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One problem that I see with searching the Service Indices by application is the way that I coded this, which is an extension/refinement of the factory's approach.

For example, if you search for articles pertaining to a 1956 Clipper Custom (Chassis 5660), the results only include those articles which specifically show "5660" in the corresponding application field.

However, there could be other articles that actually apply, but are omitted from the results because they are coded "56th" - for all models that year/Series. Some may be coded "(all models)" - for all years/Series. A little tweaking of code might help pick those up.

However, as diligently as I worked to keep a uniform approach to application information over all the years and formats of these publications, it seems like it could be very difficult to get the results to include a range of Series, such as 24th-56th.

There probably is a way to code it being the scenes as the mode DB contains all the info correlate Models to Chassis to Series etc..it just writing a parser to understand what someone typed and and then figure out the possible ranges. The bigger parsing nightmare is when Packard used something like 5400-01-11. That's then starts to get down the rabbit hole pretty quickly.

What I did in my version of the Parts database was to parse the data so that it lists the full model/chassis codes into a separate table along with the ID and part number. It’s rather complicated query (something like the Russian nesting dolls in the layers) but, if I can locate it, I would be happy to share it.

I completely forgot about the multi-chassis applications.

Packard didn't always provide model application as a subheading, either, but I always tried to extrapolate that from articles so afflicted.

Also, sometimes they advised of "All Models", but when that was merely implied, I tagged it as "(all models)". However, using the Advanced Search function, here, you have to select "EXACT MATCH" to get all the results to come up for the keywords "all models", However, you literally get ALL of them - regardless of Series/chassis/body. It may be that only Kevin and I know how huge the collective master file is for the Service Index.

I have a gut feeling that there may not 100% solution to this. Anything less than 100% could leave relevant articles out of the result, but we don't want to overwhelm the user with superfluous results, either.

For example, what might have been applicable to all models in 1937, might not be so in 1956. That's why I organized entries into groups of related years/Series - much like the parts books and service manuals.

Thinking about what Don offered up, it just might be possible to branch the search into some sort of filter on year/Series, by extrapolating that from the supplied keywords, provided the user specifies a chassis or body number, but it could be a lot of work - and the devil is in the details.

Perhaps a dedicated, more specific, search function is in order for this index.

The All Models notation is not something mine fixes even though it does parse out all of them to provide the data just as though only specific models had been listed. The problem is, the part itself might not be for all models. For example, an Ultramatic part will not be applicable for a car that comes standard with a manual transmission and there is nothing to take this into account.

Based on the information that was posted here in the forums on various VNs and TPNs for various vehicles, I've added that info to the Registry to preserve that info. Thanks to BH for compiling those into a spreadsheet for me.

So if a car in question was already in the Registry, then I applied the missing info.

If the car was not in the Registry, then I added it to the Registry to create a place to link the info together for future reference.

I'm sure Mal will be surprised that the Registry grew by about 40 entries today!

This was only the info that was previously posted here in the forums over time. I don't have access to any of the other TPN/VN lists that have been compiled to link that information. If anyone has additional info they are willing to share, then I can get that information imported as well.

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Sure was Kev! But see at least one lists you as the Owner! I'll look through them to check their bona-fides, as much as I can.

EDIT - Two removed from BigKev's "ownership".

Made a few minor changes to the Registry.

- Changed title from "Packard Owner's Registry" to "Packard Vehicle Registry". I think that is more appropriate and hopefully will encourage folks to add vehicles that they once owned.

- Updated intro text on the main Registry Screen

- Changed VIN to Vehicle Number

- Added additional notes/comments to expected field formats for clarification

- Added "Info Buttons" to VN, Theft, Briggs, and Engine Serial Numbers fields so someone not familiar with them can get a popup of what those numbers mean and where to find them.

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Very Impressive...Ernie in Arizona

Is it helpful to have only the vehicle number of a car that is no more?