1950-51 Series 61 Models...Where Are They Shortened?``

[Terry Boyce]

 ???1950 and '51 Series 61 styles were built on a 122-inch wheelbase chassis, while the concurrent Series 62/Coupe de Ville was 126 inches. Yet, the 2-door hardtop bodies appear identical dimensionally in photographs, as do the front clips. The 4-door sedans have different roof treatments and possibly rear doors, so it could be the reduced dimension was accommodated in the body aft of the front doors. But the 2-door hardtops, especially, seem to be a mystery, then, as the bodies look the same. Also, Buick's 1950-'52 Super and Roadmaster used the same basic body shells and were also 122- and 126-wheelbase, respectively...and on the Buicks, it was clearly the front end, ahead of the cowl, that was shorter on the lesser wheelbase Super.
 
 A parts book including these models might give some hints...i.e., were driveshaft lenghts different, etc.? 
 
Can anyone tell us where the missing four inches went on the Series 61?
 
Thx

[Don Boshara #594]

The 2-door hardtops in the 62 series had longer rear fenders & deck lids. The same difference was also between the 62 & 60 Special sedans. This was also done with the Olds 98 in the B body and in 1954 with the Pontiac Star Chief in the A body.

[Doug Houston]

I may have the answer. In the very first brochures for these cars, they were called "short deck sedans". Cadillac quickly changed the brochures to read" Park Avenue sedan".

The idea was to make the car easier to park in places like Manhattan.

One Cadillac Exec, here in Detroit, claimed that they were never called "shorrt deck" (Cadillac would never use diminutives on themselves), even in the face of a brochure to the contrary. He literlly bellowed that the brochure never existed.  You should have known that character!

[Doug 22747]

I may have the answer. In the very first brochures for these cars, they were called "short deck sedans". Cadillac quickly changed the brochures to read" Park Avenue sedan".

The idea was to make the car easier to park in places like Manhattan.

One Cadillac Exec, here in Detroit, claimed that they were never called "shorrt deck" (Cadillac would never use diminutives on themselves), even in the face of a brochure to the contrary. He literlly bellowed that the brochure never existed.  You should have known that character!

Doug - I think you're referring to the 1962-63 Park Avenue sedans, which were apparently built for ease of parking, as you mention. 

[Guidematic]

 Yes, the "61" was built off the smaller B-body, while the "62" was built off the larger C-body.

 These bodies shared many basic features, however they were designed to fit into differant price structuring. Look at the "61" sedan and compare it with the "62" sedan and you will see many differances there in the roof line.

 

 Sixty One Sedan

 

 Sixty Two Sedan

 From Yann's Database.

 Mike