1950, 1951 Series 61 Coupe

[jdemerson]

I'll be heading to Waterbury, VT for judging at the Vermont Auto Enthusiasts 61st Classic Car Show. A TV clip claims 700 cars are expected -- we'll see, but the weather is perfect!

I judged the same class last year, and the class winner was a 1951 (or possibly '50) Series 61 Coupe. It is a model I've rarely seen, and I was impressed with how attractive the design seemed. The owner was a gracious and interesting elderly gentleman, and he had added an after-market power steering unit for reasons related to his health. The non-authentic power steering may have been the only item that lost points in scoring a VERY nice car, although I don't recall for sure whether there was some other points deduction.

The wheelbase on the Series 61 is 122 instead of 126 on my Series 62 Sedan, and the length was 212 instead of 216 inches on the Sedan. (For comparison, the 60S is 9 inches longer than the Series 62 Sedan). A quick check of the 2018 Directory shows just one 1951 Series 61 coupe, and a handful of the same model in 1950, in the CLC.

Does anyone else think that this model is an especially attractive car? I recall being surprised at how lovely the proportions seemed, though that is of course subjective. One could still get the manual transmission, and I believe that model is the one that Briggs Cunningham raced at Lemans in 1951.

If we're lucky, maybe we'll see the Coupe this weekend in Waterbury.

John Emerson
1952 Cadillac Sedan 6219X

[BJM]

John
Get photos or it didn't happen, just kidding.  Would be nice to see.  I agree it sounds like a nice car and size. 

[Bob Schuman]

John,
I agree with your opinion that the 50-51 Cadillac Series 61 Coupe is a very attractive car, and I prefer its proportions to those with the longer rear deck. The one you found in the CLC directory just finished getting "clayed" and waxed this morning, and my arms are tired. I got mine seven years ago, and it is a very enjoyable driving car. Mine also has power steering, not offered on 1951 Cadillacs, but is an early Cadillac unit installed early in my car's life. The Hydra-Matic works perfectly, but I would have preferred a manual transmission. They were available on the Series 61 and 75 in 1950 and 51, and I have heard of such cars, but have never seen one in a 1951 model.  I have liked the 61 Series coupe since "Uncle" Tom McCahill had a new one in 1950 and wrote about it in Mechanix Illustrated magazine.  In 1950 there was no other stock new domestic car that equalled the acceleration of the manual transmission Series 61, and now, although it is fully adequate to drive anywhere, almost any small four cylinder economy car has faster acceleration. Progress, but not in all ways. The driver's visiblity is far, far superior to any modern vehicles I have driven in recent years. No backup camera is needed.

[jdemerson]

John,
I agree with your opinion that the 50-51 Cadillac Series 61 Coupe is a very attractive car, and I prefer its proportions to those with the longer rear deck. The one you found in the CLC directory just finished getting "clayed" and waxed this morning, and my arms are tired. I got mine seven years ago, and it is a very enjoyable driving car. Mine also has power steering, not offered on 1951 Cadillacs, but is an early Cadillac unit installed early in my car's life. The Hydra-Matic works perfectly, but I would have preferred a manual transmission. They were available on the Series 61 and 75 in 1950 and 51, and I have heard of such cars, but have never seen one in a 1951 model.  I have liked the 61 Series coupe since "Uncle" Tom McCahill had a new one in 1950 and wrote about it in Mechanix Illustrated magazine.  In 1950 there was no other stock new domestic car that equalled the acceleration of the manual transmission Series 61, and now, although it is fully adequate to drive anywhere, almost any small four cylinder economy car has faster acceleration. Progress, but not in all ways. The driver's visiblity is far, far superior to any modern vehicles I have driven in recent years. No backup camera is needed.

Interesting information from a lucky owner! Thanks.

Cadillac Division made the power steering unit first introduced on the 1952 available for retrofit on 1950 and 1951 models. Later they withdrew that, and it became unavailable through Cadillac service departments. Someone here said they were unreliable in 1952, but I'm not so sure. Maybe Cadillac Marketing thought that selling power steering for the earlier models could hurt a bit the sales of the new models in '52 and '53 that had it. We'll never know.

Thanks for checking in, Bob!

[k8096]

They made a lot more of them in 50 than 51.  They're basically a standard coupe with a 62 series sedan short trunk on it.  The difference in length between the 61 & 62 series coupes is all in the trunk.  Here's a 50 61 series coupe I used to own and sold to a friend 15 years ago.   The 61 series didn't have carpet in the interior either - it had a rubber mat instead.  I liked the one I had.   I thought it was the perfect size car for regular use.   I drove mine from Ohio to the Grand National in Chicago in 1997, and drove it to Hershey and had it  on show field that same year in HPOF.    It was completely stock except for the radial tires.   The skirts were off it in these pictures.     

[jdemerson]

They made a lot more of them in 50 than 51.  They're basically a standard coupe with a 62 series sedan short trunk on it.  The difference in length between the 61 & 62 series coupes is all in the trunk.     

This may not be quite true, as the Series 61 models in 1950 and 1951 had a shorter 122 inch wheelbase than the Series 62 Sedan. Are the interior dimensions of Series 61 and Series 62 all the same? It's certainly true that the trunk was shorter on the series 61 coupe than the series 62 coupe.

Thank you for posting photos. I do think it's a very attractive design!
John

[k8096]

Yes, the interior dimensions of a 61 series & 62 series coupe are the same.   The doors are interchangeable, and the rear side windows and entire top structure are identical.  GM wasn't stupid.   They had been doing this kind of stuff since the late 20's.   Buick & Olds used the same body shell as these too.   This is one reason GM was so profitable in the 1940's-60's.  Economies of scale.  Using the same basic body shell on multiple models & makes of cars.