Re: How many cars actually came with sidemounts?
Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2012/6/12 8:11:06
(Edited a bit, added some further comments).
The short answer is MANY, gradually diminishing in the years between 1935 and 1942. I agree that some body styles looked very much better w/o sidemounts, see a couple of photos I've attached that I believe demonstrate that. But remember, some buyers didn't necessarily want the sidemounts but wanted a rear trunk rack for luggage and to get that in many years and body styles pre-1935 you had to take the sidemounts (with a few exceptions like the 33 and 34 club sedans). Folks who bought their cars for touring would have been far more likely to have sidemounts so they could mount a trunk; folks who bought for jaunts around the neighborhood and short day trips didn't need the trunk rack and then it became a matter of style rather than necessity. Another factor in the earlier cars was the value in having dual spares - more than 1 flat tire in a day's driving wasn't all the uncommon in the earlier days, for example look at Frank Wemple's 443 roadster (bottom photo), dual rear-mounted spares; even dualed sidemounts (both on the same side) was reasonably common in the very early years. Probably a very significant percentge of cars 34 and back had sidemounts, they began to fade with the advent to built-in trunks. Another factor in decreasing sidemount hardware was the high volume of less expensive cars and more cost-conscious buyers compared to the years when only "senior" cars were offered. The sidemounts and trunk rack on my 34 was a very expensive option, slightly more than 10% of the base vehicle cost.
IMO the more formal the body style, the better the look with sidemounts. Ross may well be right about the heavier handling of cars with sidemounts, remember that sidemount-equipped models came with heavier front springs to offset the extra weight, something I doubt is often attended to when adding sidemounts to a car which originally didn't have them. Adding sidemounts to a vehicle that didn't originally have them without making the corresponding change in front springs no doubt results in a degradation of the ride quality.
Packard's illustrators for their showroom catalogs really knew how to show the car's best lines. Look specifically at the 1934 versus 1935 showroom catalogs - in 1934 (few models with built-in trunks) most models have them, in 1935 (built-in trunks available and a more flowing body style) most didn't.
The 443 photo courtesy of the CCCA, others by this writer.
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The short answer is MANY, gradually diminishing in the years between 1935 and 1942. I agree that some body styles looked very much better w/o sidemounts, see a couple of photos I've attached that I believe demonstrate that. But remember, some buyers didn't necessarily want the sidemounts but wanted a rear trunk rack for luggage and to get that in many years and body styles pre-1935 you had to take the sidemounts (with a few exceptions like the 33 and 34 club sedans). Folks who bought their cars for touring would have been far more likely to have sidemounts so they could mount a trunk; folks who bought for jaunts around the neighborhood and short day trips didn't need the trunk rack and then it became a matter of style rather than necessity. Another factor in the earlier cars was the value in having dual spares - more than 1 flat tire in a day's driving wasn't all the uncommon in the earlier days, for example look at Frank Wemple's 443 roadster (bottom photo), dual rear-mounted spares; even dualed sidemounts (both on the same side) was reasonably common in the very early years. Probably a very significant percentge of cars 34 and back had sidemounts, they began to fade with the advent to built-in trunks. Another factor in decreasing sidemount hardware was the high volume of less expensive cars and more cost-conscious buyers compared to the years when only "senior" cars were offered. The sidemounts and trunk rack on my 34 was a very expensive option, slightly more than 10% of the base vehicle cost.
IMO the more formal the body style, the better the look with sidemounts. Ross may well be right about the heavier handling of cars with sidemounts, remember that sidemount-equipped models came with heavier front springs to offset the extra weight, something I doubt is often attended to when adding sidemounts to a car which originally didn't have them. Adding sidemounts to a vehicle that didn't originally have them without making the corresponding change in front springs no doubt results in a degradation of the ride quality.
Packard's illustrators for their showroom catalogs really knew how to show the car's best lines. Look specifically at the 1934 versus 1935 showroom catalogs - in 1934 (few models with built-in trunks) most models have them, in 1935 (built-in trunks available and a more flowing body style) most didn't.
The 443 photo courtesy of the CCCA, others by this writer.
Attach file:
(140.25 KB)
(134.95 KB)
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