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The (new) Cadillac Database©


Cadillac Styling


The Fisher and Fleetwood
System of Styling Codes



Return to The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or view a summary of Fisher styling codes
or view a summary of
Fleetwood styling codes

 

Historical Notes

 

Before embarking on this tour of Cadillac automobile styling through the years, some of you may want to familiarize yourselves again (or for the first time) with some coaching terminology that has been in use for centuries, in fact ever since man invented the wheel, put two of them on an axle and mounted a platform on top of it.  That "vehicle" was called a cart.  The word "car" is derived from it.

The "car" or automobile evolved from the earliest hand-drawn cart through many different styles of hand or horse-drawn carriages.    Some automobile body styles subsequently were named after these carriages.  In fact some Cadillac models have used  and still use those carriage terms (sometimes loosely) to designate specific models, e.g. phaeton, limousine, brougham, coupe de ville, etc.

In the Appendix to this section you will find listed the many coaching terms I encountered during my research into the history of automobile styling in general and Cadillac styling in particular.

If any readers would like to add to the list or suggest modifications or corrections, please feel free to contact me via the guest book.

 


In the Standard Catalog of Cadillac 1903-1990 edited by Mary Sieber and Ken Buttolph (and in the revised edition for 1903-2000 edited by James T. Lenzke), the section devoted to annual Cadillac data was compiled by the late Philip S. Dumka.  In it he refers as early as 1915 to style numbers used by the Cadillac company to distinguish between different types of bodies. For example, style #583 identified a 4-door limousine, #601 a 2-door sedan (coupe), #602 a 2-door landaulet coupe with folding rear and #715 a 4-door imperial sedan. This would seem to be the earliest recorded use by Cadillac of  body styling codes.

Until 1927, however,  Cadillac made no real effort was made to use a rational numbering system to distinguish between body styles.  In 1916, for example the 4-door limousine previously given #583 got #1744.  In 1917 it changed again to #2450, in 1918 to #2740 and in 1919 to #3210.

Job or style numbers first began to be used methodically in 1926.  They were stamped on the right front sill or on a metal plate on the front face of the dash.  However, there was still no evidence of any logic in the way these job/style numbers were determined.  The custom bodies offered by Fleetwood on the 1927 Cadillac and La Salle chassis bore similar job/style numbers. 

Starting in 1927, there began to be some uniformity in the body style coding system. The final digits of the 4-digit code began to pin-point certain basic features of a given style, from the windshield back.  For example, digits "12" always identified a 5-passenger formal town car without ¼-windows and with occasional seating for two, "25" identified a roomier 7-passenger formal town car without ¼-windows, featuring comfortable, forward-facing auxiliary seats, "75" identified an enclosed-drive 7-passenger limousine, with ¼-windows and comfortable, forward-facing auxiliary seats, a partition between the front and rear compartments (i.e. a division glass) and a plain metal roof, "75-S" identified the same car without the partition (i.e. a sedan), "91" identified a roomy 7-passenger town car with ¼-windows, comfortable, forward-facing auxiliary seats and a plain metal roof 1.

Fisher followed suit the next year, giving ID or "Job" numbers to a series of bodies they put on display during the 1928 Cadillac Distributors’ Convention. The catalog for that event included this text on the introductory page: In the following pages, we will describe the new cars of the 341-B and La Salle 328 series, as presented at the Distributors' Convention. The general specifications of the cars together with detailed equipment is listed. The number assigned to each of the specifications corresponds with the number of the tag on each car and may be used for convenience in ordering duplicates of any of the jobs shown. Duplicates of these cars will be available for September [1928] shipment.
DISTRIBUTORS' CONVENTION, July 30-31, August 1-2, 1928.

Cadillacs and La Salles built at the old Fleetwood coach works in the town of Fleetwood, PA, carried "Job" numbers. After April 1930, when the company moved all its coach building operations to Detroit, the "Job" numbers were replaced by "Style" numbers.  These numbers were stamped on a body identification tag affixed to the cowl plate; they had to be quoted when ordering parts for the car or when it required servicing.

