1938 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 Sedan
The 135-degree vee angle of the Series 90’s new flathead V-16 was so wide the engine sat very low in the chassis, allowing Cadillac to shorten the wheelbase by 13 inches compared to its predecessor while maintaining cabin dimensions as large or larger than before. The resulting platform, at 141 inches, was shared with the Series 75 eight-cylinder models.
Twelve semi-custom body styles were available for 1938 and 1939, designed under the direction of Harley Earl, ranging from a two-passenger coupe to a seven-passenger Imperial Sedan and Town Car, all bodied by Fleetwood.
The new 431 ci engine contained 1,627 individual parts compared to 3,273 for the original V-16 and came in at roughly 250 pounds (113 kg) lighter, yet matched the prior unit’s 185 hp output.
Its architecture included nine main bearings, twin distributors, dual carburetors, and two fuel pumps. A three-speed column-shift manual transmission was standard.
Just 315 Series 90 V-16s were built for 1938, with production declining to 138 in 1939 and 61 in 1940, for a three-year total of 514 examples.
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