B-pillar on 1977-'79 Fleetwood Broughams

[NeonLX]

Was the B-pillar on 1977-'79 Fleetwood Broughams different than the one on Sedan deVilles? The two models used the same body, correct?

Thanks for indulging my curiosity...

[Robert Hall]

The '77-79 FB B-pillar looked different than the SdV because of an overlay that was part of the vinyl top, I think...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Fleetwood_Brougham

[vonVeezelsnider]

I read a couple places that the B-Pillar was actually different.

[NeonLX]

Looking at the brochure pix, the Brougham's pillar certainly looks wider than the SDVs...but not sure how much of that is due to artistic license...

http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Cadillac/1977_Cadillac/1977_Cadillac_Brochure_1/dirindex.html

http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Cadillac/1978_Cadillac/1978_Cadillac_Brochure_1/dirindex.html

[SAmadei]

My initial feeling is that Cubical is right... its likely the same, but the extension makes it appear bigger. During this era, GM was reusing sheetmetal whenever it could, and the rest of the roofline appears identical.

IIRC, my Hollander interchange manual has a roof section... but I won't be able to check it for about 2 weeks.

[Robert Hall]

My initial feeling is that Cubical is right... its likely the same, but the extension makes it appear bigger. During this era, GM was reusing sheetmetal whenever it could, and the rest of the roofline appears identical.

IIRC, my Hollander interchange manual has a roof section... but I won't be able to check it for about 2 weeks.

I think if the actual pillar had differered, the front and or rear door uppers would have been different..door openings and pillars are a very expensive thing to change from what I've read. The '77+ FBs had the same wheelbase as the DVs, unlike the previous generation where there were different wheelbases...

[NeonLX]

Thanks for the enlightening comments. I'm looking closely at the brochure pix and I think the difference really is a function of the vinyl roof extending onto the B-pillar. Wish I had two actual cars to compare in person!

I got to frequently drive a '77 Coupe de Ville back in the day. I was impressed with how well the car handled, and how well it accelerated with the 425 V8. The "downsized" GM full-sizers were quite revolutionary cars when they came on the market in the fall of 1976.

[ocnblu]

I am thinking I read where the center post was different, and the door uppers, at least the rear door upper frame. It does taper toward the bottom. Shoot, now I need to go looking to satisfy my curiousity.

[ocnblu]

Maybe I was thinking of the earlier Talismans.

[bobo]

The Fleetwood Brougham did have a tapered B-pillar. That was the biggest distinguishing feature between the Fleetwood and the Sedan DeVille next to the different emblems (wreath around the crest instead of the V, and the Fleetwood had standard opera lamps, optional on the DeVille.

[balthazar]

Agree with bobo; it's my recollection & observation that the pillars / window frames were unique on the FBs. The SDVs had parallel frames- the FBs had a narrowing taper- it's not just the vinyl roof at work here. This was a styling cue carried over from the previous gen FBs.