1931–1933 LaSalle Series 345: Cadillac-Built 353-Cubic-Inch V8

Cadillac sold the LaSalle Series 345 from 1931 through 1933 with its 353-cubic-inch, side-valve V8, a three-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. The annual designations were Series 345-A for 1931, 345-B for 1932 and 345-C for 1933, with the latter two riding on a shorter wheelbase than the 1931 chassis.

LaSalle was Cadillac's companion marque rather than a separate engineering organization, and the Series 345 reflects that relationship more directly than many later LaSalles. It combined General Motors body production with Cadillac chassis practice, a substantial Cadillac V8 and styling shaped under Harley Earl's Art and Colour Section, all while the Depression was crushing demand for expensive automobiles.

Best known for carrying Cadillac's 353-cubic-inch V8 into the lower-priced LaSalle range, the Series 345 also records three decisive years in American design, from the upright 1931 car to the more integrated and streamlined 1933 345-C.

Quick Facts

The following table separates the enduring Series 345 specifications from details that changed with body style or model year. Formal body catalogs were extensive, so surviving cars should be checked against year-specific Cadillac-LaSalle literature rather than a generic body-style list.

The A, B and C suffixes are not decorative trim labels. They identify materially different annual series, particularly in wheelbase, styling and engine rating, and should appear consistently in restoration records, parts research and catalog descriptions.

Why the Series 345 Matters

The Series 345 was the last LaSalle line built around Cadillac's large prewar V8 before the marque changed course for 1934. The succeeding Series 350 adopted a smaller, Oldsmobile-derived straight-eight and a much lower price, making the 345-C the end of the closest mechanical relationship between early LaSalle and contemporary Cadillac V8 construction.

That distinction matters in the workshop as much as it does in a catalog. A Series 345 carries the cost, mass and rebuild requirements of a full-sized early Cadillac powertrain. It also delivers the low-speed torque, long gearing and restrained mechanical cadence expected from a large-displacement American luxury car of the period.

The cars further document Harley Earl's rapid reshaping of General Motors design. The 1931 345-A retained upright proportions and separate visual elements, while the 1932 and especially 1933 models brought the radiator shell, hood, fenders and body into a more coherent composition. The 1933 345-C's skirted fenders and more flowing surfaces previewed the fully streamlined direction visible across GM by the middle of the decade.

Historical Context and Development

LaSalle and Cadillac's companion-marque strategy

General Motors introduced LaSalle for 1927 as a companion to Cadillac. The arrangement allowed Cadillac dealers to offer a less expensive automobile while preserving a separate marque identity, much as Pontiac, Marquette and Viking were used elsewhere in GM's tiered structure. The first LaSalle was also a landmark Harley Earl design, influenced by contemporary European sporting cars rather than simply being a reduced Cadillac.

By 1931, however, LaSalle shared substantial engineering with Cadillac. The Series 345 used the same basic 353-cubic-inch V8 displacement associated with Cadillac's Series 355, though bodies, prices, wheelbases and catalog offerings distinguished the two lines. The 345 designation should therefore not be interpreted as engine displacement.

Depression-era market pressure

The Series 345 arrived after the 1929 market collapse, when the pool of buyers for multi-thousand-dollar automobiles had contracted sharply. Packard remained a formidable competitor, while Lincoln, Pierce-Arrow, Chrysler Imperial and numerous smaller prestige manufacturers fought for fewer customers. Cadillac also had to manage the distance between LaSalle and its own least expensive V8 cars.

The market explains the sharper change made for 1934. Cadillac retained LaSalle but abandoned the 353-cubic-inch V8 formula in favor of a lower-cost straight-eight Series 350. As a result, 1931–1933 cars form a distinct three-year Companion Marque V8 Era rather than merely a styling phase.

Design direction

The 345-A's tall radiator, long hood and separate headlamps placed the visual mass ahead of a relatively upright passenger compartment. Wire wheels and restrained brightwork gave open cars a lighter appearance, although the chassis beneath remained substantial. Closed bodies used formal rooflines, broad running boards and vertical glazing characteristic of the early 1930s.

For 1932, the 345-B combined a shorter wheelbase with revised sheet metal and a lower, more modern stance. The 1933 345-C advanced the theme with deeper fenders, increasingly integrated body forms and skirted front-fender treatment associated with that year's LaSalle appearance. Restorers should resist combining the most attractive details from all three years, since radiator shells, hood panels, lamps, fenders, aprons and body hardware are important dating evidence.

Engine and Drivetrain

The Cadillac 353 V8

The Series 345's engine was a 90-degree V8 with side valves, detachable cylinder heads and a displacement of 353 cubic inches, approximately 5.8 liters. Its 3 3/8-inch bore and 4 15/16-inch stroke produced a notably long-stroke design, appropriate for moving a heavy luxury chassis through tall gearing without frequent shifts.

