Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Greetings everyone,

I need to get some images of the spare tire well for a 1948 Station Sedan, with the spare tire removed. I recently discovered that the floor has been cut out of my car (rust due to tailgate leaks??) and replaced with a piece of plywood. I'd like to know what the correct floor in the tire well should look like.

Pretty common. They make "universal" wells for replacement but they don't exactly fit the Ps. They take some massaging. It's a standard 15" bias tire well on the right side.
Maybe some posts on this, if you search.
They had a drain hole and apparently that caused them to get debris inside and clog up and rot out. I planned to change spare position in my project. Low hanging they could get dinged too.

How big is and how was the opening cut? Or was it rotted up top as well and just covered up?
That well's a separate insert piece and should be cut out a certain way/detached by the pinch/spot welds to allow replacement. Reweld and seam seal. If it's been butchered, may have to replace the trunk pan, and those are re-popped but not of exact configuration nor fit. I bought one and was dissatisfied. I would make one, if you're able.

Probably the best thing instead of a picture without perspective, is to get the/a dwg/dimensions. I have all that from before, I'll have to hunt for it, but I'm in the midst of changing computers and having issues. May have to exchange the new one I bought, so could be out of action for a week or more..

Hi Jon; I can send you the pictures when I return from a short vacation. I have to learn how to up load the new picture system or I will need your email. Dell

Greetings again everyone,

My email is in my signature at the end of my message(s) if that's the easier way to send me an image. This is not an urgent problem: I just took the tailgate apart, and have determined that it really needs to be rebuilt, so I'll have the Station Sedan disabled in the garage for awhile.

Quote:

Good Evening Jim,

Thanks for your response. The station sedan has the spare laying flat under the cargo floor, not the vertical type well and brace that the sedans use. I think if I can find an image of what it should be, my body man can locate appropriate sheetmetal and massage it to recreate the floor with well.

The entire metal floor under the wood cargo deck (including the spare tile) well has been cut out of the floor of my Station Sedan. It had been replaced with a piece of plywood. It was covered with carpet so I was not really aware of the problem until I removed the gas tank and discovered the huge hole above the tank. The plywood is flat (no recess), so the spare tire does not fit under the cargo floor as it should. Since I have the wood cargo floor totally disassembled for replacement, this is probably the best time to have the body shop fabricate and weld in a suitable well for the spare tire.

My guess here is that the RR corner of the car must have been sticking out of a shed for decades, and allowed water to leak in through the right side of the wood tailgate, filling the spare tire well until it rusted through. This is the only part of the car where there is any evidence of rust, and the only wood damage is the rightmost section of the tailgate assembly and cargo floor. I am presently working with a brass-era Buick club member who is assisting me with rebuilding the tailgate, and another woodworking friend to rebuild the cargo floor.