If you want more detailed information about the history of Fleetwood body coding, I strongly recommend the book "Fleetwood - the Company and the Coach Craft" by James J. Schild of the Society of Automotive Historians [SAH]. You will find it listed in the section of the Database devoted to Cadillac and La Salle books.

As you will see in the following pages, the Fisher system of body identification codes is the simpler of the two.  On the other hand, Fleetwood codes seem more logical; for example, style #4335 is easily identifiable as a "sixteen", with a raised-panel hood and a coupe body.
__________________________________________

1 Fleetwood continued to use some of these codes or modified versions thereof for 30 years. The roomy, Fleetwood "75" sub-series continued, in fact, to be used until 1970 although the digits "75" no longer appeared in the model numbers.


 

Pre-WW2
1902-1942

 

Cadillac "styling" only came into being in the late Twenties.  In the early days of automobile manufacture cars resembled horse-drawn carriages ...without the horse(s). Utility was the watchword.

In the Golden Age of the automobile (that is roughly from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties for this exercise), when styling took over from pure functionality, there were two main categories of automobile bodies: cars with open or convertible coach work and those with enclosed coach work. These two categories comprised eight basic body styles:

(A) open cars,  with 2 or 4 doors

1.  Two-door roadsters and convertible coupes with seating for two plus occasional seating for two other passengers in a so-called rumble seat built into the trunk area.

2.  Two-door Victorias (i.e. convertible coupes for 4-5 passengers), four-door phaetons and sport phaetons (i.e. those with a folding secondary cowl and folding secondary windshield), offering seating accommodation for four or five occupants.

3.  Large, four-door touring cars with comfortable seating for seven.

(B) closed cars, also with 2 or 4 doors

4.   Two-door coupes with seating for two plus occasional seating for another two other passengers in a rumble seat.

5.   Two-door town coupes and four-door so-called "close-coupled" sedans  with interior seating for five (the rear seat was located level with or in front of the rear axle); the sedan styles sometimes (though rarely) featured a glass division between front and rear quarters.

6.   Four-door, short-bodied sedans and limousines for five passengers (the latter with partition and division glass), with or without windows in the rear quarters and sometimes with additional, occasional seating for two;

7.   Four-door, full-sized sedans and limousines with comfortable seating for seven, with or without windows in the rear quarters.

8.   Town cars with an open chauffeur compartment and with seating capacity for three or five passengers in the rear compartment; these styles were available again with or without windows in the rear quarters.

Around those eight basic body types, Fisher and Fleetwood built a wide array of styles and identified each one of them with an individual styling identification code.

If you are an admirer of the beautiful Cadillac and La Salle  models built by Fisher and Fleetwood in the twenties and thirties, and especially the sixteen-cylinder Cadillac models, you will have noticed that some of them stand out from the rest owing to one or more special styling features.

Major differences in hood shapes and finishes, body sill designs, windshields, roof pillars and window frames alter considerably the overall aspect of what are fundamentally identical body styles.  Some cars have plain hoods while others are adorned with a curved, raised panel delineated with a bead molding.  Some have straight body sills (that is the body panel beneath the doors), others feature a gracefully curved sill, otherwise known as a "coach" sill; yet others have a "half-coach" or "boot toe" sill for the rear portion of the body.  Some have almost vertical, split (or "V"-type) windshields, others have flat, attractively raked ones.  The majority have thick, stubby roof pillars and windshield posts, while others have much lighter and more graceful ones.

The majority of closed body styles could be ordered with collapsible rear quarters [on V16 models,  depending on the basic body style ordered, this modification cost $750 or $800 - that is twice the cost of a another, more modest GM family sedan!].  With the rear quarters folded back, these "landau" or "landaulet" styles look very different from the basic body configuration although in effect the interior layout and closed appearance are very much the same1.

