1917 Cadillac History

Click to supersize
1917 Cadillac 55 Club Roadster

Type 55 is similar to the 1916 Type 53 except:

Bodies

New crown fenders and elimination of molding on hood panels and around doors give smoother appearance overall.
Phaeton and Roadster have six degree slope to windshield.
Salon replaced by Phaeton with bench seat in front.
Club Roadster added.
Convertible Touring (a four door hardtop) manufactured by Cadillac and having a Vee windshield is introduced.
Coupe with cast Aluminum body is also manufactured by Cadillac.
Victoria is now five window with fixed top and removable pillars.
Berlin/Berline is now called Imperial (undoubtedly due to nasty connotation of "Berlin" at the time).
Landaulet body style added.
One listing of closed body styles by Fisher mentions "Touring Couplet," with no description.
Previous round, plain door (rim) of headlights now embellished with stylized outline of shield and crown.

1917 Cadillac

1917 Cadillac Roadster

Chassis

Drive Line

Engine

Lighter pistons of "belted" design with large oil return holes in the piston walls.
Exhaust manifolds have shorter connector pipes.
Split, tapered collars used to retain valve spring feet.

I.D. DATA

Serial numbers were not used.
Engine numbers were stamped on the crankcase just back of the right hand bank of cylinders and on a plate on the dash.
Engine Numbers followed the pattern of two numbers, a letter, then a sequence number
The first two numbers represented the model (in this case '55')
The letter began with A and ended with S
The sequence number began with 1 and ended with 1000
- Thus 55-A-1 through 55-A-1000
- 55-B-1 through 55-B-1000
- 55-C-1 through 55-C-1000
- The sequence continued until 55-S-1 through 55-S-2

STYLE

Model Number	Body	Series	Seating	Price
NA	4-dr.	Touring	7	$2250
NA	4-dr.	Phaeton	4	$2240
NA	2-dr.	Roadster	2/4	$2240
NA	2-dr.	Club Roadster	4	$2240
NA	2-dr.	Convertible Victoria	4	$2710
NA	2-dr.	Coupe	4	$2960
NA	4-dr.	Convertible Touring	7	$2835
2460	4-dr.	Brougham	5/7	$3110
2450	4-dr.	Limousine	7	$3760
2440	4-dr.	Imperial	7	$3910
2620	4-dr.	Landaulet	7	$3910
2470	-	Touring Couplet	-	$-
NA		Ambulance		$3760
NA		Police Patrol		$3160
NA		Hearse		$4040

Note: Prices $160 less previous to 14 December 1916.
Note: Touring Couplet may be same as Convertible Victoria.

ENGINE

Description	Ninety degree V-8 L-head. Heads not detachable. Cast iron blocks of four on Aluminum crankcase
Bore & Stroke	79.4mm x 130.2mm
Displacement	5.153 Liters
Compression ratio	4.25:1
S.A.E./N.A.C.C. Horsepower	31.25
Main bearings	Three
Valve lifters	Rockers with roller cam follower acting on mechanical lifters
Carburetor	float feed with auxiliary air control; manufactured by Cadillac under C. F. Johnson patents
Torque (Compression)	180 lbs.-ft. @ 2000 R.P.M.

CHASSIS

DRIVETRAIN

Transmission	Selective, sliding gear transmission. Case in unit with engine
Speeds	3 Forward and one Reverse
Steering position	Left drive, center control (Right hand drive optional)
Clutch	Multiple disc, dry plate, 15 discs
Drive	Shaft drive
Axle	Spiral bevel, full floating rear axle
Overall ratio	4.44:1
Brakes	Mechanical brakes on two wheels, one external, one internal
Wheels	Wood artillery wheels, demountable rims (R-W or Houk wire wheels optional)
Wheel size	27 in.
Optional Final drive ratios	3.94:1, 5.07:1

HISTORICAL NOTES

Click to supersize
1917 Cadillac

1917 Cadillac Notes

Introduced August, 1916.
Model year sales: 18,002.
Calendar year production: 18,002.
General Motors Corp. was incorporated Oct. 13, 1916 in Delaware.
General Motors Co. was taken over by General Motors Corp. Aug. 1, 1917.
General Motors Corp. was then an "operating" company and Cadillac Motor Car Co. became a Division of General Motors.
Henry Leland left Cadillac in June, 1917
Richard H. Collins became president and general manager until 1921.
D. McCall White was chief engineer until May and was replaced by Benjamin H. Anibal
Earl C. Howard was general sales manager

TYPE 55