Period ratings commonly list 95 brake horsepower for the 1931 345-A and 115 brake horsepower for the revised 1932 and 1933 cars. Such ratings should not be compared directly with modern certified output figures. Carburetion, manifolding and related engine development contributed to the later rating, but exact carburetor specifications must be matched to the model year because service replacements and later substitutions are common.

A distributor-and-coil ignition system fired eight spark plugs, while the generator, starter and battery served the conventional electrical installation of the period. Cooling depended on a belt-driven fan, water circulation and a large cellular radiator. Lubrication and cooling passages require close inspection during rebuilding because corrosion, sediment and old repairs can remain hidden inside an engine that runs acceptably at idle.

The three-speed manual transmission used Cadillac's early synchromesh practice on the upper ratios. First gear remained the ratio for starting a heavy car rather than a gear to be hurried through, while second and third allowed more polished changes than the unsynchronized gearboxes still common in the late 1920s. Drive passed through a propeller shaft to a live rear axle.

This table records only specifications that can be applied across the stated series or tied to a particular model year without relying on modern estimates.

Published torque and engine-speed limits are not consistently reported in readily comparable factory material, so modern-looking torque and redline figures should be treated skeptically. The relevant operating quality is strong low-speed pull, not sustained high engine speed.

Chassis, Suspension and Braking

The Series 345 used a separate steel frame carrying the engine, transmission and body. Front and rear beam axles were located by semi-elliptic leaf springs, a durable arrangement that required correct spring condition, shackle geometry and damper operation to control a tall, heavy body. There was no independent front suspension.

Steering was by a manual steering gear and linkage acting on the solid front axle. Large steering-wheel diameter provided leverage at parking speeds, but worn kingpins, tie-rod ends, steering-box components or spring shackles can turn normal period steering effort into wandering and kickback.

Four-wheel internal-expanding drum brakes were mechanically operated. Cadillac-LaSalle brake systems of this period demand correct adjustment across the rods, levers, cross-shafts and individual wheel mechanisms. A car with relined shoes but neglected linkage can stop badly despite apparently fresh brake work.

The principal chassis dimensions and equipment are summarized below. Wheel and tire specifications can differ by body, year and optional equipment, so a build-specific parts book remains the proper authority during restoration.

The reduction from 134 inches for the 345-A to 130 inches for the 345-B and 345-C is a useful identification and driving distinction. It also means that frames, running boards, splash aprons, propeller-shaft components and body-related parts should not be assumed interchangeable across all three years.

Driving Experience and Handling Dynamics

A properly sorted Series 345 should start with deliberate, low-geared steering and settle into a steady rhythm once moving. The long-stroke V8 does not need aggressive throttle openings to launch the car, and its useful response arrives at low road speed. Acceleration is progressive rather than sharp, with the engine's displacement compensating for modest rated horsepower.

The synchromesh upper gears make a Series 345 less laborious in traffic than many earlier luxury cars, although the long lever, heavy rotating components and aged linkages discourage fast shifts. First gear is selected at rest, second carries much of the work, and top gear suits the broad torque curve once the car is established on the road.

On period surfaces, the long wheelbase and leaf springs filter small disturbances effectively, but the solid axles transmit sharp impacts and react to ruts. Body roll develops early, particularly with a tall sedan body, and directional control depends heavily on sound dampers, tires and steering joints. Excessive float or repeated pitching is a repair issue, not an authentic luxury-car trait.

Brake effort is high by modern standards and the driver must anticipate stopping distances. Correctly equalized drums provide useful retardation, but there is little reserve for repeated hard stops. The Series 345 feels most coherent when driven on its torque, with measured steering inputs and space left for the mechanical brakes.

Identification and Originality

Confirming a 345-A, 345-B or 345-C

Correct identification begins with the annual series, wheelbase and body information, not with a seller's description or a later title. A 1931 car should correspond to Series 345-A and a 134-inch wheelbase, while 1932 and 1933 cars are 345-B and 345-C respectively and use the 130-inch chassis. Styling details can support the conclusion, but bolt-on front sheet metal may have been changed during a long service life.

Surviving cars may carry chassis, engine and body identifiers in different places and states of preservation. Numbers should be compared with the title, period Cadillac-LaSalle master parts information, recognized serial-number references and any available build documentation. Stamp font, surface condition and the relationship between a number and the surrounding metal deserve more attention than a claim that the car is simply matching numbers.

Fisher-built bodies normally have body identification data separate from the powertrain serial information. Job or style information, body number, trim and paint references can help establish how a closed or open body was originally finished, but tag formats and content must be interpreted against the correct year's body manual. A tag alone does not prove that the body remains on its original frame.

