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1942
Cadillac
Cadillacs in 1942
1942 Cadillac Models Set
the Stage for the Future
In 1942 Cadillac brought the same models to
the market, but with whole new looks. Cadillac set new standards in this
year and some of the brand's hallmark looks were brought to the market this
year. These included the bullet shaped fenders and a fastback roofline.
The models available in
1942 were:
• The Sixty Special
• Series 61
• Series 62
• Series 75, the Imperial Sedan
There were carry over models
from the previous year, but the models listed above were the ones that
actually helped the car manufacturer stay ahead of the pack. This was the
last year of new productions for Cadillac, WWII shut down consumer
manufacturing and replaced it with wartime production of tanks and airplane
engines. This year provided the basis for consumer offerings when production
came back online in late 1946.
Cadillac's productions during the war were an impressive array of wartime
manufacturing including tanks, munitions, aircraft parts and more. Without
these, the war effort would have been badly hampered and victory would have
been put off even longer. Cadillac's wartime productions aided the Allies in
their victory and helped to bring the war to an earlier close than would
have otherwise been possible.
Cadillac's offerings in 1942 helped set the stage for post war productions.
Many manufacturers copied Cadillac's designs in the years following the end
of the war, helping to boost Cadillac's reputation as an industry leader in
both design and function. The most copied aspect of their design was the
automatic transmission, dubbed the "Hydra-Matic." This transmission provided
the basis for many modern day automatics and helped increase the popularity
of shift-less driving.
The bullet shaped fenders provided a custom look that Cadillac became known
for during the
1940's and
'50's. These fenders underwent several different looks and eventually
became known as Dagmar bumpers for their resemblance to the bosom of a well
known actress of the times. Eventually, the bullet shapes were removed from
the bumper and in some year models, they ascended towards the
grill of the vehicle. Eventually, they were discarded in favor of newer
bumper styles that also helped to shape the popular image of Cadillac. The
ongoing war effort also hampered what Cadillac did in
1943. |
