Quote:
Tim Cole wrote:
Dear Mike:
As you correctly indicate the body number for the V-12 is part of the serial number. That is body style 639, car number 44. Or 639 044, 639 44, 639 X44 or whatever. This is good because 619 or 659 would indicate a body taken from an eight.
The number on the firewall was billed as the "thief proof" number. Numerous cars left the factory without one. The space between the arrows was blank. According to Packard they kept some kind of records for it, but they must have been destroyed.
The motor number is found midway on the left side of the block in the space just beneath the cylinder head.
There are three other serial numbers: one is on the left frame rail underneath the front fender, on the right side of the front axle, and on the back of the transmission near left of the drive shaft.
These four were all close to each other when built.
Tim, thanks for the quick reply! So fw # is really 176397, number from the plate is 639 44, and the motor # is 901361. Haven't found the other 3 s/n as the car is a bit hard to get under right now. The delivery date and dealer info on the plate are blank. Looks like the car was at the proving grounds in May 1933.
We have a picture of Albert Johnson standing in front of the car at his home in Chicago. It must've been taken in early '33 as he sold the house and moved to California that year. The picture also helps us confirm stories that we've had handed down to us about his driving ability - the right side white walls are pretty well scuffed Mr. Johnson gave this car to a family member but several years later she married someone he did not approve of and he took the car back and drove it out here to the Castle where it has been ever since.
In the background of this picture in the driveway sits another Packard - still trying to determine the year based on the front end. Mr. Johnson owned Packards almost exclusively since at least 1912 as he wrote a letter to his sister in 1913 stating that his "old" Packard was running fine but he want the big six cylinder touring car so the family could travel together. As a result he bought a 4-48 in 1914. That car is here at the Castle as well.
Given that '33 was the worst year of the depression for the US would Mr. Johnson have paid MSRP do you think? Given the relatively small number of cars Packard built that year one would think he might have been able to negotiate a good price, especially as he had been a Packard owner since the early 1900's and he was known to be a very "thrifty" individual.
Mike
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=86752