Dave Mitchell

Sorry to hear you say this, but I understand. When I was on the national board, I often brought up the expense of meets, tours and annual meetings and I was always told that people expect "a certain level" of quality at the events and facilities, and I understand that some do, but I don't think it is the majority that want really expensive venues. I have been to nice events that didn't cost a fortune and I've been to banquets that didn't cost hundreds of dollars to go to that were perfectly fine and often just as good or better than CCCA events. When I was Awards Chair I saw the proposals come in for the costs of the events and I said that the regions would make just as much money and have a more successful event - and draw more people if the prices weren't so high - and it would serve a much larger segment of the club. I still think that is true, but it was a hard sell to the club because that isn't the way they had always done it. Now if a Grand Classic or Annual Meeting has 40 cars they think it is huge - that is sad. The old guard is leaving, either do to age or disinterest, and I wonder where the new members will come from.

Karla does very nice work on the emblems, but it is not cheap, especially for ones that don't belong on your car. Also in the past she has had problems matching the red color. Hopefully she has figured that out by now.

I can send you a photo of the hood side emblem. Can't get it to upload here. Listen to Mr Kazmer - he is quite correct. People put this 180 emblems on trying to upgrade their cars and it just looks wrong.

Can you send me a photo of what it looks like? I have some handles that I am not sure what they fit. packard12s@hotmail.com

Mike, I have one also, but they are very rare, and fun to have if you are a Packard guy. They tend to be different, so your matched set is a little unusual and certainly fairly priced.

Rob Hilarides in California did a heroic restoration on an 845 Dietrich sedan and it won the closed class at Pebble in 2012. It is very, very nice and done in dark green. The other real one that I know still exists is in the Nethercutt collection.

The Packard service letters instruct the dealers on how to make these to use up the standard caps and ornaments left when dealers sold deluxe ornaments. The shade was a Packard hub cap which clamped to the bulb.

Sport Cab sounds like it is worth more money than a Cab A.

Phoenix restoration in Davenport, IA

Do you want a new one or good used? packard12s@hotmail.com

Not many people know about these.

This looks like a cap that goes on the spare tire in the trunk of a Packard. There is no "Packard" on it or any model nomenclature. The shape suggests 1937 - 1938.

I know a bit about Cad town cars, and also Packards. Email me if I can help you. Dave Mitchell packard12s@hotmail.com

I think that would be fascinating, fun to write and fun to read. Looking forward to it. Dave

Thanks Bubba, glad to know it is around. Is it a V8 or a 12? Interesting that this, like most convertibles has a chromed bead on the windshield, and my car never had it. The bead is part of the casting and like other parts Cad chromed the entire piece and painted what they didn't want to show as chromed - such as the hood sides and grill shell.

There is no way the side irons will fit in the compartment. I keep mine in the trunk. I'm not sure they will even fit under the seat. I've seen the Arden car - we both had our town cars at the Cad club nationals a couple years ago. I know that there are 4 V16s left, only two in the US, mine and the 36, which I have seen. There is a 37 V12 that I have seen, but that is all that I have seen in person other than yours and Bobs. Years ago I saw a photo of a 34 8 or 12 advertised as Mae West's car, and heard rumors that the Jean Harlow car still exists, but I have no idea where either car is.

Too bad I didn't know you before Jan gave his archives to DB, he even held the photos for the last two books back for some time later, but they are with DB now. I agree, things have really changed in publishing, but too late for Jan. I do hope that DB Historic will publish the books. I would think that they know what great potential they have in the manuscripts, but I am not sure. I think that for DB there is so much interest in the 300SLs and newer cars, which DB can relate to marketing new cars, that they don't think a lot about the cars from the 30s. Jan showed me the cars in action photos and I can assure you that they are terrific. I've been collecting car books for years and I have come to enjoy the period photos even more than those of the cars today. I'm sure I will never own a Supercharged MB, but Jan's books are my favorites of the hundreds of automotive books that I have. Dave

Hi Pat, That is a nice car that you have. I met Jack a couple of times and he seems like a very, very nice man. I'm guessing, since I didn't look up my "Book of Fleetwood" for 1934, that the 5725 was available on all 3 chassis in 34/35, which would account for the higher number of bodies. I'll dig it out and see. Also there is a page showing the driver how to fold back the top - I'll copy it for you. Looking forward to seeing more photos of yours. Don't short me Johan, the 60 series is 154 1/8 inch wheelbase, not a mere 149! Take care, Dave

Hi Johan, Good to hear from you! Hope all is well. I think I still owe you some photos! You should come and see me this year.

Farouk had some Packards also - a 38 12 sedan and a 39 12 convertible sedan that I know of and I think some earlier ones also.

The one book also covered 6 cyl Supercharged cars and the other was primarily photos of the cars "in action" - street photos, exhibitions, dealers, concours, etc.

Exactly - the publishers didn't exactly sell the books and the people who said they would market them in the US did nothing.

I do, but I haven't been to Sweden for several years, and I miss spending time with Jan. He is one of the nicest men I have met ever. You have to understand that Jan is extremely careful and precise. He is just brilliant and a phenomenal historian. His knowledge is boundless and always accurate, but he will not speculate. I could describe a car and he could tell me the numbers and dates for it. MB has asked him not to give serial numbers in his books and until he gave his archives to MB, his were better than theirs because he had compiled theirs from varied sources hither and yon from inside their many storage areas and also dealers, photos, etc. They didn't know where to look or didn't have time. He saved a lot before they just deteriorated. MB knows that with the info that he had, people would be building cars to match numbers. There are already cars out there with the same numbers. As far as publishing - Jan had poor luck with publishers over the years. He had 2 more books ready to publish and couldn't find a publisher. We can only hope that MB will publish them. I know that the market is small, but I've seen most of the photos he was going to use and they would be fantastic. His books are my favorites and I don't own a Supercharged MB. DM

I'm not a Fleetwood expert, but I own 5725 Body # 15, which is a 34, of which 4 V16s were built. I think that 9 town cars were put on Sixteen chassis from 34 - 37, which are pretty much the same body as your V-12. I know that there were town cars built on all 3 chassis, but I was a bit surprised that they would have built 15 by the time mine was built in the spring of 34, and it seems equally surprising that by 35 there were almost twice as many. Perhaps they were more popular than I think, or perhaps they started with the number 10. There certainly aren't many left - only 4 V16s from 34 - 37. Is yours the ex Jack Frank car? My email is packard12s@hotmail.com - we can trade photos. Dave Mitchell

Yes, I really did enjoy that car and wish I still had it. I bought mine in 1976. Keep that coupe! We restored a Packard coupe for a customer in Portland.