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

Hi

Friends frequently email me period photos they find on-line of old cars and related, so I don't know where they found this one. But not only is it a typical repair garage but may well be Packard dealer's shop. No location was noted. The mechanics seem to be taking a break, at least to have their photo taken. Nice-looking Six convertible coupe, maybe a '28 526 or 533? Wish we could see more of the Packard on the right.

Steve

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When looking at pictures of old garages I am amazed at the poor lighting.

I can only see two light fixtures in these photos.

The mechanics must have eyes like eagles.

John

And I'm always taken aback by the barn like conditions of shops back then. Not only is there no lighting but with the exposed rafters and what appears to be roofing directly on top of them must make other working conditions interesting too. That kind of construction you would expect to see in the middle of rural America but also seemed to be fairly common in some photos of shops in cities and larger towns.

Those mechanics truly must be made of sterner stuff. Just think how it would be for a guy working in the dark and freezing or burning up at the same time. It is one thing to do that on your own car in your own garage for a few hours but I can truly say I would not want to do it all the time. Of course those guys might have been very happy to have a job of any kind.

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Hi

Noticed that too, eh Guscha? Smoking was one of the few 'pleasures' those rugged fellows were usually allowed. Guesses the "No Smoking" sign was more for the consumption of the insurance man than for the employees. The way cars burned oil then, it wasn't for concern about respiratory health.

A couple shops like that were still operating around here when I was a kid in the early '60's, set up during the Model T years. One had been a blacksmith shop from the horse-and-buggy day, still had the forge, machining tools run by the belt-and-overhead-pulley system. "Barn-like" and poor lighting was the general norm for most small town shops. Heating was always by a big old stove that burned whatever was cheap and handy: wood, coal, used motor oil, cut-up railroad ties, even old tires. The heat was a blast-furnace near the stove, pretty cold most anywhere else, all had open rafters like those in the picture. Some places had a good number of windows, others cave-like; the drop light was the mechanic's friend.

"Sterner-stuff" is a good characterization of those old-time mechanics, working under adverse condition, having to fix everything and anything that came through the door. The few that I knew were gruff but ultimately helpful and very knowledgeable and skillful. Most all liked to swear and did so with enthusiasm, and quelled their aches and pains with boilermakers or other hard liquor. They were the salt-of-the-earth, a generation now all faded away. They took a great store of mechanical knowledge with them.

Steve

Addendum: The diamond-shaped sign next to the "No Smoking" sign, what is legible in part "Membership in the Automotive Club Southern Calif." and "Insurance" is some clue to the region where this shop was located.

That looks like a converted trolley barn and the fellow second from right looks a lot like Sam Adelman who was doing classic car work in the late forties.

I can't read the license plate so this is just a guess. However, it doesn't look like an American plate so I doubt that could be Sam.

I knew a couple of people who were doing Packard work in old trolley barns. So that picture may be postwar.

Two of them have ties on. At first thought they were "management" but their overalls say they work for a living. Maybe those days were just more formal.

I remember my grandpa going to town to get parts: clean dress shirt & tie and clean coveralls and his good hat...

Well into the 1950's and 60's it was not uncommon to see a local factory grunt, whose job was maybe to put a bolt in a muffler bracket on the Assy. line all day, leave for work in the morning and come home at nite wearing a suit or at least some "business causual" attire to coin a modern day phrase.

I workeed for Buick dealer in the very early 1970's and 2 of the old timers in there probably close to 70 yo wore nice cloths to work.

They changed into thier work cloths in a little locker room. Usualy wore coveralls while most anyone under 40 yo wore the shirt and pants uniform.

It was a different time and space. Remeber, that the 1920's automobiles is what REPLACED THE HORSE!!!!! People were most proud to have a job of anykind especialy comming out the 1930's.

As for the man with the cigarette, well lets face it, a man has to smoke SOMETHING!!!! BWA ha haa ha ha ha .

The "No Smoking" sign appears to indicate that some type of ordinance was involved - maybe from the city's fire department.

I also see that to keep the environmentalist happy, this must have been an Eco-Friendly garage as evidenced by the solar lighting (light panels in the roof) and lack of electric light fixtures). LOL