The "Stylish" Sixteens
[ with styling codes beginning "42..." ]

In this page are illustrated, by means of line drawings¹, the various Fleetwood bodies with styling codes beginning "42...".  These were, in my opinion, the most stylish of the vee-sixteen offerings and included the majority of open cars and coupe styles.  Many were built at the old Fleetwood plant in Pennsylvania.

If the sixteen-cylinder cars in the "41..." group may be compared to the luxurious Cadillac Sixty Special series of the late thirties through the late sixties, and those in the "43..." group to the Series 62 cars of the fifties and sixties, then a similar comparison might place this next group on the same plane as the top-of-the-range Eldorado models of the fifties and sixties.

With a couple of exceptions that you will easily pick out below, the sixteens in this series have a typical body styling characteristic that I have tried to highlight in the artist's view below.  It is the gracefully curved body sill, also known as a "coach sill", reminiscent of the elegant horse-drawn coaches and carriages of the 18th and 19th centuries.  In this group are found a variety of windshields and belt moldings; the latter mostly are horizontal though, in some cases, no belt molding is present at all.

The common styling characteristic of the majority
of sixteen-cylinder cars with a job or style code beginning "42..."
is the curved or "coach" sill [although there are exceptions!]

The curved, sweeping sill on this unique custom creation by Fleetwood, built  in the summer of 1929 on a V-8 chassis stretched to 152"
and known as the French Brougham, provided the basic  sill design for 1930-31 V-16 models with Fletwood style numbers starting "42.."

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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 modifications to better illustrate the missing style;  sometimes I have had to use my imagination so please do not consider these "montages" as reflecting a factory original car

 

Here are Fleetwood's bespoke "coach sill"
models on the V-16 chassis

[listed in ascending order of  rarity]

 

Style 4235 [94 units]: a 2-passenger convertible coupe, with rumble seat, golf-bag doors and "suicide doors", costing $6900. Article in SIA106, p.34.

This lovely body style featured a flat, one-piece windshield with slim windshield posts, golf-bag doors on either lower quarter panel and a special, horizontal belt molding.  Below are two artist's renderings of that style; as you can see,
these early drawings show this style with the "43..." type of body sill, although none were built that way
[ unlike Fleetwood roadsters, in the open position, the folded convertible top lies flush with the rear body ]

  
These two artist's renderings are excerpted from an early catalog of Fleetwood proposals for the new vee-sixteen chassis; 
the car is shown here with a straight body sill, whereas it was built only with the regular curved, or "coach" sill

 
Style 4260 (1) [85 units - of which at least one special, dual-cowl sport phaeton, described later in this section]; this is a 5-passenger phaeton with special secondary cowl and cranking secondary windshield, special front windshield, clock and speedometer duplicated in rear compartment, forward-opening doors. One of these was among the six cars taken to Europe in June 1930 for a promotional tour (photos in the SS, Sep, 1967, p.12 and Oct. 1967, pp8-9. Articles in SIA106, p.64, CC&CC 10/1987, SSA 1974, pp. 9-10 [story of the "Fire Wagon" or "Red Devil", returned to Cadillac by Mrs. Little, the widow of first owner]. Such a car was used also in the movie The Carpetbaggers, starring Alan Ladd (story in CC, 5/69, cover and pp.30-33; details include front ensemble, side, rear trunk, driver's seat, "6-shooter" door handles [car has since been restored back to original state]).  This Fleetwood style was listed at $6150 on the price-list for 1.1.1930, and was increased to $6500 on that for 10.15.1930.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill and slim belt molding

Style 4276 [70 units]: a popular 2-passenger coupe, rumble seat, golf-bag doors, see designer's drawing below, costing $6850. Article in SIA106, p.64, CLC 30th Anniversary issue, inside front cover. This style features the Madame X windshield and chrome window frames; it is not a full-fledged Madame X model. Pics of body details such as rumble seat, hood vent doors, accessory protective step plate, golf-bag door are available in CC&CC 11/1969, pp.36-37.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill and so-called Madame X type windshield

 

Style 4291 [14 units]: a town car with spacious rear passenger area, large quarter windows. Flat, canted windshield with front door following angle of windshield post, "suicide" doors front and rear, full width auxiliary seating, cost $8750.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, the long rear body and the large ¼ -windows

 

Style 4220 [9 units]: a town car with spacious rear passenger area, small quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield,   "suicide" doors front and rear, short,  non-functional landau bars above belt line, leather roof covering, cost $7300. Article in SIA106, p.34.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, long rear body and small ¼ -windows

 

Style 4208 [7 units]: a special 5-passenger limousine with two small auxiliary seats, flat windshield,  "suicide" doors front and rear, light-colored leather roof covering, non-funtional landau bars above belt line, large sun visor, rack-mounted travel trunk.

