Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hello all been away for awhile.....lost a daughter and im just starting to get back on my feet again....the 41 seems to have been hit in the past. In rolling around underneath the 41 i noticed the clearance from the tire to the bottom of the front fenders are not the same probably 6 inches on the drivers side and 2 inches on the passenger side. The passenger door has a rubbing point by the top hinge when its almost closed still closes and latches and fits pretty well no sagging etc. Can i measure the frame in certian spots to see if its bent??? if so where?? Thanks Pat

Welcome back and condolences on your loss.

Perhaps others will have better information but as near as I can find Packard didn't provide any frame measurements in the usual service literature until the 22nd series. If they provided frame dimensions prewar it must have been on individual pieces of paper much like most of their accessory information. There are old books geared toward body repair shops for sale on ebay from time to time so perhaps one of those would have the info but that may just be wishful thinking.

The frames and numbers would be different pre and post war but you might check out the chassis section of the 46-50 manual available for download on the site and get an idea of the points they measured from. See if you could correlate any of that info to your frame. I would think if you have X distance on one side it should match on the other.

...as near as I can find Packard didn't provide any frame measurements in the usual service literature until the 22nd series


Howard, the 1937 and 1938 shop manuals provided frame dimensions in the last section for each of the 4 individual car series. The image below is from that source. I haven't looked thru the later prewar shop manuals to see if they continued the practice. But, assuming it's available, if they can't be found elsewhere the OP could almost certainly get his frame dimensions by ordering the appropriate blue print from the Proving Grounds.

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I stand corrected. I didn't see anything in the small 40-41 Preliminary shop manual reprints I have but if there is an 8 1/2x11 size version of the 40 or 41 manual in the format like the 37-38 or 38-39 manuals perhaps it will be in there. If not maybe the 39 info will be close in dimensions.

Thanks Guys

Frame dimensions for 1940 1803 and 1804

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Thanks guys