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I've seen a couple of Packards with exterior sun/rain visors. Were those added later or from the factor?

thank you
Garrett Meadows

Not sure about prewar but postwar Packards had several different type visors as factory options. Here is the first acc photo I came by showing what the 22nd series could have had available for an owner wanting a well optioned car. Visor lines changed as the body styles changed.

There was also a thriving aftermarket. Just about any automotive related store or even the corner gas station could supply something. I remember growing up in my area there was a chain called Western Auto that had all kinds of aftermarket stuff for just about any car.

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First, I had completely forgotten about Western Auto. It used to be one of those all-purpose-stores, some of which even carried toys.

Second, thanks for the graphic of the visors. Those look similar to the ones I've seen not only on Packards, but various other cars.

Today's younger people, and quite a few of us older guys, would find thumbing through an old J.C. Whitney catalog a fascinating way to kill a few minutes. I learned an awful lot from this Chicago company when I was a young, car-loving lad. Back in the late 50's and early sixties, you could see representation of hubcaps, bumper guards, seat covers and these windshield shades for virtually any American car produced in the previous ten years or so. If you wanted to know the difference between a 1952 and 1954 Packard tail light lens, the JCW pages would tell you.

The prices charged are also another reason to look back with wonder. No such thing as a credit card, you would quickly become aware how C.O.D. worked and how your mailman would quickly become your best friend and delivery agent. Another source of amazement for me is the plethora of "miracle" formulas and devices that claimed to cure almost anything automotive.

If you come across one of the older J.C. Whitney catalogs at a swap meet, snap it up and be prepared for lots of fun remembering how cheap and easy some things were 40-60 years ago. You'll learn a lot and smile a bit. It's been a while since I could buy that automatic, pneumatic ash tray for a Packard or a Hudson. Without JCW, I would have never started buying a Kozak Dry-wash miracle cloth. Both still exist today. Alas, no more Atomic Miracle devices to change water into a super fuel.

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Another hoot is reading thru some of the ads in old Popular Science or Popular Mechanics magazines. Aside from all the miracle items you could buy for the car or house, some of the get rich quick schemes would make many of todays look tame.

I'll be 50 next year.
I remember Western Auto but what's a "Hoot"

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I'm showing my age again but it was a favorite expression of my grandmothers so maybe used more in her generation or maybe was more regional. Generally meant something or some idea was so outlandish you would hoot and holler from disbelief. That was if you could still catch your breath while you were laughing so hard at whatever was suggested.

We used to kill time in school by reading the JCW catalogs in the library. My favorite item was the "tire regroover" - no tread left? Just cut some new grooves!

Now that was a hoot!

LOL. A while back I called something "a hoot" in group of friends and was asked the same thing, "What's a hoot"?

Do you know what a "humdinger" is? I characterized a bachelor party I went to recently as a "humdinger" and my son wanted to know what I was talking about.