1904 Cadillac Model B Touring
Henry Leland’s precision engineering philosophy produced what became a leading American automobile during Cadillac’s second full year of operation.
Built at a time when the Detroit manufacturer was producing more cars than any other company in the country, the Model B featured notable improvements over its predecessor, most visibly through its repositioned vertical radiator mounted at the front and a detachable box-like front section that replaced the earlier sloping dash.
Riding on a 76-inch wheelbase with a pressed-steel frame and axles, the Model B utilized a tubular front axle suspended by a single transverse semi-elliptic leaf spring.
Available as a runabout, touring, surrey, or delivery, the car wore 12-spoke wooden wheels with 30 x 3 inch tires and weighed approximately 1,450 pounds.
The 98.2-cubic-inch single-cylinder “Little Hercules” engine sat mid-chassis beneath the driver’s seat, producing an advertised 8.25 horsepower. Power reached the rear wheels through a two-speed planetary transmission and chain drive, with pedal-operated brakes acting on the rear drums.
Cadillac produced 2,319 examples in 1904, identifying each by engine number rather than a separate chassis number. The Model B earned recognition for reliability and exceptional climbing ability.
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