Re: The ZIS 110

Posted by PackardV8 On 2008/1/24 23:55:01

Quite frankly i have no proof or strong evidence one way or the other about the Russian procurement of the dies. BUT then neither does any one else that i know of. This issue was discussed rather indepth several years ago at AACA Packard forum. The only negations seem to be in the form of vehement refusal to believe Russians got the dies. OR to put it another way, the nay-sayers seemed more emotional about it than objective.

In any event, i have another twist to it. Based on a BREIF and rather loose encounter some 20 years ago (i had no Packard involvement at that time) it was relayed to me by a very credable man of that era that either White or Mack used the ca. 1940 Packard front sheet metal during production some time during the immediate post war period or during the war.

Based on other practices i've seen thru out AMC, GM, Indian and other corporations that i've had either direct or close indirect involvement with i find it difficult to dismss the Russia owning the dies.

HOWEVER, YOU are so right in saying that the real test would be to compare the Zis and the Packard SIDE-by-side and inspecting the inner hidden areas with a flashlite. Certainly a task that would require at least 3 or 4 hours of inspection.