My 1941 180 is lined up to go to a restoration shop (hopefully soon) to repair collision damage incurred by someone running a light and hitting the front. While it is at the shop, I was thinking of having them replace the front motor mount among other small jobs. I want to buy the mount ahead of time and I see Max Merrit has a front mount for the Super Eight listed as part number 341498, Group number 5.1603. It says it comes in a pair. I would have thought (probably incorrectly) that this would be a one piece rubber pad. If I order this, am I ordering the correct part? This all goes back to trying to get the fan belt off a while ago and the consensus seemed to be that it was likely that the front motor mount was worn and needed replacing.

I would like to take a moment to give a shout out to John Ulrich Packard Parts.https://julrichpackard.com/index.htm

I had been looking at their battery box cover for my 1937 115C for a very long time and for one reason or another had been putting off getting it. I finally decided it was time to get it but first I contacted him to verify that the pricing on his website was current. After being told that it was, I was ready to purchase one but I was confused about payment as I didn't know what shipping would be so I didn't know how much to write a check for. My experience in the world of ordering parts has always been- order part, include check or credit card payment for part and shipping, wait for part. His other form of payment being PayPal, I didn't know how to generate a payment to him without a link from the website. After emailing him about this, the next thing I know, I get an email that the part is in the mail with it's invoice. I found that to be pretty amazing, because let's face it, in this day and age, almost all of us would be pretty reticent about sending a part and saying "pay me later". The part arrived within a couple of days and I made a bee line to my check book to make sure that the check went out the next day. I was not about to ruin the trust that had been put in me.

So, I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank John Ulrich Packard Parts for the great old fashioned service that I had thought had passed with the dinosaurs. I only regret that I don't have more to order from him at this point. Please consider him if you are in need of parts that he supplies.

It was a small turn out due to weather. One less was there because on the way to the Meet, someone hit my Packard and I didn't make it. I will be posting the pictures on the club website tonight or tomorrow. You don't need to be a member to access the website.

http://www.flpackardclub.org

After not being able to face it for a week, I made my way to the garage to video the damage. Here is what happens when a 1941 Packard just pulls away from the light and someone from the left runs their red light.

https://youtu.be/4NcvvVUugcw

Thanks for that tip on Harbor. I am planning to take a drive up to St Pete on my next day off to check out Realistic Restorations. I have seen them at our local Spring car show here in Sarasota and according to their website, they have been in business for 30 years and do collision. Also, I have been given the name of a restoration shop in Tampa that does strictly Classic era restorations (or so I have been told). I am grateful to see that the in state restoration company landscape is not as grim as I had expected.

Thank you for all the input and helping to assuage the shock to some degree. I am now starting the game of telephone tag with my insurance rep. Being a working fool, I am unable to take calls when they come in while I am working.

Going back to my original post about my surprise that the offending party had insurance (you know it’s coming…)- I got a copy of the crash report this morning. It came as no real surprise to me to find out that she was driving on a suspended license. I don’t know if the rest of the country has this kind of problem, but at least here in Florida it is very very common. No license or suspended license.

It had crossed my mind, but I want it done right, so that immediately sent that thought right out of my head. Maybe once I retire I might pick up a project car that I am willing to learn on and that I am willing to settle on an DYI job but this isn’t the one.

I have collector car insurance through JC Taylor.

I am looking for some guidance (and a shoulder to cry on) with body repairs on my 1941 180. On the way to our Florida Packard Club Meet, as my light turned green and I started forward, a Dodge Ram ran her red light and clipped my front driver fender and bumper. My uninformed eye says there appears to be some bending or misalignment with the bottom of the grill, bumpers, possibly bumper supports, and that banged fender. The hood seems to be unaffected for alignment. I am thankful that no one was hurt and also that she hadn't Tboned me. This being Florida, after the horror subsided and the sheriff finished up with us, the most startling thing was to find out that she did in fact have insurance (Floridians will understand). I had the car towed back to my garage, and in the process of unloading, they managed to also damage the rear driver's fender and spacer between the body and the bumper.

I have contacted my insurance company and that whole process has started. Now that the mania in my head has subsided some and rational thought slowly returns, the guidance I am looking for is how to go about getting my Packard repaired. Body shops all want to do collision insurance work on new cars. Should I be beating the bushes for some hidden gem of an under the radar body man? Should I be thinking about sending it to a restoration shop that will incur additional shipping and tremendous labor charges?

I am sure others have had this horror to deal with, so any input is much appreciated. I am in Sarasota, Florida if that helps with any recommendations.

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Just a reminder, this event is this weekend. Open to the public. Free admission. Non Packards older than 25 years also welcome to be displayed.