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I have a few more but there are pretty large and shows the X pretty good. One not here shows the back (front) of the engine sitting within the X fork.

The one I have attached shows where the X seems to stop where the cross rail under the engine area runs between the side rails.

Another not here is a different shot looking towards the rear and can see the same there.

Please don't use these photos without giving credit where credit is due. Thanks.

Eric

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Today, with the help of West Peterson, was able to get the pictures I was seeking of the 1931 Packard FWD prototype in the Bahre Collection courtesy of Jeff Orwig, the curator.

I can say that it does have a X-frame chassis BUT it is totally unique and does not look like any production Packard chassis of 1932 or 1933. It is based on the 1929-1931 frame but the X member was fabricated and doesn't look to even connect directly to the side rails but onto cross members. And of course doesn't have a tunnel for a driveshaft since there was none. Even the center plate of the X is proprietary.

There is a Patent 2,098,265 submitted in 1932 and issued in 1937 for a Front Wheel Drive Packard by C.W. Van Ranst but I am not sure if the front part of the framework represents the real car? The center section X doesn't.

So, that opens up the question as to why the 1932 production Super 8 and V12 Packards used the small X for one year only and why the prototype chassis incorporated the X it did?

Any takers on this round of questions?

Eric

Unfortunately the lube brand that is posted for pre 1933 cars is only a vague chart that doesn't represent a true diagram of the chassis frame... which is what I am seeking. An overhead view diagram of the 1932 V12- V8 chassis. Thanks for the hint though.

Eric


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Wouldn't happen to have a lube chart for the 1932 V12 or Super 8 models? If so, please PM me, thanks!
Eric

Now that sounds neat... not destroying the original look yet adding the convenience of FM hidden away from sight. Wish more people did this.

Eric


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I am sure uniform styles changed over the years and it would help to know the decade at least you are looking for (year of car being used)?

I was able to see enough of the below book online to be even more confused. It does not show the "Front Wheel Drive" chassis but shows a "Prototype" V-12 with rear wheel drive and a frame that was used on the following 1933 models (without the odd swiss cheese side plate off the center axis) but not used on the 1932s small engine cars as it had a different X similar in look but did not stretch as far out.

The 1932 Super 8 and V-12 had that unique parallel bar X BUT the description in the text for the FWD seems to indicate a larger X design similar to that seen in the RWD prototype picture on page 402.

Then there is a vague entry about the 1932 chassis seen for the 1932 auto show that tends to be the smaller parallel bar X on the production 1932.

I am still waiting on some photos of the FWD and RWD cars to make a distinction between the two and reasoning why the smaller X was designed and only used one year?

Eric



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Hmmm... I will have to check on the custom models quote.

But I am still waiting on the validation as to what chassis was under the 1931 Packard FWD prototype... if it was the same as used on the production V-12 or different and...

If the 1932 design chassis was actually developed for the FWD car hence being only used one year?

Someone is supposed to be validating the FWD chassis layout part now and will post the results when I get them if somebody else doesn't first.


The X frame may be mundane for some but looking back over time, at one point there was a reason for them and then nearly every automobile produced in America between 1933-1959 had some variation of it... a few earlier and later exceptions such as GM cars stopping in 1960, some in 1964 and the Riviera in 1970. But there were others that continued even further such as the Checker until 1982, and backbone X variations such as DeLorean, and even Corvette. In foreign designs they go even earlier all the way to 1921 and later into the 2000s. It isn't only dedicated to automobiles but also trucks (including military vehicles) and there were a lot of outlandish variations patented but not produced.

The chassis is the foundation of pre unibody cars that held all of it together and deserves some recognition hence our gathering and preparing information for publication.

It can be both interesting and addictive when you get into this unique category of research.

Any help appreciated (and recognized)!

Thanks!
Eric

Thanks West, will be anxiously awaiting his reply.

Similar to my 1932 question but different...

Does anyone know if the 1931 Packard Front Wheel drive prototype used a 1931 chassis or the same used on the 1932 900 series Super 8 and V-12?

Is there a photo in the books of it?

Thanks!
Eric