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

For those of us lucky enough to have a sunny day with temps in the sixties (but heavy rains appear to be coming to cause travel headaches for the eastern U.S. before New Years), I am enjoying a spate of issue-free Packard driving, sometimes even with all of the windows down. The more frequently I drive her, the better she seems to behave. That includes the instant starting, Ultramatic shifting, Torsion-Level operating and even (I am crossing my fingers and knocking on wood as I say this) BTV operating.

The previous owner endeavored to drive her several times a month if roads were dry and salt-free. He maintained that all of his old cars seemed to enjoy being used and therefore caused much less trouble. I am carrying it a bit further with drives at least once a week, weather conditions permitting, and if it is likely to achieve full operating temperatures.

Is this consistent with your experiences? The only part that doesn't get regular exercise are the vacuum wipers. Since it's not a driven in the rain car, I have to spray the windshield manually to test the wipers. I do this every few months for reassurance.

It is important to run ANY engine for at least 30 miles round trip at sustained hiway speeds with out shutting off the engine until the 30 miles is complete. MOST important is to allow any gassoline engine to warm up to at least 120 degrees F before any driving except for maybe backing out of the garage.

THe post war high compression engines OF ANY mfg'er need to run a sustained 70 to 100 mph for at least 30 miles on some regular basis, say once every 3 months. Especialy if the engine is subject otherwise to alot of stopping, starting or short runs.

The absolute worst possible engine operation is failure to warm up engine for at least 3 full clock minutes, stopping and starting engine every 5 to 15 minutes (local errand running), or alot of short runs at low speeds under 50 mph.

The big V8's of the 50's and later were designed for sustained hard high speed operation and therefore do not lend themsleves well to any operating environment that mite resemble Harriet Nelson shuttling the kids to school or liesurely drive thru town to Tiffany's to buy a glass mushroom sculpture nor for Ozzie to just bop over to the country club to chase a little wihite ball around.

Dave, I drive my 47 every day rain or shine. If it is raining I make it a point to drive the Packard just so I can enjoy the two speed electric wipers. The Hudsons, Plymouth and Ford all have vacuum wipers and leave a lot to be desired. Love that Packard. Richie.

Collector cars, particularly V-8 Packards seem to subscribe to the

"use it or lose it"

paradigm. At least that's my experience.


Craig

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Without meaning to bogart the OP's thread...

You have 2-speed electric wipers? Did someone modify your 47 by adding these? Or was it a special factory option? I thought Packards didn't convert to electric wipers until sometime in the early '50's.

I have never seen vacuum wipers that keep wiping consistently under acceleration - I've only ever seen them slow way down. That's not practical in heavy, rainy conditions and who wants to worry about whether they'll be able to see in a rainstorm?

I have always been astounded manufacturers used vacuum-operated wipers for as long as they did. I would think the public would have demanded something better, much sooner.

Electric wipers (Stewart-Warner) were standard equipment on some models of Packard between 1941(?) and 1947. My recollection is that they were standard on the junior models in 1941-42 and the senior models 1946-47. Vacuum wipers were considered superior due to their simplicity and longevity and to their range of variable speeds and if yours slow down terribly under heavy acceleration, either the motor itself, the booster pump, or perhaps the engine manifold vacuum are sub-par. Working properly, the slow-down on heavy acceleration will be noticeable but just barely so.

Image below from the 1941 "120" owner's manual.

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Electric wipers were standard equipment 0n the following: 1940 110&120 one speed...1941 110&120&Clipper two speed....all 1942-46-47 two speed.

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Very interesting. I didn't know this. Thanks Owen_Dyneto and Darrin180.

No, I have yet to test the wipers on my 48, so I'll definitely look to get them operating like they're supposed to.