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

I want to paint my 1948 engine does any one know the color it should be? Suggestions on where to get the paint? Also looking to either re chrome few parts or replace them need two head light rings and left rear bumper and full front bumper. Suggestion on whether to re chrome or replace would be appreciated. Thanks new member

Welcome. Color depends on which engine you have. 356 would be green, rest I believe were gray but someone will correct if wrong. Hirsch usually has the painthirschauto.com/ as do most of the other vendors. Here's his selection in qt cans-also has spray cans.

For my two cents, rechrome the bumpers because I doubt you'll find anything much better. Anything else, depends on what it is.. Some things pot metal, others stainless. Should be relatively easy to find parts for your car so let us know and I'm sure someone can tell you who might have them.

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Thanks for the info I have a 288 1948 model. Should have put that in my question.

If it helps, I have a 1948 with 288 engine and it's Grey. But only on the areas that aren't rusty.

G'day Richard,

to PackardInfo and for including your '48 Deluxe 8 Touring Sedan in the Owner Registry. Looks like you've got some work on your hands "Replacing a blown #8 piston and a bent intake and exhaust valve."

The 288s and 327s are gray. Bill Hirsch has it in spray or brush on. On another thread there was a discussion about rattle can paint that is available over the counter that matches.

I have seen what I believed were original 288's in both gray and Packard green. I have had good experience with the Hirsch paint.

There are 3 front bumper styles on 22nd series Juniors, as I recall. A "closed mouth" where the middle wider filler piece extends to the center, an "open mouth" where the filler piece is shorter, leaving an opening. The center portion was sometimes painted body color, sometimes chromed.
I'm referring to the horizontal part of the bumper, made up of upper and lower bars sandwhiching the filler pieces. Look at some photos and you can see the differences

Some uncertainly about the engine colors in the 22nd and 23rd series regarding the 356 engines; no controvery for the series before or after. The 48-50 engines in green are the real controversy. I think there is no disagreement that the 288 and 327 were all gray and at least at one point that what both club's judging standards were for all 3 engines in the 22nd-23rd series (PAC still says all 48-50 were gray). Any 48-50 288 and 327 engines in green were probably repainted at some point. Don't know what PI's current position on this is, but no doubt someone will look it up and let us know.

Original and apparently un-repainted 356 engines have been found in both green and gray for the 22nd series, I only have two good reliable observations for 23rd series 356, John Peterson's (CT) 48 Custom 8 club sedan, a rather stunningly original car, the engine of which was gray and surely looked untouched, and my own 23rd series Custom 8 sedan.

Just to clutter things a bit, the factory-reconditioned engine blocks were painted "Crane Gray" for many years, perhaps up into the postwar era.

I have always believed that gray is the correct color for 22nd Series Custom 8 engines. None of the 6 that I have direct experience with showed any signs of green paint. The only exception was one that showed traces of red paint but this was a replacement engine with no serial number. I have heard that red was the color used by the factory for replacement engines.

My own 22nd series Custom 8 sedan, a very early car sold on Christmas day 1947, had a green engine. It also had the trademarks of other very early Customs, painted (not chrome) headlight bezels, and 1947-style patent plate and front sway bar. It was car# 124.

Could be that Packard went from gray to red for replacement engines after the war, not a topic on which there is much original documentation. Also never found much documentation on how either the factory or the installing dealer dealt with engine numbers for replacement motors. Factory reconditioned (as opposed to new) engines in the 30s still carried the original motor number but I understand a suffix of some sort was added, and perhaps some other info stamped like date, etc. This whole topic is really ripe for some research and better understanding.