'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 (edited) I am in the process of acquiring a 1929 Packard semi-barn find (Better than a barn find - but not much). It has been sitting in the rain for over a decade, sometimes under a tarp, sometimes the tarp blew off. I know very little about the Packard, and will be rolling it onto a trailer and taking it to my shop where I will let it dry out. Any suggestions on things to watch for prior to moving it. Tips? Tricks? i am still trying to figure out what model it is - thoughts??? thx Edited April 20, 2022 by '38 Dodge Mel Typo (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Look on the data plate that should be mounted on the firewall inside the engine compartment and let us know that as well as the number on the engine block. measure the wheel base as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinVirginia Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 That’s a sweet find! I’d love to have that car!!! Congratulations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 I will check the plate and engine number when I pick up the car. What I do know is that the wheel base is about 134” and the overall length is 16’6”. I have the VN #255370. I am not sure if this helps identify the model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 1929 633 7-Passenger sedan. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Shame someone didn't keep that inside. Nicer car, really hope the wood in the back corners is OK. That looks like some scary wetness in those two corners. I always stress to anyone that is interested in getting into old cars, that they need the storage figured out before buying it, to prevent these situations. Looks like it was really nice before they took ownership or it got shoved out of the storage it was in. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 That looks like a great project Mel, congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Hopefully you were given the keys to the sidemount locks. Those locks are near impossible to find. Also... hopefully... the pot metal casing hasn't warped/expanded, freezing the mechanism. Once you get it running and rolling down the road, if the speedometer is making any kind of noise whatsoever, stop immediately and disconnect it. You might be able to save it before you need to do $800-1,000 worth of repair. Looks like an entirely new wiring harness is needed. They do not cost that much, because they're relatively simple. You need to acquire a fuse-block that attaches to the firewall, as it appears to be missing. You won't be able to complete your wiring harness install until you get one. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Nice find. Glad you are able to rescue it. 🙂 Dandy Dave! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 The lady I am buying the car from was purchased by her father before he passed away. He drove it a few times before getting sick, so I am led to believe that it did run. The father bequeathed it to his son (her brother), however due to some mental illness the brother did not have the capacity to do anything with the car. Nonetheless the car held an emotional attachment and so the sister (both as executor to the estate and trustee for the brother) hung onto the car for her brothers mental health purposes. However she was totally unaware of what to do with it. After more than a decade of storage fees she, and her brother, are now ready to let it go, and I am picking it up as an assist to her more than my needing a car for restoration. My goal is to store it in my dry / heated shop, let it dry out, see if I can get the motor running and take it from there. I contacted a previous owner and was told it was a 'John Wayne' car (LOL - I highly doubt that), and that it was once owned by a funeral company and used it to transport grieving families (that story one has some merit). I also understand that it was bought and sold by those who were in debt and/or bankrupt and needed to pay off bills etc. Needless to say, if that car could talk there would be stories to tell. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bloom Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Congrats. I like it. Take your time and map out your path. Keep us updated. That is a beautiful car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKB1MCV Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 The car looks like it may have possibilities. But... You need to be aware that you are looking at major expense in interior work and most likely in wood work. Really unfortunate the owners stored the car outside. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 All good observations and advice here, realistic as well! Try to find and join a local AACA region and the Packard club. Local region members may be able to put you in contact with people who own or know how to work on these cars and make your task easier. Get the car reliable mechanically first , do not cut corners, spend the time and $ even if it takes longer to do the job right the first time around. You can think about cosmetic issues later. Clean the paint etc when you get tired of doing mechanical work, it will still keep the car on a path to bringing it back but also give you some sense of accomplishment and put off the frustration you will encounter working on it for a while. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Skelly Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 His original question had to do with moving it and anything to watch for. No one has answered that question. Besides the obvious to make sure the transmission is in neutral before attempting to move it, are there fragile areas on the body to avoid pushing on if several people will be pushing it out of the building? What are the best places on the chassis to safely put a tow hook or other towing mechanism so damage is avoided? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Brakes may be seized, can sometimes be freed up by pulling the car, or jacking one wheel at a time and doing some work on them, but sometimes a real challenge to free up. This can be checked by trying to move the car forward or backward with tires pumped up and transmission in neutral. If those are free, really nothing else to worry about, these cars have very heavy sheet metal, so you can push just about anywhere. If brakes are seized and it needs to be "dragged" onto a flat bed, not a big deal, just hard on the tires! They probably need replacing anyway! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 Thanks for the advice. I also understand that I may need to disconnect the speedometer cable as they sometimes seize and snap even when moving a few feet. If so, I will have to see where it is connected and hopefully the nut is not seized. Due to the tight spot it is currently parked in & not knowing anything about the brakes or steering, I will be taking my wheel dollies so I can swing the car around without cranking on the steering wheel (even with inflated tires) or worrying about the brakes. I am assuming that some things will be free moving, and some things will not be, and no way to know in advance which is which. The car is a 4 hour drive away, so I have one shot at getting it into the car hauler. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 21, 2022 Share Posted April 21, 2022 You can disconnect the speedometer from behind the instrument itself, or at the passenger side of the transmission. I doubt the fitting would be seized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Great advice all around, beautiful car, great save. The best part is it looks complete, HUGE win not to have to look for missing parts. I would pull the plugs and put a teaspoon or two of marvel mystery oil down each cylinder, just hand turn the plugs back in. The oil will start working on any rust or stuck components to loosen them up including rings. I would do that several times and weeks before trying to turn it over. Clutch is most likely stuck, the e brake lever will be your friend when moving it, memorize the location. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 On 4/20/2022 at 10:02 AM, '38 Dodge Mel said: I am in the process of acquiring a 1929 Packard semi-barn find (Better than a barn find - but not much). It has been sitting in the rain for over a decade, sometimes under a tarp, sometimes the tarp blew off. I know very little about the Packard, and will be rolling it onto a trailer and taking it to my shop where I will let it dry out. Any suggestions on things to watch for prior to moving it. Tips? Tricks? i am still trying to figure out what model it is - thoughts??? thx Am I the only one that sees the irony in the car being parked in front of a portable ATM? Seems like a fitting accessory to any project. Does look like a worth project though. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Nice to see what appears to be a virtually complete car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'38 Dodge Mel Posted April 24, 2022 Author Share Posted April 24, 2022 (edited) LOL. Good catch 3Macboys I too did not focus on that. 🤣 Edited April 24, 2022 by '38 Dodge Mel (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now