The V16 may have been the high-water mark in terms of the number of cylinders in a Cadillac, but six years later, consumers still had the option of ordering Cadillacs with sixteen cylinders. However, they could also choose eight and twelve-cylinder models (it was the Great Depression, something had to give). The Series 36-80 was 131 inches long — nearly half the size of the V16 — and included a 368 cubic inch iron-blocked V12 with overhead valves making 150 horsepower.
The Series 80, an embodiment of the 1930s, used the steel Turret Top body. This one-piece steel roof had been around since 1945 and garnered a sense of safety and stability in consumers’ minds. All-steel construction may ring alarm bells in today’s safety engineers, but compared to the rickety cloth bimini top of the Model 30 not long before, naming it the Turret Top makes sense.
A louvered, v-shaped grill gives the Caddy a sleek, aerodynamic look, while the bulbous, swept-back front fenders flow in an un-carriage-like way — a testament to the classic auto design of the era. Those who purchased the Series 80 brand new enjoyed several body styles and coaches to choose from, including seven-passenger sedans, coupes, and convertibles. These showcased Cadillac’s production prowess and commitment to standardized parts and processes. Today, the classic Series 80, a testament to timeless design, demands an average of nearly six figures on the used market, evidence that its enduring appeal has survived to be appreciated by contemporary car lovers.
[Featured image by Sicnag via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]
