Ed Miller

MBL, although you won't have your Packard at the meet, it will be worth your while to come and take a look see.

Packin31, last week I took my Brand X car (1932 Cadillac) from Naples to Sarasota via 41. I would suggest you do the same. Neither route is terribly scenic and I75 is quicker than SR41.

MBL, Tom Kaiser's telephone number is 941-371-0070 if you need better directions. What Packard will you be bringing with you?

I'll arrive late that morning with my 1933 Packard. It takes about two hours to tow the old lady up from Naples to "Wit's End," that's the name of Tom Kaiser's homestead where the meet is held each year. If you appreciate Packards and live in Florida then this is the place to be next Sunday.

The other SSJ is located in my hometown of Naples, Florida. It's own by Miles Collier, or at least by his 501©(3)IRC automobile museum. I have driven a 1929 Duesenberg Long Wheelbase Murphy bodied Convertible Sedan (owned by Jack Miller)for a few miles. It's faster than Packard Twelve...by a lot! I would say Convertible Js in decent condition with correct bodies start around $500,000.

Packard Blue, This may be a little picky but here it goes...Most Packard Twelves were delivered with a 4.69:1 rearend as standard equipment. Only open and convertible Twelves were delivered with a 4.41:1 rearend. The optional rearends were 4.06:1 (some books say 4.07:1, take your pick) and 5.07:1. I changed the rearend in my 1933 Twelve from 4.41:1 to 4:07:1. With the 4.06:1 setup the top cruising speed is 70 MPH. Theoretical top speed is 101.31 MPH. Over the years other high speed rearends have been available. without dusting off my old magazines but dusting off my memory the other available ratios were 3.70:1 and a very long 3.54:1. An acquaintance of mine until recently owned a 1934 Packard Twelve Dietrich (split winshield) Convertible Sedan, claimed that he was able to cruise from Orlando to Sarasota at speeds up to 85 MPH using the 3.54:1 ratio.

Introduced in 1932, Ride Control was Packard's newest driver toy. I believe the last year was 1934. By the way, it was a fairly common item found on other luxury cars of the era. My 1932 Cadillac has the same mechanism. Cadillac called it a Ride Regulator. It has five adjustable positions as opposed to Packard's three.

I have owned a 1933 Packard for 14 years. The Ride Control Lever provides three ride control positions, viz.: soft, medium and firm. The handle is attached via rods to a valve on the four Houdaille double acting shock absorbers. It controls the flow of hydraulic fluid within each shock. The original handle read: In Hard - Out Soft. This was changed after several outraged owners complained.

I agree with ronbarn. The one inch wide flaps are for later drop center wheels. You need the wider flaps to protect your tubes.

Saturday my wife and I leave for a 1,000 mile tour in our 1932 Cadillac V8 All Weather Phaeton. About 30 cars will join us and all will be of pre-WWII vintage. Chances are, even though ours does not have the highest top speed or cruising speed, it will nevertheless be one of the fastest cars on the tour, including the 1941 Cadillacs. Part of the reason will be that our Cadillac has overdrive. But just as important is its perfect mechanical condition and my willingness to drive at more than a sedate speed (without being foolish). Today most owners drive of pre WWII vehicles drive at relatively slow speeds out of respect for their vehicle, the age of the vehicle, the mechanical condition and the fear that something may break and leave them stranded. Top speed is merely a theoretical question that has little or no practical application for these great machines. But it is fun to talk about it.

Restorer 32, coincidentally I purchased a 1960 Jaguar XK 150 S OTS (roadster) with a 3.8 litre engine in 1978 rather than the more common 3.4 litre engine. Unless you were living in Fort Lauderdale at the time, it wasn't your Jaguar. Also, I drove the car home under its own power and continued enjoying it till 1986 when I sold it and all my other cars except for what my wife to this day calls the reliable one...a 1973 Jaguar E-Type Convertible. Since then I have bee more interested in CCCA Classics. But I still have the E-Type.

Greetings from Naples, Florida. We still don't have electricity (I'm running a generator a few hours each night) but it's not too bad here (if you like sleeping in sweat you'll love it). One of my three offices is in Port Charlotte. My staff will be there Tuesday to see what's left of it. Minor damage was done to my property ($3,000 to $5,000). The cars came through unscathed. We took our 1933 Packard for a ride today. She was getting bored of sitting in the garage.

I just came across a Summer, 1996 edition of THE PACKARD CORMORANT. Starting on page 20 is an article on top colors, including 1933. Also, it includes sources for the article and the author's address and telephone number if you desire to call him. The article states that the 1933 standard top color is unknown but the optional color is black! If you need more information let me know and I'll send it to you.

