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I could be wrong, but I think it is where it was only available on an extended and very long wheelbase and it needed the pillars to keep the cars integrity extra strong and up to Cadillacs standards.
Up through 1964, the Fleetwood Brougham was actually a pillarless hardtop. I think the wheelbases became much longer for '65, hence available in hardtop only. I am not sure, but I think convertibles had stronger frames to make up for the top not adding any integrity. I am not sure... perhaps "Fleet" will have more input on this.
I could be wrong, but I think it is where it was only available on an extended and very long wheelbase and it needed the pillars to keep the cars integrity extra strong and up to Cadillacs standards.
Up through 1964, the Fleetwood Brougham was actually a pillarless hardtop. I think the wheelbases became much longer for '65, hence available in hardtop only. I am not sure, but I think convertibles had stronger frames to make up for the top not adding any integrity. I am not sure... perhaps "Fleet" will have more input on this.
Here is a '62 Fleetwood.... pillarless hardtop
I never see any pillarless hardtop Fleetwoods from 1965 onward, I never really did pay much close attention to the pre-1965 Cadillacs at all.
I know that the 1971-76 Fleetwoods were longer... not sure about the 1965-70 models, but I am almost 100% sure they were longer as well. I am sure Fleet will know and will chime in here.
The Fleetwoods grew in wheelbase from 129.5" in 1964 to 133.0 from 1965 to 1976. It shrunk back to 121.5" starting in 1977.
The overall length from 1965 to 1976 was always a few inches longer than the DeVille and Calais series.
For instance, the '69 FB was 228.5" long compared to 225.0" for the DeVille & Calais. The '74-'76 FB was 233.7" long compared to 230.7" for the DeVille & Calais.
I'm not sure why the '65-'76 Fleetwoods were only built as pillar sedans. Maybe because Cadillac wanted that one model as a sedan only and maybe because the center pillar gave a more formal look.
Was it a Hardtop Sedan de Ville?
Of the Fleetwood series, only the Eldorado was built as a pillarless hardtop. All the other... Sixty-Special Sedan, Brougham, Seventy-Five 9-passenger sedan and Limousine were all sedans with a pillar.
I'm not sure why the '65-'76 Fleetwoods were only built as pillar sedans. Maybe because Cadillac wanted that one model as a sedan only and maybe because the center pillar gave a more formal look.
Yeah, thats what I would say as well. While I like the looks of pillarless hardtop sedans, I also like the "sedan" look of the Fleetwoods and I would also imagine that it made the car right smoother and "tighter". That center post may really add more to the structural integrity than one may think?
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