Second Chances 34 Convertible Coupe and Victoria Convertible

[Guest superods]

Just got back from Nebraska this A.M. Went out to pick up the last 34 fiberglass body he made while he was still in business. He built about 50 of these on his chassis etc. I purchased a very solid 33 sedan which will be the donor car for my build. The real coup was talking Dwight into popping the Victoria Convertible 34 out of his molds and also loading it on the trailer. I got the job done and picked up some nice nice pieces and parts he had for both 33 and 34 Packards. I now need a 33 or 34 136 inch chassis if anyone knows where a good one is. My 33 Victoria con vertible is in transit from Bert Barber out in Seatte. Was told it was but one of 13 known and documented 1002's. There may be more but not documented. I am not going to refit the original but use it to build this Victoria replica. I also could use the dash for a 33 or 34 complete along with the pedals and the e-brake along with the back tail lights. This project is off in the future so I will have time to locate items I need....oh yes need the front and rear bumper also.

[Guest superods]

PHD...I can mount this to a modern chassis that has a 16 gauge boxed frame rail and updated front and rear suspension with disc brakes all around. I purchased a 33 Packard Sedan, without motor and trans out of California for the sole purpose of using all the parts needed to complete the project. Just so happens it has a chassis that is excellent, along with sheet metal and many component parts that I can and will use on one of the replicar Packards I purchased.

I also have a number of original Packards that I refit with updated motors, transmissions, suspensions, front and rear, along with the brakes. My website explains that in detail. You may view it at http://www.packardrefitters.com (This is not a shameless plug Speedster)

It so happens the stock frame is better than any boxed replica that one could make. This one blasted and painted will look brand new. I attempt at every turn to make the car look as original as I possibly can. I recore the stock radiator and it sits on the original cross member while the new suspension is welded to the frame rails almost an inch below the bottom plane of the the original. It does not get better than that. I am using a Mercedes E series rear independent suspensions( used in the dodge magnums and the chrysler 300 v6's) while they owned the chrysler deal. Those came with 390 gears. That works the best for the 33 1/2 tall michilen wide white radials on the lip laced, 17 x5 stainless wires Zenith in California makes custom for the 2 32's we are presently doing. zIn the future I hope a radial 17 32 1/2 inch tall radial comes available for the 33 and 34 cars I plan or redoing.

You are welcome to email me personally with regard to what it is I am doing ...always happy to share. I hate being redundant here..some think I am plugging what it is i am doing for personal gain. That truly is not the case. I have after talking with a number of people here to sell the original 30 convertible coupe I own, after holding it one year (long term capital gains). Will also do the same with the 33 Victoria convertible I presently own... next year at this time.

[Guest superods]

I hear those v-12's are quite the thing PHD. Congrats to you. I may just own one of those beauties someday to see how the other half lives !!

Gosh....I need to look at what it is I wrote. If restoring means exactly what you say....return to original i need eliminate that from the copy...you are absolutely correct. But...I am not building a "HOT ROD" or am i? I do not think so. To me that is something someone over does to satisfy some foolish craving for speed and or gaudy looks. I chose the moniker Packard Refitters for that is what it is I feel I am doing refitting a classic vehicle with updated mechanicals to make it more reliable and dependable and safe for someone to enjoy daily. Heck you lay out all that money why not get as much satisfaction from your purchase as you possibly can.

At any rate thank you for being open minded. I am not here to upset anyone. And...no need to compliment butit is appreciated. Coming from a "purist" there may be hope for me yet!! Simply stated though my mommy taught me any job worth doing is worth doing right. So I do the best I can with what little I have to work with....most days that is !

The one thing I want all to know...It is far more difficult working with a glass car body that has not been fitted nor bonded together than it is a classic Packard ! You have to create many of the pieces and parts that insure a proper fit and finish that will hold up to the rigors of daily driving. While all that was done for you 74 years ago if you are working with an original 34 body. And done correctly i might add.

