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I enjoyed watching the pics..

Gerd, this might sound a littel off topic but, do you have any information about Packard cars beeng at the Kaufsdorf junkyard that was closed down last year? A part of Swiss history was there many US and Europe cars where gathered there I assume there to rust to eternaty, might have been Packards there as well but do you know for sure

Thanks for the pictures. Nice to see a couple of things, first the original style hand crank - many were discarded over the years and they are not an easy find. And due to the clearances up front they don't give a lot of leverage for cranking which I can attest to.

Second, all the valves appear appear to be OEM or at least very vintage with the slot for the old-fashioned type reciprocating valve lapping tool with the slot drive.

And the copper fuel line which, probably due to cost and also the tendency to crack with age and fatique was not used much longer.

The trunnion block shackle bolt(s) and coil springs look pretty dry, perhaps the Bijur is not functional? Should be attended to or sooner or later they'll encouter spring leaf fatigue or breakage, worn shackle bolts and bushings, and lots of front end shimmy and shake.

If convenient can you get the patent plate data and the thief-proof # for me?

It is not uncommon for fire and rescue stations to form time bubbles in which old vehicles survive. Today I came across a picture showing a row of ambulances in Zurich. The last one looks like a pre-war Packard to me.
It is truly astonishing that five different ambulances are used at one rescue station.


image source: zugerzeitung.ch
Click to enlarge!

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We like what we like, but if there were better looking custom-bodied Packards than Graber's, i never saw them.

Looks like a 1940 or 41 Cadillac, 1937 Cadillac, 1939 Cadillac, 1939 LaSalle, and a Packard.

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Mike (su8overdrive), thanks for pointing out the coachbuilder. Despite five different base vehicles, the standardization efforts are visible. It seems to me that the same coachbuilder was used in each case. All or almost all vehicles appear to have been equipped with the same rims and hubcaps (and probably the same tires).
Another discovery: the probably oldest car is the only one with an undivided windshield.

TxGoat, thank you for the vehicle identification. Without having detailed knowledge of Cadillac, it seems to me that the 1940/41 vehicle has turn signals (indicators). Regardless, it apparently received the "standard vehicle body" with trafficators (wig-wags, semaphores).


wiring diagram source: cadillaclasalleclub.org

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I had to check my Cadillac-LaSalle reference text. The Cadillac commercial chassis provided to coachbuilders was a very popular basis for ambulances worldwide.

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  '40's Swiss ambulance fleet.jpg (572.19 KB)

Steve (58L8134), thanks for the additional clarity.
The Zurich professional fire department also had at least one Packard in its fleet.


images source: berufsfeuerwehr.ch
Click to enlarge!

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