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It's nice to see not everybody is taking a grinder to the radiator shells on the 32-34 Packard eights and painting them over. Once the grinder hits the metal it's permanent non-original.

Tim, not sure I agree. IIRC the standard configuration was chrome shell and painted shutters for the Eight, chrome shell and shutters for the Super Eight, and painted shell and chrome shutters for the Twelve. For extra cost any configuration could be had on any model.

And though I generally like the chrome shell and painted shutters, there are some body styles and colors that look terrific with the painted shell which is legitimate.

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It was MUCH larger than the CCCA Experience last year. Example: this year Packard was featured and 110+ Packards showed up. In 2014 Cadillac/LaSalle was featured and 52 Cad/LaSalles showed up. In 2013 Chrysler was featured and a grand total of 23 Chrylers showed up. So Packard had twice the number of Cad/LaSalles and five times the number of Chryslers.

But that did not stop the CCCA guy from grumbling about how he expected the Packard Club to get more cars out for his CCCA show. Wished he would have just said "thank you".

The painted shell certainly makes the bonnet or hood look longer in profile. I've thought it curious that Packard reserved as standard painted shells for the Twelve, which probably had one of the longest hoods in the business at that time. A painted shell on my 1002 might fool people into thinking the car is more than it really is. I've also heard some horror stories and seen one or two shells with the copper showing through the chrome on the wide sides of the shell. The restoring owner of my car left the chromed shell in as-found condition for this very reason. It's the only piece of original chrome on the car's exterior. Maybe that's what is driving people to paint over chromed shells.

I've only seen one or two period photos of 32-34 eight cylinder Packards, save blacked out town cars, with painted radiator shells and those were custom bodies.

That option just didn't happen. I also see a lot of twelves that originally had the chrome shell being painted over as well.

So I really don't understand why people don't like the Packard radiator. I assume that they want the car to look more like a 33 Cadillac or a modern Chevrolet, or maybe a 1919 Packard. I don't understand it.

When the thing gets painted they take a grinder to it and put putty on it. After that any attempt at putting it back to original will look like crap.

It did happen. I've seen original Eights with the painted shell. I like it, because I don't like the heavy look of the chrome shell. Plus, as David mentioned, it makes the hood look so much longer and sleek. So, in my opinion, if it doesn't go back to chrome, that's a good thing.

I have to say though that whenever I see a 1932-34 Packard Eight or Super Eight with a painted radiator shell my first impression is that the owner is trying make his car look like a Twelve when it's not. What's worse is people chroming radiator shells, headlights and taillights on 1935-39 senior cars. I know a few did have it originally, but it just ruins the lines of the car.