Cadillac Runabout and Tonneau
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The first Cadillac automobiles were built in the last quarter, 1902; they were 2-seater "horseless carriages" powered by a reliable and sturdy 10 horsepower single-cylinder engine developed by Henry Martyn Leland and built by Leland and Faulconer Manufacturing Company of Detroit, of which Henry Leland was founder, vice-president and general manager.
Reformed as the Cadillac Automobile Company in August 1902, it began manufacturing the runabouts and named them "Cadillac" after the city's founder Antoine Laumet, the self-styled Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac.
All single-cylinder Cadillacs share many parts in common. In fact, the Models E, F, K, M, S, and T are essentially the same vehicle with different bodies.
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[edit] Single-cylinder engine
The Models A, B, C, E, and F shared a single-cylinder 98.2 in³ (1.6 L) engine rated from 6.5 to around 9 horsepower depending on model. The cylinder was horizontal, pointing rearward, and was cast from iron with a copper water jacket. Bore and stroke were square at 5 in (127 mm).
The engine employed a patented variable-lift intake valve licensed from Alanson P. Brush. The restrictions of this design led the company to develop their own four-cylinder engine for the later Models D, L, G, and H.
[edit] 1903/Model A
Three cars were completed in time for the New York Auto Show staged in January, 1903. All three cars were sold at the show and by mid-week orders had been taken for 2,286 further units, each one requiring a deposit of $10.
Throughout 1903, 2,497 units were built. Production began in March 1903 and output totalled 1,895 units from March 1903 to March 1904. The 2-seater runabout cost $750; an optional rear entrance detachable tonneau cost $100 and doubled the occupant capacity.
Cadillacs of 1903 sometimes are identified erroneously as the Model A; in fact, they were known simply as the "Cadillac Runabout" and the "Cadillac Tonneau". When a new Cadillac was introduced in 1904, it was designated the "Model B"; meanwhile, production of the earlier runabout and tonneau models continued through a second year. Only at that time did Cadillac began to designate them as Model A cars to distinguish them from the new, 1904 models.
These cars ran on a 72 in (1829 mm) wheelbase.
[edit] Model B
The Model B was similar to the Model A, sharing its engine but using a pressed-steel frame and longer 76 in (1930 mm) wheelbase. It continued in production through 1905. The Model B was available as a touring car or surrey, both priced at $900 and weighing roughly 1450 lb (660 kg).
[edit] Model C
The Model C was a short-wheelbase car intended to replace the old Models A and B for the summer of 1905. It shared much of the Model B chassis components, but used the hood and radiator of the Model F. The tonneau was detachable, unlike the Model F. Riding on a 72 in (1829 mm) wheelbase, it was available as either a runabout, priced at $750, or touring car, priced at $850. The lightweight runabout weighed just 1330 lb (600 kg), 120 lb (54 kg) less than the touring model.
[edit] Model E
The Model E was released in January, 1905. It was a featherweight 1100 lb (500 kg) runabout model with seating for two, priced at $750 in 1905. It used a 74 in (1880 mm) wheelbase, splitting the difference between the C and the B/F.
[edit] Model F
The Model F was the primary new Cadillac model of 1905. It had a sharper hood and radiator, prompting the update of the Model B (which became the Model C) and even spawning an aftermarket of updates to existing Model A and Model B cars. Models E and F shared the same chassis, though the latter was lengthened by two inches
The Model F was available as either a 2-door touring car with seating for 4 or a 2-seat delivery vehicle. Both were priced at $950 in 1905. The 76 in (1930 mm) wheelbase was shared with the Model B.
[edit] Model K/M
Cadillac's lineup was consolidated into two models for 1906, the short wheelbase Model K and long wheelbase Model M. Priced at $750 for the Model K or $950 for the Model M, 3,650 units were sold that year. The K and M were essentially similar to the Models E and F from 1905 but with updated bodies.
Production and sale of the Models K and M continued in 1907. Three 1907 Model Ks were used in the famous Dewar Trophy test of the Royal Automobile Club in England. They were disassembled, the parts mixed, and then reassembled without problems. This test cemented the Cadillac's reputation for precision and quality and brought fame to the marque.
The Model M continued as a commercial delivery vehicle for 1908, priced at $950.
[edit] Model S/T
The Model S and Model T of 1908 were essentially stretched wheelbase (to 82 in/2083 mm) versions of the K/M from previous years. These would prove to be the last single-cylinder Cadillacs, with the lineup unified with the four-cylinder Model Thirty for 1909. The main difference between the S and T was that the latter lacked running boards.