Engine and component authenticity

Cadillac's related 353-cubic-inch engines make an apparently correct V8 swap possible, and later service engines may have been installed when these cars were ordinary used automobiles. Check castings, external fittings, manifolds, carburetor, distributor, generator, starter, water outlets and engine-number evidence against year-specific documentation. A correct displacement is not the same as a correct 345-A, 345-B or 345-C installation.

Originality concerns extend to the radiator shell, hood doors, lamps, horns, bumpers, wheel hubs, instruments and interior hardware. Open-car windshield frames, top irons and door fittings are particularly expensive to recreate. Reproduction maintenance parts may improve usability without altering the car's identity, but reproduction badges or generic lights should be disclosed rather than aged to appear original.

Paint, upholstery and documentation

Period-correct paint research should begin with the body tag, factory color bulletins and evidence found beneath moldings, hinges or upholstery. Modern paint names assigned during an older restoration are not proof of a factory combination. Wheel color, pinstriping and molding treatment were part of the complete scheme and can change the appearance substantially.

Interiors demand the same discipline. Broadcloth, leather, carpet, wood-grain treatment, garnish moldings and plated hardware depended on body style and catalog specification. Factory literature, build records where available, dated photographs and restoration photographs provide a stronger provenance file than an unsupported assertion of factory correctness.

Variant and Trim Breakdown

The useful division within the Series 345 is by annual engineering series. Body catalogs offered numerous style numbers, but listing every coach style without its year-specific factory reference would obscure the principal mechanical changes.

None of these was a homologation model or factory racing derivative. Value differences within a year usually reflect body style, authenticity, restoration quality and provenance rather than a formal performance package.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Standardized acceleration testing was not a routine part of American luxury-car documentation in this period. Body weights also varied substantially between a roadster, coupe, five-passenger sedan and longer enclosed style, so a single curb-weight or top-speed claim would misrepresent the range.

Period top-speed and acceleration figures depend on body, axle ratio, tire size and test conditions. Buyers should be wary of modern advertisements that attach one precise 0–60 mph or maximum-speed number to every Series 345 body.

Compared With Related Models

Series 345 versus Cadillac Series 355

The contemporary Cadillac Series 355 is the closest source of confusion because it shared the 353-cubic-inch V8 displacement and much Cadillac engineering. The names do not denote 345 and 355 cubic inches. They are series designations, while both families used the 353-cubic-inch engine in this period.

Authentication should therefore consider frame dimensions, serial evidence, body identification, trim and year-specific front-end details. Installing Cadillac engine components in a LaSalle does not turn it into a Series 355, but undocumented interchange can reduce the originality of an otherwise correct Series 345.

Series 345 versus 1930 LaSalle Series 340

The 1930 Series 340 preceded the 345-A and belongs to an earlier annual design. Although visually related and also V8-powered, it should not be grouped casually with the 1931–1933 cars. Sheet metal, identification, catalog bodies and year-specific mechanical details require separate references.

Series 345-C versus 1934 Series 350

The 1934 LaSalle Series 350 was not a continuation of the same large Cadillac V8 formula. It used a smaller straight-eight derived from Oldsmobile engineering and introduced a lower, more streamlined body direction at a reduced market price. For collectors, that makes the 1933 345-C the final V8 LaSalle until the marque returned to Cadillac V8 power later in the 1930s.

Ownership and Restoration Notes

A Series 345 restoration is governed less by routine mechanical parts than by the completeness of the starting car. Ignition consumables, bearings, brake lining and seals can often be sourced or manufactured through prewar specialists. A missing radiator shell, open-car windshield frame, instrument, hubcap set or body-specific molding may require years of searching or expensive pattern work.

The 353 V8 should be assessed for oil pressure, bearing noise, cylinder sealing, coolant contamination and evidence of frost or corrosion damage. Sediment in the cooling system can produce overheating even after the radiator has been rebuilt. A comprehensive overhaul may require crankshaft work, custom bearings, valve and guide work, block repair and careful balancing rather than a modern catalog rebuild kit.

Gearboxes suffer from worn bearings, damaged engagement teeth, tired synchronizer components and poorly adjusted clutch linkage. Rear axles may develop gear noise or seal leakage. Before dismantling either assembly, identify its exact year and record shim arrangements, gear markings and bearing dimensions.

Frame inspection is essential around spring mounts, crossmembers, steering-box attachment points and body outriggers. Wood within the body structure can deteriorate while outer sheet metal remains presentable, leading to sagging doors, cracked paint and distorted roof or quarter panels. Open bodies magnify the consequences because their door openings have less structural support.

Mechanical brakes need periodic lubrication and adjustment, but no universal mileage schedule substitutes for inspection of a car that may cover little distance and sit for long periods. Old grease hardens, brake rods seize and fuel-system deposits form according to time and storage conditions. Annual fluid, linkage, tire and cooling-system checks are more useful than waiting for a nominal mileage interval.

