Re: Message from the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio

Posted by Tim Cole On 2020/5/13 8:02:19

The photographic record shows those cars sitting at a variety of ride heights when new. I am surprised they all haven't sagged over the years which shows Packard was using some pretty good metallurgy at the time. As well, the convertible chassis is subject to sag especially with the top down.

In the lab they load vehicles all the time. They put thermocouples on them and study how fast the springs are destroyed. The old Chevy station wagons were notorious for sagging springs. One guy I knew put engines in the back of one and when he unloaded it the springs had lost temper and were permanently collapsed.

The bottom line is the old timers were right in storing cars on jack stands, if only to prevent flat spots on the tires.