Serial #s 1953

[jst]

I forgot to ask in my other post. Has anyone seen a listing of the serial number range for before and after the transmission plant fire ?
Example:     00001 serial #  with hydra-matic -  FIRE -  ?? serial # with Dynaflow after fire to end of production
Thanks   

[Quentin Hall]

My 53 Eldo #412 was built on the day of the fire 12 Aug 53. Vin is 81517 It and all subsequent Eldos and series 75s had the remaining hydramatics. My other 53 Eldo was built on Aug 18 and vin was 83033. I assume that there was a supply of boxes at the Cadillac assembly line but when they actually ran out I am not sure. Q

[Jay Friedman]

As I understand it, after the fire no Eldorados were equipped with Dynaflow, since a portion of the few Hydramatics available were reserved for them.  Since there were relatively few Eldos built it was probably not a problem.  In some previous thread on the forum I remember seeing the figure of 20,000 regular Cadillacs having been equipped with Dynaflow before Hydramatic production resumed. 

[P W Allen CLC# 20193]

Joe,

Here's what I know. ALL Cadillacs after engine #84799 got the Dynaflow after the fire, except the Eldorado's and 75 series cars. The remaining Hydramatics were reserved for them. As a side note, the 53 Oldsmobile's also got the Dynaflow and the Pontiac's got the Chevy Powerglide after the fire. As far as the engine, the 53 331's with Dynaflow do have a different crankshaft than the 331's with Hydramatic. I was not aware that there was a different block # for the Dynaflow cars. I think the solution is this: The 53 engine block has a different part #'s because these were sold as an assembly under group #8.0025. Since the Dynaflow engines had a different crankshaft, the part # had to be different. I don't think there is any physical difference between the Hydramatic and Dynaflow blocks other than bolt on stuff. A few years back, I used to converse with a gentleman that had a 53 Coupe that was originally a Dynaflow car that had been refitted with a Hydramatic. He was forever chewing up starters and flywheels. I figured that there was a clearance problem with the Dynaflow crank being used with the Hydramatic. I think he finally gave up on it and put another motor in it. Lastly, Dynaflows were installed for the remaining 1953 run. The Hydramatic returned for 1954.

[R Sotardi #11719]

This brings up an interesting question on my part. When was the last day of production for the 1950 models. This was the first year that Cadillac broke 100k cars and surpassed Packard. My build sheets state that my car was shipped to Tucson(Apache Motors) in Sept 1950. According to my records the 100,000th Cadillac rolled off the line on NOVEMBER 16th, 1950. I thought this was very late. Didn't the plant close and retool( setup) for delivery of the 51s by Oct 1st?, or was it Dec 1st? Therefore, when did the 53 production halt & 54s start ? Ron

[jst]

Hi Paul
That explanation makes good sense. I was also talking to Eddy Jones, who owns a couple of 53s with Dynaflows. He said that when he was stripping the engines that the serial number, on the engine block, had been restamped at the FACTORY.
He said that the serials matched throughout the vehicle but the block had a 53 stamped over a 49. Everything else was numbered 5362xxxxx8. According to Eddy, these engines are the originals.    Any ideas.
Joe T

[P W Allen CLC# 20193]

A 53 stamped over a 49 at the factory? That would be very strange indeed! The only explanation I can offer on that would be that maybe that particular engine was somehow misstamped 49 and the factory fix was to overstamp with a 53.