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I just joined this forum recently and thought I should introduce my Packard and myself. My Packard is a 1940 110 Sedan. It is in fair shape, but it is not currently running. It was given to me a few years ago by my Grandparents in hopes that I would eventually get it running again. I recently got excited about restoring it and I hope to get it running so they can enjoy it.

I am 22 and have just graduated from college with my bachelors in Engineering Physics. I am from southern New Mexico, but this summer I am working for General Motors in Michigan at the Milford Proving Grounds as an intern in the Hybrid group this summer. I hope to work here full time if jobs are available.

Anyway, I have already tapped into some of the vast knowledge in this forum and I look forward to start working on my Packard in the first week of August (my internship ends next week). I will be sure to start a blog and ask lots of questions!

Thanks and I look forward to being a part of this forum.

-John

John-

Welcome to the forum! You have a great education ahead of you, learning from all the great Packard experts here on this forum. If anybody can help you get it running again, its people found on packardinfo.com It sounds like you are going to have alot of fun with GM! It must be an exciting time in your life to be heading off to Michigan and be part of the growing technology boom into Hybrid cars.

Be sure to put some pics up, and of course enter your Packard into the owner registry.

John: A big wlecome to the forum

Please besure and register your Packard.

John F. Shireman

John,

to the site. There's a wealth of information and experience here you can tap into. It's also good to see a young guy getting into Packards. As the guys said, make sure you put your '40 into the Owner Registry. And could you please include a pic and it's history, if known?

Thanks for the warm welcome! I will be sure to add my Packard to the registry when I get some pictures of it. I'll also sit down with my grandparents to hear the history of the car. It should be interesting! Thanks for the suggestion.

When I start ordering parts, where is a good place? Out of places like Max Merrit, Kanter and Tucson Packard, which ones are the best to work with? I'm excited that Tucson Packard (packardpartsonline.com) will be close enough to travel to if I need a part quickly. Does anybody have experience with them?

I just remembered another question I have. Is there a place on the internet (or this site) that has documented part interchangeability? For example, I assume that my 110 engine is the same as all other 110 engines. Am I right? And other than the engine, are 120 parts interchangeable with 110 parts?
What about Packards using the same parts as other manufacturers?

I am also wondering if there are common problem areas on the 110. What are things to look out for and are there good upgrades I should perform to make my Packard more reliable?

Thanks for your help!

-John

Upgrades is a subject which gives rise to considerable controversy, alleged advantages of the upgrades versus destroying authenticity and to some, destroying value. I'll let others go one way or the other on that topic, but note that your Packard was an extremely reliable car when new, so no upgrades are going to make a correctly restored and maintained car significantly more reliable than when new, with the possible exception of tires. And if you do decide on some upgrades, retain the original components so a later buyer could restore the originality if he was so inclined.

The 110 engine was basically the same unit throughout it's production lifetime (37 thru 48 (taxis only in 1948) and some later use in light-duty White trucks and some conversions in the 50s to Packard marine engines. Parts are generally plentiful. Many body parts interchange with the 120, as do some interior and exterior trim parts.

Thanks for your insight, Owen_Dyneto. I intend to restore the car to original but if, for example, a more modern head gasket that fixes a notorious blown head gasket problem is available, I would like to use the newer gasket.

It is comforting to hear that my 110 was very reliable when new. It sounds like all original factory parts worked as intended. If that's the case, I intend to use all original parts.

Looking at parts prices it makes me happy that my Packard is a 110. Generally their parts are the cheapest! That is a good thing since this is my first restoration.


-John

P.S. What color is Packard Blue? I think that's my Packard's original color.

John, Packard Blue is a very, very dark blue almost black. Sort of the color of the US Navy dress blue uniform. I believe it was offered as a standard Packard color from as early as 1910. You can see a sample in the paint chip section of this website for the 1941 Packards.
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?c16/228

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I have bought parts from all of the vendors you mentioned and all have given me good service. I just want you to be aware things like tune up parts and bearings and seals can often be bought from generic auto parts suppliers like NAPA or a bearing supply shop etc. for less that the Packard vendors. By checking the Parts X reference section of this site, by posing a question here as to what modern part number is needed or if you can find a patient saleperson, at NAPA for example, to research the original part numbers you can often save some money and time. For example I recently purchased a new ignition rotor for a 1949 Packard for 1/2 the price of one of the main Packard vendors by using a part number supplied by a member of this site thus also saving shipping costs and waiting time. If you have the time and are patient quite often the parts you may need show up on Ebay but be mindful that often they sell for more that the part can be bought from the Packard vendors so research the prices before bidding.