo-assisted foot transmission brake – brakes on the front wheels were standardized in 1925 on Imperia cars. This Imperia car was quite successful, winning the small-car class of the 1926 Monte Carlo Rally and selling 504 Imperia cars in 1927, but Van Roggen’s ‘empire-building’ did not prosper: plans to produce 6CVs in France (at the Voisin works) and at the British GWL factory proved abortive. The 1928 Imperia car season brought a companion 1.642cc six, later enlarged to 1.8-litres and available in 3-carburettor sporting form, and in this period Imperia cars acquired Excelsior, Nagant (who were converted to making 6-cylinder engines), and the Matthys et Osy coachbuilding works. The slide-valve Imperia car models survived until 1934, acquiring hydraulic brakes at the end, but in 1934 Imperia took out a licence to build fwd Adlers, and until 1940 these were their staple; the 995cc Trumpf-Junior, the 1.645cc Trumpf, and the later Zweiliter were all made. In 1935 the Imperia car company fused with the only other surviving Belgian private-car maker, Minerva, and the big sleeve-valve models from Antwerp disappeared for good.

In 1947 there was a brief revival by Imperia cars with the Imperia TA8, a synthesis of pre-World War 2 fwd models by Adler and Amilcar, powered by the 1.340cc ohv 4-cylinder engine used in 1940 Amilcars. Features of this Imperia car were fravity feed, hydraulic brakes, a 3-speed gearbox with dashboard change, and composite wood and metal coachwork. 

D, 1935

Imperia-Werk AG, Bad Godesberg

The German Imperia factory, well-known for its motorcycles, had already experimented with Imperia cars in 1924/ 1925, but production on a limited scale of Imperia cars was not started until 1935. A 3-cylinder 2-stroke 750cc radial engine mounted in the rear of the Imperia car was used for a streamlined two-seater coupé and for a small monoposto racing Imperia car, both with independent wheel suspension. Financial difficulties stopped production of Imperia cars at an early stage.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS, HON

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com