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

What color paint was used in the engine compartment and the interior of the trunk of a 1940 110?
Jim Long

Trunk and firewall are body color, engine and front mount is Packard green, and the frame/suspension components are semi-gloss black.

Hope this helps!

Others can better say if the 110 engine color was something besides the Packard Green.

I believe starting with the 17th series all trunks used a rayon flocking material rather than a true paint on the sides and floor with some of that material extending up the sides and partially applied in easily visible areas at the top. Packard did not go to a lot of trouble finishing trunks on lower end models -- and not much more effort on any model for that matter -- so there was most likely a combination of primer and overspray surfaces in areas not covered with flocking.. The inside of trunk lid, hinges, and small bolt on items did have a paint finish which might have been body color or possibly a semi gloss black. Most of the prewar and a good many postwar cars had a shade of tannish beige flocking leaning more toward brown. Later cars still used the flocking but went to a more grayish-brown color. There was a thin mat on the floors of the trunk to prevent most of the damage to the flocking caused by articles sliding or scraping against it.

When in doubt, it helps to remember how the cars were typically assembled.

All the frame components were installed, and the frame was repainted over AO Smiths black. Other frame components, tubing, lines, brakes, wheels where then installed to have a rolling chassis.

The engine was assembled, transmission bolted on, and then it was painted. Pre-painted engine accesories and manifolds then added, and then the complete assembly was dropped onto the frame.

The body shell and sheet metal was painted. The it went down from the floor above via the "body drop" onto the frame.

The factory would have tried to avoid any unneeded masking where ever possible in the paint and assembly process.

Thanks guys for the research. My car is not a concourse car and won't be in my lifetime so I think I will just get the trunk looking as good as I can with some custom cut carpet on the floor and some trunk paint. The previous owner had a decent restoration done by a reputable local shop but they just shot the interior of the trunk black that makes it a dark hole when you are looking for something. Thanks again.
Jim Long