This was the last year for this 1931 Make. Produced from 1907-1931. It would become part of Billy Durant’s GM empire in 1909 till its demise in 1931. By the mid 1920′s GM vehicles had big gaps in pricing. GM beancounters decided to create “Companion Makes” Buick would get Marquette.Cadillac got LaSalle and this make would be the parent to soon to be famous make. This make was always 
outshined by it other sibling divisions. Not a Chevy or a Caddy it never found its true market place. In the mid priced range it offered a good value at a less than Oldsmobile price. Even offereing V8 power at a few dollars more than Ford. It also would benifit from the superb Fisher body and reliable Delco electronics. The one thing the beancounters didn’t get was that the divsions were too close in price. By the time the Great Depression kicked in the upstart and stylish companion make was out selling its parent by more than 10 to 1. With slow sales and bread lines becoming part of the American way of life GM sent this make to the automotive trash heap. Oddly its companion would go onto become a long running and spirited American icon. “What Auto is This”
Tag Archive: Cadillac
Jan
21
What Auto is This?? A GM Companion Make Is Outshined By It’s Own Child
Dec
07
What Auto is This?? This Grand Classic Would Not Survive The Great Depression
This car company was formed in 1913 when it was purchased from The Edwards Motor Car Company located in Long Island New York. It was swiftly moved to Elyna Ohio in 1914 and then to Toledo Ohio in 1915. it would remain in Toledo till its demise in 1933. It was known for its unusual Sleeve Valve type engines.Mostly in four and six cylinders they did produce a short lived V8 sleeve valve from 1917-1919. 
Slow sales and poor reliability killed the V8 with only a handfull being produced. In 1914 the price of a four cylinder model was a lofty $2500.00. That pricing would put them in the same league as Packard and Cadillac. With upgrades and improvements in production the prices would go an almost Chevy like level. By 1922 they would produce and average of 55,000 vehicles per year. by 1929 the featured car would only be available with a six cylinder engine. 
Power ranged from 53-87 horsepower. By this time features and appointments would put them in the same league as Buick and Peerless. Thses upgrades would prove to be fatal when The Great Depression hit in late 1929. Despite that the larger models were considered the finest offerings from this soon to be orphaned make. What Auto is This??
May
18
What Auto is This?? Early Luxury Make Marched To A Different Drummer
This high end automobile was produced between 1913-1923.Its founder made his fortune in the newspaper industry.He was also known as an artist and engineer. Early cars were known as auto-cycles because of their half car half motorcycle design.Known for its at the time exotic engines the first cars were powered by a 18 horsepower OHV four cylinder engine.Very unusual at the time.
Only 400 of the early cycle cars were produced when its founder changed his focus to the luxury car market.This 1915 model would feature one of the industies first v8 engines.A working marvel at the time it would compete with luxury biggies like Packard and Cadillac.Other very upscale features were full auto spark advance,3 speed tranmission with shaft drive,electric starter with full electrical system,Zenith carburetor,push button door locks,electric horn with steering wheel mounted button and full pressure lubrication. 
Prices for the four cylinder models started at $775.00 in 1915 not bad considering a Model T sold for $700.00..The more hoity-tioty V8′s sold for $1525.00 a premium for a car in its day.By mid 1913 shares of the company was sold to the public.By 1915 its founder lost control of the company and it was gobbled up by GM CEO Billy Durant in a semi hostle takeover.By 1917 Durant used this company and the power of Chevrolet to regain his hold on GM.From then till its demise in 1923 this luxury make was part of the early GM days. despite all the drama this car company was able to produce over 34,000 vehicles in its short history. What Auto is This??
To see the answer and other answers to What Auto is This?? Quiz go to www.carlislejohnny.com or www.appraisal.carlislejohnny.com
Apr
21
What Auto is This?? Quiz for 04/07/2011
This pickup was produced by the company called “The Cadillac of Trucks” in 1930′s and 1940′s. Even though this art deco pickup was a 1 1/2 ton model it was small compared to its behemoth big brothers. Produced between 1938-1949 its classic styling is prized by collectors. This company first started making cars in 1905 but would gain fame as a producer of superb heavy duty trucks. 
The company would continue to produce heavy trucks till 1967 when it became part of another storied truck maker. It would never make another light duty pickup after 1949. The company did a major restyle for model year 1938 offering a light duty truck to the public. Slight mods were done for 1939 and would remain unchanged till 1949. You could get a panel delivery or stake body but 90% of production went to the pickup.Interiors were spartan but a luxury upgrade compared to its dinosaur sized siblings. 
The dash featured full panel of gauges in a very artfull design.Pre WWII models had a dash mounted jewel like clock and fancy banjo steering wheel. Unusual for a truck only company. After WWII the interiors went towards practical with a simpler dash,steering wheel and no clock. Powering this Caddy of Trucks was a Hercules flathead six cylinder engine. It had seven main bearings and a gear driven water pump. The robust engine put out 91 horsepower. The maker was so confident in its powerplant it offered a “One Year or 100,000 Mile” warranty what ever came first of course. The only tranmission was a Warner T9 four speed with a very low ratio “Granny Gear” 1st gear. 
At a starting price of $1655.00 it was almost a third higher in price than a Ford Pickup 1/2 ton. It was even $200.00 higher price than GMC’s 1 ton. As with all trucks of this era few survive due to extreme use and wear. This artsy hauler was produced in much lower number than those of the big three. Still the ones that survived have become highly sought after and hold high values. What Auto is This??
To see the answer and other answers to What Auto is This?? Quiz go to www.carlislejohnny.com or www.appraisal.carlislejohnny.com
Mar
01
The Answer to 02/28/2011′s Auto Quiz
The Answer to 02/28/2011′s What Auto is This?? Quiz is your “Fathers Oldsmobile” The 1946 Oldsmobile line of cars. Not only was it built like a tank but its fully automatic transmission “The Hydramatic” served duty in many tank during World War II. GM first installed the Hydramatic in Oldsmobiles in 1940. They put them in Oldsmobiles instead Caddy’s. They feared if it was a failure it wouldnt tarnish Cadillacs reputation. Tough “Noogies” on Olds I guess..
To view a “Classic Oldsmobile TV Commercial “CLICK” on the vintage ads..
Dec
20
Did You Know?? Your Fathers Caddy Might Of Had Air Bags
GM had air bags in the 1970s.It was called “Air Cushion Restraint System” First introduced in 1973 GM used 1000 Chevrolet Caprices as prototypes in fleet models only. Available on production cars between 1974-1976. Oddly GM only offered the option on Buicks,Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles. No Chevy model was ever officially offered with the option. The system consisted of two air bags. One for the steering wheel and the other dash mounted for the passenger side. Glove boxes,ash trays and storage was moved to below the steering wheel. On October 9th 1974 the first ACRS car left the Lansing Michigan plant. It was a 1974 Olds Toronado. In December 1974 both Buick and Cadillac started producing cars with the system. Using bumper mounted sensors the bags would deploy on crashes over 11mph. As with modern air bag systems the air bags consisted of high pressure gas charge capsules. GM planned on producing over a 100,000 ACRS optioned cars per year. Sadly only 10,000 were made bwtween 1974-1976. Of those only one fatality from the ACRS was reported. That was from an infant in the passanger seat not using a child seat. In 1974 this future techno option was only $225.00. GM pulled the plug on the slow selling ACRS system due to slow sales. A rumor at the time was the Insurance Company lobbiest in Washington D.C. presurred GM to kill the idea. Dubbing it unsafe..Did You Know??
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