Another '38 question, can anyone tell me about this?

[Guest Faust]

Below is a picture of the radiator in the '38, I assume it is original. In the center of the upper cap is rather large hole with a filler piece soldered in. Did this serve any purpose? Was it for ease of manufacture? I notice the core doesn't look too original, may be discoloration from age.

[West Peterson]

That's where the Silphon Thermostat would have gone, which operated a mechanism that opened and closed the shutters in the grille. The car must be a Super Eight, or it's the wrong radiator for the car.

[Guest Faust]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: West Peterson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That's where the Silphon Thermostat would have gone, which operated a mechanism that opened and closed the shutters in the grille. The car must be a Super Eight, or it's the wrong radiator for the car. </div></div>

Thanks for the answer. As far as I know the car is a 120, or in '38, the "Eight". There are no numbers left on the firewall plate, so my identification is by bits and pieces.

[West Peterson]

I've got to apologize. I forgot that the junior series cars in 1938-39 also had thermostatically controlled shudders. The firewall "plate" in 1938 was a screen-printed "thang" and very few survive.

[Restorer32]

Not sure but I think you might have to replace that radiator hose.

[chevy3800]

In 1937 the 120CD had thermostatic shutter doors. The model is somewhat rare so there is not a lot of info on them.

[Packard Library]

The 120CD was in fact a super 8 138 inch chassis and it did have a shuttered grill. Some of the interior appointments were different than a "true Super 8"

I have a catalog of the 120 CD which is based on a 138 inch chassis. follow the link you need to download the plug in to view it.

Model 120 CD

[Dave Mitchell]

Not all 120CDs were 138 wheel base cars. I owned a nice original low mileage swb sedan for several years. It had a nicer interior with bedford cord seats, senior grade broadcloth on the rest of the interior, wood grained door trim ala Super 8, senior shift knob, shutter grill, senior tail lights, senior carpet, goddess ornament, banjo wheel, lighter, clock, rear lighter and special ashtray and perhaps some other things that I have forgotten.