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

Quote:

Kev, nice catch. It was not a typo, but deliberately done, which was the improper way to show the continuation numbers. I will need to revise my table to reflect the proper continuation for each engine, not only for the 1948-49 22nd series, but for the 1946-47 21st series too.

(o{I}o)

John,

Sounds great. Let me know when you have it updated and I will replace the version here on the website with your newer revision.

John was kind enough to make an update to his engine chart, and the new version is now here on the website. Enjoy!

All,
Finally got it home. First question. The title has the engine serial number on it and only that number. Is that correct for Packards?

Thanks

I would expect that all car manufacturers intended their cars to be identified by the vehicle number. I think in this case it's more a question of how individual states dealt with the issue, especially in the case of missing VN tags and the like, rather than what the manufacturer intended.

Just so I am clear, the car has a body tag as well a the embossed numbers on the firewall. My concern is the number on the title is the number stamped on the engine. Is that correct?

Thanks

In that era and some states there was not much consistency and engine number or vehicle number was used. New Mexico was one that used engine numbers as did California in some years.

The biggest problem with engine numbers is if the engine changes, so goes the registration number and then it's a bureaucrats delight. If there is any chance to register with a different number it might be an advantage. My 47 is registered with the embossed number because after many years of non registered status when the former owner bought and registered it, there had to be an inspection. The CHP & DMV inspector would only accept a number that couldn't be changed and that's what they recorded. The proper number would be the one on large cowl patent plate, not the little rectangular Briggs tag on firewall near the embossed number. The embossed number is always best but the only one very few records exist for and would not appear in any kind of official database.

Some states used the Engine Number instead of the vehicle number. That was also very common in Calif. My car was originally registered using the Engine Number. I would suggest you have the car re-titled using the embossed "Theft Proof" number as that is the only number guaranteed never to be separated from the car unless someone cuts up the firewall.

On your car their should be 4 numbers. The theft proof number (embossed on the firewall), the Vehicle Number (VN) which is stamped on the patent plate, the briggs body number which is on a small plate attached to the firewall, and the engine number. Some times the VN and the Briggs number match. But they don't have to.

See this document for more information on the Packard Body ID numbers:

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/PackardIDNumbers.pdf