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

Hi All,

I'm guessing that this is the right place for this question. It straddles the war years, but I think you folks will know. Pre-war Packard introduced an advanced IFS design, I think on the 120(?) Does anyone know how long this basic design was in place? Was it still in use through the '50s? How swappable are the suspension/chassis parts through this time frame?

If there is a thread or web link with this info, I welcome a link gladly!

Thanks for any info offered!

markb

You are referring to what Packard trademarked as the Safe-T-fleX suspension and it was in use from it's introduction on the 1935 "120" thru the 1942 non-Clipper chassis; it was introduced on the "senior" line in 1937. The new front suspension introduced with the Clipper in 1941 was a rather generic type, similar to what GM developed, and was used thru 1954 and on the V8 non-TL cars though even there parts of it were in common. Safe-T-fleX died in 1942 with the end of the conventionally bodied Packards but a version of it was used on Rolls-Royce postwar, and I believe by one or two other European makes.

Parts between the "junior" and "senior" Safe-T-fleX suspensions are not universally interchangeable. Someone else may know all the details on interchangeable parts but the best source of info is in the parts books.