Field Installation : Approved equipment and Accessories- for 1930

[Walt G]

Many automobile manufacturers did not make a fair amount of the equipment that they deemed worthy of the cars they produced. They couldn't - just no place big enough, nor was it sound judgement to have to if a level of a product met their needs and approval was already available or could be adapted.  Accessories were usually ordered at the time the car was purchased and installed at the factory but some were offered after the car arrived because the customer then realized what cool stuff could be added to their new ride. Packard for one issued booklets to dealers ( for their eyes only) to note what was available and some of the equipment was For Field Installation. I have a few of these Dealer's Price lists and here is a page at the very back from the list dated Sept. 1, 1929 so would be for the 1930 year of manufacture cars and also list some for previous years . I just LOVE the term Field Installation.................

The booklets I have date from 1927 to 1933, anyone have any earlier or later? When did they start, when did they stop?

Yeah I know , more weird stuff - have to take a break from here for a while to get some stories finished that have been promised but I will return sometime soon.

Walt

[TerryB]

The accessory business was always a money maker for dealers.  Neat item Walt!

[intimeold]

1 hour ago, TerryB said:

The accessory business was always a money maker for dealers.  Neat item Walt!

Yes, accessories, were the icing on the cake, so to speak; on a car deal. And the buyers didn't really complain as much, as they would on the price of the car.

 

The factory accessories were for the most part, good dependable and well built items.  But dealers got greedy; yea imaging that!  I saw and had to install after-market items, some items were actually, one step up from junk.  One item in particular was the heated back window, grids.  Here in snow country a good heated rear window is nice. Some companies were good; but other were terrible. And to put these on a new car, amazed me. 

 

The electric grids on some were really prone to just fall apart. The electric grid, had to heat up to melt the ice; over over time, usually a short time, the grids got brittle and fell apart. The the customer would come back; and say it didn't melt anymore. I suppose the newer accessories are much better; but when money is to be made; sometimes quality gets overlooked.

[plymouthcranbrook]

So when did the dealer installed accessory business decline, or has it.  The last new car I bought(in 2012) only mentioned a few factory installed packages per model level. Nothing at all about dealer items.

[3macboys]

1 hour ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

So when did the dealer installed accessory business decline, or has it.  The last new car I bought(in 2012) only mentioned a few factory installed packages per model level. Nothing at all about dealer items.

It has not disappeared - think of Mopar accessories that you can order.  I believe if you order them at the time of purchase of a new vehicle they fall under the warranty program of the vehicle.  I'm sure GM and Ford have similar programs but not sure about the imports.

[8E45E]

Studebaker also offered some unusual accessories:

 

Bet you were not aware that Studebaker once offered musical horns!? Looking for a set. - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum

 

Craig

[ryan95]

10 hours ago, 3macboys said:

I'm sure GM and Ford have similar programs but not sure about the imports.

I have a friend who bought a newer Impala. Since I am handy, he asked if I could do some "mods" to his car. I said no Chinese junk and I'll only do it if it's a GM aftermarket product. Aftermarket junk peddled on unsuspecting buyers drives me crazy. It turned out that Chevy had a website where he could put his model in and see what they had. He picked the billet grill. It was actually aluminum to my surprise. If I remember right, we were supplied with screws and spring loaded drywall anchors, and had to drill holes for them to pop through. I was not impressed. It was a cheap, flashy, afterthought of a product.

[8E45E]

Is there a TAXI section in that Accessories Pricelist?

 

I'd be interesting in seeing what special 'fleet-specific' items were offered.

 

Craig

[58L-Y8]

Walt:

Interesting "Field Installation" accessories list, those provided a lucrative source for dealer income.  Buyers, even in the Packard price strata, had various personal motivations when purchasing a new car.  One might have been to appear to negotiate a low initial price upon delivery by excluding the desired accessories.  Then, visit the dealer periodically to have the side mount spares, wire wheels, trunk rack etc. just to 'spruce-up' the new car.  Dealers also added accessories to late model used cars to make them more appealing and salable to potential buyers.  

