Packard

[Xander Wildeisen]

https://eastoregon.craigslist.org/cto/d/1937-packard/6303071485.html

[TerryB]

Some assembly required!

Terry

[mike6024]

Deer antlers included

 

[60FlatTop]

Elk.

 

"Selling my treasured dream car that I have always held on a pedestal and cherished."

 

I can see a hundred C-notes lying around the garage too.

[Grimy]

"Call Jim for more info" but no phone number....

 

Must be a rocket scientist....

[Real Steel]

24 minutes ago, Grimy said:

"Call Jim for more info" but no phone number....

 

Must be a rocket scientist....

 

Here is the number of the scientist.  

(541) 276-4637 ext. 541.  

Click on 'reply' in the ad to see the number.

[60FlatTop]

31 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Must be a rocket scientist...

 

Oregon... East Oregon. You can bet your Invar you won't find a rocket scientist.

 

"where have all the Hippies gone,

long time passing.

Taken apart Packards in East Oregon every one.

When will they ever learn?

when will they ever learn?"

 

'cept for Pete who got caught in the current of the Hudson River.

[Restorer32]

Wa

Actually if someone had a 120 Sedan donor car but wanted a convertible the price isn't crazy, assuming it is complete and reasonably solid. Same body 6 or 8.

[jeff_a]

The builder of the car 80 years ago did a great job, with...arguably...the best reputation of any car builder in the world. This Packard Model 115 Convertible Coupe was a miracle in its day. Not only did you get a lot of car for $910, it and the Model 120 saved the company.

 

The unbuilder has a basket case for sale. The 100 h.p./200 Ft. Lbs./237 Cu. In. engine is a gem, though you can´t see it in the pictures. An explanation of whether all the parts are there and if the engine has been rebuilt would go a long way to explain the price.

[60FlatTop]

I bought the 1937 Packard Restoration Guide and don't even own one. It is just good reading.

Bernie

[Xander Wildeisen]

6 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

'cept for Pete who got caught in the current of the Hudson River.

1

Pete set out on the river in his boat, with his two friends mary ann and ginger. Finding a small island in the middle, they decided to stop and check it out. Standing on the island, it became clear that the living conditions on the right and left side of the river did not have good soil for Pete's future barley and hops growing operation. Setting up a small house on the island Pete, Mary Ann and Ginger lived happily for many years. Until one day Mary Ann hooked up with a captain that landed his plane on the river. Then Pete and Ginger kept farming the barley and hops, until one day Ginger went blind, and Pete lost his hearing. They were a very happy couple to the end. To/Too/Two Funny.

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by Xander Wildeisen (see edit history)

[intimeold]

8 hours ago, mike6024 said:

Deer antlers included

 

I would say Elk antlers; Deer antlers curve forward. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

1 hour ago, intimeold said:

I would say Elk antlers; Deer antlers curve forward. 

i would say at this point the difference would only matter to the Elk.

[Guest SaddleRider]

A point made by many others in other parts of the forum suggest something - that it  invariably  makes far, far more sense...if you are interested in collector cars,  to buy one in serviceable condition,  than to try and revive what someone else has helped the elements to abuse.

 

It makes sense if you like collector cars,  because you will have a car you can use and enjoy.

 

It makes sense economically,   because to resurrect something that has been abused,  generally winds up costing many thousands, typically TENS if not HUNDREDS of thousands to bring back.

 

So sad to see people abandon the collector car hobby,  because they THOUGHT they were in love with some derelict, only to find it ate them alive from both a time and money standpoint.

[1912Staver]

Your point is generally true regarding newer , say late 20's and up cars. With patience it is often possible to find a driving or near driving example for less than the overall cost of doing a total restoration.

 But for some people it makes sense to do things differently. Some enjoy the restoration process, sell the finished product and start on the next  project. 

Some could never justify the cost of a running example {we are not talking 51 Plymouths here} but can do it piece by piece over many years. Might not be cheaper in the long run but for some a necessary compromise. Wives often have a hard time with taking out a  second mortgage for the car of their Husbands dreams.

 I could never have made an outright purchase of a tour ready ,1912 era , 40 HP Brass era car. I was able to buy a basket case starting point. And the original body is long gone, so I don't feel too guilty rebuilding it as a speedster.  Staver Chicago built some speedster's/ Factory race car's so even though my car probably started life with a catalogue road car body I will stay close to what the factory could have built.   I am reasonably tall at 6 foot 2" and find many Brass cars a very tight fit . People were generally shorter 100 years ago and even large brass cars are often tight in the front seat.  My largish 124 " WB chassis lets me have a speedster that comfortably fits me without looking incorrect for the mid teens period. And by doing it over 25 or 30 years the cost is no different than many other bad habits . Plus I , or more likely my son will get a very interesting car out of it.

