Fleetwood Metal Body
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coachbuilding, automobile body manufacturing |
| Founded | April 1, 1909 in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Defunct | 1931 |
| Fate | Acquired by Fisher Body in 1925; fully absorbed into General Motors in 1931 |
| Headquarters | Fleetwood, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Products | Custom automobile bodies for luxury car manufacturers |
Fleetwood Metal Body was an automobile coachbuilder established on April 1, 1909, in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. The Fleetwood name persisted through the Cadillac Fleetwood series and various Fleetwood-designated trim levels on Cadillac automobiles. As of 2022, the original Fleetwood facilities are undergoing restoration and transformation into loft-style residential units.
Fleetwood
Following the company's move to Detroit in 1931, the Fleetwood site at 69 South Franklin Street in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, remained intact.
Renowned for producing custom metal and wooden automobile bodies, Fleetwood catered to distinguished clientele, including Indian and Japanese royalty, American presidents, and notable figures such as Rudolph Valentino. The firm designed bespoke coachwork on chassis supplied by luxury manufacturers like Bentley, Cadillac, Daniels, Duesenberg, Fiat, Isotta Fraschini, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Rolls-Royce, SGV, and Stutz.
Custom bodies were constructed according to client specifications and then transported via rail to chassis makers for final assembly. The majority of Pennsylvania production was dedicated to Packard vehicles, with Cadillac and Lincoln sharing the remaining output.
Purchase by Fisher
Fleetwood was acquired by Fisher Body in 1925, becoming an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) body supplier for Detroit Assembly located on Clark Street. In 1931, it was fully absorbed into General Motors. The Detroit plant was situated at Fort Street and West End Street within the Delray district, approximately two miles east of Ford's River Rouge Complex. This facility later became known as Fisher Plant #18 and lent its name to the Fisher Freeway. Production ceased at this location in 1987 when operations shifted to the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant; currently, the site serves as the Container Port Group Detroit terminal.
As a coachbuilder for Cadillac
During the early 1930s, Fleetwood primarily crafted custom bodies for Cadillac vehicles, similar to contemporaries like LeBaron. Cadillac models with Fleetwood coachwork frequently exhibited a signature sweep panel trim extending across the cowl and hood. Prior to adopting the Fleetwood name as a Cadillac model designation in 1934, the company was recognized for incorporating intricate detailing into high-end Cadillacs equipped with standard bodies. Up through the 1970s, some Cadillacs featured door sill plaques stating "Interior by Fleetwood, Body by Fisher," underscoring the brand’s enduring legacy.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Coachbuilders of the United States
- Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers
- Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
- American companies established in 1909
- Companies based in Berks County, Pennsylvania
- Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1909
- Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1931
- 1909 establishments in Pennsylvania
- 1931 disestablishments in Pennsylvania
- 1925 mergers and acquisitions
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Pennsylvania