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

Thanks Kev for your thoughts on this. Though engines at Windsor were assembled there, the components apparently mostly came from the Detroit plant as the Canadian plant had no foundry and forge. Though it's 1937, here's what was published in Auto Trader about the sourcing of Canadian parts.

The whole export business must have been quite complicated. Packard's Canadian plant build both RHD for the Commonwealth, Sweden, Japan and a few others, and LHD for other destinations. And the Detroit plant also built cars for export, both RHD and LHD, but not for export to the Commonwealth. And this was true not just for the juniors but for certain models of the senior cars. Must have been a bit of logistic nightmare.

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Good afternoon...perhaps a really off the wall question, sort of outside the box, but could Packard have cut down the piston size by installing a sleeve into the bore to bring down the diameter of the piston...not unlike what is done to refresh an old block, except a much thicker sleeve.

Ernie in Arizona

Ernie, thanks for thinking about it. The Packard Parts List gives a specific and unique number for the small bore block and pistons, so no sharing. Besides, the cylinder walls would be so thick, I'd think cooling would very problematic.

Here is where that putting all that Part List data into a DB shows how helpful it can be. Click this link to see all the parts with a reference to a 2 7/8 bore engine:

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/partslist/index.php?mode=fullsearch&SearchValue=2-7%2F8+BORE&ButtonLookup=Go

Looks like there were ever specific differentials for those cars. The fact there are superseded part numbers in this list points to being a reality as if it was never produced, then why would there have been superseded part numbers.

Thanks Kev. I wonder if we'll ever unravel this but every bit of info helps. I've got a friend going thru some old Leonard Williams archives to see what might be there. Unfortunately most of their files were destroyed during the war.

The Brooklands Book,"Packard Cars 1920-1942"has road tests of the smaller bore 115c and 120 by"The Motor" and "The Autocar"....

Now if this engine was really produced for the export market, wouldn't there been people asking questions when overhauling these?
Someone decides to overhaul this Packard engine. Well let's see "I need new pistons, let me check with the Packard club/Packardinfo/Kanter/Max Merrit". Wouldn't this popped up years ago? If they were really produced there ought to be some around would you say?

Darrin180, I'm very anxious to know what technical information is in that book about the 1935 engine in an export 120, please comment further including details about he engine. Any could you photocopy and mail me any significant pages?

BDC, I agree! You certainly think after 80+ years at least one export 1935 120 would have survived and required major engine service and that we would have heard about it, if for no other reason that lack of service parts.

Interesting stuff!!! I, for one, did not know Packard had a Canadian plant. In spent my working life in the industrial rubber business and the 'reach' of our products was almost universal. We had the GM contract for forklift tires at all their Canadian manufacturing facilities and, as such, I called on the Windsor plant. I believe there is only an axle plant left there now, (if even that) as a great deal of automotive manufacturing has gone to China, but based on Big Kev's article, it sounds like a great number of Packard components were Canadian-sourced, and manufactured for the Windsor facility. Is there any way to tell 'by the numbers' if one's car was produced there??? I know this is 'off the topic' a little bit, re the export block mystery, but any 'spin-off learning' along the way is of value, right??

Packard's Canadian plant opened in 1931 and closed in 1939 with the outbreak of war between England and Germany. Easy way to tell if your car was produced at the Canadian plant is to look at the patent plate, if Canadian manufacture it will have a Canadian plate.

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