1915 Cadillac V-8 engine

[JO BO]

Hi, was wondering about your input regarding Cadillac being dubbed as the first to use the V-8  engine.

 

I have one of them with a very low serial number (in the first 35 made) and heard of a couple of other companies that also put out a V-8 some years prior to Cadillac in 1915.

 

so was wondering how the "honor" of having the first V-8  fell upon the Cadillac.

 

thanks..looking forward to interesting reads on this.

Edited September 29, 2019 by JO BO (see edit history)

[hidden_hunter]

On 7/29/2019 at 7:44 PM, JO BO said:

Hi, was wondering about your input regarding Cadillac being dubbed as the first to use the V-8  engine.

 

I have one of them with a very low serial number (in the first 35 made) and heard of a couple of other companies that also put out a V-8 some years prior to Cadillac in 1915.

 

so was wondering how the "honor" of having the first V-8  fell upon the Cadillac.

 

thanks..looking forward to interesting reads on this.

 

Cadillac is often missttributed to that but is credit as the first high volume v8

 

do you have any photos?

[JO BO]

Hi, Yes I found it is regarded as the first  "production" V-8 in America, wherein was first to build in quantity considered production run.  Yes I do have numerous pictures. I could send them to you via email when I get a chance. 

 

[John_Mereness]

Perhaps any volume production, but they were slightly beat out by I believe Detroiter 

[JO BO]

On 8/3/2019 at 8:57 PM, hidden_hunter said:

 

Cadillac is often missttributed to that but is credit as the first high volume v8

 

do you have any photos?

Hi, May I have your email to forward pictures to? Thanks

[hidden_hunter]

11 hours ago, JO BO said:

Hi, May I have your email to forward pictures to? Thanks

 

Hey Jo Bo, you should be able to put them here so everyone can see them 🙂

 

[hidden_hunter]

Jo Bo has sent me the pictures, so I've uploaded them here for all to see

 

A very neat and original car indeed

[hidden_hunter]

[JO BO]

Thanks for posting for me.  I have been told it is only one of two surviving 1915 center door sedans. Also has very low serial number so may be oldest Cadillac  V-8 production engine in

 

America.  I love the original interior even though it needs a little cleaning and spot repair.  Jo Bo

Edited September 17, 2019 by JO BO (see edit history)

[jeff_a]

JO BO, beautiful 1915 Cadillac you have there! Very elegant interior and about the "squankiest" thing you could ever show up in at a Horseless Carriage Car Club meet, as my Grandmother would have said.

 

Curbsideclassic.com had an excellent story with a discussion about early V-8s on 3/24/17 by GEELONGVIC, "Automotive History and Vintage AQ Review: Peerless, One of the Great American Luxury Marques and a Close Look At a Brass-Era1910 Peerless Landaulet". Shown here is a De Dion-Bouton V-8, which was mass-produced starting in 1910:

 

Note Cadillac motor of 1915 on left(introduced in September, 2014) below, also in the article; and photo of a 1917 Peerless with a V-8 motor, to the right(introduced in December, 1915). The engine for the latter was developed by Herschell-Spillman then acquired from them. Both were somewhat derivative from the De Dion-Bouton. Daniel Vaughn of conceptcarz.com writes that this Cadillac engineering project started with the purchase of both a De Dion-Bouton V-8 and a Hall-Scott aero V-8. Herschell-Spillman V-8s, though not available in Peerless cars until the 1916 model year, were available on a couple of other chassis' in 1915(Standard, Pratt, and Ross). In relative terms, production numbers of the De Dion eight were small compared to the first generation of Cadillac eights, but both were dwarfed by the numbers of Ford V-8s built a few years later.
 ... ..............................................................................The first De Dion V-8 was 372 Cu. In.; the Cadillac was 314 Cu. In. [engine by Northway]; the Cole V-8 -- introduced in January, 1915 -- was 346 Cu. In. [engine by Northway]; and the Peerless [using a Herschell-Spillman design at first] was 332 Cu. In.

Edited September 18, 2019 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[JO BO]

Jeff, Thanks for the information.  I found a 1912 DM with one of the V-8 engines in it online. Nice look to an early engine.  Jo Bo

Edited September 17, 2019 by JO BO (see edit history)

[JO BO]

Jeff, really is a special car.....one of those do you restore or keep as is. I favor keep as is.  I may have to sell it unfortunately though to settle an estate.  would be hard to see her go.

 

Jo Bo

[JO BO]

Make an offer if you are interested