 

Greg in Canada

 

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

The 115 in the ad is Street rod gold. Just need the shell of the body and frame. The 120 looks better with the longer hood. This was a 115 coupe That I set up for the owner. Good looking cars.

[Matt Harwood]

This is sitting in my showroom right now. A cut-up Packard isn't my thing, but on the other hand, I can't argue with the quality of the build and the fact that it's only a 115 makes it a little easier to take.  It does run and drive well and that 502 big block is for real--this little blue convertible ran heads-up with a late-model Corvette in an impromptu drag race.

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

 To my knowledge this 120 escaped the custom chopping block. It was a nice solid car.

[alsancle]

Those 120 conv coupes and business coupes may be the best looking cars Packard built except for the custom bodies.  I have always liked them.

Edited September 19, 2017 by alsancle (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

1937 120 convertible coupes are very nice cars. Not to small, and not to big. Great car for some one wanting to step into a Packard.   

[Real Steel]

23 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

 To my knowledge this 120 escaped the custom chopping block. It was a nice solid car.

 

I love this.  I would drive it just as it looks.  I would do just enough to make it safe and reliable, then GO!

[Xander Wildeisen]

This one had a cool used look to.

[Guest SaddleRider]

Hard to argue with the logic of the hot-rodder.  Let's say for the sake of discussion that you want to "stand out",   and recognize that the "look" of a pre-war car will help do that.   But you couldn't care less about old cars as such.  So you do the logical thing.  You  junk out - throw away the old car,  keeping only the exterior sheet metal that you mount on more modern components.  Makes sense to me.

 

As a side-note,   those who have never driven a properly maintained  pre-war "big" Packard of course will be satisfied with the so-called "junior" Packards.  Simple fact is,  that no matter what price class Packard chose to compete,  the buyer got an outstanding car for the money.    They ran well, drove well, were reliable and well-made.  Were at least equal to, if not superior in some respects to anything else in their respective price classes.

 

But there is no avoiding the fact that the pre-war Packard company did not get its world-wide outstanding reputation by cheating its customers!   If you paid two, three, or four or MORE times as much for your Packard as the guy who bought a "120 coupe"  be assured you got  AT LEAST your money's worth for that purchase too,.

 

Those who have some understanding of what REAL cars were like  from the REAL pre-war era,   know exactly what I am referring to in terms of what the respective cars from various price classes were  like, and were capable of.

 

One Packard ad for the "big" pre-war Packards says it all...(and confirms the writer of that ad had at least a basic understanding of the laws of physics..")

 

       "  there is no substitute for weight and size when it comes to motoring comfort, safey, and silence....nor, for that matter

          for reflecting the dignity of one's social position"....!

Edited September 20, 2017 by SaddleRider
asparagus (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

I have been lucky to own a few Packards. I have built and owned a lot of street rods and customs. My heart is on the customs side when it comes to building cars. But I do love the original cars from the late 20's-30's. Packards are one of the best. A big senior Packard has a presence just sitting there. I do think one of the things that hurt Packard, was not turning loose of the styling of the basic grill shape. I think it boxed them in a corner in the design of front ends, in the 40's-50's.

[Guest SaddleRider]

7 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

. A big senior Packard has a presence just sitting there. I do think one of the things that hurt Packard, was not turning loose of the styling of the basic grill shape. I think it boxed them in a corner in the design of front ends, in the 40's-50's.

 

I disagree - neither Rolls Royce nor Damiler Benz suffered decreasing sales by their continued use of their traditional grill design.   I know it is not "politically correct",  but the simple fact is Packard committed suicide by becoming an industry joke,  from a combination of bad, obsolete design and poor build quality.  It got so bad by the mid 1950's,  they simply couldn't sell in enough quantity, what they produced.  The fragile Ultramatic Drive,   and in going to smaller motors for their "big" car... actually REDUCING performance instead of keeping up with industry trends,   It didn't help when a popular road test magazine showed that a '53 Packard was the slowest accelerating car they'd tested in recent years EXCEPT for a '50 Chevrolet with Powerglide....!

 

I noted elsewhere a personal example - about sitting on the curb outside of Beverly Hills Packard having lunch with the shop people when a transporter pulled up with a load of new Packards fresh from the freight dock.    The shop foreman, cursing in language I will not repeat here, said "here comes another load of do-it-yourself kits.."

 

Of course car-buff -  hobbyists can get good service out of their post-war Packards.   A little imaginative repair and tinkering here and there,  and they work just fine    ( I ought to know...I once drove my  '51 Packard convertible  ( with a '53 motor from a wrecked Packard ambulance)  from the George Washington Bridge  in New York,  to the Barham Bridge off-ramp on the Hollywood Freeway,  in  2 1/2 days... that was before the Interstate....AND I GOT PLENTY OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT....! )  The problem, of course, is that new car buyers were typically not mechanically - inclined car buffs....!

 

 

[dei]

Just saw this recently.

 

Class all the way!