The big news at Cadillac in 1949 centered on engineering, with the release of a new overhead valve V-8 engine. Only minor appearance changes were seen. They included a more massive grille treatment with grooved extension panels housing the front parking lights and chevron slashes below the taillamps on Series 61 coupes. Once again, the cars in this line lacked front fender gravel shields and rocker panel moldings and had plainer interior trims. A larger luggage compartment lid was seen on all sedans, except very early production units. Standard equipment now included twin backup lamps mounted on the deck lid latch panel.
| Cadillac serial numbers again matched motor numbers. |
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| They appeared stamped on a boss at the front right-hand face of the engine block and on the right frame side member behind the motor support. | |
| Motor serial numbers 496100000 to 496192552 were used on 1949 Series 61 models. |
| Model Number | Body Style | Doors | Model | Seating | Factory Price | Shipping Weight | Production Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49-61 | 6169 | 4-door | Sedan | 5 | 2893 | 3915 | 15,738 |
| 49-61 | 6107 | 2-door | Club Coupe | 5 | 2788 | 3838 | 6,409 |
| 49-61 | - | - | Chassis only | - | - | - | 1 |
| Type | V-8: Overhead valves. |
| Block | Cast iron block. |
| Displacement | 331 cubic inches. |
| Bore and stroke | 3-3/16 x 3-5/8 inches. |
| Compression ratio | 7.50:1. |
| Brake horsepower | 160 @ 3800 rpm |
| Bearings | Five main bearings. |
| Valve lifters | Hydraulic valve lifters. |
| Carburetor | Carter WCD two-barrel Models 682S or 722S. |
| Wheelbase | Overall Length | Front Tread | Rear Tread | Tires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126 inches | 214 inches | 59 inches | 63 inches | 8.20 x 15 |
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