Re: Pre War Service Index Groupings

Posted by BH On 2011/5/20 23:04:47

JW -

Thanks for the additional input.

Since my last post, I decided to crack open a book - namely, Richard Langworth's Illustrated Packard Buyer's Guide, which was written for the layperson. Therein, he stratifies cars of this era into the following chapters:

* 1924-1931 Eights
* 1932-1942 Senior Eights
* 1932-1939 Twelves
* 1935-1942 Junior Eights
* 1935-1942 Junior Sixes

...which provide some food for thought.

The chapter on "Junior Eights" includes 1935-37 120, 1938 Eight, 1939-42 One Twenty, and the 1942 Eight* convertible. "Junior Sixes" covers 1937-39 Six, 1940-42 One Ten, and 1942 Six* models. (* excluding 1942 Clippers). Combining these models fits right in with your previous suggestion for a "1935 thru 1942 Junior Packard" grouping.

Then, Langworth's classification of "Senior Eights" intrigued me - with the notion that all Eights of this period (except for 120, One Twenty, and Clipper) were Seniors. Apparently, for 1933, the Deluxe Eight became the Super Eight, and carried forward from there.

A watershed point arises, as you noted, with the new engine in 1940, which is where all the articles on hydraulic lifters begin. These topics continue into the Super Eights under the Clipper designations, but I wouldn't want to break those models out from the 41-47 Index. Whether or not to split 1939/1940-1942 Super Eights (except Clippers) off into their own installment(s) seems like a valid consideration.

Yet I've seen other technologies making their appearance in 1939 like Handishift (column gear shifter), Econo Drive (overdrive), and Fifth Shock Absorber (a lateral steering stabilizer?). How closely do we want to follow technological boundaries?

Should we, then, split the 35-42 Juniors into 35-38 and 39-42, and make a 39-42 Super Eight group, leaving us with 32-38 Senior Eights?

As parts books jaggedly broke things up into a half dozen editions, when the dust settled, I am sensitive to things "getting too granular", as Kev noted.

Any thoughts on this or other considerations? Anyone else?