Most of the information in this section was copied from the
Cadillac "Master Parts List" (MPL) from 1933 and 1939. On that listing,
the various body styles [ Fisher and Fleetwood combined !] are shown in two ways: (a) by
style number, in ascending numerical sequence, showing the Series number in
brackets, and (b) by Series number, showing the style number, body description
and wheelbase. On the listing, Fleetwood-built styles are followed by the letters
"(Fl.)"; in some instances, where one would expect the indication
"(Fl.)", there is none, which would suggest that Fisher was involved in
manufacturing some bodies in a range usually attributed to Fleetwood; for example in the
group of twenty styles, from "8000" to "8090", nine of them appear to
have received Fisher bodies. Silimarly in the Fisher range from 1 to 1901, seven
appear to have got bodies built by Fleetwood, and one (style "168") got bodies
by both coach-builders!
Body styles for Cadillac Types and Series built prior
to Series 303 [La Salle] and 314 [Cadillac] are not listed; that info
was gleaned, later, from other listings. For example, I have come across reference
numbers for Fisher body styles as far back as 1915.
In the thirties, the Fisher styling codes sometimes were
preceded by two other digits, separated or not by a hyphen. The first two numerals simply
indicate the model year: "30" = 1930, "31" = 1931, "32" =
1932, etc. The final three or four digits identify the body style. Some other
sources of reference include one or two more digits placed between the year and the style
number, to indicate the engine configuration: "8" = V-8 engine,
"12" = V-12 engine and "16" = V-16 engine; for
example, Fisher styling code "32-16-178" identifies the 2-passenger coupe on the
V-16 chassis for 1932.
For some unique body styles on the V-16 chassis, Fisher
occasionally used a numbering system similar to that used by Fleetwood [with
"LX" prefixes or suffixes]. Some examples are given later in this section.
Fleetwood introduced its own coding system in the late twenties [see
that section].
Here is a list of all Fisher body style identification numbers I
have come across in various items of factory literature. The majority are drawn from
the Cadillac Distributors' Convention program of 30-31 July and 1-2 August 1928,
wherein are described the new, 1929 cars. On the opening page of that program it is
stated: in the following pages we will describe the new cars of the 341B and LaS 328
series as presented at the Distributors' Convention. The program gives the
general specifications of each car, including a detailed equipment list; the number
assigned to each specification sheet corresponds to the number on the tag of each
car; it was to be used for convenience in ordering work on or parts for any of the
listed jobs. The program stated that duplicates of these cars will be available
for September [1928] shipment.
As stated above, the main source used to cross-reference
the various Caduillac & La Salle body styles built was Cadillac's own Master Parts
List (MPL), specifically the issue dated July 1, 1933 and another from 1939. I used
to believe that if a body style was listed there, then it was built for sure.
However, I have had to revise my judgment based on the number of styles listed in the MPL
for the 1933 Series 452-C V-16 that we know for certain were NOT built.
Some Fisher styling codes do
not appear to respect a logical, numerical sequence; I have no explanation for that
apparent anomaly. As you proceed you will come across some "misplaced" (?)
codes, both in their logical numerical sequence and in the tables for
a given Cadillac or La Salle Series:
To futher confuse the issue,
Fisher AND Fleetwood BOTH used at one time styling codes with initial digits 28, 29, 30,
31, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 60, 61, 64, 66, 67, 69, 70, 73,
74, 80, 85, 86...
The advantage of (generally) low production numbers means it is
not too complicated to determine precisely which body was assigned to which chassis/engine
combination
Highlighted in red, in the
following tables: Styles that were built on the sixteen-cylinder Cadillac chassis
1915 [Type 51]
