The carb looks to be missing the cover over the metering rods. These carbs are not usually too difficult to locate on E-Bay etc. and I have seen a few of the the choke mechanisms on E-Bay for sale over the past few months so if you are in no hurry the pieces will become available.

Tom,

Yes, I'm retired, now 61. Been that way for almost 6 months and really lapping it up, it's great! In fact getting my first Packard, the '38, was a significant factor in determining that I would retire. And when I bought the '41 on eBay, not long after, I had to retire so I could afford the car!

I give blood, actually plasma, about every fortnight other commitments permitting. Reason I give plasma, and not whole blood every 12/13 weeks, is that I am on a long term course of anti-biotics for Roseaca. So, they're happy to take plasma but not whole blood or platelets. At least it's something! Just as well they're so strict with their processes, what with some of the horror stories that have emerged about contaminated supplies.

Where did you go that they stopped you from donating, obviously a high risk country?

It seems to have 55 tail lights.

It is model number 2362 and the brass tag is still there. I'll check it out to make sure that it matches when i head to my fathers house.

As far as the the part in Pic#1, We already have the swith light in and functional as well as the maplights and glove box. I'll double check on the cigar lighter but that looked to be ok. plus the brown part is card board, making it more odd.

Owen, I guess these questions have been debated since the 1930's. I recall as a boy in the early 50's being told by my grandfather, a Packard owner, that the worst decision Packard made was to call the 120 a Packard and make it look like the "Senior" cars. On the other hand had they chosen a different name, ala LaSalle, and had they not included the Packard look would the 120 have sold well enough to save the company from extinction? Other makers had brought out lower priced companion brands to try to survive the Depression years and were not a success. Remember the Erskine, Viking, Marquette or Roosevelt? The Lasalle was brought out in 1927 so it had a good head start as a brand even before the 1929 Crash and in any event never exceeded the production volume of the Packard Juniors. One source I researched quotes 1937 production of the LaSalle as 32000 units while the "Junior" Packards production was 115,500 units. Was it the Packard name, look and cachet that brought the buyers? I suspect so.

ALK: Let me one of the first to give a hardy welcome. You should remember me from the AACA Packard Forum.

YOUR FRIEND

John F. Shireman

Thanks for the sage advice guys, I will let you know how it goes...

Hi Guys:

Just found this thread and thought I would give it a try.

Found a lot of good usefull info out here so I may check in from time to time.

Latest project is a 1956 Clipper Custom. I purchased this out of Charlotte NC along with 5 other Packards (a 55 pat., a 55 clipper 2dr., a 55 400, a 56 400(total disastermobile)
and a 47-50 clipper 2dr(a totally ambitous restoration) along with a 14 foot truck load of parts, grilles bumpers, etc. etc. I will post as complete an inventory as I have on the for sale forum. As to the Clipper, it was put together by a former Packard Employee named David V. Hedger(I am trying to locate a relative). The story that I got from the man I bought the cars/parts from, was that he had spoken to the mans son(but lost the contact info) and that the father had installed a fresh 374 engine and also put on it a set of twin 4bbl carbs. Another modification was the Caribbean twin scoop hood and a senior grille and bumpers. My aim is to clean it up empty out all of the spare trim and such that is inside the car and then try to get it running, steering and stopping and then paint it. Will post pictures when I can.


Talk to most of you later.

Hey Randy:
Just found this site. I would have answered you also but it seems that it has been taken care of. Talk to all of you later.

Clipper47, thanks for the nice words and you're entirely correct about the distinctions blurring after 1938. Although the chassis were entirely different, the 39-42 seniors (except the 39 Twelve) shared many body panels and othere hardware with the juniors.

Packard's luxury cache began to fade with the introduction of the juniors; just imagine the feelings of the owner of the manor with his fleet of Super Eights and Twelves in the carriage house, seeing his hired hourly help arrive in a Packard with many of the same styling cues as his fleet which probably cost 3-5 times as much! Shows the wisdom of GM's naming the high volume, lower cost Cadillac the LaSalle.