Re: Remains of a 1937 prototype?

Posted by RogerDetroit On 2015/3/1 11:36:01

We will be learning a lot more about the 1937 prototype in the near future.

The article Jared and I wrote for The Packard Digest (also posted here - see above) was mailed to our members and I received a phone call yesterday from long-term member. Some of you may know Marvin King and he told me he knows all about the car and Jared's GGF Larry. Marvin first met Larry around 1970 and was buying spare parts and learning Packard mechanics from him. When Larry moved to northern Michigan in about 1972 he sold his complete inventory of parts to him. Not only that, but Marvin also bought his tools, tool chest, shop lab coat with "Packard School" embroidered on it, photos and nearly everything else - right down to his lunch box that he took to work. Marvin still has all of this.

About Larry: He was a member of the Packard experimental service garage team that worked in a building behind the Packard Factory Branch at 574 East Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit. He also did dynamometer testing at the PPG. This experimental service team took care of executives cars, show cars, prototype and testing cars.

About the car: Marvin recalls Larry telling him that Packard wanted to build a car that would be easy for a woman to parallel park. So the wheelbase was shortened and the motor moved backed several inches. He said there should be an indent in the firewall to allow the motor to fit. Larry told his wife about the parallel parking feature and she took over the car and seldom let Larry drive it again.

Last night I spoke to Jared about this and later this month I will arrange a meeting with Marvin and Jared to learn much more.