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Hello All,

I'm in need of some help with what to use for a front end for my 39 Packard. The body style is a 120, I'm wanting to to do the build as a resto rod. Keeping the out side of the car as true as I can but with new tires and rims. On the inside though I want to update everything to what we have today. Power steering, be a manual and I'm also wanting to put in hand controls that my wife can use to drive, with her being in a wheelchair. That being said can anyone tell me a front end I can use on the Packard frame that will let me use coil over springs and so on? I thought a mustang ll (bolt on or weld in) front end would work but when I talked to 3 different places that sold them they say they would not work. Due to how the old springs attached to the car. My budget over all is whatever I can throw at it every year with taxes till she's done. Due to the cost and idea I have a hard time wanting to cut the frame and just weld in a whole nother frontend. Any help with this would be great.

Adam

We're not ignoring you, just have no idea. You are pretty much stuck with cutting the front of the frame off because of Packard's unique lower control arm style.

You could just keep the original and rebuild it for less than a Mustang 2 kit and achieve power steering by using an electric power steering module from a late model something in conjunction with the original box.

Thanks for the reply, I can show my brother your idea. He's the car guy, but we have already taken off frt and rear end including all the brackets. She down to the frame, trying to build her back up.

Also, respectfully, I think most people on this site do not support modifying Packards. We tend to do our best to keep them original as we see ourselves as caretakers for the next generation.

Good luck with your project.

I tend to agree that restoring old Packards should be the goal but since some people are going to restomod cars, I will throw in my two cents .
Putting a new front end on your car does not begin to solve your problems. The car you are working on is over 80 years old and the technology is not only primative but is impacted by time and use.
If you want to take an old car and not make it dangerous to yourself or others, do it right.
Take the body off tje frame and have someone with engineering and building experience create a whole new frame with the four wheel disc brakes, power assisted rack and pinion steering and mounts for whatever drive train you choose. Install all new fuel and brake lines and a new wiring harness for the accessories you plan to install. Outfits like the Roadster shop can probably provide a custom frame for under $20,000.
You still have the drive train, body and paint work , wheels, tires, chrome and upholstery to consider.
If you and your brother can do most of the mechanical , body and paint work yourselves, you may be able to put it together for under $50-60,000.
That is dramatically less than having a shop like you see on Velocity TV do it for you. I think I read that Kendig of Bitchin Rides units normally run.over $250,000. Yours will probably not be as nice.
These are cars that are going to be driven on public roads and unless you have the welding and mechanical skills to do it right, you may well end up with something that is more dangerous than an original vehicle without seatbelts, airbags, rollover control, ABS and all of the other safety innovations that we now take for granted..
These cars are not particularly safe in restored condition but operators take that into account.
If you want a safe and reliable car, you can buy a used BMW 7 or Audi 8 series that sold for nearly $100k a few years ago for little more than you will pay for the custom frame. Take the rest of the money and have some fun rather than trying to recreate the wheel.
If you have the time, money and skills, restomods are great but they require all three .
Stay safe
RJR

What ewrecks has said is gospel truth.

Agree...Our 1949 Deluxe, 'Miss Prudence' is a great deal of fun...Just as Packard built her...Even if she is one Plump Lady...Ernie in Arizona

But thousands of pounds of pure glamor!

G'day Adam(darklestat79), to PackardInfo.

Althought the vast majority here are "purists", there is still room for those who have modified their Packard to some extent or other. After all, there is a Modification Discussion Forum here on the Website.

And, I invite you to include your '39 120 in the Packard Vehicle Registry.

Thanks Ozstatman,

It seems like you can see where I'm coming from. After the "purists" comments I felt a little chastised by the others for wanting my car to be built how I feel it should be built. It sat in a local junkyard for 4 yrs before a friend told me about it. Who knows what it's life was like before that. Though it must have been loved, as much as I enjoy having her and even more when she's done. Long and short I have a hotwheel from when I was 6 of a 2 door 1940 ford. Since I was a kid I always said that is the kinda car I wanted by the time I retire. And I always wanted to build it with my brother. With the Packard I got 4 doors rather than 2 and their suicide ones. Only other thing different between the 40 ford and the Packard is the hump back and the head lights.