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Source of Imperial Name in 1930s Fleetwood Bodies

Started by Art Cutler, February 06, 2018, 04:52:13 PM

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Art Cutler

I am helping our chapter editor with an article on a 1931 Cadillac model 4855 5 Passenger Imperial Cabriolet.  Does anyone know if "Imperial" had a specific meaning for Fleetwood bodies or was it just a sales tool?  The build sheet lists a Fisher Order Number.  Were these normally assigned to Fleetwood bodies after the 1925 purchase of Fleetwood by Fisher?  Appreciate any insight on this.

Art Cutler
Series62, CLC #15689

Barry M Wheeler #2189

"Imperial" was assigned to car bodies with divided windows between the driver and the passenger compartment. There were both five and seven passenger styles. At one time I had a 1941 Series 6733 Imperial (7 passenger) and a 1941 Series  6719F. I may be wrong in considering the "F" cars as "Imperials." So, to be safe, I would recant slightly and say that the 7533 cars are considered "Imperials" and the five passenger division cars are "formal" sedans. That may be getting to splitting hairs.

With a little more ambiguity I can go to Washington...
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

Art Cutler

Series62, CLC #15689

TonyZappone #2624

I always thought Imperial denoted division window, whether 19 or 33 designation?
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

Barry M Wheeler #2189

I looked in the front of the Master Parts Book and wasn't sure, so I gave my convoluted explanation, figuring that someone would trip me up. Whatever... We're all pretty close anyhow.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

jdemerson

Quote from: Barry M Wheeler #2189 on February 06, 2018, 05:09:30 PM
"Imperial" was assigned to car bodies with divided windows between the driver and the passenger compartment. There were both five and seven passenger styles. At one time I had a 1941 Series 6733 Imperial (7 passenger) and a 1941 Series  6719F. I may be wrong in considering the "F" cars as "Imperials." So, to be safe, I would recant slightly and say that the 7533 cars are considered "Imperials" and the five passenger division cars are "formal" sedans. That may be getting to splitting hairs.

With a little more ambiguity I can go to Washington...

Art and Barry,

    A fascinating little issue!  I looked up in several sales brochures from 1931 (also 1930 and 1936) to see how
the various models are identified. I believe that Barry had it right originally. In both 1930 and 1931 there are models, both 5 passenger and 7 passenger, identified as Imperials. So I think that Imperial meant chauffeur-driven with the division glass, irrespective of the number of passengers. In one 1931 Cadillac it refers to an Imperial cabriolet model -- I think there are three different Imperials in that brochure. I have not found any V8 Cadillac model Imperials with just 5 passengers,  but V8s do exist as 7-passenger Imperial models. For 1936 I did not find a 5-passenger Imperial model.

    In practical terms, I believe that Imperials were almost always 7-passenger limousines with division windows -- at least in most years over the decades.

    Let me know if this isn't clear, or if you have further questions. I can check the Data Books -- which I haven't done yet.

John Emerson
1952 Cadillac Sedan 6219X
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn