Re: Adding directionals to my 1939 120

Posted by su8overdrive On 2022/5/7 14:39:56

Found a nice, believe it or not, turn signal unit mounting at the bottom of the steering wheel hub, which turned a rubber wheel, from J.C. Whitney for my '40 120 in '74, worked well. Gunmetal gray. Perhaps someone else peddles those now.

Remember to paint the inside of your tail light housing gloss white, or at least line with aluminum foil, shiny side out, as a Cord friend at first did.

A bolt-in, not a trace of butchering required, 6-volt, 55-amp, positive ground alternator is with radial tires the only real deviation from authenticity i like in a Packard, assuming yours already has overdrive and/or a taller rear axle from a non-OD donor.

Brighter head and tail lights at dusk, night, faster battery recovery, starting. We got our alternators from Jim's Battery Mfg., Youngstown, OH (800) 426-7580. Tell Jim and Dolores a couple '47 Packards in Walnut Creek, CA and British Columbia sent you. And you can't beat an Optima Red Top battery. 800 cold cranking amps and only 18 lbs.
Weight is the enemy.

'39 120 better quality than '40, tho' the latter a trace lighter, much reduced prices, Packard increasingly rattled by GM. '40 Buick the first car with turn signals standard.

Consumers Report, who always got it right then and now, gave the 120 or its Clipper variant their Best Buy rating in its price class every year 1938-47, deservedly so. Nice car.