1940 Packard One-Eighty Super Eight Custom Touring Sedan

[zdillinger]

I'm still elbow-deep in my 1928 Pontiac but a very dear friend, Packard collector, and noted marque historian, recently offered me this car... and I couldn't possibly say no.

 

So here's my new 1940 Packard One-Eighty Super Eight Custom Touring Sedan. Pretty rare car, only 703 were made that year and there are believed to be approximately 25 extant examples. It needs everything but I may be able to save portions of the original interior. My friend also gave me 99.5% of all the parts needed to complete the car, including the ultra-hard to find model specific bits. Most of what is left to hunt down is engine-related, and the 356 cubic inch straight eight was used for years, meaning parts are plentiful. It is interesting to note that the 356 was the most powerful American production engine in 1940.

 

This car has known history back to new and spent 50 years in Marquette, MI, including approximately 25 years exposed to the elements in the woods (which is where my friend rescued the car from in 1991). The second owner was Clarence Randall, a diplomat who later spent time in the Eisenhower administration. The car's fourth owner removed the original engine and had planned to install an AMC V-8 but, thankfully, never got farther than removing the 356. My friend has an appropriate 356 block in the parts cache so, eventually all will be well. 

 

This will certainly not be an easy restoration and will take me several years to finish, of course, but I can already see the gleaming Packard Blue (some of which polished up as you can see in the picture below) and brightwork in my head. My initial work has been cleaning the original interior and seeing what is salvageable. The original carpet is a lost cause, and so is the headliner I think, but the door panels will be OK (I think) after some repairs and the seating surfaces may as well. Not sure yet.

 

This thread will likely not see frequent updates but I wanted to get this started nevertheless.

 

This car sort of feels like fate to me. When I first started hunting for a Packard, I had very clear goals for my car. I wanted a '39 or a '40, eight cylinder, in Packard Blue. I ended up compromising on the color when I bought my '39 120, but this 1940 checks all the boxes and it has sentimental value for me as well since it was owned by my friend.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by zdillinger (see edit history)

[kgreen]

Ambitious and rewarding particularly since this is a car that you've always wanted.  Good luck!

[pvfjr]

Very cool.  Did there happen to be a spare tire cover in the trunk? 

[zdillinger]

26 minutes ago, pvfjr said:

Very cool.  Did there happen to be a spare tire cover in the trunk? 

Both of the sidemount covers are in the parts cache. 

[Tom Boehm]

Very ambitious project. I'm restoring a 1940 Lasalle now that was about the same condition. If I ever restore another car, a 1940 Packard 120 is on my short list. So is a 1940/41 Lincoln Zephyr and a 1940 Cadillac. 

 

The 1940 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 had 185  horsepower. Only 61 of those were made so I see your point. I did not know the top of the line 1940 Packard had 160 HP. The 1940 Cadillac Series 75 V8 had 140 HP. 

 

I'll be watching for your updates. Good luck

 

 

[cxgvd]

Seems like a good fit for you and the Packard.  I spoke with you a few years ago at the Gilmore's prewar days show where you were showing your 120, I had recently bought a '39 Century and was comparing it to Packard.  Best of luck, Gary

[alsancle]

A 180 Packard is a great car.   Comfortable, fast, reliable and very well built.   Good luck with your project, I will follow along.  My advice is to do the mechanics first and make it run.

[West Peterson]

13 hours ago, Tom Boehm said:

The 1940 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 had 185  horsepower. Only 61 of those were made so I see your point. I did not know the top of the line 1940 Packard had 160 HP. The 1940 Cadillac Series 75 V8 had 140 HP. 

 

 

I was also going to point out that the Cadillac V-16 was the most powerful. As you pointed out, tho, with just 61 built, it would be hard to consider that a "production" car.

In addition, the Packard 356, with a high-compression cylinder head, produced 165hp, so it was obviously the most powerful eight-cylinder car available in the United States.

Mercedes was still producing a few eight-cylinder cars in 1940, and being supercharged, were almost as powerful as the Cadillac V-16. Again, hardly "production" cars.

 

[West Peterson]

Congratulations, Zack. Absolutely one of the most fun cars to drive. Hopefully you have overdrive, that makes it even more fun.

[alsancle]

2 hours ago, West Peterson said:

 

I was also going to point out that the Cadillac V-16 was the most powerful. As you pointed out, tho, with just 61 built, it would be hard to consider that a "production" car.

In addition, the Packard 356, with a high-compression cylinder head, produced 165hp, so it was obviously the most powerful eight-cylinder car available in the United States.

Mercedes was still producing a few eight-cylinder cars in 1940, and being supercharged, were almost as powerful as the Cadillac V-16. Again, hardly "production" cars.

 

 

I've driven both a 40 V16 and a 40 180 Packard.   Both with new engines and theoretically well done cars.  Very similar performance wise - so much so that I couldn't tell the difference.  

 

The biggest difference is that you can rebuild that Packard Eight for 20k,  while the V16 is going to run you 70k.

[West Peterson]

3 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

I've driven both a 40 V16 and a 40 180 Packard.   Both with new engines and theoretically well done cars.  Very similar performance wise - so much so that I couldn't tell the difference.  

 

The biggest difference is that you can rebuild that Packard Eight for 20k,  while the V16 is going to run you 70k.

The Packard is a much lighter car.  Weight is king on the drag strip. The V-16 does have a LOT of torque, tho, and longer legs going through the gears.

[Tom Boehm]

One difference between 1940 Cadillacs and Packards is Packard offered optional overdrive. Have any of you out there driven both 1940 cars? Does the overdrive make a difference?

Why did Packard offer overdrive and Cadillac did not? The senior Cadillacs with high differential ratios could use it on modern roads and highways.