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

Thank you Mal, and all the others who have weighed in on this.

I heard back from some of the folks I wrote to and the overwhelming consensus is that the correct lights are 'extremely rare', 'extremely expensive' and 'impossible to find'.

Apparently there were reproductions made at one time and one source cited them as being less-than knockoffs that could be 'spotted from 50' away' and even these, if found, run around $600 a pair.

I was also told that Packard themselves, endorsed use of the '40 lights on '39 vehicles in published service bulletins and that it was a fairly common practice 'back in the day'.

So, without further ado, DECISION MADE!!! I am proceeding with the units I have in hand. My car is an 'entry-level' Packard Six, a daily driver, and already has some 'non-authentic parts, i.e. the '41-'42 heater, and I do not see the point in spending gobs of dough on a couple of parking lights. The money would be better spent elsewhere. i.e. chroming the bumpers or re-coring the rad, etc. And I'm never going to 'show' this car.

Apologies to the purists who will consider this blasphemy and thanks again to the numerous posters who contributed. I learned a lot on this and also found my own 'cutting line' on how far I am prepared to go in fixing up an old car. For what it's worth, I'm still totally in love with the old girl!

Apologies to the purists who will consider this blasphemy

I'm pretty much of a purist but I don't consider your decision as blasphemous, sometimes we just have to face the practicalities that confront us. In your situation I'd probably do the same thing.

Don't do it! You'll regret it later!

Thanks Dave and sorry Don. (Don, you thought $200 was way too much for the '40 lights I bought!!!)

I see the prices on eBay and other places but still think it's extraordinarily high for a part common to every single model and body style of 1940 Packard.

Knowing the bulk of our members are in the US, it is probably also worthy of note that every American dollar I spend, costs me about a buck, thirty-five Canadian, and that really adds up. Even if I could find a pair of knockoffs at around $600, by the time I paid freight and everything, I'd be at a grand, easy, and that almost puts me in the same category as that poster (can't remember who it is) that says his biggest fear is he will die and his wife will sell everything in the garage for what he told her he'd paid for it!!! LOL

Chris,

Fully understand the decision you've come to. Being endorsed by Packard, as you said, what better reference is there? And I share your pain when it comes to the costs of buying parts in the US and shipping them to Oz.

One of PackardInfo Forum contributors has this Six with the 1940 lenses. They look great... MUCH better looking than the earlier type, in my opinion.

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West, I couldn't agree more!!!! THANK YOU