The basic body styles mentioned above could be ordered indifferently on the La Salle chassis or on the Cadillac V8, V12 or V16 chassis.  In the styling section of this, The Cadillac Database©, detailed references are mainly to the individual bodies actually built on the Cadillac and La Salle chassis and in particular those built on the sixteen-cylinder chassis. In this respect, where no description of a particular body style could be found in factory literature on the "Sixteens", I copied the descriptions found in the manufacturer's catalogue of V8 models.  I am assuming that there were no major differences in interior layout (other than perhaps the luxuriousness of trim and finish) between an "Eight", a "Twelve" and a "Sixteen".

Given the many superficial differences in body design, mentioned above, the casual observer might jump to the hasty conclusion that Fisher and Fleetwood offered hundreds of different body styles on the pre-WW2 Cadillac and La Salle chassis. The fact is, however, that many bodies (or more precisely the habitable part of these bodies) are really very much the same. They appear outwardly different, as mentioned above, only because of differences in hoods, door configuration, door handles, sills, belt moldings and windshields.

 v630hoo2.JPG (2445 bytes)        v630hoo1.JPG (3000 bytes) 
Two different hood side styles with ventilator doors (1931 Cadillac styles):
left,  plain style (V8, V12);  right, vent doors on raised panel (V16)

v630dr1.jpg (1796 bytes)          v630dr2.jpg (1923 bytes)

v630dr3.jpg (1870 bytes)          v630dr4.jpg (1889 bytes)
Four different door configurations:  top, left,   center opening; top, right front opening;
lower left, rear opening; lower right,  center hinged

v630hnda.JPG (612 bytes)               v630hndb.JPG (676 bytes)               v630hndc.JPG (631 bytes)
Three different door handle types:  from left to right, convex curved,
concave curved and horizontally (flat) curved [typical of many V16 styles]

 

Although records show that on the sixteen-cylinder chassis alone an estimated seventy-five "different" styles were built in the first two years of production (1930-31), in fact 63% of all these sixteens (that is to say 2046 units out of a total of 3246 cars actually accounted for2) comprised only fifteen different, basic styles.

By "different" styles I mean those with distinctively different external body features. In this respect sedans and imperials count in my book as a single "style" since the division glass between front and rear compartments is not a "visible" difference for the casual observer (e.g. the following V16 pairs: styles 4130 and 4130-S, 4155 and 4155-S, 4375 and 4375-S).

On the other hand, some closed cars built at the Fleetwood plant in Pennsylvania during the early days of V16 production and which feature the almost vertical, split V-windshield (illustration below, left), clearly look "different" from those built in Detroit which, although they carry the very same style number, feature a flat, 18°-slanted  windshield (illustration below, right).  I have counted these as two "different" styles.   Both types constitute the special  Madame X group that is discussed at greater length elsewhere [click here].

V641sfea.jpg (12263 bytes)
Fleetwood, PA, vertical, split-"V" windshield style

V641vfae.jpg (12364 bytes)
Detroit, MI, flat, 18º-slanting windshield style

 

For a more detailed look at Fisher pre-WW2 styling codes, click here

For a more detailed look at Fleetwood pre-WW2 styling codes, click here

_____________________________________________
1 It is usually easy to distinguish between fixed and collapsible roof models by the location of the lower anchor point of the landau bars or landau irons.  In fully collapsible models the landau bars are generally anchored below the belt molding, whereas the imitation landau bars are shorter and fit diagonally across the upper, rear quarter panel, above the belt line.
2 In the factory archives, out of the 3251 V16 engines/chassis known to have been built of the Series 452-452A series in 1930-31, there are four "blank" record sheets plus a single unit marked unknown

 

Post-WW2 Coding Information

 

Initial digits of body styling code

In the post-WW2 years Cadillac continued to maintain a logical numbering system to distinguish between one body style and another.

From 1948 through 1965, for example, bodies were identified with a similar body tag to those used in the thirties and forties.  In this case the initial two digits of the code number identified the year of the model, for example "48" = 1948, "59" = 1959, "62" = 1962, etc.; the next two digits were an indication of the "Series" number; for example "Series 61", "62", "60S", "75"; the final two digits were an indication of the body style; for example "23" was a roomy sedan for 7 passengers, "33" an equally roomy limousine with division glass, "67" was a convertible and "69" a 4-door sedan.

