Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

That 32 roadster engine definitely looks gray.

A question to the knowledgeable people. Was the Waltham combo speedometer and tachometer on the roadster a routine addition for "sporty" cars or is it very rare? I would think there would have to be two drive cables or a mechanical common point somewhere so how did they switch between functions and could it be done while the car was in motion?

NOTHING about the FWD prototype was to be even slightly suggestive of Packard as the manufacturer, hence no surprise about the engine color. Is there a single Packard styling clue anywhere in the entire car - NO.

Howard, there is a drive cable running from the distributor to the tach-speedo. You can see it in the photo of the LH side of the engine. The speed scale is based on engine speed with the car in high gear, so no need for two drives. To me, on my screen, the engine color has a red tint to it.

(o[]o)

With the '32, the firewall and the radiator surround are both rusty, and I wonder like Howard: "....if there was some misguided degreasing attempt or something environmental or perhaps just age caused the green paint to flake off or change color"

Another thing, although "unrestored", at least an electric fuel pump has been added so not "unmolested"!

I once saw an original 1930 726 that probably had been sitting since the 1950's. The head and block were clearly painted black where the paint remained on the engine. I attempted to scrape the black paint off in a couple of places to see the green that should have been underneath but there was none, just bare iron under the black. Curiously, the water jacket cover was brush-painted white. I figured the engine could have been remanufactured, like a Jasper engine and you had to transfer the jacket cover from the old engine. Perhaps that's the case with these odd-colored engines as well.

"What is Packard green??"
Best answer is from FredKanter in post #3 above.

There is no way after 30 years, let alone 50 - 70 years to determine exactly what is the perfect shade of ANY paint.

I have a paint job here from the 1970's that i did at my own hand and at my own eye. Used Dupont FACTORY pack Granada red.
Had a quart of it left over from the 1970's. The paint on the motorcycle (which spends 90% of it time in the garage (no sunlite) had oranged out alot over the 30-35 years. I haad to repaint a section of fender and it is most obvious that paaint on the bike had changed color.

This "correctt shade" aruguments had raged for 10 yearss among the "experts" during the 1990's. Even old suppliers with oem painted parts had parts that were quite different in shades of reds and blues.

Bottom line, 30 to 70 years later the best we can do is to try to match the paint as close as possible within reason.

Is there a paint formula left so an original batch can be made to make a modern equivalent? I'm sure some chemicals/ components in the original paint are not legal to use anymore for large quantities.

If there were an original formula (nobody has ever found it) , yes some components may no longer be available. Keep in mind that every paint manufacturer has their own formula using their own proprietary tints, today you cannot mix a PPG paint using a Dupont formula.

The way a conversion used to be made was by eye in the paint manufacturers lab. Today they use a computer and to make a new batch you would need an original part with the original paint and yes there's no shortage of them........but as we know they're in a hundred different shades.

Best idea is to find something else to obsess about and spend the extra time drivign and enjoying your Packard with the hood closed

"Best idea is to find something else to obsess about and spend the extra time drivign and enjoying your Packard with the hood closed"

Understood, but one thing that personally drives me nuts is those who spend hard earned money with a great external restore just to pop the hood to find old, chipped, rusted paint sitting in there. It really kills the car.

Personally for me, the Engine compartment is the Heart Beat of the car and should be hidden away to only be heard and never seen.

Maybe im just a little too picky about attention to details.

A little 526 Engine Porn as I call it.

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I like a nice looking engine compartment also, but who knows exactly what shade of gray or green was used. And for that matter it could have even varied some in shade during production from week to week or month to month....