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I'm a bit of a gadget nut ...and the hydraulic windows fascinate me. Of course I know the convertibles in 48-50 had the system, and the professional cars seem to often be so equipped. I have only seen two sedans...and those were on Ebay...a 50 Custom Eight and a 49 Super Deluxe with the hydraulic windows. Were they that uncommon? I am a bit surprised as Cadillac and Lincoln fitted them as standard equipment on their top cars and Chrysler included their electric system on all Imperial models. Any thoughts or production figures?

The hydraulic window system was standard equipment on the 1941 180 closed car models. This system differed mechanically somewhat from the post-war system in than it required the pump to reverse in order to lower the windows. The post-war system simply opened the valve and let the window retraction spring lower the window. I think this is due to a difference in the design and interaction of the pump gears.

A good question on the window adoption rate. I don't think I ever saw a figure. Do believe part of the postwar philosophy of Packard was "let the customer buy what they want" because on the less expensive models, almost everything was an option and on the higher end models, even such basics in a luxury car as an automatic trans or in this case, their signature Ultramatic could be dropped and a standard substituted.

The postwar pumps were pretty generic with only a few mfgs making them -- virtually the same units for most of the car companies offering the system. I think Packard used Dura pumps. A lot less complex electrically and mechanically with the pump only running in one direction to provide pressure for lift. Springs and gravity taking care of the down. Even the seat was spring and foot pressure return. The convertible top was the only thing powered in both directions & used a reversing valve for that function.

Certainly the postwar system was very much like the systems used by other manufacturers...GM and Ford. I am not sure how Chrysler's sytem for the Crown Imperials through 1950 worked. I just find it interesting that a company which fitted the hydraulic system as standard in 1941 and 1942 dropped the whole idea at the very time the competition was adopting it...witness Lincoln fitting the window lifts to the standard Zephyr based coupes sedans and convertibles in 1946 as they were moved a bit up market. Cadillac did the same thing for the Seventy-Fives and the convertibles (as did Buick). In my opinion, it served to weaken the Packard cars' image of modernity in a world that had changed. Perhaps the superb craftsmanship should have been enough, especially in the top of the line cars.

Unrelated, but interestingly, Vantage Motor Works in Miami has a 1938 Rolls-Royce convertible sedan which was factory fitted with electric window lifts and an electric to. It has a beautiful row of push-pull knobs on the fascia to control the windows--as well as winding handles, for failures I guess.