To some extent the post-war identification codes also used a letter suffix to identify a particular mechanical or body feature; for example the letter "L" meant the car was for "livery" operations and probably featured a less luxurious interior finish and (sometimes) a more formal leather roof covering; the letter "X" meant that the car was equipped with electric or Hydro-Lectric equipment (usually power-operated windows and, sometimes, front seat too).

Here is a list of the post-WW2 styling codes I have come across in factory literature:

 

"60S"

These digits were introduced in 1938 to designate a 4-door sedan of superior finish.   It continued in use after WW2, through 1964.  In 1965 Cadillac models began to be arranged in the nominal series: Calais, De Ville and Fleetwood.

"61"

Following the trend of 1936, Cadillac used these initial digits to identify a new series of V8 models built in 1938 and 1939, and from 1941 to 1951.

"62"

Following the same trend, Cadillac used these initial digits to identify a new series of V8 models built starting in 1940; they remained in effect for almost a quarter century (up to and including 1964).

"63"

These digits were previously used in 1941 and 1942. They were used again from 1959 to 1964 to identify the body styles in the De Ville series.  Included from 1961 were the Town Sedan and Eldorado models, in 1962 and 1963 the Park Avenue and Eldorado, and in 1964 only the Eldorado.

"64"

These digits identified the Eldorado coupe and convertible models in 1959 and 1960.

"67"

These digits were first used in 1941 and 1942 for a limited run of large, roomy sedans and limousines.  These same initial digits identified the 8-9 passenger sedans and limousines of 1959 to 1964, although in common parlance and in factory literature they continued to be referred to as the Seventy-Five series or Series 75.

"68"

These initial digits were used only in code "6860"; they identified the Cadillac commercial chassis (the stretched chassis) from 1959 to 1964.

"69"

These digits identified the bespoke Eldorado Brougham, 5-6 passenger sedans of 1959 and 1960.

"70"

These digits identified a limited run of Cadillac V8 models in 1936 and 1937.  In 1957 and 1958 the same digits were used to identify the limited-production Eldorado Brougham.

"75"

These went in 1936 from final to initial digits of the Fleetwood coding system. Codes starting with these digits identified the largest of the Cadillac sedans, limousines and other livery vehicles, beginning in 1936.  These models have been known familiarly as the Seventy-Fives or Series 75 for more than half a century.

"76"

These were the initial digits of Cadillac V8 commercial chassis in 1948.

"80S"

This was the first part of the identification number used for Cadillac commercial chassis from 1952 to 1958.

"86"

These digits identified the Cadillac commercial chassis from 1949 to 1951.

Cadillac began to use a five-digit styling identification code starting in 1965. The first three digits identified the basic series [Calais, DeVille, Fleetwood] and the last two digits the body type:

 

"680"

This was used from 1965 to 1970 to identify the Fleetwood Sixty Special sedan.

"681"

This was used from 1966 onwards for the Fleetwood Sixty Special sedan.

"682"

This was used for the Calais models from 1965 to 1976.

"683"

This was used for the De Ville models starting in 1965.

"684"

This was used for the Eldorado models in 1965 and 1966.

"693"

This was used for the Eldorado models from 1967 onwards.

"697"

These are the initial digits of the 5-digit code used for 8-9 passenger Fleetwood sedans and limousines from 1965 to 1978 [and even later...]

"698"

Starting in 1965, the Cadillac commercial chassis was identified by code "69890".

 

Final digits of body styling code

As in the pre-WW2 years, the final digits of the early post-WW2 styling codes gave an indication of the basic body style (sedan, coupe, convertible, etc.)  Here are those I have encountered in my study of factory literature.

"07"

Style 6107, was Cadillac's first fastback coupe, built in 1942, and style 6207, a more luxuriously finished fastback coupe also built in 1942, as well as from 1946 through 1949.

"07X"

Style 6107X (1948); in post-war production models, the "X" suffix first was used in 1948 to distinguish between cars fitted with standard window equipment and those with the new, Hydro-Lectric window lifts.

"09"

These final digits designated the standard Series 61 4-door sedan series form 1945 to 1947.

