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

Hello, I need the weight distribution for my 1937 Convertible Coupe 120/8 cylinder.
What does the car weigh on the front axle and what on the rear axle. Greetings and thanks Mike

I don't have the answer at hand but it would be important to know whether the car has side mounts or not.

I do not see it in the Data Book. Base weight is 3485. Is the car balanced at 50-50? Not sure, but I'd guess no more/less than 55/45....

Anybody ever weigh theirs?

Very interested in finding this out for sure.
I suspect it is very front end heavy. 120 inch wheelbase, so the front 60 contains the straight 8 motor and transmission, the rear only a differential to offset. Brake assemblies and sheet metal are about the same across the car's length, with a slight bias to the rear given the doors and roof when folded back so I would not be surprised that that keeps everything still tilted to the front. I would be very interested in an actual wheel weight as it will likely show it as front end loaded.
When I had mine striped down to a rolling chassis I could easily pick up the rear end, actually had it teeter totter on me accidentally at times while on jack stands. Was able to lift and set the differential by myself, certainly not the case with the motor/tranny!
Bob J.

Most all front engine, rear drive cars carry more weight up front, especially if not carrying passengers and luggage.
Your 120 Packard powerplant weighs around 750 pounds. However, the body and rear axle are also heavy, and a portion of the engine/transmission weight is carried on the rear wheels, since the engine is almost entirely behind the front wheel hub centers, unlike modern cars. The car's overhang, which is the parts of the car that are ahead of the front axle, is much less than the rear overhang. You have more of the body behind the rear axle, and the rear bumper is farther back of the axle than the front bumper is ahead of the front axle. A non-sidemount 120 convertible coupe with a full tank of fuel, rumble seat, jack, etc and the spare in the trunk should have excellent front/rear weight balance, probably better than 60/40, and a whole lot better than most cars of the era. Anything located to the rear of the rear axles subtracts from the weight carried on the front wheels. The farther back it is, the more it subtracts. The 120 convertible coupe without sidemounts is among the best balanced cars of its time or any time. Side mount weight, if present, would be split between the front and rear wheels, and would not significantly affect the car's balance or center of gravity. The convertible coupe's center of gravity is substantially lower than that of the sedan bodies, and lower than average for cars of the era. I would not consider any modification of the car as concerns its weight distribution. It's far better than average, and about as good as it gets, assuming 50/50 is ideal, which may not be the case.

All I know is that the cars with sidemounts that come through here drive poorly compared to those without, regardless of body style.

In my opinion they also make the hood look shorter and are miserable for the mechanic. Can't imagine afflicting a perfectly good car with them. End of rant.

I'm guessing each sidemount and related parts would add about 100 lbs. Some portion of that weight would rest on the rear wheels. A 115 or 120 with sidemounts might benefit from adding 2 to 4 PSI to the front tire pressure. Personally, I would not add sidemounts to a 115 or a 120. I wouldn't take them off a 120 that was already equipped. I think the 115 and 120 coupes and convertible coupes look great without them, but to each his own.

Side mounts on a 37 115 were never an option. If a car has them, they were an owner-created conglomeration.

in germany, the weights must be entered in the registration. I will have to weigh it.

OK, that explains your concern about weight and weight distribution.

I can't speak for Germany, but over here, some jurisdictions would require a weight ticket from a certified scale to establish vehicle weight or weight distribution for a title or other official document.