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

Hello Chaps,

I chanced upon this listing on the interweb ebay thing today.

ebay.com/itm/1930-Packard-740-Deluxe-8-A ... f911f92c:g:n0cAAOSwGotWlVWB&vxp=mtr

Its a compressor for a 7th Series Packard. I've never seen one before and wonder if anyone knows where its supposed to be fitted. I assume it might drive off the fly wheel but I cant see any place on mine it would fit.

I quite fancy getting it if I can be sure it will go on quite easily.

It is driven off the transmission. 1930 was the last year for this and I'm not certain that it was standard equipment on all models. I'm prepared to be corrected on that, others will know better.

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Thank you Dave.

I have 3 Packards, 1922/126, 1929/633 & 1930/740, all were major restorations involving major parts searches and parts cars and none had compressors so I don't think they were standard fittings, more likely quite rare. I have fitted one to the 1922 that I found at a swap meet and have another which I would like to fit to the 1930 but was unsure whether it was correct for that year.
Based on Dave's advice that 1930 was the last year for the compressors I will now fit one to the 1930.
All of the above cars have a plate on the side of the transmission held in place by 4 bolts. The plate is removed and the compressor bolts in its place.
The compressor on the 1922 /126 has been fitted since 1985 and we have covered many miles on rallies and tours since. It has been used only once when we stopped to help with a breakdown where the owner was struggling to inflate a tire with a hand pump. He was very appreciative.

Hmmm.... guess I shouldn't have trusted my memory. In looking at the 1930-32 Packard Master Parts List (page 130) I see the air pump is listed for all 7th, 8th and 9th Series Eights (the Twin Six is not covered in this listing). No indication that it was optional equipment but if it were you'd think it would be listed in the Accessory Catalog, which it is not. Perhaps there is reference to it in the Service Letters.

Further to complicate it for 1932, that year saw the introduction of the new 3-speed synchro transmission which does not have a provision for mounting the pump; I don't know if the short-lived new 4-speed synchro had an accommodation for the pump. The new 3-speed synchro was first introduced from the get-go for the Light Eight and the Twelve and phased in over time for the others. So clearly the Parts List doesn't provide all the information we'd like.

Interesting question that I have pondered in the past. Perhaps the fact that the compressors are not listed in the accessories books indicates that they were rarely offered or available.
All transmissions that I have seen (& there has been a few) only had the compressor blanking plate fitted which is how they would have left the Packard plant.
There are other accessory anomalies for example wheels. The accessory books do not list wheel options and yet there were wood, disc and wire options available however that is getting off topic.
I hope KTS68 gets the compressor and I will be fitting mine to the 740 as a result of this discussion.

I'm curious about when the pump is connected. Is it pumping all the time? If not, how does one engage and disengage the gear?

West, just take a look at the pictures from the eBay posting and you'll see the engaging spur gear is on a splined shaft and is moved into engagement when desired. The tall vertical rod is the engagement lever and IIRC it came up thru the floorboards near the front seat. If you look at the engineering drawing posted above, left-hand view, you can also see the sliding engagement gear.

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Much like a PTO used on a truck transmission. You put the transmission in neutral and engage the box to run the compressor.
John