A fellow by the name of Lloyd Young sells reconditioned Borg Warner R9 Overdrive units. I installed one on my 1932 Cadillac V8 All Weather Phaeton and have never regretted it. I can now tour at any legal speed and the engine loafs. The price is $1,175. I also own a 1933 Packard Twelve Convertible Sedan in which I installed a high speed rearend. It cost about $2,500 and the installation was quite expensive. While the O/D unit was essentially a bolt on unit with virtually no installation cost. But for the Packard an O/D unit was unnnecessary as the engine has gobs more power than the Cadillac V8. What are you thinking of putting the O/D on? If you have any further questions or need Lloyd Young's address and telephone number, just let me know.

1942 was the first year for Packard power tops...and also for eletric windshiled wipers. I own a 1933 Packard convertible sedan. It is possible to erect it by yourself but it's really a job for two people. A service letter describes in detail how to erect the top. One of the first things you do is "remove the rear seat and place it alongside the road." Once you have done it alone you will never did solo again.

Phenolic is available I used it on both my 1933 Packard and 1932 Cadillac. Just do an internet search under the word "phenolic." Don't ask me where the phenolic came from for my cars because my mechanic doesn't remember.

Last year I had my 1932 Cadillac V8 engine rebuilt. The blocks (there are two for this engine) had more cracks in it than an earthquake zone. First I had it magnafluxed. I then built two wooden crates for each block in which I bolted the the blocks. I sent the blocks for welding. Upon return (in the same wooden crates) the blocks came back repaired without any damage or sloppiness. The engine went back into the Cadillac. I've driven the Cadillac about 2,500 miles at speeds up to 70 MPH. The engine doesn't leak a drop of water or oil and runs cool all the time, including during South Florida summer days. If you are interested I will look up the name of the engine welder and pass it along to you. The reason I didn't mention this earlier is I wanted to make sure that I was satisfied with the work done...I'm very satisfied.

The bad news is the tops were all tan. However, as with the color, if you paid extra you could probably have whatever you wanted. Maybe not from the factory but from the dealer. I looked through Packard authorized accessories. Optional paints and upholstery were available from Packard in 1933 but there is no mention of differant colored top fabrics available from Packard. What was available was special color paints for all or a portion of your Packard, chromed louvered doors, wooden or spoke wheels, 5 or 6 wheels, differant mascots, several differant trunks, door curtains, arm rests, discs for wire wheels, radiator grille guards, startix, etc. But no mention of black top material. But don't despair. One of the best known 1933 Packard Twelve Coupe Roadsters is painted silver and black and has a BLACK top! It's owned by Bob Larabee. Another with a black top is a Super Eight possessed by Dick Weiner. so if black makes you happy, do it without hesitation. P.S. My 1933 Packard Twelve is Maroon with silver fenders and a tan top. Each to his own taste.

I have not installed seat belts in my 1932 Cadillac. However, if seat belts are installed discreetly they are not considered barbaric.

After a 25 mile run my 1933 Packard 12 runs about 155 to 160 degrees in 60 degrees ambient temperature...if I close all the hood doors to keep the engine compartment as warm as possible, otherwise she runs between 148 and 153 degrees. My 1932 Cadillac V8 doesn't even register a temperature on such cool days. I live in southwest Florida. During summer days I open all the hood doors on the Packard and she will run between 160 and 165 degrees. The Cadillac will register in the mid-cold range.She's never runs in the normal or hot range. I've driven the Packard 4,500 miles and the Cadillac about 5,500 miles with no deleterious effects from cool running. Both engines have been taken apart more than once and inspected. Just be glad you don't run hot. Postscript: My Packard has a Winterfront automatic shutter mechanism. You either have it or a thermostat. The Winterfront is designed to be fully open at 160 degrees. That's just 9 degrees higher than what your Packard is running.

Claude Daoust 514-695-1364 may have parts for your headlights. Jay Fisher 732-388-6442 (evenings) resores headlights. Good luck.

If you lived in Florida I would send you to the fellow who does work on my cars. He does a great job on mine. But you better be ready to mortgage your home, he's expensive.

When I had my 1933 Packard restored I wasn't able to find anyone who could spin new ones. The originals were rebuilt at great expense. It may be easier to purchase a used pair of head lamps and have them rebuilt. Good luck.

I own a 1932 Cadillac V8. The engine is basically the same as yours. If it's rebuilt properly your Cadillac should run it quite nicely. I drive mine about 70 miles each week and enjoy every mile.

JT, "I'm right.!!!" Can I now claim to be a certified mechanic? Just kidding...but it is nice to hear that I'm right about something mechanical. My wife warns me that anytime I try to fix something on my cars I wind up breaking two more things...and she's right!