Steve

[Walt G]

Steve

The same tactic to get customers to buy a car has been used for decades. Place a car in the middle of the showroom floor that is "fancy" loaded with accessories, white wall tires, possibly open body style next to a formal town car or something and the guy and his wife who are in the market for a sedan will be pressing their noses on the showroom window. In they come and after " oh and ah" ing at the centerpiece car on display sit down, and order their sedan. But to add some "sugar" to the purchase could be talked into adding some accessories. The factory accessory sales pamphlets were given to the people  that seemed to be the most promising and this dealers booklet was used by the salesmen to see how much they could add and the profit margin. As you can see here it was very specific for exactly what series and model and even body style.

As late as the early 1970s the same philosophy was still in use. My aunt worked for a Cadillac dealership in Greenvale, NY  It was on the corner of a main highway by a traffic light less then a mile north of a state road that had been a main path for travel since the horse drawn era. In the showroom was a bright red Cadillac convertible. It Stopped traffic! they didn't sell many convertibles but it got the perspective customers to want to come in to see that car! Once in the door it was hard to resist the appeal of a new car.

The fact that any of this dealer only paperwork survives ( one to each dealer if the dealership had a great sales volume) is amazing. It was obsolete after the one season. Someplace here I mentioned that the Packard material of the 1932 - 1934 era I was able to obtain decades ago was via a long time good friend in Ct. who attended an antiquarian book show  and got the contact to see the material and made the arrangements to buy it for me.  Always great to have GOOD FRIENDS who can find stuff for you.

Walt

[8E45E]

5 hours ago, Walt G said:

The fact that any of this dealer only paperwork survives ( one to each dealer if the dealership had a great sales volume) is amazing. It was obsolete after the one season.

In the early 1970's, I asked the Mercury-Lincoln dealer what they did with their about-to-be-replaced showroom Color & Upholstery albums.  I was interested in the Lincoln one as it had all the color chips and swatches of the interior fabrics and leather in all colors.  The album was actually rather heavy with all those color swatches inside.  The sales manager told me that they donate them to the Alberta Children's School of the Deaf art department.  

 

Craig

[58L-Y8]

Walt:

 

The first section listing is for installing wheel wells in fenders already on the car.  To do that, they must have included templates in the size and shape to cut in the fender surface and the distance from the running board mating edge for reference.   Wonder if the instruction was to weld them in place or use rivets?  More work for the body and fender shop!

 

Indeed, there was nothing like a flashy red convertible to generate showroom traffic and sales.  Wonder what they use now?   We had a couple Lincoln-Mercury dealers near here in the 1960's I loved to drive by at night.  Displayed in the spotlights were always metallic gold or turquoise Lincoln Continental four door convertibles with white interior and the top down.  

 

Steve

 

[Walt G]

Steve:

Yes, they would have had to also supply the wheel well pans, and all of that would be welded in place since the fender would have to be repainted. Also had to include the brackets that would attach to the body to hold the tire at the cowl and then straps would be laced through those to keep the tire on the brackets.  I have a Packard from that exact year with the side mounted tires in the front fenders and it is quite  a lot of equipment! Add then the rear mounted trunk rack after the rear mounted spare tire bracket is removed.

 

So are we getting anyone thinking that it took some thought and effort to add the accessories? not a paste on quickie fix.

Working on a car of this era is a whole different ball game then one a decade newer, not horrible - just a lot of things need to be considered and time allowed to do so.  I own both a 1930 and 1940 car and engines for both makes ( one a Packard and one a Buick) are not as different in the decade as the body/fender etc is. LOVE THEM BOTH!

Walt

[Mark Gregush]

What would they use now; The most flashy, expensive car on the lot! When I worked at a Chevrolet dealership, in the early 2000s, the floor displays were generally the best cars on the lot. Corvette, SSR (samething pretty much as a Corvette, but with roadster pickup body) etc.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Mark Gregush (see edit history)