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1958 Fleetwood Wheelbase

Started by Cadillac Nut, July 21, 2017, 11:00:52 PM

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Cadillac Nut

According to the data book the wheel base for the '58 Fleetwood Sixty Special is 133" while an extended deck sedan is 129.5".  Both cars are the same length.  Does anyone know if this is true or not and if so where the actual different is?  Thanks

The Tassie Devil(le)

I think the difference is in the panel between the rear window and the trunk lid.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Cadillac Nut

But the cars are the exact same length.   Is one area shorter and one area longer on each?

The Tassie Devil(le)

My book (Standard Catalog [spelling] of Cadillac 1903-2005 by John Gunnell) shows that the Extended Deck model is 8.5" longer than the other models.
It also says that the Series 60S has an overall length of 224.4", whereas the Series 62 has a overall length of 216.8".

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Roger Zimmermann

According to the shop manual, the models 6239E, 6239D and 6039 have the same length: 225 5/16". I have also difficulties to understand why; probably the rear fenders/rear deck is shorter on the 60S than at the other 2 models. Could be that the 60S has the same rear deck as the "shorter" sedans.
1956 Sedan de Ville (sold)
1956 Eldorado Biarritz
1957 Eldorado Brougham (sold)
1972 Coupe de Ville
2011 DTS
CLCMRC benefactor #101

jdemerson

Quote from: Roger Zimmermann on July 22, 2017, 03:28:47 AM
According to the shop manual, the models 6239E, 6239D and 6039 have the same length: 225 5/16". I have also difficulties to understand why; probably the rear fenders/rear deck is shorter on the 60S than at the other 2 models. Could be that the 60S has the same rear deck as the "shorter" sedans.

These questions came up for me when I was replacing the rear shelf tray and, later, restoring the trunk on my 1952 6219X Sedan. The answers turned out to be surprising. I was able to find the answers at a detailed level in the reports that Cadillac filed with the Automobile Manufacturer's Association (AMA) and those  are available on line with the Data Books for the various years up through 1974.

In 1952 the Series 62 sedan had 126 inch wheelbase and was 215 1/2 inches long. The Fleetwood 60 Special had 130 inch wheelbase and was 224 1/2 inches long. Surprisingly, the interior dimensions, including rear leg room were the same; the differences were behind the rear seat back. It turns out that it was quite similar for 1958 models.

In 1958 the Series 62 sedans all had 129.5 inch wheelbase, and the Sixty Special had 133 inch wheelbase. The standard sedan was 216.8 inches long; the extended sedan and SDV were 225.3 inches long, and so was the Sixty Special. (The Series 75 dimensions were 149.8 and 237.1).

Here is where is gets interesting. All four sedans had an interior seat back to interior seat back dimension of 35.2 -- even the Sixty Special. And all four sedans had rear seat legroom of 45.2 inches. The rear overhangs were: sedan 51.7; extended and SDV 60.2; Sixty Special 56.7, and 75s 51.7 (same as short deck sedan!). The luggage capacity for standard sedan was 12.582; for extended sedan and SDV it was 17.967. it's not stated for the Sixty Special in the AMA specs or for the 75s.

All width dimensions for all models listed here were the same.

CONCLUSIONS: All differences in dimensions were behind the rear seat back. But the extended sedan and SDV were NOT exactly the same as the Sixty Special and of course their wheel bases were the same as the base Series 62 sedan.  Bruce's remark that "I think the difference is in the panel between the rear window and the trunk lid." is very likely correct although I can't quite document it from the AMA specs.

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

Cadillac Nut

Hmm, interesting.  Thanks for the info.  I guess once I have them side by side I will be able to tell exactly. 

Jon S

I believe the extra 3 1/2" in wheel base was to accommodate the 60 Special's skirts and to distinguish it from the less expensive Series 62's and Sedan De Ville
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT