[ last update: 02.13.2015 ]

The (new) Cadillac Database^©

Photo Pages
Cadillac

1933

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Unless otherwise specified all photos and illustrations are from Yann Saunders'
collection of Cadillac photos, advertisements and product catalogs,
reproduced courtesy of the Cadillac Motor Car Division and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club

The artist's drawings below are from the rare and exquisite portfolio of V8 and V12 styles on the Cadillac chassis for 1933. I should like to thank Taylor Vinson, an automobile literature collector from Washington D.C. for putting that portfolio graciously at my disposal.  Some factory photos as well as a few photos of surviving cars may be added later, space permitting. 

Bodies were available from both Fisher and Fleetwood. Most body styles  were available on both the V8 and V12 chassis; a few of each were mounted also on the V16 chassis for 1933.  Click here to view the latter cars. You may also want to click here to look at some rare, surviving sixteens of 1933.

Additional information on the Cadillac models of 1933 is to be found in the "Specifications" pages for 1932 through 1937, as also in the "Dream Cars" section for 1933 through 1937.

Despite the unavailability, at this time, of production records for the V8 and V12 models, I have attempted. nonetheless, to list the styles in ascending order of their cost.   Needless to say, some of the cheapest body styles of that period are among the most desirable and costly today (e.g. the sleek, sporty roadster).

The distinguishing feature of the 1933 Cadillacs is the front clip, with its wind-splitting, aerodynamic "V"-shaped grille divided by one central, vertical molding and eight horizontal ones.  The bumpers are also a giveaway, with the central part divided by three horizontal bars. Headlights and fender-mounted parking lights are elongated bullets, as in 1932; the grille housing, headlights and parking lights could be painted or chrome-plated. Many buyers bought full wheel discs this year, to avoid the painstaking job of cleaning spoked wheels.

 

Typical V8 and V12 models

 

Fisher style #155, a 2/4-passenger rumble-seat roadster on the 134" wheel base chassis; the V8 version cost $2795 and the V12 $3495 (illustrated) This poor photo of a surviving roadster is from a Kruse auction catalog of the eighties

 

 

Fisher style #259, sedan for 5-passengers [sorry about the scanning spots !], the V8  cost $2895 and the V12 $3595 (illustrated) This lovely survivor resides in GM's own "Heritage Center" (museum) near Detroit

 

Fisher style #279, sport phaeton for 5-passengers, with secondary cowl and folding, secondary windshield the standard phaeton  (Fisher style #256) had neither secondary cowl nor secondary windshield; a special phaeton (Fisher style #280),  with secondary cowl and a crank-down windshield, also was available; in V8 configuration the phaetons  cost $2895 and with V12 engine, $3595 (illustrated)

 

Fisher style #280 phaeton This is a fine survivor photographed at the Cadillac-LaSalle Experience meet in Kalamazoo, MI, June 1993 [ Photo: courtesy Katie Robbins, CCCA]

 

It looks so much longer and lower in this factory drawing from a product catalog Fisher style #262, sedan for 7-passengers [the image is of the limousine, below; in outward appearance, both cars looked identical]     This spelndid survivor belongs to Eric Voigt of CA who kindly supplied the photos ... taken at Pebble Beach, CA

 

 

Fisher style #252, town sedan for five passengers, the V8  cost $2995 and the V12 $3695 (illustrated)

 

Fisher style #273, all-weather phaeton for five passengers, the V8 (illustrated) cost $3395 and the V12 $4095 Only the grille, trunk and wheel cover badges differentiated between the V8 and V12 models

 

Fleetwood style #5412, town cabriolet for five passengers A town car on V8 or V12 chassis, with open quarters and opera seats

 

Fleetwood style #5425, town car for seven passengers, the V8 cost $4145 and the V12  (illustrated) $4845 Again, it was only the grille, trunk and wheel cover badges that differentiated between the V8 and V12 models A very rare survivor, in the seventies Possibly the preceding car ...  after a full restoration - BEAUTIFUL! Source: Internet - Clive Cussler Museum, Arvada, CO Compared to the Austin Bantam on the left, the 1933 Cadillac is one HUGE car!

 

Fleetwood style #5491, limousine brougham for seven passengers, A town car on V8 or V12 chassis, with open quarters

 

Styling details

Left:  the instrument board; right, V12 rear clip; below, streamlined, blue-dot tail light "Blue Dot" tail light pod

 

Features

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© 1996, Yann Saunders and the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.
[ Background image:  1933 front clip (V8 and V12 models) ]