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

Hey All,

I'm new to Packards, and am in the process of acquiring a 4 door 1938 Eight, and there seems to be some questions between what I've learned searching this site and the car itself. I'll be attaching some pics, but the differences I've found are:

1) It has a data plate, whereas all the information I've read here says that it should just be a sticker (for 1938)? I did remove the plate to look behind it, but there's no sticker and no indication there ever was one. The "Delivered by" section also isn't stamped.

2) The site decoder says that the ID number (1182-6479) denotes a 4 door Six, and not an Eight? I did measure the wheelbase and it is an Eight (actual measurement was 128", so definitely an Eight by that number), but I guess this ties into the whole data plate/sticker questions

3) Engine number stamped into the front driver's side is "324395", but doesn't have a letter in front of it. Now I did just take another look at the picture and it seems like there's a faint "A" after the number, which would make this a 38 282? I'm just trying to verify that it is not a super eight. On the rear passenger side are the numbers "9 9 38" with "324395" underneath, both raised casting numbers and not stamps.

4) It has a column shifter, so it appears that the column is from a 39+ and not a 38. Is there any way to verify if the transmission is a 38 or 39, because I haven't had a chance to get under the car yet.

Thanks for any pointers and tips you guys can offer. I'm not a stickler for originality (so the 39 column is not an issue for me), but I do plan on getting it running on the existing drive train and going from there (no engine swaps planned, so don't worry. More like small upgrades like better lights, turn signals, and dual reservoir master cylinder)

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It may be a 1938 or it may be a 1939 model 120. That would be an 8 cylinder car with a column shift on a 127" wheelbase. I think the column shift may have been optional at some point, or it may have been phased-in.

What I see on the engine block stamping is 305445 A

On the firewall plate I see: Vehicle Number 11826479 //// City: (unreadable or blank)**
Date: 11-14-38.

**It looks like there may very faint traces of letters in the city and dealer spaces. Some cars had the information scratched into the metal tag with some kind of stylus. Very careful cleaning may reveal more info. Scraping or grinding will erase whatever info may remain.

A car sold that late in '38 is probably a '39, but the fact that it has a Six Data plate instead of a 120 data plate is concerning. But we have all seen examples where people just slap on whatever plate they can find to sell a car.

So I wouldn't go by that plate as it obviously doesn't belong to that car.

It could very well be a '39.

The incorrect plate is going to give you a headache with many DMVs as they would consider it a doctored plate, which usually throws up all kinds of alarms. Especially if going from one state to another, or registering a car that has dropped out of the system. It may be something to walk away from, as you have no guarantee that something may pop up years later with it.

The engine number should not match the casting number. The engine number should always be stamped. Rubbing that area with a piece of chalk and wiping it off often helps to make it more visible.

G'day msmith to packardInfo.
I invite you to include your Packard, whether it is a'38 or '39, in PackardInfo's Packard Vehicle Registry.

The car ís definitely a 1939 and the column shift is only one clue. Another visible in the photos are the hidden trunk hinges which were external in chrome for 1938 and hidden for 1939. Another not visible is that for 1938 only, there was a chrome strip running up onto the roof from the center windshield divider and also the hood lovers were different between the two years. My first Packard in the mid-‘60s was a 1939 six which may have been the same color as yours but, as yours has side mounts, it’s definitely not a Six as their front fenders were too short for side mounts.

As for it being a Super Eight, clearly it is not as it has junior taillights and to repeat, there is no doubt that it is a 1939 although from what I can see when zooming on, it has 1938 door handles at least on the driver’s side. The 1938 type have a stainless cap with seams while the 1939 type, which look similar, are plated pot metal and have no seams.

If you have not yet bought this car, you should steer clear as it was obviously pieced together with questionable at best provenance. As a licensed California VIN verifier myself, this car would fail and be redirected to the Highway Patrol for whatever processing they deem fit for it.

Based on the embossed firewall number (body serial number a/k/a theft-proof number) it is an early 1939 car.

CONTEXT: 1938 was a mini-recession; Packard had bought forward from many vendor/suppliers in late 1937 because it was their biggest sales year ever and got burned holding a bunch of inventory as sales slumped hard in 1938. As a result they took half of 1938 to clear out their 1937 parts...late in 1938 they were finally crossing over to get 1939 parts in on the Super8, 120's. Just note that they had so many parts left from 1937 seniors that the 39 Twelve actually switched back to using 1937 trim parts (handles, tail light stanchions, etc).

The model/body number and the dealer log-in date on the firewall plate indicate that it is VERY late in 1938...just clearing out the old inventory and receiving new 1939 inventory. That might explain the hybrid tail lamp stanchions, etc. I have seen cars made between September-December from several model years have hybrid parts from both years...make the sale was the motto.

It may be a souped-up 120 (sidemounts)...can you get better pictures of the dash/interior, heater/radio, etc as well as the hubcaps, wheel size/number of bolts.

Lets dissect this versus brand it a "hack job that needs to be reported to the VIN police".

Good Morning...Did Packard sometimes use left over parts on early cars of a new year...like Henry Ford sometimes did? Ernie in Arizona

The stamped engine # does not match the cast number on this engine. The stamped # is 305445 A.

My 1937 120 C has a vehicle number of 1099 XXXX


Wouldn't a late 1938 build's vehicle number be 11*** ****?