1939 Packard super 8 $5,500

[George Smolinski]

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No Title. Bill of Sale. Last registered 1971 and stored in a barn since then. Solid rig. Interior needs complete replacement. Motor is free. Metal is solid with exception of drivers side lower doors and trunk floor is a bit thin in places. Killer restoration project. Rare as hell. Dual spares, clock in dash, A.M. radio etc. Highly optioned for 1939. Grill louvers open and close mechanically depending on how hot the motor is. Really cool feature.

 

[George Smolinski]

[Fossil]

Too bad about the interior.

 

[MccJoseph]

Is this an all steel body or was there wood in there also? If the interior is that far gone then that could be a serious concern. 

[deac]

To me this is not such a killer restoration project. Though I don't know Parkard's that well but a sedan that needs just about everything is going require a fat wallet and oodles of patience...

 

GLWTS

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by deac (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

7 hours ago, MccJoseph said:

Is this an all steel body or was there wood in there also? If the interior is that far gone then that could be a serious concern. 

This is the first year of the rationalized Super Eight that shared bodies and chassis assemblies with the Junior series including the all-steel bodies that were introduced for the 1938 Six (nee 115) and Eight (nee 120).  Developed to compete directly the Cadillac Series 60/61 ($1,765), priced at $1,732, the 1939 Super Eight can be thought of as the concurrent 120 fitted with the quality interiors of the predecessor Super Eights. 

 

For power, the 1939 Super Eights were equipped with a revised version of the 320 ci straight eight in production since the 1929 6th Series Standard Eights.  The revisions were done to fit that engine into the somewhat limited engine compartment which renders this a one-year-only engine.   It also has some inherent problems which if I recall correctly include casting flaws in the cylinder block.   Postwar, as these 1939 320 ci engines wore out or developed troubles, Packard issued service bulletins to dealers detailing how to replace these engines with a postwar 327 ci service engine should customers want to continue driving their 1939 Super Eight. The 1940 Super Eight 160 and 180 received the all-new monobloc 356 ci straight eight, a completely different and pretty marvelous engine.  

 

This poor Packard realistically would be a hideously expensive restoration project, probably best a parts car for others.

[daniel boeve]

7 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:

This is the first year of the rationalized Super Eight that shared bodies and chassis assemblies with the Junior series including the all-steel bodies that were introduced for the 1938 Six (nee 115) and Eight (nee 120).  Developed to compete directly the Cadillac Series 60/61 ($1,765), priced at $1,732, the 1939 Super Eight can be thought of as the concurrent 120 fitted with the quality interiors of the predecessor Super Eights. 

 

For power, the 1939 Super Eights were equipped with a revised version of the 320 ci straight eight in production since the 1929 6th Series Standard Eights.  The revisions were done to fit that engine into the somewhat limited engine compartment which renders this a one-year-only engine.   It also has some inherent problems which if I recall correctly include casting flaws in the cylinder block.   Postwar, as these 1939 320 ci engines wore out or developed troubles, Packard issued service bulletins to dealers detailing how to replace these engines with a postwar 327 ci service engine should customers want to continue driving their 1939 Super Eight. The 1940 Super Eight 160 and 180 received the all-new monobloc 356 ci straight eight, a completely different and pretty marvelous engine.  

 

This poor Packard realistically would be a hideously expensive restoration project, probably best a parts car for others.

When this car was on the street till 1971 then maybe the engine is already taken care of after the war.Otherwise its impossible to restore this car and in the end have a car where you can always get your money back when you would sell it.

[George Smolinski]

1 hour ago, daniel boeve said:

Otherwise its impossible to restore this car and in the end have a car where you can always get your money back when you would sell it.

True with any car you restore.

[deac]

I think this car is over priced at 5500 dollars as it sits. The motor is a complete gamble as to whether or not it even runs. The motor might be the cause of it not being on the road since 1971.  Even if the motor is useable, then what? Where do you start? Even getting this car ready for the road as a driver isn't going to be cheap.

Edited January 3, 2023 by deac (see edit history)