Buyer and Inspection Points

A serious pre-purchase inspection should establish identity and completeness before evaluating cosmetics. The following checks target the expenses and errors most likely to turn an apparently finished Series 345 into a difficult restoration.

A running but incomplete open car may be a greater financial risk than a tired, complete sedan. Body style influences desirability, but completeness determines whether the restoration can be executed accurately without fabricating every rare fitting from photographs.

Collector and Market Relevance

Collectors generally favor open bodies and authentically restored cars, particularly those retaining verifiable chassis, engine and body identities. Closed sedans can offer the same V8 engineering and often preserve more original trim, upholstery patterns and hardware, making them valuable references even when market demand is lower.

The 345-C attracts attention as the final LaSalle of the initial Cadillac V8 period, while the 345-A appeals to buyers who prefer the taller, more formal early-1930s design. The 345-B has its own identity through the shorter chassis and revised 115-horsepower specification. Condition and body rarity can outweigh any simple hierarchy between A, B and C.

Auction descriptions tend to emphasize coachwork, awards and restoration provenance. More consequential evidence includes a coherent number trail, correct annual-series components, photographs of structural work, cooling-system records and confirmation that rare body hardware is original or accurately reproduced. A high-gloss finish cannot compensate for a mixed-year front end or an undocumented engine substitution.

Cultural Relevance

The Series 345 was not developed for racing or homologation, and attaching a motorsport narrative to it would distort its purpose. Its historical contribution lies in industrial design, luxury-car engineering and the companion-marque system that General Motors used to cover closely spaced price classes.

LaSalle also has a strong club and preservation culture, supported by owners who research both Cadillac mechanical practice and Fisher or custom body construction. Cars appear at concours events, Cadillac-LaSalle club gatherings and prewar tours, where the broad torque curve and synchromesh gearbox make a sorted example practical by early-1930s standards.

Its visual importance is clearest when all three annual series are viewed together. The transition from the upright 345-A to the skirted and more integrated 345-C compresses a major change in American body design into three model years, immediately before GM's 1934 styling transformation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine is in the 1931–1933 LaSalle Series 345?

The Series 345 used Cadillac's 353-cubic-inch, approximately 5.8-liter, 90-degree side-valve V8. Period specifications generally list 95 bhp for the 1931 345-A and 115 bhp for the 1932 345-B and 1933 345-C.

What is the difference between LaSalle 345-A, 345-B and 345-C?

The suffix identifies the model year: 345-A is 1931, 345-B is 1932 and 345-C is 1933. The 345-A used a 134-inch wheelbase, while the B and C used a 130-inch wheelbase, and each year had distinct styling and equipment details.

Does Series 345 mean the engine displaces 345 cubic inches?

No. Series 345 is the model designation. The installed Cadillac V8 displaced 353 cubic inches, which is why engine identity should not be inferred from the series number.

How can a buyer identify an authentic Series 345?

Compare chassis, engine and body identifiers with the title and correct year references, then verify the wheelbase and annual styling details. Authentication should include body-tag information, component correctness and evidence that the body and frame have not been combined from different cars.

Are parts available for a LaSalle Series 345 restoration?

Service items and rebuild materials can be obtained or manufactured through Cadillac-LaSalle and prewar specialists. Body-specific trim, instruments, open-car hardware, radiator components and correct annual sheet metal are much harder to replace, so completeness is critical.

What are the principal mechanical problems?

Cooling-system blockage, corroded castings, bearing wear, oil-pressure loss, tired gearbox components, worn steering joints and maladjusted mechanical brakes deserve close inspection. Structural wood deterioration and frame repairs can exceed the difficulty of routine mechanical work.

Why is the 1933 LaSalle 345-C collectible?

The 345-C was the final LaSalle series of the early Cadillac V8 era before the 1934 Series 350 changed to a smaller straight-eight. It also carries the most streamlined styling of the three Series 345 years, giving it clear mechanical and visual significance.

Collector Takeaway

The Series 345 deserves attention because it preserves a specific LaSalle formula that ended after 1933: Cadillac's 353-cubic-inch V8, early synchromesh transmission and full-sized chassis beneath Harley Earl-directed styling. The following Series 350 was not simply a facelift. Its smaller straight-eight and lower-cost engineering marked a different answer to Depression-era conditions.

Buy the most complete, best-documented car rather than the brightest restoration. A correct 345-A, 345-B or 345-C with its proper body hardware, coherent identifiers and a healthy cooling system communicates far more than a mixed-year car assembled for display. When restored with that discipline, the Series 345 shows exactly how Cadillac engineering and LaSalle design converged before economics forced the companion marque onto another path.