   
Easy ID: the curved coach sill and light-colored top material; this style was already on the Fleetwood books in 1929;

 

Style 4212 [6 units]: a town car, short rear body, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield, "suicide" doors front and rear, non-functional landau bars above belt line, leather roof covering.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, short rear body and blank rear quarters

 

Style 4225 [6 units]: a town car, spacious rear body area, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield, "suicide" doors front and rear, non-functional landau bars above belt line, leather roof covering, large folding auxiliary seats, cost $6625. Article in SIA106, p.64.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, long body and blank rear quarters

 

Style 4264 [4 units]: a square-edged or razor-edged town brougham with"suicide" doors front and rear, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, vertical front foor line. Cost $9200.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, short rear body, razor-edged rear styling and blank rear quarters


The same car with the canopy in place over the driver's compartment

 

Style 4207 [3 units]: a special, 2-passenger hardtop coupe with rumble-seat, light colored leather roof covering, canted "V" windshield, "suicide" doors, long golf-bag door, non-functional landau bars (I've seen this one confused with unique style #4206, below).

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, canted "V" windshield,
long golf-bag door, special belt molding

 

Style 4264B (1) [3 units]: a square-edged or razor-edged town brougham with dual sill (horiozontal at the front and mail-coach sill or "boot-toe" at the rear), "suicide" doors front and rear, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door edge follows angle of windshield; cost $9700.

Easy ID: razor-edged rear body styling, "boot-toe" coach sill

Style 4264B (2) [3 units]: similar to the above car but dressed with French canework on the lower, rear body - a fashionable trend in the teens and twenties. Article in SIA106, p.35 and CS11, p.49.

Easy ID: as above, but French canework applied to rear body

 

Style 4280 [3 units] a 4-passenger special phaeton, costing $7350.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, exposed door hinges, special belt molding

Style 4275C [2 units]: presumably a very similar body style to unique job #4275, below, but with collapsible roof over the rear seat passengers, in the true landaulet tradition.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, long body, collapsible rear quarters
(this is my own "montage"; I am not too sure about that windshield though)

 

Style 4285 [2 units - one delivered to GM facility at Antwerp]: a 5-passenger convertible Victoria, special, slanting "V"-type windshield, front "suicide doors" following the slant of the windshield post. Functional landau bars.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, Victoria convertible body

Style 4275 [unique]: presumably a special order for a client who liked the coach sill of the Fleetwood styles beginning with digits "42". No details or photos available.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, long body, large ¼ -windows
(again, this is my own "montage"; I am not too sure about that windshield)

 

Style 4200 [unique]: a 7-passenger sedan [no partition] with two full-width auxiliary seats and light-colored leather roof covering [for full description, see Database section on Fleetwood style codes, Part 1 and the V-16 section devoted to this particular car].

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, short body, light-colored hard top. No ¼ -windows

 

Style 4206 [unique] a special, 2-passenger hardtop coupe with rumble-seat, light colored leather roof covering, canted "V" windshield, "suicide" doors, long golf-bag door, non-functional landau bars (I've seen this one confused with unique style #4207, above). The actual car features in addition three large, exposed, chrome-plated door hinges (not shown on the factory drawing). This model is illustrated in the German "Motor" magazine for July, 1930.

Easy ID: the curved coach sill, canted "V" windshield,
long golg-bag doors, exposed door hinges [not shown on line drawing]

 

Style 4212C [unique]: a town landaulet, short raer body, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield, "suicide" doors front and trear, leather roof covering with functional landay bars and folding roof portion over rear seat passengers.

Easy ID:similar to style #4212 (above) but with opening rear roof  (landaulet styling)

 

Style 4220B [unique]: a town car, spacious rear body arae, small quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield, "sucide" doors front and rear, plain metal roof,  no imitation landau bars (?).

Easy ID: similar to style #4220, above, but painted metal roof finish

 

Style 4225C [unique]: a town landaulet with spacious rear body area, no quarter windows, flat slanting windshield, front door follows angle of windshield, "suicide" doors front and rear, functional landau bars, leather roof covering, large folding auxiliary seats, opening roof portion over rear seat passengers.

Easy ID: similar to style #4225, above, except folding rear roof portion ( landaulet styling)

 

Style 4257A [unique]; a 4-passenger sport phaeton with folding secondary cowl and folding secondary windshield, special front windshield and equally special belt molding; also special convex trunk curve. Despite styling code starting with digits "42", this car had a straight sill, with forward-opening doors like style 4260. Late Extra (2009): This car or one very much like it, has survived. The main difference between the drawing, below, and the actual survibing car is the absenve of the seconadry folding cowl, as used on Fleetwood's sport phaeton models. The survivor also has a diffrent rear treatment, more like the car below (#4257H) and the door handles are mounted lower in the door panels.

