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After searching for a replacement lighter for my 39 120, I've found a good one and have installed it in the dash. I learned that there was a "cat's eye" model that was used on some Packards of that era - it had a brown lens that when the lighter was hot, the eye would glow. In my search, I found the top(knob)to a cat's eye model, but it is different from the standard types - it has female threads, rather than the usual male that attaches it to the lighter. Does anyone have any experience with how it attaches to the lighter mechanism? It would be fun to have it working. See the photos below. thanks

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That link given in this postpackardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... orum=1&post_id=76459#forumpost76459 may be of interest to you in their lighter section. They show some different ones for sale.

Cat's eye lighters were used on Senior Packards up to '34 as I recall. The one you have pictured is typical of the era but does not look like Packard to me. Memory a bit fuzzy.

O_D???

The picture below shows the "cat's eye" lighters from my 1934 Eight; the one with the large head went in front on the dash and was sized and styled to match the starter switch button on the opposite side of the panel, chrome to match the rest of the dash trim. The smaller head ones (nickel or German silver) are from the rear smoking sets. I believe the same ones were used thru 1936 in the Super 8, again uncertain about the Twelve, but some senior cars had cat's eye type at least thru 1939.

Sorry, not much familiarity with the cigar lighters of the later years and can't help with the question at hand though I believe somewhere I may some interior pictures of a 39 Twelve, if they show anything useful I'll post.

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The cat's eye lighter with brown "eye" is correct for Packard around 1939-42 (original posters photo). The lighter on the left, I've seen, but don't know what it would be for. I don't know much about the Junior models. The cat's eye lighter top would have to mount to a specific-made base.

Rear smoking set from an unmolested 1939 Twelve limo. Sorry, picture of the front lighter wasn't clear. So I guess you could check a Twelve parts book, get the Packard part #, and then see what other 1939 models used the same unit?

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One more picture I found, front lighter from a 1938 Eight (a/k/a "120"), also an essentially unmolested original. It's also a "cat's eye". This and the other pictures I've posted here are from the PAC Forum, under "Packard Photos", and then the thread "Original Detail Features". Please contribute to that archive of original features if you've got some good pictures of features that you know are authentic.

packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=686

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Re: pic in post #6 above.

Odd that the ashtray has no lid of cover over it. Unless my screen resolution is too poor to see a cover.

Odd that the ashtray has no lid of cover over it. Unless my screen resolution is too poor to see a cover.

I guess it's what you expect. I've never considered it odd, but typical of rear smoking sets in most luxury cars of the era. They didn't call it a cigar lighter for nothing. By 1941 and perhaps a year earlier the rear sets did have covers, at least in the senior series. The 34 front ash receiver has a cover (2nd photo, top center). 1st photo is the rear smoking set from a 34 Eight same as Super Eight.

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The picture of the 38 dash illustrates the correct lighter for 37-39 junior cars. 40 went to a plastic knob. It is not the same as the 34 dash lighter, or any of the rear lighters. I should have this correct "cat-eye" lighter if your checkbook is up to it. $125 for a little parcel in your mailbox.