Re: We haven't had a good "What If?" for a while, so.....

Posted by Mahoning63 On 2012/4/15 20:27:51

Interestingly, Bill Mitchell liked the '38 60 Special styling the best, feeling it was the cleanest and purest of the '38-41s. Apparently the grill design was inspired by the '36 Cord's horizontal air slots. Most historians seem to like the '41 the best.

By the time the 41-1/2 Clipper came out, Cadillac had two 3-box sedans in the line-up, the 60S and 62. Both were very clean and modern looking by this time. Cadillac also had a coupe and convertible (including a 4-dr convertible) based on the low slung 62. This is what Clipper was competing against initially. GM raised the stakes again for '42 when Cadillac restyled both cars. The new 60S also got a big wheelbase stretch that provided limo-like rear legroom, something the One Sixty/One Eighty Clippers never matched. Cadillac also offered an automatic beginning in 1941 which got improved during the war and became very popular once peacetime returned. All in all, GM was on a real tear and it wasn't just Packard that felt the heat. The whole industry was reeling. Only Studebaker and Packard managed to launch a 3-box sedan before the war and by the time they did, Cadillac and GM had moved on to the next phase, which was full showroom coverage with all body styles included and subtle refinements to styling. And they had that automatic.