"19"

This is a pre- and post-WW2 styling code designating a 5-passenger Sedan (e.g. V-16 style 9019, for 1938-1940).

"19SX"

These were used to designate a unique 4-door sedan with the De Ville label, precursor of the 1956 production Sedan De Ville.

"19X"

Style 7519X (1948); the "X" suffix was introduced in 1948 to distinguish cars with standard window equipment from those with the new, Hydro-Lectric lifts.

"23L"

These digits were carried over from pre-WW2 times to designate the roomy sedans on extended wheel base used for livery [L]`service, from 1945 through 1951.

"23X"

The digits "23" were carried over from pre-WW2 times to designate a roomy sedan on an extended wheel base chassis. The "X" suffix was added in 1948 to distinguish those cars with standard window equipment from those with the new, Hydro-Lectric lifts, from 1948 through 1951.

"29"

The digits "29" appeared in 1959 to distinguish the bottom-of-the-line, Series 62 6-window sedans. They were used through 1964.

"33"

These digits were carried over from pre-WW2 times to designate the roomy limousines, with partition, on an extended wheel base, from 1945 through 1948.

"33L"

These digits too were carried over from pre-WW2 times to designate the roomy limousines with partition, on an extended wheel base used for livery [L]`service, from 1945 through 1951.

"33X"

Pre- and post-WW2 body style designating a roomy limousine with division glass (e.g. V-16 style 9033, for 1938-1940), a 7-passenger imperial [with division glass] (previously a 5-passenger car) e.g. style 7533X (1948); the "X" suffix was introduced in 1948 to distinguish cars with standard window equipment from those with the new, Hydro-Lectric lifts.

"37DX"

These final digits were used for the 1956 Coupe de Ville (i.e. a 2-door coupe [37] with De Luxe finish [D] and electric windows[X]).

"37SDX"

These final digits were used for the 1956 through 1958 Eldorado Seville coupe (i.e. a special [S] 2-door coupe [37] with De Luxe finish [D] and electric windows[X]).

"37X"

As above, the code "37" indicated a 2-door coupe body;  the "X" was an indication that the car was fitted with electric window lifts.

"39"

These final digits appeared in 1957 and were used through 1966 to designate the bottom-of-the-line, Series 62 4-door sedans.

"39DX"

These final digits appeared in 1956 and were used only in 1956 and 1957 for the De Luxe [D] Sedan De Ville models with electric window lifts [X].

"39E"

These final digits were used only once, in 1958, to designate the standard 4-door sedan with extended [E] rear deck.

"39EDX"

These final digits were used also only once, in 1958, to designate the De Luxe [D] Sedan De Ville with the extended [E] rear deck and electric window lifts [X].

"47"

These final digits were used for the 1962 hardtop coupe and the Coupe de Ville.

"49"

These final digits were used, starting in 1967, to designate the 2-door hardtop sedan.

"57"

These final digits were used for the 1963 hardtop coupe and the Coupe de Ville.

"67"

Pre- and post-WW2 styling code digits designating a 2-door convertible style (e.g. V-16 style 9067 convertible coupe, for 1938-1940); in the early thirties, similar body styles carried final digits "35".

"67X"

Style 6267X (1948); starting in 1948 the "X" suffix distinguished Cadillac cars equipped with the new, Hydro-Lectric window lifts and convertible top.

"67D"

Code "67" again designates a convertible.  The "D" suffix indicated that it had a special,  De Luxe finish.

"67SX"

These final digits designated the convertible Eldorado models from 1953 through 1958.

"67SSX"

These digits were used only once, in 1958, to designate a special [S], unique Eldorado coupe with electric window lifts.

"67X"

These digits were used in 1948 and 1949 to designate the convertible model with Hydro-Lectric windows and top. It was used again from 1952 through 1958 for the same models fitted with electric window lifts and top.

"69"

Pre- and post-WW2 styling code digits designating a 4-door, 5-passenger sedan (e.g. style 6269, for 1942).

"69X"

Style 6069X (1948); the "X" suffix was introduced in 1948 to distinguish cars with Hydro-Lectric tops and/or electric window lifts.