[Guest superods]

OH OH....here is what i find ironic. When I arrived at Dwight Bonds building of business..what do I see? A stock 34 coupe roadster he just purchased ....to get running to use and enjoy. He did not keep a one of his replica 33 and 34 Packards. !!!!

[Guest superods]

Is my understanding all good things must end...as unfortunate as that is...life is not fair. The old timers who appreciated and understood those driving machines are becoming fewer and fewer. But life goes on.

I am not missing the point at all. I wish i had the ability to tinker but 75 years of fatigue takes its toll on even the finest piece of machinery.

I love purists. I raise the finest morgan horses in the world...second to none and all my competition wish they had my stock....just like a number of people like yourself would like one of these....is just that you are not only honest with yourself but you are sharing it with others...while doing the smart thing when confronted...deny... deny...deny.

I am running automatics in the first two 32's. The gear shift is the same configuration as the stock packard 902 and I even kept the clutch pedal by making it solid and non functional.

[Matt Harwood]

I'm a purist, and I love Packards most of all. My thoughts on the subject are well documented here. I hope I'm not painting a target on my head with the following:

Having seen superods' work in person, I came away extermely impressed with the quality and attention to detail he's lavishing on his current project. The car really is quite beautiful and does indeed look 100% original. He is going to some extraordinary lengths to get the details right and is not cutting corners. If I had to guess, I'd say that in terms of money + time vs. value, it's going to be a break-even thing--it's that good. He is clearly passionate about it and it shows. He won't get rich doing this.

Now, it's not restored, and it's not original, but he isn't passing it off as such, either. Sometimes it pains me to see some of these Packards hacked up, but this is most certainly not a backyard hack job. It isn't my cup of tea, but someone is going to enjoy the hell out of this car.

He really isn't killing off good base stock as we feared. I've seen some of the other projects in his shop, and they would be <span style="font-style: italic">extremely</span> challenging restorations, probably the kind that get you way upside-down in terms of money invested. His modifications don't remove any of the important parts, and the cars aren't unrestorable like they would be if they were, say, chopped and channeled. If you're wealthy enough to restore a Packard, you could take one of his back to stock with a lot less effort than a full restoration. The cars aren't irrevocably cut up. Heck, he's even replacing all the wood in the body--with wood!

What am I trying to say? If Packards are going to be modified (and they are), I'd rather have superods modifying them than Jim Bob down the street with his goofy billet wheels, tweed interior and garish colors. If what he tells me about his purchase prices on some of these cars is true, I would even dare to say that he's saving some of these cars from a much worse fate at the hands of a hack backyard mechanic or someone like Boyd Coddintgon (RIP). When the Fords have become more expensive than the Packards, the vultures are going to start circling the Packards.

Besides, he's using fiberglass bodies whenever he can to get the spectacular cars. He isn't modifying the really important ones. I'm pleased by that.

One last thing: when it's time for me to buy my Packard project, I'm going to have superods find it for me.

[Tom M]

Wish I had his talent I would be a lot farther along on my car. I mess up and just do it all over again but I can rack that up to learning experince.

[Guest superods]

Matt....where do I send the money for all those nice things you said about me ??

I do appreciate the kind words. But I am sure you were raised in a like manner to myself, where as any job worth doing is worth doing properly. As I told you when you were here, I search daily for opportunities. To date, I have been most fortunate. I have learned some things too. And I believe more every day what Birdman once said in one of these threads...the better car you start with the better the end result. So... now I am willing to even pay a little more and let the more adventuresome folk ponder their fate with those more challenging projects.

I will be happy to help you in any way I can Matt. Thanks for stopping out and when you are in the area just stop by you are always welcome. When I get the 32 rs coupe done I will load her on the trailer and stop out and we will cruise some of the highway and by ways of your neighborhood. Will let you get behind the wheel and judge for yourself.... lunch is on me !!

Packin...I have redone numerous things over. That is how one learns. Now though I rely on experience to save me some time....but that never seems to happen ...never enough time to do things these days....