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Dear All
I've just joined the site so "Hello to you all", and would really appreciate some help.
I bought a rather unusual Packard Special in Berlin a couple of years ago and have been working on re-bodying the car and rebuilding the engine.
Meanwhile, I completely lost track of time and realise that having brought the car from Berlin to the UK, I won't be able to register it here without some kind of history that proves the chassis and engine are of a specific year.
From the appearance of everything it should be a 1932 shovel nose, the engine No. is 240026 and body number is A500227, does this make sense?
Many thanks
Simon

Hello Simon...Welcome to the tribe! I don't have the information you need, however others far more knowledgeable than I, will check in over the course of the day, who DO know what you need to know. If you can, a few photographs would be nice...Ernie in Arizona

Quote:SimonRoss,
to PackardInfo and for including your unusual '32 Packard in the Packard Owner's Registry .

According to the Kimes-edited Packard History book, pages 783 and 785, the 1929 Standard Eights, Models 626 and 633, were assigned motor numbers from 233017 to 276166 and rode on 126 1/2 and 133 1/2 inch wheelbases. So it would appear that the motor in question, 240026 dates from 1929. The 1932 Light Eight (Shovelnose) Model 900 was assigned motor numbers from 360009 to 366794 and rode on a 127 3/4 inch wheelbase. One differentiating factor between the 1929 and 1932 motors is the fuel delivery system. The 1929 models used a vacuum system with a supply tank mounted on the right side of the firewall. In 1932 Packard used a fuel pump mounted on the crankcase. So to further identify the vehicle we need to know the chassis wheelbase and the fuel delivery system.

I have no reference for body numbers so perhaps someone else could help identify that.

Hopefully there's a photo attached to this

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Hi Don
Many thanks for the info, would this suggest that my engine is earlier than a shovel nose?

Hi Simon,
Yes it seems that the engine is pre-shovelnose; the fuel system would confirm that. The picture shows the front fenders or wings date from 1932 as does the veed radiator grille. Not much of the grille is visible but it appears to have the wider thermostatically-controlled shutters rather than the finer grille bars used on the shovelnose. Another anomaly is what appears to be the lack of a crossbar between the headlamps. On 1932 Packards with the radiator shutters only the Twin-Six (V12) didn't have the crossbar. A photo from directly in front would clarify all this. Another mystery is the wheels, they are not typical for either 1929 or 1932; they look like they would be from 1935 and up.
That body is unlike anything Packard would make in that period so do you have any information on the body maker?

I'm not an expert on these early cars but this one really looks like some person's idea of their dream Packard and built from pieces or fabricated parts in more recent times. It may be what is affectionately known as a Bitsa (a bit of this, a bit of that). Of course, the experts here will surely weigh in with more definitive information and whatever it is, it is quite interesting! More photos would definitely help.

Hi Don
You're on the right trail, it was built by someone in the UK in the 1960's who later died, his family sold it to two antique boat restorers in Berlin who kept it for a few years with the intention of using it for promotional purposes but never got around to it, I bought it from them and set about re-bodying both the front and rear ends.
The red bits are what was built in the 60's, the unpainted parts are what I've done to correct the proportions and I've also lengthened the front wings and shortened the rear arches.
However, the chassis, engine and gearbox all seem to be from the same car, in the UK that's all I need to satisfy the requirements for an age related registration, what I don't want is to end up with what's known as a "Q" plate that starts with Q, this is what is used for kit cars.
Unfortunately the chassis plate only has the body reference number but obviously the engine is stamped with it's own number.
One way or another I need to prove the correct year for the chassis and engine.
I'm trying to post some more photos.
Cheers
Simon

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Unfortunately Packard did not have any numbers on their chassis which, as a VIN verifier myself, has come up in the past. The best you'll be able to do is to match the engine number to a specific year and model and someone can make a good, educated guess on the chassis but that would be about it. Since the wheels are clearly from a later model, it is very possible that the chassis is too but there are so many variables involved that it's difficult to even guess, especially without more information and photos of any detail. Even then, you'll not get anything definitive.