Cadillac History 1915

Similar to 1914 bodies except:

Bodies

• Side lights are smaller.
• Hood top panels blended smoothly into hood side panels.
• The shape of the doors changed.
• A three piece “Rain Vision” windshield was used on closed cars.
• The roof line of closed cars was raised at the front.
• The Cadillac “One-man” top with inside operating curtains which open with the doors was standard equipment.
• The top was fastened to the windshield, eliminating straps.
• The four passenger Phaeton was replaced by the two door Salon with passageway between individual front seats (right front seat revolves).
• The”Inside drive Limousine” of 1914 was now designated “Five Passenger Sedan.”
• The Berline enclosed drive limousine was added.
• The designation “Imperial” used with “Sedan” (or “Brougham,” “Suburban,” etc.) denoted a regular Sedan with a glass partition added between front and rear compartments.

Chassis:

• First left drive Cadillac (right drive available as an option).
• Tread 1422mm (1549mm optional wide tread still available).
• Wheelbase 3099mm (3683mm chassis available without body).
• Wood wheels with ten spokes in front, twelve spokes in rear.
• Speedometer drive changed to right steering spindle.
• Rear springs three-quarter platform, front springs half-elliptic, six inches longer than in 1914.
• Ladder type frame changed to six inch deep “H” frame with three cross members.

Drive Line:

• Multiple disc, dry plate clutch with 15 steel plates, 197mm dia. Alternate plates faced with wire mesh asbestos.
• Selective sliding gear transmission.
• Aluminum case in unit with engine.
• Tubular drive shaft with two universal joints.
• Torque arm.
• Spiral bevel drive in full floating rear axle.

Engine:

• Ninety degree L-Head V-8, 79.4mm x 130.2mm, 4.567 Liter
• Cast iron cylinders in two blocks of four located exactly opposite on Aluminum-Copper alloy crankcase.
• Water jackets and combustion chambers integral.
• Water circulation and temperature control is by an impeller type pump with thermostat for each block of cylinders.
• Three 47.6mm diameter bearings on crankshaft with four throws all in one plane.
• Fork and blade connecting rods.
• Rod bearings available standard, .005 in. under, and .020 in. under.
• Three rings, solid wall pistons and cylinder blocks available standard, first, and second oversize.
• Single camshaft with eight cams.
• Camshaft and generator shaft driven by silent chain.
• Motor/generator/distributor at rear, two cylinder power tire pump at front, inside engine Vee.
• Updraft carburetor, water-heated intake manifold, and log-type exhaust manifolds located inside Vee.
• Dual exhaust system with no balance pipe.
• Valves 39.7mm diameter, 7.9mm lift.
• Exhaust valves flat, intake valves tulip shape.
• Valves actuated by adjustable tappets which are activated by rocker arms with roller riding on cams.
• Firing order is: 1L-2R-3L-1R-4L-3R-2L-4R, where R(right) and L(left) are as viewed from the rear, and each bank is numbered one through four from the front.
• Valve chamber caps are stamped H, L, or LL for high or low compression ratios.
• Engine has three-point suspension.
• Ball and socket at front and solid at rear, forming an additional frame cross member.
• Before Engine No. A-7710, oil relief valve is cast integral with starter gear housing.
• Starting with Engine No. A-7710, oil relief valve is a separate unit mounted on angular face of crankcase.
• The lubrication system is recirculating, pressure fed from a gear type oil pump.
• The pump draws oil from the crankcase and forces it through a header pipe running inside the crankcase.
• Leads run from this pipe to the main bearings and then through drilled holes in the crankshaft to the connecting rod bearings.
• Pistons, cylinders, etc. are lubricated by oil thrown from the lower ends of the connecting rods.
• Oil from the rear end of the header pipe runs to the pressure relief valve.
• Overflow from this valve is gravity fed to the camshaft and chains, then drains back to the crankcase.