Re: Was a 1955 Caribbean modified to make a 1956 Caribbean prototype?

Posted by HH56 On 2024/1/16 14:19:48

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Be interesting to know what part of the country those cars were destined for. With the numbers in known cars installed and presumed later production of the higher numbers it would seem to indicate that maybe the heater was never officially dropped in Caribbeans.

Being a convertible it might be a nice thought in colder areas to have a heater for rear seat passengers riding in spring or fall in cars with the top down. Could also be a customer or dealer might have ordered a fully equipped car by description only without maybe ever seeing the heater installed.

Much as it pains me to say it Cadillac again did Packard one step better with a rear seat heater. Like the multiple side AC air duct outlets in the headliner for their passengers Cadillac first implemented in 54 instead of having only the neck chillers Packard used, they also had unobtrusive rear seat heating in their higher end cars. That was provided by adding ducts built into the doors where hot air directed from special openings in the front heater was picked up to be distributed via outlets in the doors at floor level on both sides of the rear seat area.