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I recently purchased a 1929 Packard 5 window coupe. The rolling chasis has been in a dry barn since the early 60's. The body was put in the woods some time in the 80's. There is not much left but the roof, quarter panels, trunk area and left door. The floor does not exist. The engine spins free and I would like to get it to run. I am missing the manifold and carb. The cowl with the body tag is also gone. The engine number is 242123.

My question... how expensive will this engine be to rebuild? Is there anyone in my area that would have parts for this like a right door, etc? Any advice or help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Dan

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Quote:G'day Dan,
Congratulations on your Packard purchase and to PackardInfo. Sorry I can can't help too much with your queries but here is a link to the South Pacific Packards(New Zealand) Site For Sale Forum where there is a Late 20s Std 8 exhaust/inlet Manifold for sale.

And I invite you to please include your '29 Coupe in the Packard Owner's Registry here, together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Well, that's a project, for sure. I'm sorry I can't help with something that early.

Craig

Hi

My advice, for what it's worth is: speedster body!
That club coupe remnant is too far gone. You have a nice 133" wheelbase chassis to restore and mount a period correct recreated roadster and/or speedster style body.

Recreating a body is an expensive proposition, since the previous owner's 'storage' affectively rendered the original body beyond restoration, rebody your chassis with one you can truly enjoy driving......and that is an open body style!

Good luck with your project and post your progress on the Projects Blog section of this Forum. There is lots of valid, helpful advice to be had here.

Steve

HI guys.

Thanks for the input, my plans as of right now, which could change at any minute are to restore the chassis and build a new steel floor and channel the body over the frame. I have restored a few cars and I've been a body man for 28 years. Sort of a restored hotroded car. I know its a huge undertaking. One of the big part of the puzzle is a useable right door. So what do you guys think, am I crazy???????

Quote:

No, I'm of the opinion that if it casts a shadow it can be saved.

Yeah but finding that door may be long journey, and granted that's what some of us do this for, the journey. But I'd be afraid that the door you seek is sitting on a shelf next to the nos hub bearing from cleopatra's chariot. It's also made of that very rare compound we call Unobtainium.
My vote is search for your door with the knowledge that the speedster body will always be available. I say this but the truth is I'd a left the body in the snow and towed the frame home, so I'd have more room in the shop for the pallet my speedster body arrived in.

Anywho, Congrats on owning a Packard, and either way you go your going to end up with your version of American art at it's finest.

Where would you find a speedster body?

One normally builds a speedster body.

Doors may not be that difficult to find, or all that expensive. I know that Hibernia used to have an attic full of doors just collecting dust. I'd give them a call.

Also, the Packard museum in Dayton has an attic full of doors. You may not find the exact door you need, but you may find something that could be modified to work.

And if you're wondering how to make the boattail easily, look at the hood of a '47 or so Hudson, it's the perfect shape and size for a Packard Speedster.