A Brief History of the 1961 Cadillac
The 1961 Cadillac was all-new and while it retained its traditional Cadillac styling cues, it was dramatically updated with crisp, lean bodies, subdued fins and styling flourishes, following much of the design of the limited production 1960 Eldorado Broughams styled by Pinninfarina in Italy. In some ways the 1961 Cads set the trends for automotive design in the 1960s. The heaviness of the 1959-60 Cads was gone, as was the reversed a pillars. Instead, rear slanting A-pillars eliminated the wrapping windshields so predominant in the 1950s. All models had light C-pillars with a lot of glass for a lithe feel to the top. The 1961-62 Cads were called “four finners” with the rear acquiring an extra fin along the bottom of the rear fenders. With a mild facelift in 1962, for 1963 the Cadillac was cleaned up some more. Body sculpturing was simplified. The lower protruding fins were eliminated, and the coupes received a heavier, and more formal, heavier top gave the coupes especially a distinguished look separating it from all previous designs. Over 140 options were available, giving every Cadillac customer the ability to almost build a custom Cadillac for themselves. In 1965 another complete redesign would bring a heavier-looking Cadillac.
1961 Cadillac
Three series were available in 1961; Series 62, which took in the De Ville, convertible, town, flat top and six-window sedans, and Eldorado; Sixty Special Fleetwood, which featured the four-door hardtop, and the 6700 Fleetwood Series, which included the limousine and big four-door sedans, as well as professional chassis for flower cars and hearses. Total production was 138,379 units.
AVAILABLE MODELS:
1961
- Body Style
- Sixty-Two Sedan, Short Deck 6-Window
- 62-Eldorado Biarritz
- 62-Convertible
- Sixty-Two Two-Door Coupe
- Sixty-Two Four-Door Sedan, Six Window
- Sixty-Two Four Door Sedan, Flat Top Four Window
- 62-Coupe Deville
- 62-Sedan Deville, Six Window
- 62-Sedan Deville, Flat Top Four Window
- 60-Fleetwood Sixty Special
- 75-Fleetwood Sedan
- 75-Fleetwood Limousine
- 75-Commercial Chassis
- Engine Options
- 390ci-4bbl, 325hp
1961 Cadillac VIN Decoder:
First and Second Characters: Year
Third Character: Body Style
- A ~ Sixty Two Sedan, 4-Window Flat Top
- C ~ Sixty Two Sedan, Short Deck
- K ~ Sixty Two Sedan, 6-Window
- G ~ Sixty Two Coupe
- F ~ Sixty Two Convertible
- B ~ Sedan Deville, 4-Window Flat Top
- L ~ Sedan Deville, 6-Window
- J ~ Coupe Deville
- E ~ Eldorado Biarritz
- M ~ Sixty Special Sedan
- R ~ Fleetwood Sedan 9-Passenger
- S ~ Fleetwood Imperial Limousine
- Z ~ Commerical
Fourth-Ninth Characters: Basic Production Numbers