Packard enthus.

I am puzzled. If I read that chart correctly, it suggests the 356 engine was avail. for 1950 production. I do not recall that. My recollection is the 356 was discontinued for 1950 production, meaning the largest displacement motor was the 327 for that and up to end of 1953 production.

Well said ! Outstanding illustration of the change....when what WAS a hobby for people who, with their own hands, enjoyed the technical aspects of the machines they thought enough of to collect....to today.....it's just a business to so many current participants.

How sad - well-meaning people who destroy engines (or give advice on how to bring one back to life) with perfectly good intentions. BEFORE attempting to turn the motor over even one revolution, it is ESSENTIAL that the oil pan be removed, to clean out the sludge that WILL be ingested by the oil pump, ruining the connecting rod and main bearings. How do I know this? Attached photo suggests I have some familiarity with working on motors damaged by well-meaning others.

Thank you for posting a photo of the front of your late model GMC truck in front of the same place I had earlier photographed my Packard Twelve, and telling us I was there last month". That is nice that you were able to park your late model GMC truck in that same place. May I inquire...how you believe your post contributes to the discussions in this "thread" ? Discuss, please.

May I inquire? How does your above post tell us what your position is, on the changes in the use of words such as "classic" and "antique"...?

I respectfully suggest you are WAY "behind-the-times". Subscribe to the magazine "ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE" put out by the ANTIQUE AUTO CLUB OF AMERICA. Great info. in the articles as to where the used car hobby is going. (at least that is where many folks WANT it to go......) For example, go to the MAY JUNE 2023 issue (Volume 87 Number 3). See the article entitled EMERGING ANTIQUES that begins on Pp. 76, There you will find the author stating "antiques from this modern era" are where we should give more consideration (pick up trucks, Ford Granada...things like that. Just think, in another year my 2000 Toyota RAV 4 will be considered an "antique" by some folks. They would be VERY unhappy with me if I dared violate what these folks want to hear, should I call it "a used car"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let's get this out in front...LIFE IS UNFAIR! IT ISN'T MY FAULT SO DONT BLAME ME! Yeah...you may well feel a touch of envy if I am "fortunate enough" to get stuck behind you in your "ordinary man's" car.....as I blast by you at nearly twice your speed ( I don't feel comfortable, given my tires are now about 5 years old....taking my Packard Twelve much above 90). No question about it - it is decidedly unfair that so few folks have a clue what the big "super cars" of the pre-war era could do; how superior they are to the "ordinary man's" cars of that time. By the mid 1930's Pierce Arrows had over-drive...a Marmon V-16 or Dusie...? C'mon, man - be a courteous driver & stay the hell out of our way! Most, if not all, of the big "super-cars" of that era had power brakes - drums half again larger in diameter than the "ordinary man" cars. Cooling systems? Water bags were a "hot" item at gas stations in that era, but you sure as heck dont need one on a "super car". How fast are the 'super cars".? Well...bone stock, the ones that did not have some kind of over-drive were crippled with absurdly low (numerically high) final drive ratios. So yes, I cheated in this respect - my otherwise "bone stock" Packard Twelve has a 3.23 final drive ratio. How fast COULD it go? How fast COULD a Pierce Arrow V-12 go...? What we do know is how fast they can stop. (again, proper maintainence is the key....with the correct brake lining)..those things can do a "feathered" wheels-locked stop at ANY speed. So just how fast is fast? We know that for the introduction of the so-called "Twin Six" in late 1931, Packard took a otherwise bone-stock new one out on their test track, and proved "PACKARD BEATS A GOLF BALL". The time clocked the golf ball at 122...the Twelve (o.k...for that year only, was called the "Twin Six")....at 124. (yeah...Packard cheated...that thing was "high geared" with a left-over differential from their earlier "Speedster" series...! So we can agree that life isn't fair - take today...for example...on a hot day in modern traffic, is that guy in the $100,000. car of today, any more comfortable with his air conditioner on, than my wife and I in our Toyota RAV4? Packard introduced "factory air" in late '39 for 1940 production. Who, who actually knows what they are talking about...would doubt that a '40 Packard equipped with their then-new "356" & overdrive would have any problem keeping up with modern traffic? The key is proper maintainence. As others have pointed out, the cost and skill to bring back into service one of those pre-war era "super cars" is a whole different problem than just overhauling an "ordinary man" car like a "junior" series Packard...or Ford...or Buick...or whatever. How many modern shops would have a CLUE...for example..of how to remove and service the "lifters" out of a Packard Twelve....! Bottom line....life- isn't fair...there is always someone who has something vastly superior to what you are familiar with. Accept it....and dont make a point out of showing either your envy...or your ignorance...or both!

