Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Were there any specific areas tending to severe corrosion weakness on the 21st series bodies, other than the usual suspects in older and not very well rustproofed cars? What areas should be examined particularly closely for lack of integrity and/or are known to be a problem area on these cars?
My own experience is exclusive to '55 & '56s. Thanks for any advice.

Aside from the typical areas on all Packards, one specific area to check on the 47 is in the trunk. The very rear of the floor at the junction to the vertical panel below the lid has about a 1/4" gap which is sealed with some kind of material. That sealing material had failed or hardened and chunks came out on mine. It appears moisture can run down and collect between the floor and the vertical panel and rust away.

On this car, it appears to me the gasket at the lid top had cracked, shrank & came uncemented and water had run over the channel to get in the trunk. I had a couple of minor areas round the gas tank filler channel and another just in front of the spare tire well but big damage in that vertical panel area.

I found some minor damage in those box like affairs at the front behind the side grills.

Thanks Howard!
Does the area where the suspension attaches to the body via spring shackles tend to be an issue? How about the rocker panel/sills, frame, floors... known to be corrosion prone, or not so much? Any other 21st Clipper owners?

Just this morning, I retrieved my 2106-2122 from the body shop to replace rockers and repair front splashers. My car started life in Pennsylvania, so spent a while with salt and sand.

The rockers are attached to the pan with several doglegs that are formed from U-shaped steel. The rockers drop down from the floor, about even with the bottom of the frame. The bottom and sides of the U must have really caught road junk to the point that they had rusted all the way through and also through the backside of the rocker. Also, found rust holes in the front and rear of the rockers.

The other problem areas are the front splashers and fenders just under the headlights. This area is hard to illustrate, but parts 379263 and 379262 are intended to drain water toward channels and a hole in the center of 378735. The top right of these splashers actually bends downward to drain to the center. In front of the wheel, you can reach up and forward at the top of the fender and check for rust on these parts. Mine had rusted through and had rusted a big hole at the bottom of the headlight bucket as well. Some really neglected Clippers actually have rust through the fenders right underneath the headlights.

I haven't worked my way back to the trunk yet, but Howard is right on, as usual. I recall seeing several Clippers with rusted trunks undoubtedly from a failed seal.

Good luck!

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Thanks Mark, the illustrations and description are very helpful!

I will second or third the comment about the trunk lid and its fit to the body. Mind has some minor rust in that area probably due to the rubber seal failing.

Here are some pictures of rust.
Wes

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Thanks Wesley.

I need to ask is this a parts illustration book and where can one get hold of this for a 1946 Packard Clipper

Thanks

Good question.

This is clearly a parts book illustration. The numbers referenced at the bottom of that page are clearly Group numbers for parts book sections on Radiator and Fenders and Running Boards, respectively.

However, this illustration does not appear anywhere in the 1941-1947 Packard Clipper Master Parts Book. That edition only offers an inside view of the assembled front fenders and splashers - in the midst of the Grouping for Radiator and Splashers (Gr. 30.874) in the Body section.

Also, Group 7.000 isn't even used in any of the postwar editions.

Therefore, this page must have come from an earlier printing, but nothing earlier than the 1942 model year - given the reference to 20th Series chassis numbers.