Well, I finally bit the bullet. I'd been looking at a Packard for some time now, but hesitating because it was in Iowa, and I'm currently in Italy. It's a 1937 115c touring sedan, running and driving, mostly complete. Good interior, and something I can drive for while and then fully restore when my schedule is better. I bought it for $4500, and think I did well.

Headed back stateside in 3 weeks, I'll pick it up and tow it to CT where I'll have 6 months to get it running and driving before I have to move again.

Found out that Idaho (my permanent state of residence) will let me register the car with a license plate of the same era. So, my first purchase for my 74 year old car is a 74 year old plate!

Pretty excited, trying to do some research right now- the first task will be to finish the roof- the cotton batting and rubberized canvas is missing. After that the plan is a basic tuneup, replace the windshield, and evaluate all of the safety items- tires, brakes, wipers, lights, etc. The car runs, drives, and has a fairly complete interior, so I'm pretty excited about it!

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@Guscha- no, I'm headed backed to Groton, CT in just a few weeks. I'll pick the car up in (in Iowa) early March and spend this summer working on it. I don't know where I'll be going come September, so that will determine if I keep working on it or have to park it for a few years

JW,

Pics below. I haven't seen it person yet, but I have a trusted agent! Long story short, there are some challenges to having this hobby and being in the military. As you can see in the second pic, I have to finish the roof insert too. One more question- was a remote oil filter standard (i.e. is mine missing) or an option. The engine bay of another 115c showed a remote oil filter on the drivers side front of the motor. Thanks!

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Hello! So, I just closed the deal on a 1937 Packard 115 touring sedan. I won't be picking it up until March, but here is the deal:

It is running and driving. Needs a headliner, carpet, and probably tires soonest, plus a windshield.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Windshield I can just get cut by a local company (since it's flat glass).

For tires- thoughts? I was looking at Diamondback wide whites. I know whites weren't factory on the 115, but my wife is really excited about white wall tires, and if she's excited about my 75 year old car, so much the better for me. Anybody have different sources? Diamondback sounded pretty good, but I want to shop around.

For headliner and carpet, I was thinking Kantor, but haven't done much research.

Long term-

Was overdrive ever an option on this car? I want to keep it stock, but long-term we'd like to take a few longer (but slower) road trips in the car.

Paint- all my research seems to indicate that this car was only offered with monotone paint. Was two tone ever a factory option? Also, I found a good listing of paint colors on another site, but haven't found anything correlating interior colors with exterior. Anyone have a good resource for that?

I'm really excited about the project, and when I pick it up in a few weeks, I'll get a blog started. Thanks!

I've got the hardest part done- my wife now thinks we should get it.

Hopefully the price hasn't changed, should know by Friday. I just got orders back stateside, and I'll be able to pick the car up in early March, just in time to get it running and cruising in the summer.

39Six-

When I was in college, I bought a POS 1953 Willys Wagon with a Chevy 265 V8 that didn't run well enough to go home. After I boiled the tank and got a new carb and drove it on the temp tags for three months, I found out that the crook who sold it to me didn't have the right title, so I went a little crazy- Chevy drive train, 1 ton axles, and huge tires. It was a lot of fun, but the project got sidelined because I was tired of a 2 week fab job everytime a little widget broke and it was too extreme to do much except go offroad.

All that being said, I'm pretty excited to have a stock car that I can drive- the Willys wagon drove great stock for a few months, but I was always thinking about what it wouldn't drive over with those little tires. The Packard I can leave stock and just enjoy- nothing to drive over, and the body is a LOT better- the Willys is mostly held together with rust and bondo.

According to the owner, and a guy who looked at it a few years back, the car is pretty rust free. I think the floor boards will be fine, based on that, but it looks like the running boards aren't. I guess my question wasn't very clear. Perhaps it should read: are replacement panels for running boards easy to come by, or are they simple enough in design to make welding in sheet metal of the proper gauge a reasonable proposition.

Thanks to all for the wealth of info- I should know within a few weeks if this beauty will be mine.

The offspring cd of that name did rock, but I prefer Smash...

Thanks for all the stories, I appreciate hearing that I'm not the only "youngster" out there digging Packards.

Any thoughts on questions 2 or 4?

... oh... And when I say working on buying a Packard, that mostly means working on convincing my wife.

Last two.

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More pics... hopefully they'll upload this time.

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So, I'm working on purchasing a 1937 115 touring sedan. I'm 28, so I think this will make me one of the youngest Packard owners this millenium. Since my last name is Packard, it seems like a good fit.

I haven't seen the car in person yet, but I have some pictures. From those pictures come a few questions:

1. Are those taillight and headlight buckets orignal? I thought one of the design cues of the Junior Packards was raised ridges on the headlight and tail light buckets? Was that the 120 only?

2. Anyone know if the interior is original based on color? Is there an upholstery guide somewhere?

3. The roof is missing- I've received some excellent help from this forum on how to repair that. Given that, are the pieces of metal in the backseat presumably the trim pieces for the soft roof insert?

4. It looks like the front fenders and floorboards have some rust. I'll get an extra set of fenders (clean) with the car, but not floor boards. Anyone ever patched the floorboards? I'm pretty handy with a wirefeed welder.

I'm hoping I can get this car; it runs and drives, and it seems to be pretty darn complete for a 73 year old car. The old gentleman who is selling it seems to be having a hard time deciding a price. I live in Italy right now, but I'll be stationed stateside again next spring.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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