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

Packard also offered the vacuum assist power top in 1940. Actually, it was standard equipment.

Too bad this car was "monkeyed with." As a REAL 160, it was certainly deserving to stand on its own merits even without the DE trim. The quality (based on photos) of what we see done wrong could have just as easily been done correctly. Why go through the trouble of painting the radio knobs, unless they are just make-do backyard remakes without the fine-tune feature.

Curious thing about those power-assisted convertible tops - they were only available for the coupes and not the convertible sedans. So you have to wonder how powerful the lifting mechanism was.

Vacuum directly off the manifold, with two lines going to each cylinder (one for the top of the cylinders and the other to the bottom of said cylinders).
Required vacuum is about 17 inches.

Well, I stand corrected on the VIN prefix part, but don't understand why they thought they needed it. Same body, same chassis, different trim. However, that one is a fake.

Checking again, the green is listed for the 160, as is maroon, blue, etc., but I still have my doubts about the radio. I cannot remember if the original green Multi-Tone job that crossed my way years back had a radio because there is nothing but junk on the airwaves and I don't care.
The dash knobs and heater controls are absolutely legitimate.

If you look in the data book it specifically lists two trim levels for the 160 and explicitly states the Deluxe level has the wood. So for this, given the crank Venti-Pane windows it is a legitimate 160. If the title says VIN 1279-xxxx then that takes care of that. If the DE was added because the title doesn't match the VIN plate that indicates either an acquired title or a another Packard mistake.

Friends

There used to be an extremely original '41 120 convertible in the Eastern Packard. The late owner, John Orintas, was the chauffeur for the original owner Mrs Chase, of Watertown , Connecticut (as in Chase Brass Co.).He was with her the day it was purchased and it was willed to him. Johnny passed away around the turn of he century so he was associated with the car for about 60 years

It is the two tone green scheme used on the car in the current discussion. The dash is some sort of combination of greens and perhaps cream, but not woodgrain. I haven't seen the car for about 15 years, but found it for sale on the internet about a year ago, in Chicago

A black 180 formal sedan was purchased at the same time and was owned by the late Jack Behn, also of the Eastern Packard Club. The last I know, it was in Ohio. I had he pleasure of driving this car partway to the Packard Centennial


The 1941 Data Book, 1941 Salesman's book, parts book, and mid year Dealer's color scheme updates have minor discrepancies in the exterior and interior color/trim combinations

Regards

John Harley

I remember the 41 "120" convertible coupe that John speaks of quite well. It appeared as original and unmolested as any car could be and it was indeed two tone, with painted dash. The printed company literature about such matters as paint and trim, etc. was put together well before production even began and I wonder if it remained true to what was actually produced as production continued.