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

Are the grills for the 1937 Packard Six
115C Touring Sedans coated with chrome or stainless steel?

Chrome.

Yeah JL, if only they were stainless steel! I am currently on
the hunt for a set for my '39 as mine have been painted silver (yuck!) and there
are spots where the paint has come off and the chrome is shining through but I presume
were I to steel wool the paint off I would uncover pitting and rust, so I have just left
them alone. But it would change the whole appearance of the front end to have them in
chrome and in good shape. Max Merrit had a set a while back that were NOS and looked awesome for $500 but they weren't the right year so no good to me. The hunt continues or, at some point I may just end up taking mine off and giving them to the chromers as they are in pretty good mechanical shape - just finish-deficient! Chris

I have a grille. Contact me: 210-260-5646 or will@rpland.com

I believe your 39 is a junior grille with stationary vanes. If you have a senior model with the sylphon-driven movable louvered grille, I have more than a full set of both pivot lengths in non-corroded condition that I could make you a good deal on. PM me if so.

I have a set of 316 SS grills for my '37 120. Got them from Fred Dosser in Australia. He fabricated the 6 straight/flat ones and had the two front curved ones 3D printed SS. They were not cheap (I think I am the only owner that has 3D printed SS curved grills) but neither are the Al grills from Max Meritt, +$1200 plus another $1200-$1500 for chrome plating.
The pitting that occurs on the original pot metal grills is almost impossible to clean/decontaminate and fill prior to chrome plating and not show the dimples. If you try to fill the pits with copper (copper/nickel/chrome) the deep pits will likely blister.

Thanks for the responses. DM's sent. Chris.

Quote:

Junior grilles were not stationary in 1939. Those on my 1939 Six were thermostatically moveable just as on the senior models.

Strip all the paint off with paint remover. Then take it to a shop that does chrome plating and have them strip the plating off. If the rust and pitting is bad, you should be able use body filler and high solids primer to make it paintable. A lot of hours to do, but not a difficult job.

Thank you to everyone for your input