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

I also do not know how 39 shocks might compare with others but there is an excellent how-to in the literature section written by another poster. The article covers the 41 and later Delco shocks as used on Clipper based bodies thru 50. Those are different per side but I believe the primary difference making them R and L is the shape of the arms and location of a clamping bolt. You might check the photos to see if there is any similarity to yours.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/Delco_Shock_Rebuild.pdf

Thank you Howard and John, I'm on it! John, you had mentioned a price of, I think, $245 a piece in an email quite a while back, do you remember the source you were referring to?? Chris.

When I removed them from my 1940 110, I ended up having to saw the bolts where it pivoted as no amount of persuasion would free it. New bolts and rebuilt shocks, it rode and handled beautifully. What a difference!

Hi Chris,

From what I read in the MOTORs manual, you do not need to remove the coil spring. They place a jack under the lower control arm so it is under the coil spring then place the weight of the car on that jack stand. Then all you need to remove is the upper link to the shock arm and the 4 bolts holding the shock to the frame.
I'm not sure now. It might have been the 5 points place Howard was talking about....
John

I took the fronts off of my 38 without removing the springs

Correct - the procedure is in the service manual, and works great if they aren't rusted in! Definitely doesn't require removing the spring- you have to disconnect the shock to get the spring removed.

Thanks Gents-all, for the responses. I will begin a strategy plan to get them out and hopefully they will come apart. If I have to, Don - I'll take your advice and cut the bolts. Really appreciate the input. You all have to know what a great help it is to tackle these projects with P.I.'s collective knowledge base as a technical reference and a sounding board.
Kind of like an online 'mechanics for dummies'! Sure helps 'challenged' wrenches like myself. Chris.

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Hey Phil,

I looked at those and they LOOK a lot like the units on my car, and while the price is decent, I'd be loathe to take a chance on them, as the post amble on the listing says that one may be from a different year than the other and the condition re: NOS, rebuilt, or just cleaned up and spray painted black, is 'unknown'. We all know what that means (probably the latter! LOL) Is there any 'shelf life' to these shocks when rebuilt?? I would think NOS would have extremely old rubber in them for seals and be suspect. Chris.

Yes, there is a shelf life which would depend on many things, such as how and where it was stored but even it kept in optimal conditions, the seals could dry out. I recently bought some NOS potmetal scripts for my 1956 Clipper but age caused pits to start which were making the attaching pins explode off! Unfortunate because they were otherwise beautiful.