Cadillac Models & History 1917
TYPE 55
1917 Cadillac 55 Club Roadster
Type 55 is similar to the 1916 Type 53 except:
Bodies
- New crown fenders and elimination of molding on hood panels and around doors give smoother appearance overall.
- Phaeton and Roadster have six degree slope to windshield.
- Salon replaced by Phaeton with bench seat in front.
- Club Roadster added.
- Convertible Touring (a four door hardtop) manufactured by Cadillac and having a Vee windshield is introduced.
- Coupe with cast Aluminum body is also manufactured by Cadillac.
- Victoria is now five window with fixed top and removable pillars.
- Berlin/Berline is now called Imperial (undoubtedly due to nasty connotation of “Berlin” at the time).
- Landaulet body style added.
- One listing of closed body styles by Fisher mentions “Touring Couplet,” with no description.
- Previous round, plain door (rim) of headlights now embellished with stylized outline of shield and crown.
Chassis
- Frame depth increased to 200mm
- Two tubular cross members added
- Wide tread no longer available.
Drive Line
- Number of clutch plates increased to 17
Engine
- Lighter pistons of “belted” design with large oil return holes in the piston walls.
- Exhaust manifolds have shorter connector pipes.
- Split, tapered collars used to retain valve spring feet.
I.D. DATA
- Serial numbers were not used.
- Engine numbers were stamped on the crankcase just back of the right hand bank of cylinders and on a plate on the dash.
- Engine Numbers followed the pattern of two numbers, a letter, then a sequence number
- The first two numbers represented the model (in this case ’55’)
- The letter began with A and ended with S
- The sequence number began with 1 and ended with 1000
- Thus 55-A-1 through 55-A-1000
- 55-B-1 through 55-B-1000
- 55-C-1 through 55-C-1000
- The sequence continued until 55-S-1 through 55-S-2
STYLE
| Model Number | Body | Series | Seating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | 4-dr. | Touring | 7 | $2250 |
| NA | 4-dr. | Phaeton | 4 | $2240 |
| NA | 2-dr. | Roadster | 2/4 | $2240 |
| NA | 2-dr. | Club Roadster | 4 | $2240 |
| NA | 2-dr. | Convertible Victoria | 4 | $2710 |
| NA | 2-dr. | Coupe | 4 | $2960 |
| NA | 4-dr. | Convertible Touring | 7 | $2835 |
| 2460 | 4-dr. | Brougham | 5/7 | $3110 |
| 2450 | 4-dr. | Limousine | 7 | $3760 |
| 2440 | 4-dr. | Imperial | 7 | $3910 |
| 2620 | 4-dr. | Landaulet | 7 | $3910 |
| 2470 | – | Touring Couplet | – | $- |
| NA | Ambulance | $3760 | ||
| NA | Police Patrol | $3160 | ||
| NA | Hearse | $4040 |
Note: Prices $160 less previous to 14 December 1916.
Note: Touring Couplet may be same as Convertible Victoria.
ENGINE
| Description | Ninety degree V-8 L-head. Heads not detachable. Cast iron blocks of four on Aluminum crankcase |
| Bore & Stroke | 79.4mm x 130.2mm |
| Displacement | 5.153 Liters |
| Compression ratio | 4.25:1 |
| S.A.E./N.A.C.C. Horsepower | 31.25 |
| Main bearings | Three |
| Valve lifters | Rockers with roller cam follower acting on mechanical lifters |
| Carburetor | float feed with auxiliary air control; manufactured by Cadillac under C. F. Johnson patents |
| Torque (Compression) | 180 lbs.-ft. @ 2000 R.P.M. |
CHASSIS
1917 Cadillac Touring
| Type 55 | Type 55 Limo, Land, Imp | Special Chassis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 3175mm | 3353mm | 3683mm |
| Front/Rear Tread | 1422mm | 1422mm | 1422mm |
| Tires | 36 x 4-1/2 | 37 x 5 | 37 x 5 |
DRIVETRAIN
| Transmission | Selective, sliding gear transmission. Case in unit with engine |
| Speeds | 3 Forward and one Reverse |
| Steering position | Left drive, center control (Right hand drive optional) |
| Clutch | Multiple disc, dry plate, 15 discs |
| Drive | Shaft drive |
| Axle | Spiral bevel, full floating rear axle |
| Overall ratio | 4.44:1 |
| Brakes | Mechanical brakes on two wheels, one external, one internal |
| Wheels | Wood artillery wheels, demountable rims (R-W or Houk wire wheels optional) |
| Wheel size | 27 in. |
| Optional Final drive ratios | 3.94:1, 5.07:1 |
HISTORICAL NOTES
1917 Cadillac
1917 Cadillac Notes
- Introduced August, 1916.
- Model year sales: 18,002.
- Calendar year production: 18,002.
- General Motors Corp. was incorporated Oct. 13, 1916 in Delaware.
- General Motors Co. was taken over by General Motors Corp. Aug. 1, 1917.
- General Motors Corp. was then an “operating” company and Cadillac Motor Car Co. became a Division of General Motors.
- Henry Leland left Cadillac in June, 1917
- Richard H. Collins became president and general manager until 1921.
- D. McCall White was chief engineer until May and was replaced by Benjamin H. Anibal
- Earl C. Howard was general sales manager
1917 Automotive Notes
- Industry production increases to 1,745,792 cars and 128,157 trucks
- William C. Durant was president of GM
- Pierre S. du Pont was chairman of the board at GM
- Auto makers assist the war effort and car production dips
- Ford builds a truck and 39,000 go to Allied forces in WWI
- First Nash car is produced
- National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is established
- Henry Leland forms the Lincoln Motor Company
- The Essex Motor Car Company is formed by Hudson
- Top model year production for 1917
Ford622,351 Willys-Overland130,988 Chevrolet125,882 Buick115,268 Dodge90,000 Maxwell75,000 Studebaker39,686 Oakland33,171 Cadillac19,759
Keyword: Cadillac History 1917