What is this converted Wrecker?

[Guest ARhodes]

Here is a photo of a wrecker my grandfather used in his business. I estimate the date of the photo as 1931, but it could be any time after about 1919. The reason I suspect 1931 is because I suspect that the little kid in the background is my father who looks to be no more than 2 y/o. Being born in August 1930, and the season clearly being winter, I estimate that this was shot in the winter of '31.

The wrecker is supposedly a converted automobile. I believe I was once told that he had converted a Packard to be a wrecker.

Any ideas about what it is/was?

-Tony

P.S. I added a photo of the later wrecker in a photo taken in the early/mid-50's. The Pierce Arrow in the foreground is my father's 1935 town car that he picked up in a junk yard in nearly perfect condition except the tires were missing having been recycled during the war.

-T

Edited November 12, 2010 by ARhodes (see edit history)

[Guest justme]

I believe it's a Packard. Not sure of the year.

Charley

[Guest ARhodes]

I believe it's a Packard. Not sure of the year.

Charley

I looked a little at some Packard photos. It looks like a decent match to a 1922 Twin Six Roadster. I certainly am not sufficiently familiar with the details between years to judge it more closely than that. Maybe there are some Packard experts here to suggest ideas?

-Tony

[Leif Holmberg]

My guess is 1923-1924 becuse of the headlights,probely a 1924 becuse of the mirror on the fender.

Leif in Sweden

[Fleek]

The second wrecker looks like a 41 - 47 Gmc or Chevy. Maybe someone can narrow it down further.

[Erndog]

It is a 1935 Pierce Arrow.

Edited November 12, 2010 by Erndog (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Judging by the headlights, I would have to say Pierce Arrow.

First photo= Packard wrecker. Second Photo= GMC or Chevrolet wrecker and Pierce Arrow.

[Jim Rohn]

-Tony

P.S. I added a photo of the later wrecker in a photo taken in the early/mid-50's. The Pierce Arrow in the foreground is my father's 1935 town car that he picked up in a junk yard in nearly perfect condition except the tires were missing having been recycled during the war.

-T

see above

Edited November 12, 2010 by Jim Rohn (see edit history)

[Guest De Soto Frank]

The wrecker in the background of the second photo appears to be a Chevy ( GMC had different grille )

[Erndog]

Oops, another case of RTFQ.

[W_Higgins]

I looked a little at some Packard photos. It looks like a decent match to a 1922 Twin Six Roadster.

I think you're right. The large headlights with the forked supports going down to the frame seems to have been unique to Twin Six's.

[Guest ARhodes]

I think you're right. The large headlights with the forked supports going down to the frame seems to have been unique to Twin Six's.

I am not surprised that a 12 cyl. (twin six) engine was selected to a wrecker for the power and torque, but I am a little surprised because the expense would probably have been greater than a single six version of a similar car. Maybe these "old" cars at the time had little resale value, even the pretty fancy and expensive ones.

-Tony

[W_Higgins]

I am not surprised that a 12 cyl. (twin six) engine was selected to a wrecker for the power and torque, but I am a little surprised because the expense would probably have been greater than a single six version of a similar car. Maybe these "old" cars at the time had little resale value, even the pretty fancy and expensive ones.

-Tony

Other such examples are not uncommon. Lots of Lincoln's and Cadillac's were used, too. They were a great combination of powerful engines on a truck-like chassis. This was a ten year old car by that point and lots of advancements were made in that period of time, so things probably did depreciate quite a bit.

Last year at Hershey there was a survivor of a mid-to-late '20's Lincoln that was a converted wrecker. They're quite rare as by that point they were already hacked-up once. After that part of their life was over, they usually went for scrap. I'll see if I can dig-out the photo later.

[Guest ARhodes]

They're quite rare as by that point they were already hacked-up once. After that part of their life was over, they usually went for scrap. I'll see if I can dig-out the photo later.

While I am more partial to more modern sports cars (we have a '66 Triumph TR4A and '80 TR7 in the family), this old wrecker would be kind-of fun to have. Both fortunately and unfortunately my TR4A is restored and has nearly the whole original interior. The rest of the car is as-delivered from the dealer. That makes me not as likely to drive it in inclement weather, and I will not (so far) add some more modern upgrades such as an alternator.

A converted wrecker might be fun to have because it would be very reasonable to do some mechanical restoration so it runs well and is reliable, but leave the body more or less alone. All the dents, dings, scrapes and ugly hacked-up modifications are the story of its life! I would love to have that old Packard wrecker as-is with all the signage and lettering intact! Hey, on the way to Hershey, I might even be able to give some other stranded participant a tow to the show!

Alas, it is long gone....

-Tony

[W_Higgins]

Here's the Lincoln from Hershey in '09:

[twin6]

Here is a photo of a wrecker my grandfather used in his business. .... The wrecker is supposedly a converted automobile. I believe I was once told that he had converted a Packard to be a wrecker.

Any ideas about what it is/was?

-Tony

Definitely Packard twin six, 3rd series, 1918 - 1923. The yoke mounted drum lamps were not standard but available from Packard as an accessory. From what is left of the original body, I think this started as a seven passenger touring. Do you know what the name of the garage or business was? (looks like Wall----lle Garage on the bonnet and rear) There is a slim chance this particular vehicle survives to the present. Thanks for posting and sharing.

[Guest ARhodes]

Definitely Packard twin six, 3rd series, 1918 - 1923. The yoke mounted drum lamps were not standard but available from Packard as an accessory. From what is left of the original body, I think this started as a seven passenger touring. Do you know what the name of the garage or business was? (looks like Wall----lle Garage on the bonnet and rear) There is a slim chance this particular vehicle survives to the present. Thanks for posting and sharing.

Thanks for the info. The garage was owned by my grandfather and his brother. It was in Wallsville, PA. The town does not really exist any longer. Most of it was bought up by the state to make a state park. The garage still exists and is someone's home. My Granduncle lived over the garage. The business was "Rhodes Brothers Garage"

-Tony

[W_Higgins]

Speak of the devil:

Lincoln: eBay Motors (item 110610612706 end time Dec-02-10 14:55:35 PST)

On Ebay, I just stumbled across the one I posted photos of the other day. Price has dropped quite a bit.

[Guest ARhodes]

Speak of the devil:

Lincoln: eBay Motors (item 110610612706 end time Dec-02-10 14:55:35 PST)

On Ebay, I just stumbled across the one I posted photos of the other day. Price has dropped quite a bit.

Wow, it looks quite restorable, but missing lots of the little stuff that might be hard or costly to replace. Too bad.

-Tony

[W_Higgins]

Did you see that last photo in his listing of the ad showing Lincoln service trucks? That's pretty cool. The Lincoln Service Bulletins from that time cover making service trucks from old cars, too.