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

An interesting and not-often-seen document recently came my way, a Proving Grounds Test Certificate for a 1935 Twelve. Does anyone know when Packard ceased giving each Twelve the 250 mile test drive? If they ever did?

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OD,
Saw that on the PAC site, was going to ask there, but since it's here;

Is that car or engine on the certificate still around?

That is an interesting find.

Hello Owen:

That is a really HANDSOME item you acquired. Can't say as I have every seen one.

Only three 1935 model 1208, 834 sedans are listed in the PAC Directory, none are listed in the CCCA Directory and since PI stopped publishing a directory we don't know how many would be in that group.

Wonder if this certificate is attributable to any of the 3 listed in PAC.

That is one cool artifact!

Neat and rare certificate. Could it be duplicated and sold as a fund raising item for the proving grounds foundation? I'll take one.

(o{}o)

Hello JW:

Great minds think alike.

I have an e-mail on its way to Owen-Dyneto right now asking permission from him to do exactly as you suggest. That is, use it for a fund raiser for the PPG.

Now he will hear it in stereo. I appreciate your lobbying effort.

--Roger--

Roger, I would like to see this project come to life. The PPG needs all the support it can get. Please let me know if there are any foundation fund raising items you would like for me to sell at the Texas Packard Meet in Salado. Should be easy enough to ship the items to me and I would take them to the Meet and raise a few buck for the cause. The Meet is April 4-6. Better yet, come on down yourself!

(o{}o)

I thought the proving ground break in ended with the 1934 Twelves, and starting in 1935 they just ran the engines on a dynometer for several hours.

Back in 1982, the PAC National Meet was held in Detroit. On judging day, out at the Proving Grounds, everybody who wanted to could drive their Packard on the test rack, and after the lap was completed, they were handled a reprint of the 1932 test certificate, signed by Irv Weiss, chassis engineer for the 120s. He was in his 90s at the time, I believe.

I was in my 1s, like literally 1. I'm still jealous, wish I could have been there to see that back then.

I thought the proving ground break in ended with the 1934 Twelves, and starting in 1935 they just ran the engines on a dynometer for several hours.

1508: Based on this certificate, that evidently was not the case. Typically in this era the senior 7-pass sedan was about 8% at best of total production (perhaps a bit higher for the Twelves) so, unless the production of these were campaigned early in the year (pretty unlikely?), this would be a very late car, probably one of the very last 834s. So it's a reasonable assumption that the 250 mile test drive at least continued thru the end of the 12th series Twelve run.

JW: I'm glad the certificate has proven interesting. I've responded to Roger's email about a possible PPG project. I'm all in favor of projects that can raise money for the PPG. However, the image I posted is a good quality reproduction made for me by the owner of the original. Whether he would make his (or high quality scans of it) available for a project is a question only he an answer, and also I'd not be comfortable offering the copy he made for me without his permission. I'll pursue the topic with him next time we speak.