MPG

[Cadman-iac]

After going through the brochure, owner's manual and the 1956 Data Book - all 300 pages of it - neither can I. The spaces for "curb weight" are left blank on official factory documents while directing the owner to check with the dealer's service department. It seems that curb weights were a jealously guarded secret at Cadillac in those days. Astonishing. 

 Could the reason why they didn't publish the curb weight on the limousines be because it would vary depending upon what options and materials were used when it was built? Different coach builders had different techniques and available materials for any particular car, and I would assume that each one of the limousines were special ordered by a customer who had specific tastes or requests, maybe depending on what the car was going to be used for.
 Just a guess here.

 Rick

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Could the reason why they didn't publish the curb weight on the limousines be because it would vary depending upon what options and materials were used when it was built? Different coach builders had different techniques and available materials for any particular car, and I would assume that each one of the limousines were special ordered by a customer who had specific tastes or requests, maybe depending on what the car was going to be used for.

None of the models have weights listed, not just Series 75.

Only Commercial Chassis based cars were coachbuilt in which case weight specs were provided by the coachbuilder. This wouldn't apply to factory built Series 75 models. 

[Lexi]

Hello Cadman-iac. I don't think so in this case, as The Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 cars were advertised as being the only factory stretched Limousines on the market. They were somewhat hand crafted at the Fleetwood Body Plant by automotive artisans on West Fort Street then transported to the Clark Avenue plant. Then in 1956, (early in the year I believe), that production was moved to GM's Plant 21. Stated production was 6 - 12 cars a day,"making their assembly rate among the lowest in the world", they report. So it is not a case of "artistic licence" as deemed by an outside coachbuilder. Yes, a few Durham bodied cars were done, but they were few and their design element changes seemed to be restricted to an alternative roof treatment. Looks like Eric could not find curb weight specs either, on any of our cars, (not just on Series 75s). As he says it seems like they wanted to keep it a secret. I agree that revelation is "astonishing". Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

None of the models have weights listed, not just Series 75.

Only Commercial Chassis based cars were coachbuilt in which case weight specs were provided by the coachbuilder. This wouldn't apply to factory built Series 75 models. 

Again, Eric is correct. See my above post. Over the years I have attempted to locate an official document with these numbers but to no avail. I believe I have all of the Cadillac issued bulletins and memos for dealerships and techs for 1956, and don't recall seeing anything in there either. Perhaps I was not diligent enough? Regardless, these curb weight figures have proven elusive. The weights given that I have seen were online and I am not sure if they are accurate or where they came from. Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

Could the reason why they didn't publish the curb weight on the limousines be because it would vary depending upon what options and materials were used when it was built? Different coach builders had different techniques and available materials for any particular car, and I would assume that each one of the limousines were special ordered by a customer who had specific tastes or requests, maybe depending on what the car was going to be used for.
 Just a guess here.

 Rick

Good to think out of the box on this one, but we are all reaching a dead end. Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

  Ok, I guess I misunderstood that. I could swear that I had found the curb weight for my car listed someplace, but I don't remember where that was.
 I don't see what the big secret was about this though, unless they just didn't want the competition to know for whatever reason.

 Rick

[Lexi]

I agree. What is the big secret? Perhaps that is why Eric finds this situation "astonishing". I don't get it. Everything else is there, save for how many times the assembly worker cussed while gunning on the lug nuts. LOL. If you can find where you got those specs from let us know. I see stuff online, but where did they get that info from? Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

  As for the mileage reports, I find that encouraging. I had often wondered what these cars got, and whenever I had asked people I knew that had driven them back then, I would get answers from 10 to 25 miles per gallon.

It would be really nice if I could get 15 or more out of mine when it's done.
I do remember that I had gotten 16 out of my 69 convertible on a long highway trip at 75 miles per hour to El Paso and back once in 1987.
I had to leave the car sitting in the sun for a couple of days so that the top would shrink back to its original size after that run. I had the top up and didn't think about how the airflow was pulling on it at 75mph. The poor thing looked like it was 2 sizes too big when I got back. But I had lots of headroom on the trip, lol !!

Rick

Edit: the reason for the top getting stretched was because I didn't open up any windows, for anyone not familiar with a convertible.

 Lol, it probably looked like a giant marshmallow going down the road!!

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I've always found Walter McCall's information in 80 Years of Cadillac & LaSalle to be extremely reliable. In fact, it's one of the only Cadillac books where I couldn't find any errors- at least for the model years I'm intimately familiar with. Unfortunately I'm at a dead end to the extent of cross checking McCall's data against official factory sources but if past experience is any guide, I'm comfortable the data he has provided is reasonably accurate.

I should contact him through FB to see whether he recalls what his sources were...  

[Cadman-iac]

As I think about it, I believe I may have gotten that curb weight from a "Chitlons" manual. But if it's like everything else printed between the covers, it's probably wrong anyhow.