"89"

These final digits were used for the short-deck sedans of 1962 and 1963 [the Town Sedan, in 1962, and the Park Avenue sedan, in 1963].

"90"

These final digits were used from 1959 to designate the commercial chassis.

"99"

These final digits were used for the short-deck sedan, the Town Sedan, in 1961.

 

Letter suffixes [up to 1967]

Post-WW2 models in the fifties carried styling codes made up as above.  Some included, in addition, a letter suffix to designate the name of the style. The following letter codes are excerpted from the 1959 Optional Specifications Manual:

"A"       4-window sedan

"B"       4-window Sedan de Ville

"C"     1961 and 1962 "DeVille" series short deck sedans Style #6399C and #6289C [this info from Enthusiast Alfred Maistriaux in Belgium, June 2009].

"D"     1962 and 1963 "DeVille" series short deck Park Avenue sedans Style #6389D [this info from Enthusiast Alfred Maistriaux in Belgium, June 2009].

"E"       Eldorado Biarritz convertible

"F"      Convertible

"G"       Series 62 coupe

"H"       Eldorado Seville coupe

"J"       Coupe de Ville

"K"       Series 62 6-window sedan

"L"        Series 62 6-window "Sedan de Ville"

"M"       6-window Sixty-Special sedan

"P"       Eldorado Brougham sedan

"R"       Seventy-Five sedan

"S"       Seventy-Five limousine

"Z"       Commercial chassis

 

Letter suffixes [1968 and later]

In 1968, a new system of vehicle identification numbering was introduced. Here are some helpful indications in deciphering your Cadillac's VIN [you will notice that some of the alphabetical codes duplicate those listed above]:

"A"       [from 1981, immediately after the 3-digit Cadillac code indicates that the car is fitted with manual lap/shoulder belts

"B"       (1) Hardtop Sedan De Ville [from 1968]

"B"       (2) [from 1981, immediately after the 3-digit Cadillac code indicates that the car is fitted with automatic lap/shoulder belts

"B"       (3) Fleetwood Sixty-Special Brougham

"B"       (4) [following the 2-digit body style code, starting in 1979] indicates the 5.7 liter electronically fuel-injected engine built at GM/Cadillac plant

"C"       (1) Calais series

"C"       (2) [from 1990] Car manufactured at the Southgate plant, GMAD this letter precedes the broadcast or production number]

"D"       DeVille series

"E"       (1) Eldorado convertible [from 1968]

"E"     (2) Car manufactured at the Linden plant, in NJ

"F"       (1) De Ville convertible [from 1968]

"F"       (2) Fleetwood Seventy-Five series

"G"      Calais series coupe [from 1968]

"H"       Eldorado coupe [from 1968]

"J"        Coupe De Ville [from 1968]

"J"        Coupe De Ville [from 1968]

"L"      (2) Fleetwood Eldorado series

"M"       Fleetwood Sixty Special sedan [from 1968]

"N"       (1) Calais series sedan [from 1968]

"N"       (2) 350 ci, 5.7 liter diesel engine from Oldsmobile Division of GM

"P"       (1) Fleetwood Brougham sedan [from 1968]

"P"       (2) Fleetwood Sixty-Special Brougham [from 19... ??]

"Q"       Car manufactured at the Detroit plant [changed to code "9" in 1979]

"R"       (1) Fleetwood Seventy-Five sedan [from 1968]

"R"       (2) 472 ci engine

"R"       (3) [from 1975] 350 ci engine with electronic fuel injection (EFI) [Seville models]

"S"       (1) Fleetwood Seventy-Five limousine [from 1968]

"S"       (2) as second digit in VIN identifies car as the Seville series sedan

"S"       (3) [up to 19...??] appearing after 2-digit body style code shows engine type as 500 ci engine with 4-bbl carburetor. The single digit that follows gives the model year, e.g. 3 = 1973, 4 = 1974, 5 = 1975, etc. In 1980, that single digit was replaced with a letter code, e.g. A = 1980, B = 1981, C = 1982, etc.

