Engine Position

[bcroe]

Does anyone know what year(s) they stopped mounting engines behind
the front axle, and started mounting them over the front axle?  Maybe
that coincided with independent front suspension.  Bruce Roe

[Andrew Trout]

I can't remember this off the top of my head but I want to say 1934, or 1935 was when IFS came into being. The answer—along with many additional interesting* facts—can be found in Cadillac at 100: Legacy of Leadership 1902-2006 (https://www.amazon.com/Cadillac-100-Legacy-Leadership-Volumes/dp/1596130164). It's a great two-volume book if you don't already own a copy.

The GM Heritage Center has a scan of some original marketing materials around IFS (or Knee Action as they called it): https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures/Innovation_and_Technology/Story-of-Knee-Action.pdf as well.

[bcroe]

Thanks for that info.  Looks like the General changed to knee action
front suspension for 1935.  Did not see a direct mention of the effects
of moving the front wheels back, shorter wheel base, center of gravity. 

Guess a side pic of varied cars would show the shift from the radiator
directly over the axle, to well forward of it. 

thanks, Bruce Roe