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Hi, I have a 1936 Packard 120B and need some information on the brass tag numbers on the firewall. The tag number reads 999 I 0002 City 1 Oaks Hills park, ILL. I called Packard International and the lady told me there is no such number as 999. It should read 891........
Is 0002 means it is a number 2 built vehicle?
Thanks,

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No, it's not the 2nd one built, the "I" is actually Packard's representation of a "1" so it's the 10,002 built, minus whatever they started at (100 or 1000).

But the "999" prefix is a bit confusing because all the standard reference sources say it should be "899" for a 1936 convertible coupe, yet that is the prefix for a 1935 "120" convertible coupe. So although 999 fits the pattern, it doesn't coincide with the refernces. Understand that except for this error or anomoly with certain 1936 120 bodies, the body style numbers advanced each year, so bodies with a 6XX are 1933, 7XX and 1934, 8XX are 1935, 9XX are 1936, 10XX are 1937, etc. Perhaps someone else can clarify, but let me ask, it the Patent Plate an original, or a reproduction which was stamped by someone to replace the factory original tag? If you can tell?

PS - went over to check my friend's 1936 120 convertible coupe, and it's VN is 999-XXXX, and the thief-proof number is in the 257XXX range.

Ahh...here is where the Model Info page earn their keep:

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/modelinfo/viewmodel.php?model=770

BODY NUMBER: 999
DESCRIPTION: One Twenty Convertible Coupe
SERIES: 14th
YEAR: 1936
WB: 120
MODEL/CHASSIS: 120-B
CARBURETOR: Stromberg EE-14
ENGINE: 282
CYLINDERS: 8
HP: 120
WEIGHT: 3,525
MSRP: $1,110
TOTAL PRODUCTION: 55,042* (Total Production of all 120-B based body styles)
PASSENGERS: 2/4
GND VOLTAGE: +6
TIRE SIZE: 7.00 x 16

So as you can see you car is a Model 120-B, Body Type 999. The lady at PI may have been looking at the wrong year or something.

I added many of the picutres for the 36 model year, including the '999'. I just checked in 3 different resources that I have, and everything I have checked confirms the Body Number 999, on the 120B Chassis is correct for 1938 (14th Series).

For some reason the PAC website list it as 899. I think that must be a typo, as all the other body numbers in the 1936 year use the 9xx format except the LeBarron bodied cars, which use are 294 (Cabriolet) and 295 (Town Car).

'899' would be a One Twenty Convertible Coupe on a 120-A Chassis for the 1935 Model Year (12th Series).

The discrepancy on the body style number of the 1936 "120" convertible coupe can be traced back to at least the first edition on Turnquists book of 1965 and is repeated in Dr. Robert Marvin's "Packard Identification Guide", first edition, of 1988. No doubt it has also been accepted and copied into other sources as well.

Getting back to PI's suggestion that the VN should have an 891 prefix, I find no factory body style with that number, and the last digit being a "1" would suggest a phaeton, not a convertible coupe.

Hi, Thank you all for the descriptive information. I am now able to solve my confusion and be able to explain the serial numbers to perspective buyers.

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