Easy ID: horizontal sill, special belt molding, sport phaeton style
with secondary cowl and folding windshield

Style 4257H [unique]: a large, 7-passenger convertible touring car. This was a standard Fleetwood offering in 1930 on the V8 chassis. The "H" suffix in the styling code suggests increased interior height with folding top in place. Front "suicide" doors. Late Extra (2009):   a combination of TWO unique Fleetwood body styles (#4257-A and #4257H) appears to have survived.  The owner, Joe Moore, left this message on the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, Inc.'s message board on June 21, 2002:   Have 7-pass one of a kind with scroll hood. Need any parts & accessories including any information of original sales data. Delivered new to a dealer in NYC. Fleetwood body #16-688, engine # 701849. Currently in complete restoration. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Joe.  In the 2002 CLC Directory the owner of that survivor is listed as B. Massman, CA.

Easy ID: curved coach sill, long rear body, secondary windshield, convertible touring car style
[ the original factory drawing, upper image, shows a horizontal sill but actual car has coach sill ]

Factory photo shows correct curved sill for Fleetwood "42.." group

Style 4260 (2) [unique, though included in the total for style 4260]: This is a unique RHD V16, built in 1930 for H.H. the Maharajah of Tikari. Read the story and see the photos in CC&CC, 9/1983, pp.34-38; details include front ensemble, rear trunk, engine, RH steering.

Easy ID: like regular style #4260 but with right-hand drive

Style 4260 (3) [unique, though included also in the total for style 4260]: Unlike standard 4260 cars, this one was fitted at the factory with a folding dual-cowl and secondary folding windshield. Formerly owned by friends, Ray and Dorothy Radford, OR, it was sold in the mid-eighties to Bob Laravee who restored it completely.

Easy ID: like regular style #4260 but fitted out as a sport phaeton
with secondary cowl and folding windshield

Style 4260A [unique]: a special sport phaeton with dual cowl and crank down secondary windshield. Although the styling code starts with "42", the car features the "43" series hood with the curved, raised panel. There was no belt molding. The car had tufted broadcloth upholstery, which was somewhat out of place in an open car. This was one of the official cars used at the 1930 Indianapolis race.

Easy ID: like regular style #4260 but fitted with front hood from "43..." series sixteens;
tufted (piped) cloth upholstery (unusual in a convertible body style)

Style 4262 [unique]: This is a custom limousine style (division) for seven passengers. There appear to be no factory photo, artist's rendering or designer's drawing of this Fleetwood job.  The line drawing below is my own impression of the car, based on the description included in factory records. This model had a flat, slanted windshield, the front door edge followed the windshield angle, "suicide" doors front and rear, a leather roof covering, no ¼-windows and non-functional landau bars.

In the absence of an original designer's drawing for unique style #4262, I created
this montage from style #4275 [windshield and front roof] and #4225 [rear roof] 

 

 

Les V16 "élégantes"

Cette page contient (par ordre décroissant de la quantité produite) la liste des Cadillac à moteur V16 dont le numéro de code du type commence par les chiffres "42...".  Chaque voiture est représenté par son plan d'élévation¹.  A mon avis ce groupe comporte les carrosseries Fleetwood les plus élégantes de toute la gamme des V16, dont la majorité de modèles découvrables ainsi que des coupés à deux portes. Un grand nombre de ces voitures sont sorties des anciens ateliers Fleetwood dans la ville du même nom qui se trouve dans l'état de Pennsylvanie, au nord-est des Etats-Unis.

On reconnaît la plupart de ces modèles [il y a cependant quelques exceptions que vous n'aurez aucun mal à reconnaître] à la courbe gracieuse de leur bas de caisse, appellé également le "coach sill" car il rappelle les élégants carrosses hippomobiles des 18e et 19e siècles.

Si l'on compare les Cadillac V16 dont le type commence par les chiffres "41..." aux Cadillac type  "Sixty Special" des années trente à soixante, et celles dont le type commence par les chiffres "43..."  aux Cadillac de la série "62" des années cinquante et soixante, on pourrait de la même façon assimiler les Cadillac V16 dont le type commence par les chiffres "42..." aux Cadillac "Eldorado" des années cinquante et soixante, c'est à dire le haut de gamme.

Parmi les voitures de cette série on trouve plusieurs types de parebrise et de ceinture de caisse; la plupart de celles-ci sont du type horizontal bien que, dans certains cas, la ceinture de caisse soit très discrète voire même absente.

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.