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Hello all,

I am working on the restoration of my Packard
Right now, I want to disassemble the body of the frame and I want to know, can I disassemble the body with the wooden frame and floor in it.

Can someone give me some advice where are the points where the body is conected with the frame.

I realise that this question is easier made than answered but I have to start somewhere.

Awaiting your response,
Sincerely yours,
Hans Klaver
The Netherlands

Hans,

Don't have experience at this but my thoughts are:

- I'm presumimg you're talking about removing the body from the frame?

- When built, I think your Packard would have had the complete assembled body, including structural wood, "dropped" onto the frame at the factory on the assembly line.

- Presuming, again, that your body wooden structures are reasonably sound ie they aren't falling apart from rot, you should be able to carefully lift the body off the frame.

- If there is rot and it's serious you may have to brace the body either by tack welding, say, angle iron to hold the metal together, or re-inforce the wooden structure, or both.

- Don't know where the connecting points are but there probably wouldn't be more than say 6 on each side of the frame. When removing these take note of the shimming used for future reference for when the body goes back on the frame. Helped a mate put a body back on his '34 some years back and there were 6 or less attaching points on each frame rail. Undercar inspection should locate these fairly readily I'd think.

I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will be along soon to put me back on the straight and narrow!

Mal's advice is spot on. Pay close attention to the shimming of each mount.

On a '38, there shouldn't be any wood- I think that was the first year for all steel bodies for Packard.

1938 Super Eights still have structural wood in the body construction, as do the 1938 and 1939 Twelves. But the 1939 Super Eight is all steel.

Owen, thanks for the clarification - my mistake. Learned something today.

Hello Mal,
Thanks for your answer

It is indeed removing the body from the frame.
First I want to sand blasting the frame and do a new paint job for the frame.
I am glad that your anwer is "have had the complete assembled body, including structural wood, "dropped" onto the frame "
I think it makes removing the body much easier and now I have a way to get the the body from the frame
Some pieces of the wooden pillars are in bad shape (rot /powder) so i have to remake them or buy them if that is still posible.
Do you know or there are drawings of the pillars.
Next question is how do I remove the wooden pillars and other wooden pieces from the steel body ?

The next time I wil add some pictures of the pillars.

Regards
Hans Klaver