So you think a Packard Twelve is a "substandard vehicle"....suggesting it cant perform adequately in today's traffic...eh? My recommendation for people who are thinking of letting their envy get the best of their sense of manners......when you are clueless, dont advertise it!

This fellow from Washogal, Wash.....just posted "I use to be long for year". Apparently in response to a three year old post about a guy who claims he heard Turnquist speak, and "Packard Twelves were a dime a dozen". Hmmm.....let's see.. oh well..it's the Internet.... In my own case, I am as long as I have ever been since puberty, but that's just me. As for Turnquist saying he was driving Packard Twelves around in a junk-yard.....well....I knew Bob and Sonny personally - of all the stories I heard him tell, either to me directly, or when I was with him and others...never heard him tell that one. For those who do not know, the Turnquists lived in Morristown, New Jersy. The town got is name for the first colonial governor of that state - William Morris. The Turnquists lived in the centuries-old home orig. built for the governor. My recollection (been many years since I've stayed with them) the home was in a pretty nice section - can't recall any jankyards in the area. Packard Twelves were a "dime a dozen'? Oh well.. again....its the Internet. Values of big old luxury cars were way down...? Well....depends on your perspective. In 1957, I paid twenty five bucks for my Packard Twelve...which was about right since it needed a battery, & the tires were well worn. Twenty five bucks was no dime.....in fact...if you convert it to today's purchasing power I paid around $500. for that car. That's a lot of money for a high school kid...took some doing, mowing lawns over several summers...to get that twenty five bucks together. What happened to my own Packard Twelve? That story is told elsewhere. Sufficient to note it continues to do what its original designers intended....that's it with my wife and i inside, storming thru a high mountain pass in the Colorado Rockies during a CCCA CARavan a year or so ago.....

Wow...sounds great - only problem for post 1939 cars is the socket adapter...is there such a thing...? I would need something to connect the old'style socket base to the 1940 & later "sealed beam" type three prong connector.

HEADLIGHT BULBS I got all excited about the discussion in here about LED headlight bulbs. I presently have 50W quartz halogens using modeern reflectors I installed behind my "stock" lenses, so my headlights look "period correct". The order confirms they understood my old car (see below) is 6 volts. They came today from a 'USKY3 WHAREHOUSE in Hebron, Kentucky. Nice fancy box labeled "LED auto lamps". No indication who the mfg. is, no indication what voltage. On installing them in my car...... NOTHING! Turns out they only work on modern NEGATIVE ground systems. When I reversed the polarity, they lit up - but I m frankly not impressed with them. They are nowhere near as bright as my existing quartz hologens. when I reversed the polarity. I did NOT try to put 12 volts on them for fear of burning them up. For those of you who also have 6 volt cars - yes, I would recommend quartz halogens, avail. from a number of sources. Just bear in mind you will have to re-wire your headlight "buckets" to modern "bayonet" style connectors. Also, today's quartz-halogens pull a LOT more amps than the old incandescents/sealed beams. I am lucky, Packard Twelves have the biggest 6 volt generators of any pre-war car I am aware of, plus a "Group 4" sized battery. Your problem? Quartz halogens may well have a greater electrical demand that pre-war "factory" electrical systems in most cars can handle.

TWELVE PARTS? As a long-confirmed Packard Twelve fanatic, it pains me to see ads like this - means that somewhere, some time ago, a magnificent automobile "bit the dust". Bet there is a interesting story as to how this fellow came by these parts. Go for it!

We are both correct. We both win. I pointed out what was standard production. You pointed out the obvious...for those who wanted to pretend they bought the more expensive, much more powerful "top-of-the-line" Packards, of course they would be accommodated to make the sale. Either at the factory, or by the distributor, or even the delivering dealer! While the color book for that year showed what Packard choices Packard offered in "production", of course they would paint the thing (for a price)....either at the factory or later on in the delivery chain, to make a sale. For some reason, Packards delivered to India often came new with chromed hood sheet metal, as well as BOTH the grill shells and shuttersl! (I suspect the distributor handled that, not the factory...but I don't know for sure..!) As a side-note, and as an example of my being wrong, I lost a bet about chromed headlight shells on '38-39 Twelves. I never saw or even heard of one till relatively recently. Turns out there were a couple - most definitely "original" unmolested versions. And then...the more obvious cases of disregarding historical accuracy...."owner license",,,? My own '38 Twelve's paint job. 1935 -39 production cars were solid colors. If there ever was one of that era coming at the door at 1580 E. Grand Ave. "two toned", I am not aware of it. But I like two-toning...and, after all...it is my %$#@((# car!