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

Custom Body Builders of the Classic Era needed parts supplied to them.

Three major sources of lumber to the custom body builders in New York City were J. F. Murphy Lumber Company, Moore Brothers Inc, and Charles F. Hofferberth. The three firms supplied second growth white ash.

Hofferberth was located at West 22nd Street in New York City and had drying kilns located right on the premises.

John F. Shireman

Old man Ford bought up thousands of acres of standing timber land in KY and TN during the 20's and 30's. Mostly ash and other hard woods.

Old man Ford had a wood working plant in Michigan's upper pennsula, My mother went to a CCC camp and danced in a square dance (with others, as is the custom) with the great man.

He used to also take all the wood scraps from the body building process and make his own charcoal to take on his camping trips. He was an avid camper.

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As the story goes, Ford had a man named Weber working for him. Weber got the idea of making charcoal out of the wood scraps. Later Weber started his own business of making grills to use the huge amount charcoal being produced. This was the beginning of Weber BBQ grills. This may not be precisely how it came about, but generally correct.

(o {} o)

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This is also the origin of "Kingsford" bbq briquet's. Says so right on the bag, lol.

Seat springs and cushions for the majority of custom body builders was supplied by the F.R. Atkinson Spring Company of Hamburg New York.

John F. Shireman

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Special 40th anniversary of the Packard, Automotive News Annual
BigKev 2008/10/9 12:10
This is special issue of Automotive News commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Packard Motor Car Company in 1940. Packard provided hardbound personalized copies, with the dealer or distributor's name imprinted on the cover of this special issue, for use of their sales and service staff, and for display in their show rooms and customer waiting areas. It is interesting in that there is a good history of the Packard Motor Car Company to that time. Also interesting are the advertisements from vendors to Packard and other businesses in the automobile industry congratulating the company on its accomplishments.

For those interested, this publication has ads from many Packard vendors, which probably supplied parts to custom coachwork companies as well.


(o {} o)

Bronze castings for windshield and door posts were supplied almost exclusively to Derham Co. of Rosemont, Pa. and LeBaron of New York, by Rostand Manufacturing Co. of Milford, Con.

Ownen; I made the correction the mistake on Derham can be blamed on my spell checker. Don't delete your post pointing the origanl error.


John F. Shireman

JW, I am confused. Are you saying Packard celebrated their 40th anniversary in 1940? How did they then celebrate their 50th nine years later in 1949?