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

I'm looking for a pair of NOS rear leaf springs for a 1951 300 model. Does anyone know who to contact? At this time I am not interested in reproduction springs.

Bob: Call Lee Bowen 417-276-5381 (Missouri).

Lee is a hobbyist - collector- small-time seller of Packard parts, and I know he has a 51 or 52 right now that he is parting out, but which has much of its stuff still on it.

Tell him I sent you - he just sold me a few small parts for mine.

Jim G

Thanks for the info. Read your last post re the 12 volt conversion. You have been doing a lot of research. I am interested in the 12 volt battery with the 6 volt tap in the middle. Maybe you could use a full sized 6 volt battery for the car and add a smaller 6 volt in series with it to supply the 12 volt accessories and then use the 12 volt alternator to charge them in series. I don't know if there would be a problem charging the two dissimilar batteries that way. I can probably find out.

Bob: If you could find out, I would appreciate it.

The two "conventional" batteries would cost less than the one "12/6" battery, and would be easier to replace anywhere too.

Delores told me (I think, if I understood correctly), that with the 12/6 battery, you can indpendently charge each half of the battery with a 6 volt charger, if one side gets run down because of more use than the other. So, the answer COULD be "yes".

Jim G

I'm not sure who Delores is. Does she sell a system with a 6/12 battery as part of it. There may be some sort of an electronics box that senses the condition of each half of the battery separately and direct the charging of the two halfs separately. Does Delores's system utilize a 12 volt alternator or maintain the old 6 volt generator?

As far as finding out about charging two 6 volt batteries in series that are of different capacities I will talk to an engineering friend of mine about that and get back to you.

A side line to this is my father ( now deceased) was an electronics engineer and would have loved to have been able to work on designing a system that would do what you need. He was the one who taught me how to work on and adjust the old electro mechanical voltage regulators. I remember my Dad never wanted to wast time shaving before he left the house so he designed a power supply to run from the 6 volt system in his 1951 Studebaker that generated 120 volts DC to run his schick electric shaver. This was in 1951. Long before you could buy things like that. BTW if you're wondering why the 120 volts DC. The shaver had brushes in it and would run on AC or DC just as well and it was easier the make the DC. It had a vibrator power supply like the tube type radio in your Packard.

Boy I can rattle on can't I?

Delores is the gal at Antique Auto Battery. That company makes authentic looking but modern insides batteries.

There is a big difference between the 6/12 and 12/6 batteries they offer:

The 6/12 type of battery is intended for use on a car with a 6 volt charging system (6 volt generator or alternator). Because the charging system is only 6 volts, it charges both halves" of the battery via a special connecting device that connects the two sides of the battery. You get 6 volts off one power terminal and 12 volts off the other, as needed.

The 12/6 type of battery is intended for use on a car with a 12 volt charging system (12 volt generator or alternator). Because the charging system is 12 volts, it charges both sides of the battery (the 3 cells that make the 6 volts and the other 3 that add 6 more volts)all at once. Delores says that the two halves can get into differing states of charge if one side is uised a lot more than the other, but if necessary,a 6 volt charger can be connected across either side.

We REALLY should move this discussion to the "special 12 volt conversion" thread I started, rather than this "new springs" thread! :)

Jim G

Would also suggest you check into detail about mfg, warranty, etc on the 12/6 or the repro batteries as well as see how others have fared. I did not have much longevity out of a Willard repro as compared to the current name brand that replaced it. Granted that was a few years ago so things may have changed.

I too have had lousy battery life from batteries bought from the boutique battery companies. I had 3 or 4 of the Group 60 type for the V8 cars, and don't think I ever got more than 24 months from any of them and the warranties were esentially useless because you had to pay the shipping cost back. Went to a Group 63 from Interstate and am in my 4th year and still OK.