"S"      (4) appearing after 2-digit body style code shows engine type as 425 ci Eldorado engine with 4-bbl carburetor.

"T"      425 ci engine with electronic fuel injection (EFI) - starting 1977

"Z"       Commercial chassis

 

Alpha-numerical suffixes

Up to 1979, the model year was shown with a single digit, preceding the numerical or alphabetical plant code, e.g. 3 = 1973, 4 = 1974, 5 = 1975, etc.

Starting in 1980, this numeral was replaced by a letter, e.g. A = 1980, B = 1981, C = 1982, etc.

"4"       Effective 1981 [and immediately after the 2-digit body style code] indicates the new 252 ci, 4.1 liter engine with 4 bbl carburetor from Buick division

"6"       (1) [first digit of VIN] indicates the car is a Cadillac.  In 1981, this changed to "1G6"

"6"       (2) Effective 1980 [and immediately after the 2-digit body style code] this indicates the new 368 ci, 6 liter engine with 4 bbl carburetor

"8"       [immediately following the 2-digit body style code] shows that the car is equipped with the new 350 ci, 5.7-liter engine with electronic fuel injection

"9"       (1) [immediately preceding the broadcast or production number] indicates that the car was manufactured at Cadillac's Detroit plant

"9"       (2) [immediately following the 2-digit body style code] shows that the car is equipped with the new 368 ci, 6-liter engine with digital electronic fuel injection

"23"       7-8 passenger sedan style [as in the past]

"33"       7-8 passenger limousine style [as in the past]

"47"       Coupe style

"49"       Hardtop sedan style

"57"       Coupe style [starting 1979]

"67"       Convertible style [as in the past]

"69"       Sedan style (with full center pillar) [as in the past]; even the Cadillac Seville introduced in 1975-76 has included in the VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, the styling code "69", denoting a post-war 4-door sedan.

"90"      Commercial chassis [as in the past]

The last six digits in the VIN number is the broadcast or production number.

In 1981 a supplementary digit was introduced immediately before the plant code. This was factory use only.  I believe it was an indication of the week of the month in which it was assembled.

 

Alpha-numerical accessory codes

To add to the already complex alpha-numerical coding systems in use, Cadillac used also a list of alphabetical accessory codes. Here are some additional ones drawn from dealers' Data Books of the 50s and 60s [and other sources too].  Some letter codes may have up to four different possible meanings, depending on the year of the Cadillac in question:

"A"(1)     Rear-window de-fogger ($26.35 - 1970 dealer invoice)

"A"(2)     Two rear seat belts [e.g. 1965]

"A"(3)     Seat warmers [after 1966?] 

"B"(1)      The letter "B" following a trim code was an indication that the car was fitted with
                        bucket seats [1959-66].

"B"(2)    Rear-window defogger, 1968 e.g.

"C"(1)     Cruise-control ($ 96.60)

"C"
(2)       Back- rest lock on some coupes

"D"           Door edge guards ($9.50 - 1970 dealer invoice)

"E"           E-Z-Eye  glass (or Soft-Ray glass,  e.g. 1970) glass   ($ 51.70)

"F"(1)       Fog lamps ($ 45.55)

"F"(2)      Filler plate, i.o. license plate ( no charge ) [e.g. 1966]

"F"(3)      AM-FM radio in 1963

"FF"        [same]

"F5"        Twin rubber floor mats front and rear ($ 16.70  - 1970 dealer invoice)

"G"          Controlled differential (e.g. 1965)

"H"(1)    Heater ($129.00)

"H"(2)    Delete heater-defroster (1965 option)

"H"(3)    Head rests [1966]

"I"           AM/FM signal-seeking radio ($322.10  - 1970 dealer invoice)

"J"(1)      Rear radio control ($246.60) (Series 75 only)

"J"(2)      [after 1965] Twilight Sentinel

"K"       Air-conditioning [or Comfort Control, or Automatic Climate Control, e.g. in 1970]  ($473.60)

"K2"    Air-conditioning with roof ducts [1956 models] - may look like "KZ"

"L"       Automatic level control [circa 1966]

