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I recently purchased a 1932 Packard Light 8 shovelnose coupe from an estate. This car has been parked in a barn in Georgia since early 1980's. It needs total restoration and missing some misc. parts. I was informed by the executor of the estate that the engine was rebuilt within the last 5 years. I am currently going through proper procedures to get it running. The car is missing the serial number plate on the firewall. Like most prewar cars in Georgia it is registered using the engine number.

Engine number: 362471
Firewall stamped number: ◀️167708▶️

Is there any way I can find out what is the serial number of the car and who was the selling dealer? Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Al

Lucky you....many Packard guys were drooling over that car, wishing...
As for the data plate, unless you get very lucky researching the history/prior owners of the car that may still have details, probably not.

Thank you

If the wood is original on the golf club door you should find the serial number stamped on the wood. You would have to remove the leather covering to see it. Also, the number should be stamped on the bottom metal edge of the rumble seat lid. The first three digits will be 558-_ _ _. Both of those number should match and be the same number that was on the data tag on the firewall.

All coupes start with serial number 558. From what I have read the serial number for coupes start at 558-010 to 558-510. I think the coupe you purchased at the auction is only the 12th or 13th coupe I have either seen in person or seen a picture of.

Best of luck on the restoration, I should have proxy bid more!

Thank you for the valuable information. I will check out my car tomorrow to try to find the serial number in the two locations you mentioned. Thanks again.

Forgot to mention that the rumble seat lid will probably have to be off the car to see the stamped number on the edge. You cannot see it when the lid is closed and when the lid is open it will be facing the floor. Should be located on the edge near the center.

I am currently restoring a 900 coupe and came across number in both locations by accident. I was told that there were no numbers located anywhere on the car that corresponded to the firewall tag, so I was happy to come across them.

The highest number coupe I have seen is 558-492 delivered 6-2-32.

Th light eights are fantastic cars. A properly sorted light eight coupe will run circles around any other packard of 1932 besides the 1932 twin six roadster- and even then it would be a close race.

Currently looking for a front bumber and bumber bar for a light eight. Leads would be appreciated.

Just playing around with numbers in my theft-proof number database. Rather unique from what I can tell in Packard's entire history of using body serial or theft-proof numbers, it appears that the entire production run of the Light Eight had a single block of numbers dedicated entirely to the Light Eight. So doing a little interpolation between known 900-558 vehicles, it suggests the VN for Al's Light Eight might be in the range of 558-328, +/-. Assuming he can find the number, it will be interesting to see how accurate this guesstimate is.

Here are some photos of the numbers stamped in the rumble seat lid and golf club door on a light eight coupe.

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Damn you were close to guessing that number! At least now you can get a repo tag made since you know the correct and proven numbers.

Would love to see pics of the whole car.

Hello Paul, Thank you so much for spending time and reaserching for my car number. It is a miracle that you found these amazing photos. I tried to find these numbers but with poor lighting, I had no luck. I will try to remove the rumble seat lid tomorrow. I have couple of questions:

1. How in the world did you locate the actual photos of my car numbers? Was my car registered with Packard registry in the past? If yes, any knowledge about the original or previous owners?

2. Now that I know the actual car number, where do I purchase a reproduction plate?

Here is some information about my car:
This pancaked was Parker in a ban so many years. It is in need of extensive restoration. The frame and steel body panels are 100% rust-free. The body is missing some misc. trim pieces including. Rear bumper and brackets, radiator mascot, and couple of other things. I have the original luggage rack and brackets. The interior is gutted out. I have the seats and frames the wood is good for most parts but the sills are in poor condition. The car came with a crate with wooden slats containing a complete roadster convertible top frame that was sent out to be restored and has new wood tack strips. I have not opened the crate but I can see it through the slats. The strange part is that the date on the newspaper padding around the top frame is dated to July 1980. I was told that the previous owner was planning to convert this coupe to a roadster. He had started to disassemble the top part but in preliminary stage.
The drive train and suspension is all original. I was told by the agent of the state that the previous owner had the engine rebuilt a few years ago. I am trying to get it running. The engine is free. However, it appears that the starter is malfunctioning. I need to remove and have it rebuilt.

One more thing. They sold a 1933 or 1934 (?) packard 2 door sedan at the same estate, it needed full restoration. I was told the agent that at one point an X-mayor of Atlanta Issac N. Ragsdale had bought these Packards for him and his wife but can not confirm.

Considering the major cost of restoration of this amazing car, I have not decided what to do with it yet. I will get it running and should decide sometimes in January 2018.
Again, Thank you so much Al

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