I'll try and verify where exactly I found that though and let you know.

Rick

[Lexi]

LOL. Max Headroom for sure. I think around town is not so good traffic, Lexi could be as bad as 10 - 12 mpg, (US), but would have to check to be sure. That highway run mileage surprised me. Years ago, prior to my engine and carb rebuild, I hit 21 mpg (Imperial), once. Seem to recall usual highway mileage was around 17 or a touch less, but would have to check logs to be sure. The other day's mileage was dead on as I topped up and was close to top of filler neck prior to the drive. Same when I refuled so close to the ounce for checking. Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

I've always found Walter McCall's information in 80 Years of Cadillac & LaSalle to be extremely reliable. In fact, it's one of the only Cadillac books where I couldn't find any errors- at least for the model years I'm intimately familiar with. Unfortunately I'm at a dead end to the extent of cross checking McCall's data against official factory sources but if past experience is any guide, I'm comfortable the data he has provided is reasonably accurate.

I should contact him through FB to see whether he recalls what his sources were...

That would be great. I am told that when he was writing that fantastic book, he had access to an old buddy of mine's extensive paper GM collection. He was also associated back then with Tom McPherson who also had a tremondous paper treasure trove. The fellow I knew though now deceased is also mentioned in McCall's "Many Thanks" section, and on the preceding page (Acknowledgements?), he did cite a lot of his sources. I still have my buddies inscribed copy from Walter. Great reference book. Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

  Ok, I did some digging through my small library and I found it in a book titled "Standard Catalog of Cadillac" by James T. Lenzke.
It lists every model including the imperial sedan 8 passenger, but not the limousines or the CC.
For instance, my car's curb weight is listed as being 4445 lbs at a cost of $4569.00, just a hair over a dollar a pound.
The '56 8P imperial sedan is listed at 5130 lbs at a price of $6883.00 .
My copy is the second edition and covers 1903 to 2000.

I also found it in the Collectible Automobile magazine from August of 94. They did an article on the 54, 55, 56 models, and in June of 99 did the 50-53 models. And in the August of 97 issue it covered the 57-58 years.
Hope this helps everyone find your particular year if you're interested.

Rick

Edit:  in the magazine my car is listed as selling for $4624.00.
  And the Imperial sedan is priced at 6828.00, so there's some minor discrepancies between them.

Also, I still have the service manual for the 89 Brougham I had, and the weight is listed right in the specifications section.

I knew I had seen weights listed in a Cadillac publication before. I would have to go through every one of the service manuals I have to see if each one has the weight published though.
I would say that if you want to know, check your service manual. It just might be in there.
The 1956 manual does not have it though.

Edit, again!! I just checked the service manuals I do have, and it started either in 73, (I don't have this one), or 1974. The 74 book does list the vehicle weight in the specs chart. As well as the 77 manual, and 78 supplement.  The 72 and back manuals do not have this information. Hope this helps.

[Jay Friedman]

Chat... Really? I have owned my car 24 years now and owned two others during that time. I have NEVER been stopped for a chat. I guess Laurie's hyperbole rolls on.

I've owned my '49 39 years and as best as I can remember have been stopped three times for a chat.  Once was years ago on a trip from my home in Atlanta to Spartanburg SC.  There, a young cop pulled me over and asked me where I was going in the city.  I told him and he gave me directions. He then asked me lots of questions about my Cad, which I answered.  I then asked him if he were asking me all this in his capacity as a cop or rather as just a guy who liked old cars.  He said the latter.

The second time was on a trip to the Grand National in Dallas in 1996.  At a gas station stop in Louisiana I was in the middle of satisfying my car's great thirst for fuel, when a cop pulled right up to me with a scowl on his face.  I thought to myself "Uh oh, what have I done wrong?"  But he immediately cracked a smile and, like the cop in SC, started asking me questions about the car. 

The third time was not long ago here in Atlanta, again in a gas station.  A cop pulled up to me in the station and said "Mr. Friedman, how long have you had your Cadillac?"  I answered and he then told me he had a 55 Chev and so on and so forth.  Apparently, he had one of those automatic license plate readers and so determined my name. 

Another time I received an envelope in the mail with a print of a photo of me and my wife Elaine driving along in our Cad on interstate I-75 here in the Atlanta area. Also in the envelope was a note from a woman cop saying she liked my car and snapped the photo from her cop car. She also included a printout from a police computer stating I was not wanted for a crime. (I couldn't make this up!) Like the previous cop she had an automatic license plate reader and so determined my name and address. 

[Lexi]

Ok, I did some digging through my small library and I found it in a book titled "Standard Catalog of Cadillac" by James T. Lenzke.
It lists every model including the imperial sedan 8 passenger, but not the limousines or the CC.
For instance, my car's curb weight is listed as being 4445 lbs at a cost of $4569.00, just a hair over a dollar a pound.
The '56 8P imperial sedan is listed at 5130 lbs at a price of $6883.00 .
My copy is the second edition and covers 1903 to 2000.

