The "Exceptions" Group

In this page are illustrated, by means of line drawings¹, the two Fleetwood bodies with styling codes beginning "44...".  These are, in my opinion, two mystery styles that escape Fleetwood's otherwise logical categorizations.

The two sixteens in this group ["pair" would seem a more appropriate term] have some typical body styling characteristics which I have highlighted  in the artist's rendering, below.   These same characteristics are found on sixteens belonging to other sub-categories or groups, yet these two cars were disallowed from the latter groups. Why?

Well, although they feature a combination of  horizontal belt molding and straight (horizontal) sill, typical of sixteens in the "41..." or "Madame X" group, these two cars were excluded simply  because 2-door cars and town cars were not allowed in that group. In addition, although they feature the straight (horizontal) sill that is typical of sixteens in the "43..." group, they were excluded also from that group owing to the absence of the raised, curved hood panel.

This raises another question. Why were styles #4302 and #4381 included in the latter group ["43..."] despite their lacking also the distinguishing raised, curved hood panel?  Perhaps Fleetwood became more stringent in their style numbering policies in 1931.  Indeed, the twelve cars in the "44..." group all were built in 1931 whereas the majority of the #4302 roadsters (87 out of a total of 105)  and the smart #4381 coupes (91 out of a total of 98) were built in 1930. This may be simply the beginning of an explanation.  On the other hand, it does not help us to understand the coding of unique Fleetwood styles (or jobs?) #2950LX and  #3289B, both of which were built also in 1931.

Who can offer some clarification ?

 

Styling characteristics of the two  sixteen-cylinder cars
with a job or style code beginning with "44...": straight,
lower body sill and horizontal belt molding.  These cars
might have readily fit in the "41" group had the first
not been a 2-door model and the second a town car

 

Style 4476 [11 units]: As a 2-passenger coupe it would have been more logical to include this model in the "42" group, but the Fleetwood designers gave it a horizontal sill, so the "41" or "43" groups would have been appropriate.  It would have fit in the "43" group if the designers had not given it  the flat, raked "Madame X" windshield; the latter is incompatible with the curved, raised hood panel of the "43" group. The hood and sill design would have fit the "41" group ...except that the latter accepted only 4-door cars.  So what was left? That’s right, a new group, that I shall call the "exceptions group" although only two sixteens are included.  This racy coupe cost $5800. See article in SIA106   p.64 [sorry, wrong issue; I need to research this again], including details of tail-light, fender side-light, tool and battery compartments, p.28.

Designer's drawing of the racy Fleetwood style 4476 coupe with "Madame X" windshield.
(note the golf-bag door is not shown in that drawing although the car was built with it)

 

Style 4412 [unique]: Although the build sheet exists for this car, no photographs, designer's drawings or artist's renderings have been uncovered. The line drawing below is my own impression of what this car might have looked like, founded on a study of all Fleetwood body styles, both on the V16 chassis, and others of the same period. The car is described in the Master Parts List as having a flat windshield (presumably the same one as used for town cars in the "42..." group). That would mean it would have had a horizontal belt molding and a plain hood, i.e. without the curved, raised panel (the latter was matched only with the flat windshields and the raked "V" windshields of the town cars in the "43..." group).  How about the sill?  Would a car like this have had the coach sill? Well, if it had, there is no doubt that Fleetwood would have placed it in the "42..." group. So we have to assume it had a horizontal sill. As to the interior layout, I suspect it was very much like the other town cars with styling codes ending with the digits "...12".

Above:  my own impression of what style #4412 may have looked like.
Below,  for the sake of comparison, are (left) style #4212 and (right) style #4312

  

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¹ Included in the product catalog for the Vee-sixteen models is an envelope of designer's drawings of the most common body styles offered; drawings are not available for all styles so, where there was none, I have used an existing drawing and made appropriate changes to illustrate the missing style;  sometimes I have had to use my imagination so please do not consider these "montages" as "factory original" drawings.

 

(résumé en français)

 

Les V16 "exceptionnelles"

Cette page contient (par ordre décroissant de la quantité produite) deux Cadillac à moteur V16 dont le numéro de code du type commence par les chiffres "44...".  Les deux voitures de ce groupe [le mot "paire" me semble une meilleure définition] sont représentées par leur plan d'élévation¹. 

A mon avis et selon la logique utilisée  par Fleetwood pour classer ses propres fabrications,  ce "groupe" n'a pas lieu d'être. Ces deux modèles ont des traits communs aussi bien avec les V16 de la catégorie "Madame X" [type "41..."] que celles de la catégorie "43...".  Pourquoi Fleetwood ne les a-t-il pas classées d'un l'un ou l'autre de ces groupes?

Tout d'abord et malgré le fait qu'elles ont la même ceinture de caisse et le même bas de caisse que les V16 de la catégorie "Madame X" [type "41..."] elle furent exclues pour la simple raison que cette catégorie ne comporte aucun modèle à deux portes ni aucun coupé de ville [voiture ouverte à l'avant].  Par ailleurs elles ne pouvaient appartenir à la série "43..." vu l'absence du capot moteur a moulure arrondie.  Cela m'amène à me  poser une autre question: pourquoi, dans le cas précis, les modèles nos. 4302 et 4381 ont-ils été classés dans cette dernière catégorie puisque eux-aussi n'ont pas le capot nécessaire?   Peut-être que le fabricant a décrété dès 1931 un usage plus stricte des critères de sélection.

Il est vrai que les douze V16 de la catégorie "44..." ont toutes été construites en 1931 tandis que la plupart des spiders no. 4302 et coupés no. 4381 furent construits en 1930.   Cependant il ne s'agit là que d'un début d'explication. En revanche, elle ne nous aide pas à comprendre le système de numérotation utilisé pour les Modèles Fleetwood uniques portant les numéros 2950LX et 3289B, construits eux aussi en 1931.

On peut admirer des photos de la plupart de ces modèles en cliquant sur la page qui résume toute la production des Cadillac V16 de 1930-31, ainsi que dans la page réservée aux voitures V16 qui ont survécu.
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¹ Le catalogue d'époque des Cadillac V16 comporte une enveloppe contenant des dessins au trait des carrosseries courantes; il n'existe pas de dessins pour tous les types de carroisseries; aussi, lorsque le dessin manque, j'ai utilisé un dessin existant auquel j'ai apporté les modifications nécessaires; dans certains cas j'ai dû faire appel à mon imagination.  Ne considérez donc pas ces "montages" comme  des dessins d'usine d'origine.