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

I've got a few broad questions for you experienced Packard folks. I'm an experienced "old car guy" who's considering whether to dive into the Packard world, and if so, which one. But first, I need to know about the parts situation.

Now, I've been messing with '55-57 Chevys for about 25 years. I can take one apart and put it back together. I know what's correct and what isn't, down to finding discrepancies between various pieces of factory documentation.

But - I've got this thing for pre-war Packards.

True story: When I go to a car show like the big AACA show in Hershey, PA, I'm always careful to walk down each row instead of skipping around. But - when at Hershey, I've been known to walk right by a Duesenberg to go look at a Packard. This has happened more than once. So, I guess I know what I like!

For purposes of this discussion, let's focus on 2 groups of Packards: those built around 1929-32, and those from about 1936-39.

In both cases, I prefer the smaller Packards - the earlier 626, 633, 733, etc. and the later 110, 115, and 120 (depending on whether you want a 6 or 8 cylinder). For years, I've tended to be drawn to the late '30s models, but in recent years, the late '20s/early '30s ones are really catching my eye. Hence the following question.

Doing some digging around, it looks like the parts situation for the late '30s Packards is much better than the earlier ones. Parts seem to be reasonably available, and the prices not too staggering. The earlier ones however, are another story - tough to find, and even tougher to pay for. Is that an accurate assessment?

I see that Egge still carries engine kits for the late '20s (bring your checkbook, but it's available). But, there's a host of other stuff - ignition parts, brake parts, kingpins, bearings, clutches, etc. Where do you find that stuff for the circa 1930 models, and how bad are the prices? (I've seen people on eBay asking $300 for a distributor cap . Sorry, that's a little rich for my blood.) Also, are any metal trim parts reproduced, or do you just have to find good used ones? What about other reproduction parts - knobs, switches, rubber parts, etc.?

And - who are your favorite parts vendors for each of these cars? It looks like Kanter and Max Merritt are the biggest vendors. Would it be an exaggeration to say "they call the shots" as far as parts availability? Are there other major suppliers for Packard-specific parts? Any that you "check with him first" versus "check with him as a last resort"?

How would you gauge the overall trends in parts availability? Is the supply improving, declining, or about the same over the past decade or two? Likewise, what is the trend in parts prices?

Finally, what are the pros and cons of the "junior" Packards of each era? Are there "known problems" I need to be aware of?

While I really like both eras of Packards equally well, getting behind the wheel of a few for sale may make up my mind. Having driven Model A Fords, I'm familiar with manual spark advance and unsynchronized transmissions. But, it's not yet clear which era I'll like better from behind the wheel as opposed to standing in front of it.

So, I'm looking for advice and constructive criticism. Thanks in advance!

Welcome to Packardinfo!
I don't have all the answers for you but start with the difference between the early 30's models and the late 30's junior line is that of the early 30's models there were only a few thousand made and the 110,115, 120 models altogether over 200,000 (I haven't added all up to be precise). So there's a lot more parts available for reasonable prices and you can pick up cars for parts every now and then. The Flackmaster on this forum has an impressive amount of parts build up for the junior line and you'll find a lot of folks here with an almost unlimited amount of knowledge (just don't tell us that you'll drop a SBC in a Packard )

BDC, just so you know - I don't do modified cars. It's not my thing. (Yeah, that makes me an oddity in the '55-57 Chevy crowd.)

And, when it comes to pre-war street rods, nothing makes me cringe more than a Packard street rod. I don't like Ford and Chevy street rods, so when I see Packard street rod, all I can think is - hey guy, did you REALLY have to do that???

So, you need not worry about me stuffing a 350 crate motor in a Packard.

The way I figure it is - if I don't like the way the factory built a given car, then maybe I should buy something else.

Thanks for the info on the overall production figures. That's something I hadn't checked into yet.

Check on the left side here under "Packard model info" and it shows every year model and body style with production numbers.

Hi megamotorhead,

I've long felt the same way about Packards, and would have provided a similar list of favorites. After doing some of the same research, I decided that parts availability notwithstanding, I preferred the aesthetic and was going to look for a 6th-8th series car.

I ended up with a 5th series after finding the right car for the right price (5-26 sedan), which was older than planned, but has been a joy to own thus far. What I've learned though, is that you'd better get used to Kanter and others telling you they don't have what you're looking for.

There were more than 28,000 5th series cars made from 27-28, so I can only imagine that once the depression set in and those figures plummeted, you're going to have an even harder time finding parts for the 6th-8th.

My car was a basket case when I bought it, and without access to a machine shop and NC milling machine, it still wouldn't be on the road. Consider that much of what you may need will either have to be reconditioned or fabricated outright.

Here's my list of on-line parts resources:

- www.classicaccessories.org/
- www.americanarrowcorp.com
- julrichpackard.com/parts_inventory.htm
- www.kanter.com/packard/pac-sen.html
- ken-thornton.com/p_srparts_ti.html
- www.customautoservice.com/
- www.packardsinternational.com/partsforsale.html
- www.ebay.com (of course)
- www.maxmerrittauto.com/
- www.classicandexotic.com
- classiccarmotoroil.com/products.php
- www.vintageandclassicreproductions.com/packard.htm

All of this said, I'd buy it again and I'm still looking for the right 8-26 :)

G'day megamotorhead,
to PackardInfo and, WHEN you find your Packard, I invite you to include it in the Packard Owner's Registry.

Thank you, 28Pack526 - that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for.

I haven't seen any 826s yet, but here's a nice looking 833:hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/packard/unspecified/1650036.html . Of course, that may be more than you want to pay (it's certainly more than I want to pay).

Ozstatman - thank you, and if I do buy a Packard, I'll be sure to let everyone know.