I agree with Darrin, I have had a couple of original 41s and the hood latch paint has been body color, beyond that I have about 20 sets of latches and about 3/4 of them have non black paint on them. I also did a lot of research on 41s as I was restoring my Bohman & Schwartz limo, especially looking at original cars and found them to be body color, along with the paint in the side grills. Often there is body color paint when you take the emblem off also.

Mal, If you send me an email, I can tell you a bit more. Dave packard12s@hotmail.com

Hi Mal,

Thanks for the welcome. I try to help, but sometimes I get busy and need reminding! Listing all the Packards I can do, telling all the stories may take me some time - but there are some fun tales. How are your projects coming?

Take care,

Dave

Hi, One of the 734 phaetons is comfortably resting in my showroom until spring if you want any dimensions from it. I also have some photos that I can send and I can send you a photo of the lock ring safety locks - there are small pins that are screwed into each end of the ring as West says, and they are drilled for pins (cotter), and that holds a small lock plate. I would guess that the front fenders might be the same as the 745. The bumpers and "bumperette" vertical ties are different than 745, and may be like 733. The tires are a half size smaller - 650/19 rather than 700. West is right the top of the body line is much lower also. On the open cars there is a cast metal trim piece that caps the doors and wraps around the cowl above the dash, and on the phaeton it also caps the rear of the front seat. On at least part of the cars this was chrome or nickle and some cars may have had this painted. There are very, very few "real" and complete 734s left, so if you see a photo of one, it may or may not be correct. Don's car is of course one of the few. I have the parts book supplement for the 734s and I can look up and see if the hood is the same as 745.

The story of the Speedsters is particularly fascinating to me, and they are way up on the list of my favorite cars. Col. Vincent went to Europe and went for a ride with W. O. in one of his supercharged Bentleys and was impressed, then on to France and a ride in a supercharged Bugatti with Ettore, and he was impressed, then on to Stuttgart and a ride in an SSK with Rudi Carraiciola and was so impressed he ordered an MB to have in Detroit to study and drive. He then designed a supercharged Packard and used it himself. However the supercharger was complex and he tuned the big 8 in various ways to get almost as much or more horsepower as the Europeans - 145 - without the supercharger. If not for the great depression we might have seen a Speedster, even a supercharged version at LeMans. These cars are incredibly fast and nimble for 1930. Email me at packard12s@hotmail.com if I can help you. Dave