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

Does anyone know what 921-A packing material is? This is used for the front fender assembly to radiator shell Liner, Packard drawing 320876. Drawing states its a 1/32" thick sheet. Car is 1938 model 1601, 8 cyl. Parts book 7.009 Liner, Front fender - Lower.

I'm looking for an equivalent material to use.

I have these questions on a regular basis, from the drawings I get for my repop parts. I believe the answer lies in some dusty SAE specification. I don't have access to SAE Mobilus nor do I want to find out how much that would cost. There are some pirated materials online but nothing from anywhere near that long ago.

Who wants to bet it was made from asbestos and hence would not be available nowadays anyway?

Is this PackardInfo article showing the material you are describing...maybe contact that guy:

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... SC&topic_id=23791&forum=1&move=next

Some of my 1960s cars use the same or a very similar material which appears to be a thin rubber with a fiber strengthener inside. I have some reproductions for my 1965 Imperial LeBaron and it looks much like that shown on the link above.

Cloth-inserted neoprene is available in numerous thicknesses from any rubber/hose supply house. Depending on the elasticity required, there are also lots of fibre/elastomer conveyor belts in very thin profiles that may be appropriate. Chris.

McMaster Carr has masticated rubber sheet in several thicknesses if I remember correctly.

The rubber on the bottom of the splashers, the Packard prints call out #861 rubber, 1/16” thick, with Durometer Hardness 70-80 (Shore A scale?). I did see Larry Reber’s post as DM37 suggested and did buy the Masticated Rubber sheet from Steele and made the Seals I needed. The Masticated rubber is 3/32” thick, so its slightly thicker but who would know. After some research, I think the rubber used was Neoprene (70A – 80A hardness) as EPDM wasn’t invented till 1950’s by Dupont, but I digressed.

As for the packing material I am inquiring about, it’s very thin, 1/32” thick so I think the Masticated Rubber is too thick. I did see McMaster-Carr sells EPDM rubber sheets (60A) and strips in various thickness, and reasonably priced, so I think I’ll go with that.
Just thought I’d get some other opinion on what to use.

Yes it would be Shore A durometer. The other scales would not be used on that type of material.

Shore D should be used for harder than 90 Shore A. The measurement is neither precise nor accurate above 90
60 Shore A sounds good for what you want. don’t go any lower