LaSalle (1927)

LaSalle Models & History (1927)

his new line from General Motors was introduced to fill the gap between the Buick and the Cadillac. As Oakland (later Pontiac) was a companion car to Chevrolet, LaSalle was to be the companion car to Cadillac. It boasted Cadillac quality in a less expensive package. It featured the following distinctives:

Models

• LaSalle offered the following models by Fisher
  • roadster
  • phaeton
  • coupe
  • convertible coupe
  • victoria
  • five passenger sedan
• LaSalle offered the following models by Fleetwood
  • coupe
  • sedan
  • town cabriolet
• Mid-year offering by Fisher
  • dual cowl sport phaeton
  • town sedan
  • seven-passenger sedan
  • five-passenger imperial
  • seven-passenger imperial
• Mid-year offering by Fleetwood
  • transformable town cabriolet

Body

• Body features included:
  • High, slim radiator set low in the frame
  • Twelve louvers, centered in hood panels
  • Twin cowl vents on roadster and phaeton
  • Bullet-shaped head and cowl lights
  • Posts under headlights to conduct wiring
  • Monogram rod between headlights
  • On roadster and phaetons the cut-down effect of the belt line was accentuated by double molding curving upward onto the cowl
  • Rear window in coupe and rear curtain in convertible coupe could be opened for communication with rumbleseat passengers
  • The four-door town sedan was close-coupled, with no rear quarter windows

Chassis:

• Similar to 1927 Cadillac with some differences
  • Smaller size
  • Fuel feed by manifold vacuum, assisted by engine driven vacuum pump
  • Mechanical brakes with 14-inch drums on all wheels
  • Rear semi-elliptic springs shackled at both ends, rear shackle with ball and socket joint
  • Front wheels run on ball bearings
  • Watson stabilators

Drive Line:

• Multiple (11) disc clutch
• Three-speed selective transmission
• Torque tube drive
• 3/4-floating rear axle with helical bevel gear and pinion

Engine:

• The compensated two-plane crankshaft in the V-63 engine and the separate starter and generator on the 314 engine had been major changes, but the basic engine remained the Type 51 design.
• The 303 engine was a new basic design, with offset blocks and side-by-side connecting rods (babbitted)
• The outward appearance was the same as the final version of the 314 engine except that the 303 starter was horizontal, mounted behind the flywheel on the right side
• The oil filter was mounted on the engine rather than the firewall
• The carburetor was similar to Cadillac, but reversed
• The oil level indicator was mounted behind the right-hand block
• A common manifold, connecting the two exhaust manifolds at the front of the engine, fed to a single muffler at the left side of the chassis

I.D. DATA

• Serial numbers were not used on the 1927 LaSalle
• Engine numbers stamped on a plate on the front face of the dash and on the crankcase just below the water inlet on the right side
• Starting: 200001. Ending: 212000.

STYLE

ENGINE

• Engine type: 90° V-8 L-head
• Block: Cast iron offset on copper/aluminum crankcase
• Bore & Stroke: 3-1/8″ x 4-15/16″
• Displacement: 303 cu. in.
• Compression ratio: 4.8 : 1 (5.3 : 1 optional)
• Horsepower: 75
• SAE/NACC Horsepower: 31.25
• Main bearings: 3
• Valve lifters: mechanical with rollers riding on cam
• Carburetor: Made by Cadillac under C. F. Johnson patents
• Torque Compression: 90-92 psi at 1000 rpm and 4.8:1 ratio
• Torque Compression: 105-107 psi at 1000 rpm and 5.3:1 ratio

CHASSIS

DRIVETRAIN

• Selective sliding gear transmission, in unit with engine
• Speeds: 3-Forward, 1-Reverse
• Left-hand drive, center controls (rhd opt)
• Multiple disc clutch, 11 discs
• Shaft drive (torque tube) 3/4-floating rear axle, helical bevel drive
• Overall ratio: 4.54:1 std (4.07:1, 4.91:1 opt)
• Mechanical brakes, 14″ drums on four wheels
• Artillery wheels (wire and disc opt)
• Wheel size: 20″

OPTIONS

• Disc wheels, fender wells, two spare tires: $150
• Five wire wheels without spare tire: $95
• Folding trunk rack: $35
• Wire wheels, fender wells, two spare tires: $250
• Wood wheels, fender wells, two spare tires: $140

PERFORMANCE

• On June 20, 1927, at the General Motors Proving Grounds, Milford, Michigan, Willard Rader and Gus Bell drove a LaSalle roadster on a remarkable endurance test run.
• In ten hours the car covered 951 miles at an average speed of 95.2 mph, the fastest of 252 laps having been run at an average speed of 98.8 mph (as a comparison, the winner of the Indy 500 in 1927 averaged 97.5 mph for only 500 miles)
• The test was terminated when an oil suction line fractured
• The LaSalle was a production roadster with windshield, lamps, fenders, runningboards, and muffler removed
• The camshaft had been altered, and a 3.5:1 rear axle and high compression heads had been installed
• No mechanical adjustments were required during the entire run.
• The nine stops, taking a total of 7 minutes, 24.7 seconds were for tire changes, water, oil, and gasoline

HISTORICAL NOTES

1927 LaSalle Notes

• Introduced March 1927
• The LaSalle is introduced for $2495
• Calendar year sales 16,850
• Calendar year production 16,850
• Model year sales 12,000
• Model year production 12,000
• President & general manager: Lawrence P. Fisher
• Ernest W. Seaholm was chief engineer
• H. M. Stephens was general sales manager

1927 Automotive Notes

• Industry production drops to 2,936,533 cars and 464,793 trucks
• Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. was president of GM
• Pierre S. du Pont was chairman of the board at GM
• Chevrolet outsells Ford
• Studebaker introduces the Erskine for $995
• Reo introduces the Flying Cloud and Wolverine
• Standard equipment now includes: four-wheel brakes, air cleaners, oil & gas filters, crankcase vents, mirrors, and automatic windshield wipers
• Graham-Paige Motor Corporation replaces the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company
• The last Ford Model T cars are built making a total of over 15 million
• The Ford Model A is introduced but sold as a 1928

Top model year production for 1927

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