Featured is a finely restored 1931 Cadillac 355 V-8 Town Car. The Series 355 was produced by Cadillac from 1931 to 1935.
Cadillac produced eight different models for the 1931 model year. Among these models were a V-12 and V-16 engine. Below is a list of their models..
1931 Cadillac 12 All Weather Phaeton.
1931 Cadillac 12 Convertible Coupe.
1931 Cadillac 355-A convertible coupe.
1931 Cadillac 370A Roadster by Fisher.
1931 Cadillac 452a Limousine.
1931 Cadillac Phaeton.
1931 Cadillac Roadster.
1931 Cadillac Town Car Sedan.
Cadillac’s V-8 Engine
Although the first V-8 was built for competition in France in 1903, the first V-8 that was offered in series production came out in France in 1910. In America however Cadillac has a long history with it’s V-8 engine. Their first V-8 came out in 1915 and was the first mass produced V-8 at the time. The engine designated the Type 51 was standard on all 1915 Cadillac automobiles and delivered 70 HP and was said to average about 65 MPH.
The first V-8 automobile produced and priced for the masses was Ford’s V-8 which came out in 1932. It was the first V-8 offered in the relatively low priced field. One big way that Ford was able to keep costs down on building their V-8 engine and make it affordable was to cast the engine block as one solid piece.
Cadillac itself did an excellent job of building powerful and reliable engines. They produced their first V-16 for the 1930 model year and continued with the V-16 until 1940. Cadillac also offered a V-12 from 1931 through the 1937 model year.
1931 Cadillac V-8 Town Car Styling
The 1931 Cadillac 355A Town Car Sedan’s body was built by Fisher. Fisher Body was founded in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1919 General Motors bought a controlling interest in Fisher Body and by 1926 owned 100 percent of the shares. At first glance the eight cylinder Series 355A for 1931 was similar to the 353 model.
At first glance, the eight-cylinder Series 355-A line for 1931 was quite similar to the Series 353 models that came before it. With that said, the overall body now had a lower and sportier appearance. The hood was a bit longer, metal floorboards and an oval instrument panel, single bar bumper and slightly smaller head lights were all new to the 355A.
For 1931 Cadillac offered six different Fisher and seven different Fleetwood bodies.
1931 Cadillac Town Car Sedan Specifications
The engine for the 1931 Cadillac Town Car Sedan was a 353 cubic inch L-head V-8 which was the same engine in the prior 353 model. The engine delivered 95 HP.
Gearbox is a three speed manual.
Brakes are four wheel mechanical drums.
Automobile dimensions include a 134.0 inch wheelbase, 203.0 inch overall length, 73.6 inch width, 72.5 inch height.
Estimated 1931 Cadillac 355A production was 10,700 units.
As a side note, selling Cadillac’s during the Great Depression was not an easy task. As an example, Cadillac went from 55,770 car sales in 1930 to only 8,084 in 1932. That not only represented a historic drop in sales but threatened the future of the brand.
Related Auto Museum Online articles are on the links below..
Reference material for this article includes…The Hemmings Motor News Book of Cadillacs…Cadillac : Standard of the World by Maurice D. Hendry…The Complete Book of Collectible Cars by the Editors of Consumer Guide.
The 1931 Cadillac V-8 355A Town Car Collector Popularity
Vintage Cadillac’s such as the 1931 Model 355A in restored condition with high originality are rare automobiles.
Cadillac’s history is rich in styling and the models sold during the decade of the 1930’s were a time when the high standard for styling and creating luxurious automobiles was alive and well. Even though the Great Depression decimated sales, Cadillac maintained it’s advanced engineering and reputation for quality and reliability. The 1930s Cadillac models also included interiors with increased headroom and more cushioned seats. With the increase in automotive engineering during the 1930’s Cadillac was able to offer great styling throughout the decade.
Auction and sales results for the 1931 Cadillac 355 V-8 are found in a wide range. Generally, roadster models garner a higher price than sedans but overall condition, mileage, degree and age of restoration and originality mostly determine value. The 1931 Cadillac 355 Sedan has currently been sold in a price range from about $40,000 to $100,000. There have been sales above and below this range.
(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)