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An elderly friend as just acquired his third Packard a 1939 1708 Limousine. Being 84 he has no conception of the internet so I try and help out providing what information I can find out. I have been delighted to acquire owners, shop and data manuals from this site already, so many thanks to the gentlemen who have provided that technical information.

We are in the UK (Somerset)so information is scant, I would appreciate any information someone may have of this particular model so I can build up a story of it!

I would expect few examples to still exist, would there be any specific information relating to numbers built and still surviving (I am aware some 446 V12 automobiles were built in 1939)

All relevant stories/information appreciated.

She has come through a 10 year restoration here in the UK.

Regards

Russ

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Great looking car! Charlie Blackman did a statistical analysis based on surviving vehicle numbers to estimate the number of each body style made, I have a copy and will look it up. I'd also like to have the vehicle number and theft-proof number, PM them to me if you want to keep them confidential. Also, many, nearly half, of the 39 Twelves used left-over 1938 Twelve or Super Eight bodies - it will be interesting to see if this is one of those.

If you want it to be authentically correct, alternate grille shutters should be painted - a 1939-only feature.

Hello Owen.

By theft proof number would you mean the number pressed into the bulkhead firewall on the upper right hand side?

Regards

Russ

Yes.

Hello Russ:

For what it is worth the following club membership directories list the number of 1939-1708, 1235 Limosines:

PAC Directory (2013-2014) shows 6, including one in Slough UK.
CCCA Directory (2014-2015) shows 3, without repeats of PAC
PI Directory is no longer published.

Therefore, the number registered with these clubs is 9.

O_D, how can you tell if it's a left over body from 1938?

O_D, how can you tell if it's a left over body from 1938

By a careful analysis of surviving vehicle numbers and corresponding body serial or theft-proof numbers. Based on the data I've collected 1939 Twelves with theft-proof numbers of 414XXX or less are left-over 38 bodies; the 39 Twelves with bodies built in 1939 seem to start around 475XXX. All the numbers in between are for models other than Twelves.

Hello Roger.

Thank you for that information!

My friend (Gerry) only acquired the vehicle one week ago, so the one you mentioned as being registered in Slough would be the same vehicle.

Regards

Russ

Hello Owen.

The theft proof number is <412XXX> actually the number 1 looks more like a capital letter I.

So from your analysis then the body was initially produced in 1938. I presume this might have been done in anticipation of an order or possibly a cancelled order from that year?

I don't have chassis number to hand as the vehicle documents are away on change of ownership and I haven't located one from a quick look around! Would that assist in tracing any previous ownership/history details that may exist?

Regards

Russ

I presume this might have been done in anticipation of an order or possibly a cancelled order from that year?


1937 was the highest production for the Twelve and I expect Packard anticipated similar production for 1938 and prepared for the same. However the industry was hit by the mini-recession of 1938, car sales took a significant drop, so sales never reached the anticipated levels. At least this is the reason most often postulated.