I also found it in the Collectible Automobile magazine from August of 94. They did an article on the 54, 55, 56 models, and in June of 99 did the 50-53 models. And in the August of 97 issue it covered the 57-58 years.
Hope this helps everyone find your particular year if you're interested.

Rick

Edit:  in the magazine my car is listed as selling for $4624.00.
  And the Imperial sedan is priced at 6828.00, so there's some minor discrepancies between them.

Also, I still have the service manual for the 89 Brougham I had, and the weight is listed right in the specifications section.

I knew I had seen weights listed in a Cadillac publication before. I would have to go through every one of the service manuals I have to see if each one has the weight published though.
I would say that if you want to know, check your service manual. It just might be in there.
The 1956 manual does not have it though.

Edit, again!! I just checked the service manuals I do have, and it started either in 73, (I don't have this one), or 1974. The 74 book does list the vehicle weight in the specs chart. As well as the 77 manual, and 78 supplement.  The 72 and back manuals do not have this information. Hope this helps.

That is fantastic Rick! I have a lot of Cadillac books that right now are not accessible, but I don't think I have that one. You are obviously gunning for "Cadillac God" status. Curiously that information is not in the "bible" of '50s Cadillac books, the Schneider book. The dig here goes on. Clay/Lexi

[Cadman-iac]

 It is interesting that Cadillac had put just about everything you would want to know about their cars in their service manuals, except for the vehicle weight. Maybe they thought that was something that people didn't care to know until they received enough inquiries into it. Who really knows why. But starting for sure in 74, (because I don't have access to a 73 manual to verify it), they began giving the curb weights of each model.
 But it is nice to know just how much weight you are pushing around whenever you get behind the wheel.

 Rick

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

Laurie, number 3 was a low blow even for you. My cars have received multiple Concours, Best in Show and First Place awards and it isn't because they aren't good looking enough...1962 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible in Victorian Gold with a Sandalwood top, 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville in Persian Sand with a white top, 1970 Cadillac DeVille convertible in Cinnamon Firemist with a white top. If Cadillac's aren't good looking enough why do you own one?

How many boosters so far? Dr Malone has already identified S-RCD to be a side effect.

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

I've owned my '49 39 years and as best as I can remember have been stopped three times for a chat.  Once was years ago on a trip from my home in Atlanta to Spartanburg SC.  There, a young cop pulled me over and asked me where I was going in the city.  I told him and he gave me directions. He then asked me lots of questions about my Cad, which I answered.  I then asked him if he were asking me all this in his capacity as a cop or rather as just a guy who liked old cars.  He said the latter.

The second time was on a trip to the Grand National in Dallas in 1996.  At a gas station stop in Louisiana I was in the middle of satisfying my car's great thirst for fuel, when a cop pulled right up to me with a scowl on his face.  I thought to myself "Uh oh, what have I done wrong?"  But he immediately cracked a smile and, like the cop in SC, started asking me questions about the car. 

The third time was not long ago here in Atlanta, again in a gas station.  A cop pulled up to me in the station and said "Mr. Friedman, how long have you had your Cadillac?"  I answered and he then told me he had a 55 Chev and so on and so forth.  Apparently, he had one of those automatic license plate readers and so determined my name. 

Another time I received an envelope in the mail with a print of a photo of me and my wife Elaine driving along in our Cad on interstate I-75 here in the Atlanta area. Also in the envelope was a note from a woman cop saying she liked my car and snapped the photo from her cop car. She also included a printout from a police computer stating I was not wanted for a crime. (I couldn't make this up!) Like the previous cop she had an automatic license plate reader and so determined my name and address. 

Its good to be stopped for a chat! 
And I hope that pic and note from Atlanta's Finest is part of the car's provenance now.

[dochawk]

3.75 MB, 2880x2160

n

gosh, at first glance I took the "MB" for "MPG".

which is about what my 72 got when it was last running . . .

[dochawk]

What can I say?

Speeding is just plain riskier when you have a Y chromosome . . .

   '

I had a friend years ago in law school years ago who was a knockout blonde.  She didn't worry much about getting pulled over.  She laid the sob story  on so thick once driving home cross country during college that the cop handed her a $20 and told her to get a room and stop for the night!

I'm not so much surprised by the no ticket at 80 as the part of the country she lives in.  Here in the southwest, traffic between cities on the interstate *flows* faster than that.

I felt my heart in my throat the first time a B&W copstang suddenly pulled up behind me while I was doing 85 on the interstate.  While I was still pulling my foot from the pedal, he angrily whipped around me into the right lane and accelerated away.

That was California, and I've had the same thing at that speed in NV and AZ.