"L1"    One license frame ($ 7.50)

"L2"    Two license frames ($ 15.00)

"M"      Electric door locks ($ 45.75)

"N"     Electric powered vent panes ($ 73.20)

"O"     Front seat belts (e.g. 1965)

"O2"   Delete front belts

"P"(1)     [e.g. 1953 Eldorado] windshield washer [per Fredus "Pete" Peters, CLC]

"P"(2)     [e.g. 1954 Eldorado] 4-way power seat

"P"(3)    Optional gear ratio (only with standard engine without air-conditioning)

"P"(4)    Automatic level control (e.g. 1965)

"Q"     Eldorado motor ($134.30 (three dual barrel carburetors)

"Q"     [as of 1965] Tilt and Telescope steering wheel ($94.75)

"R"(1)  Reclining Bucket seat

"R"(2)  AM radio (1965, e.g.); code also seen on  1954 Eldorado.

"R1"   AM-FM Radio

"R2"   Rear radio controls (Fleetwood 75 models)

"S"       Electric remote trunk release ($ 58.50), 1968 e.g.

"T"(1)   Air-Suspension where not standard equipment [1959-60]

"T"(2)   Electric 4-way, bucket seat adjuster

"U"     Autronic-Eye [automatic headlamp control, dimmer; later was Guide-Matic] ($ 55.25)

"V"(1)  (1954) -  - electric 4-way bench seat

"V"(2)  6-way electric seat [see also "Y", below]

"V"(3)  2 front seat belts [1963-64]

"W"     Whitewall tires ($40.00  - 1970 dealer invoice)

"X"     Power windows ($118.45)

"Y"     6-way front seat ($118.45) Deleting 4-way seat ($ 89.35)

"Z"     Anti-freeze [-20°] ($ 9.13) [$7.72 on a 1959 invoice!]

"Z1"    Anti-freeze [-40°] ($ 9.13)

"Z2"    Methanol ($ 9.13)

 

Tire Codes

"FS"       Firestone,

"GR"      Goodrich,

"US"       U.S. Royal (when followed by the letter

 

Other letter codes

"CKD"      This is a post-war combination suffix. The abbreviation means crated, knocked down. In early post-war years GM crated cars to destinations abroad in dismantled form, to be assembled in the country of destination.  This suffix is sometimes (mistakenly) taken to mean completely knocked down.

"SFBO"      Stands for special Fleetwood body order; it may be found on many pre-WW2 cars with custom body work by Fleetwood.  Followed by a number, it appears on the original build sheet in the box marked "Fisher order number" (it seems that the same pre-printed build sheet form was used both for Fisher and Fleetwood jobs.

"SO"     Stands for special order.  In post-WW2 cars it was an indication of a departure from standard styling, generally with regard to interior colors or materials used.  This letter code was usually followed by 3 or 4 digits.  For example, most of the so-called Show Cars, Dream Cars and Concept Vehicles exhibited in conjunction with annual auto shows and displays like the 1949 Autorama, the itinerant Motoramas and the 50th Anniversary show in 1952, all carried a body tag with the "SO" styling code prefix. Many of the latter cars are listed in the section of The (New) Cadillac Database© dealing with the rarest of the Cadillac-LaSalle models.

 

Other Optional Accessories
[uncoded ?]

Sabre wheels 1955-58, Fleetwood robes [up to 1955?], Radio foot-control switch, Rubber floor mats, RH outside mirror ‘62, Front vent window extensions  [1960-61], Tartan Plaid, Twill, Nylon, Transparent plastic seat covers and Cushion toppers, Luggage compartment mat, Compass, Litter box, Eldorado horn, spare tire cover, windshield washer solvent, visor vanity mirror (up to 1955 ?), Body polish, fabric polish, Blue Coral polish, chrome cleaner, tar and oil remover, vinyl and leather cleaner, touch-up paint.

 

 


Return to
The (New) Cadillac Database© Index Page
or view a summary of Fisher styling codes
or view a summary of Fleetwood styling codes


© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.
[ Background image: Traditional Fisher and Fleetwood emblems ]