Re: 1940 Super 8 160 Model 1803 Project
Posted by Jim On 2013/2/27 0:39:14
I tried to resist getting involved in adding a trunk rack to the car; they are really a pain in the butt. You have a harder time getting into the luggage compartment, they increase the overall length of the car, and are a nightmare to find every little proper piece, especially '39 Super 8 and '40 senior line cars, as they use unusual stanchions, and a rack with pivots located specific to those models only.
It all started with a lovely trunk, including fitted luggage found at a previous years PI meet. This trunk was never apparently used, the nicest I'd ever seen. Shortly after buying, it dawned on me that "now you've done it dummy, you'll have to install a trunk rack".
Needless to say, the parts came from many, many places and usually the work of a certain secret Packard Parts aficionado in the vicinity of Dallas. Seems like many Packard parts conspiracies unfold in Dallas. Imagine my surprise upon returning from a trip, only to find a boxed up trunk lid in my office. This came by way of Santa Maria, California, but I'm not fooled, the conspiracy was concocted in Dallas. I'm not buying the loan parts man theory either.
So why another trunk lid? Well, in '40, senior cars had a different trunk handle, and different license plate light, located higher and separate from the trunk handle when trunk rack equipped. Also different are the bumper brackets, and bumper. The bumper no longer says "Packard" when trunk rack equipped. The license plate lens is also different and '40 only.
The job of fitting required pieces began over Christmas 2012. The trunk lid was tough to fit. It had to be fit so to speak, including shrinking side to side, and modifying the curve by gently bending the whole thing. A few dents needed to be worked out also. It's a nicer lid than the one on the car. The one on the car could have had the holes welded up and re-drilled otherwise. Next up was fitting the rack components which is on-going.
Attach file:
(31.22 KB)
(26.58 KB)
(30.70 KB)
(38.47 KB)
It all started with a lovely trunk, including fitted luggage found at a previous years PI meet. This trunk was never apparently used, the nicest I'd ever seen. Shortly after buying, it dawned on me that "now you've done it dummy, you'll have to install a trunk rack".
Needless to say, the parts came from many, many places and usually the work of a certain secret Packard Parts aficionado in the vicinity of Dallas. Seems like many Packard parts conspiracies unfold in Dallas. Imagine my surprise upon returning from a trip, only to find a boxed up trunk lid in my office. This came by way of Santa Maria, California, but I'm not fooled, the conspiracy was concocted in Dallas. I'm not buying the loan parts man theory either.
So why another trunk lid? Well, in '40, senior cars had a different trunk handle, and different license plate light, located higher and separate from the trunk handle when trunk rack equipped. Also different are the bumper brackets, and bumper. The bumper no longer says "Packard" when trunk rack equipped. The license plate lens is also different and '40 only.
The job of fitting required pieces began over Christmas 2012. The trunk lid was tough to fit. It had to be fit so to speak, including shrinking side to side, and modifying the curve by gently bending the whole thing. A few dents needed to be worked out also. It's a nicer lid than the one on the car. The one on the car could have had the holes welded up and re-drilled otherwise. Next up was fitting the rack components which is on-going.
Attach file:
(31.22 KB) (26.58 KB) (30.70 KB) (38.47 KB)This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=118326