1951 General Motors LeSabre Specifications
Harley Earl's all-time favorite car set the tone for a new automotive era. Here are detailed specifications for the 1951 General Motors LeSabre.
 The 1951 General Motors LeSabre stands just 50 inches high, a testament to Harley Earl's never-ending quest to make cars lower. |
| 1951 General Motors LeSabre: Specifications | |
| Wheelbase (in.) | 115.0 |
| Overall length (in.) | 200.9 |
| Overall width (in.) | 76.8 |
| Overall height (in.) | 50.0 |
| Tread, front /rear (in.) | 58.0/60.0 |
| Ground clearance (in.) | 6.0 (approx.) |
| Weight (Ibs) | 3,800 (approx.) |
| Construction | |
| Body type | two-seat convertible |
| Material | cast-magnesium with honeycomb aluminum floor and steel panels |
| Frame | |
| Type | box-section with central X-member |
| Material | steel |
| Engine | |
| Type | 90-degree ohv V-8 with Roots-type supercharger, hemispherical combustion chambers, and mechanical valve lifters |
| Material | aluminum block and heads |
| Bore × stroke (in.) | 3.25×3.25 |
| Displacement (cid) | 215 |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 335 @ 5200 |
| Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm | 381 @ 3650 |
| Compression ratio | 10.0:1 |
| Main bearings | 5 |
| Carburetors | twin 2-bbl Bendix-Eclipses |
| Lubrication | full-pressure, gear pump |
| Cooling | pressure, centrifugal pump |
| Fuel system | twin 20-gallon tanks (one for gasoline and one for methanol), electric pump |
| Exhaust system | tubular stainless steel, dual mufflers |
| Electrical system | 12-volt |
| Transmission | |
| Type | Hydra-Matic 4-speed fluid-coupling automatic, floor-mounted shifter |
| Ratios | 1st: 3.82:1; 2nd: 2.63:1; 3rd: 1.45:1; 4th: 1,00:1; reverse: 4.30:1 |
| Drive | |
| Type | DeDion, spiral-bevel gears |
| Ratio | 4.10:1 (est.) |
| Suspension | |
| Front | independent unequal A-arm with torsion bars and tubular hydraulic shock absorbers |
| Rear | double-jointed axle shafts, transverse single-leaf spring, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers |
| Steering and Brakes | |
| Steering type | Saginaw ball nut |
| Brake type | double-width 4-wheel hydraulic internal-expanding drums, inboard mounting |
| Drum diameter (in.) | 9.0 |
| Lining area (sq in.) | 296.9 |
| Parking brake | Mechanical pull-type |
| Tires and Wheels | |
| Tire size | 8.00×13 |
| Tire type | 4-ply whitewall |
| Wheels | 13 × 5.5 pressed steel |
| Calculated data | |
| Horsepower per cid | 1.56 |
| Weight per horsepower (lbs) | 11.3 |
| Weight per cid (lbs) | 17.7 |
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