1936 Cadillac Top Speed

[Bernard]

Help!

I am in the process of going on the road with my new purchased 1936 Cadillac Series 70.
The DMV here in Switzerland is requesting the top speed information in written form.
Does someone have this information in a book or web-link so I can show them?
As I understand DMV needs this information to check speed rating of the tire with top speed of the car....

Many thanks in advance for any help!

[Steve Passmore]

Sorry your  DMV is giving you such a hard time Bernard.  It all seems a bit pedantic to me as most modern tyres speed rating are more than adequate for 80 year old cars speed capabilities.

I have never seen a speed claim for the 36, and anything written by the manufactures would always be wildly optimistic for advertising purposes.

I have been through my library and can only find reference to an article written many years ago by Albert Dunkel. (Krause publications 1995) where he mentions that Cadillacs advertising claimed the new 1936 series 60 series to be capable of 100 mph.  With the 322?? and 4.1 rear end?   I am skeptical about that boast as I remember seeing a road test comparing the 41 Buick to the 41 Cadillac.  The Cadillac attained 99 mph, and that was a 1941 model with 150 bhp and the 3.3 rear end.    1936 was 135hp in the 70 series had a lower geared back end, plus was a heavier car.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Boy, what a question.   Goes to prove that the people at the DMV haven't a clue as to what is reality.

The biggest thing about top speed is how it is measured.   By the speedo, or actual road speed.

Then there is how fast going up a hill, with a head or tail wind on the flat, or in angel gear going down a hill.

Theoretical speed calculated by gear ratio, tyre size and engine revolutions is that.   Theoretical.

I would think that a realistic top speed of a car that old would be something like 95 MPH.   But, would anyone attempt to drive at that speed, I think not.

Bruce.

[Bernard]

You are absolutely right Steve in saying this turns a bit pedantic ;-) I think they have seen the old-styled WWW on the Caddy and want to know if the speed rating of the tires matches top speed of the car. As they have not many information about older cars they are requesting these from owner. However, I see there are many differing and questionable information regarding top speed of the 36 Caddy....

[Steve Passmore]

Heres a link to the tyres on your car Bernard (wish they were that price here!)  They are 6 ply rating but they don't give speed rating. Perhaps you could email Universal and see what they know?


https://www.universaltire.com/lester-tires/lester-bias-ply-tires/750-16-lester-5-inch-whitewall.html

[Bernard]

Many thanks Steve. May this will calm the DMV people here... ;-)

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

I have an old S/S with original data that I will try to dig out when I come back from exercising I think it mentions top speed.

[Bernard]

Hi Barry
I am curious about the information you will find 
Many thanks in advance

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer... I thought I'd reproduce the whole test information for everyone. Enjoy!

(The information you need for the DMV is on scan 26. While the top is a little cut off, the designation 36-75 confirms that we are talking about 1936 Cadillacs Series 75 which should have the same engine as yours I think. After presenting this, I think it would take a pretty stuffy bureaucrat to deny your request. He probably thinks there is "no way" you can come up with what he requires.)

This is from a 1964 Self Starter. Glad to help. (You can tell them that this is from Cadillac themselves on an internal memo, NOT an advertising claim. There is also a date on the first picture that confirms that this is original information, not at a later date.)

[Steve Passmore]

That's fantastic Barry. There you go Bernard, That should sort the bureaucrats out.  88mph. That would be on their super smooth test track where they could really wind it up with the wind behind them.

[James Landi]

Wondering just why top speed is of interest... are the officials concerned that since the car is 80 years old, it was not capable on the highways because it could not maintain a minimum safe speed?   Happy day,   James

[Steve Passmore]

No James, they want to know it the cars capable speed exceeds what the tyres are rated for.

[Bernard]

Wow, these are great information Barry! Thank you very much!
I am sure our DMV here in Switzerland will accept this.
Many, many thanks again!!!

[TJ Hopland]

You think they knew back then that you needed 88 MPH for time travel so that is why it goes 88.5?   If time travel is possible maybe someone came back and told them that?    So that means we should see plenty of 36's in the future? 

[47bigcadillac]

I thought there was a special "classic car" category in Switzerland where you can register classics and wave the inspection of the car if it has been kept original ?

has this changed ?

[Roger Zimmermann]

When a car, no matter its age, is registered for the first time in Switzerland, it has to fulfill a certain number of criterions. The speed rating of the tires must be equal or greater than the top speed of the vehicle is one of them. If the inspector is not totally stupid, he may close an eye on some aspects; unfortunately, most of those people just follow the book without asking themselves if it makes sense or not.