Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

What model years were blessed with the crappy war chrome? I know my '52 has it, was that the first year?

This is the first mention I remember seeing. I expect it lasted until the Korean conflict started winding down which I believe was mid 53

https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SC/SC-VOL25NO14.pdf

Thanks for hunting that info down, Howard. There is a mention of it in my owner's manual, and I can testify that besides the items on that list many of the interior chrome parts skipped the nickel too. Horn ring, steering wheel trim pads, shift position cover on the column, dash parts. All very touchy to clean without getting down to the copper quickly.

I am going to look at a '51 in the area as a potential parts car, so I'm trying to decide what it would be worth compared to buying different year parts as available. We'll see how it looks when I can get a break to go look it over.

What model years were blessed with the crappy war chrome

I wouldn't think the use of "defense chrome" was limited by model year but rather by the period during which the government prohibited it's use by the auto industry. That said, it was primarily a feature beginning with the 25th Series cars.

It was used in 1952 and 1953.

We had a 52 Mayfair and the chrome on that seemed very good. The car spent most of its life from 53 in SoCal and that may be the reason it held up well.

I recall that Packard applied a clear lacquer to the grilles and front bumpers of the Korean War era cars in order to preserve the thin chrome plating. That protective coating quickly started peeling in the intense sunlight of the 7,200 feet above sea level altitude were Santa Fe is located. As boys helping out around the business my younger brother and I would spend hours carefully brushing on a remover (a branded Packard part) to clean off the peeling coating. This was one of the less desirable jobs around the place. Cleaning out the wash rack drain sump was my favorite.

(o{}o)

I recall that Packard applied a clear lacquer to the grilles and front bumpers of the Korean War era cars in order to preserve the thin chrome plating

That's a bit inconsistent with the information in Packard's notification about "defense chrome", the bumpers were done in the traditional copper/nickel/chrome but the grille was defense chrome.

O_D, maybe it was just the grilles. This happened a long time ago.

(o{}o)

Hi

Here in the northeast, it wasn't just the Korean chrome 1952's: all Contour potmetal ends up with a pitted surface the texture of coarse sandpaper when exposed to the weather. If I'd have had any sense then, I would have stripped every western '51-'54 Packard I found there then of its potmetal trim....kept in dry storage until now!

Steve