High Class at a Low Price - 1940 Packard 110 Business Coupe

High Class at a Low Price

1940 Packard 110 Business Coupe

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID W. TEMPLE

Starting in August 1939, Packard Motor Car Company had entered the first full model-year of its four-year plan to make the company competitive with those makes in the low-medium and medium-priced markets. Packard had been in the premium car arena since founder James Ward Packard declared his desire to build the best automobile money could buy way back in 1899. However, the Great Depression revealed to the company’s managers that survival would be highly doubtful if Packard did not expand its product line into the price range where 40 percent of all domestic car sales occurred. The model One-Twenty, which debuted for 1935, and the introduction of a new six-cylinder model for 1937, brought the needed results. To keep up with demand and cut costs, Packard had to modernize its facilities; greater efficiency meant more production at less cost, which in turn meant prices cold be lowered to more competitive levels.

Though Packard now mass-produced low-medium and medium-priced cars, they did not exit the premium car market, which had established their reputation for producing fine automobiles. In fact, their efforts resulted in cars in almost all price ranges, though the very luxurious and prestigious Packard Twelve was no longer a part of the lineup for 1940; it was simply too expensive to build (especially by hand) and brought too few orders to justify its continued existence. The Custom Super Eight One-Eighty and Super Eight One-Sixty essentially replaced the twelve-cylinder Packard. (However, the most premium Packards were not actually built at that company’s facilities, but farmed out to legendary stylist, Howard “Dutch” Darrin. Buyers could order the cars through a dealer; Darrin built the cars in his shop which the old Auburn plant in Connersville, Indiana. Furthermore, custom-builders Rollson, Derham, and Bohman & Schwartz survived the economic depression to offer their services, too.) Very few of Packard’s sales came from the “senior” cars during this time, though.

Packard’s ads in “The Saturday Evening Post” and “Colliers” declared their cars had the “lowest prices in Packard history” though advertised prices for all models did increase very modestly twice during the model year. The lowest-priced series was the One-Ten, which was the only six-cylinder car in the Packard line and was comprised of six styles (plus a bare chassis for commercial applications). The lowest-priced car in this group was the Business Coupe, which had a price tag of $867 in base trim throughout the model year. Packard advertising for this model underscored the relatively low price by saying it “Runs like a Song – for a Song!” The rest of this lineup also known as the 1800 Series was comprised of a station wagon, two- and four-door sedans, a club coupe, and a two-door convertible; the latter was the most expensive of the 1800 Series with an initial price of $1,087.

Regardless of the price paid for a One-Ten model, the buyer received the smooth running inline six with a swept volume of 245 cubic inches and 100-horsepower output. This engine had four main bearings, balanced crank shaft, mechanical valve tappets, aluminum pistons weighing 20 ¼ ounces each, and a cast-iron cylinder head and block. The standard compression ratio was 6.39:1, though an optional 6.71:1 compression engine was offered at extra cost. The remaining standard features of the One-Ten were minimal and included tan or blue-gray broadcloth upholstery, electric clock, and a cigar lighter. All Packard models for 1940 could be had with the optional and improved Econo-Drive – the marketing term for the overdrive unit again this year. A popular option, Econo-Drive was activated by the momentary release of the accelerator at any speed above 21 mph. Direct drive could be reinstated by flooring the accelerator; the overdrive could be locked out altogether as well. With Econo-Drive activated, engine speed was reduced by nearly 28 percent and of course improved fuel economy resulted as well as increased engine life. Those who did not opt for the overdrive still got a three-speed manual transmission with what Packard advertising called a “Velvetouch Clutch.” The transmission was updated and improved with larger helical gear teeth. Incidentally, Packard is credited with inventing the helical gear.

Sealed beam headlights were introduced to the auto industry via this year’s Packard. To help emphasize the point, the headlight shell had “sealed beam” embossed on the top, front side. Furthermore, Packard also introduced the air conditioner as an option in an automobile for this model year. The system had been developed by Bishop and Babcock Manufacturing Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Packard fitted a 1939 Packard with the system and found it to be practical, thus it was offered initially for all of the 1940 models at a price of $310. The “Weather Conditioner” as Packard called it, was modified during the model year which led to a price cut to $275, but from the spring of ’40, it was limited to the senior cars only.

Other updates included a lower amperage, higher revving starter motor supplied by Bendix, a switch from the Holley carburetor to one made by Stromberg, and an improved suspension which Packard said provided “the greatest ride ever built into a motor car.” The “Safe-T-fleX” suspension, as Packard called it, received modifications to improve smoothness, handling, and stability. The result was “the envy of the automotive industry” according to Packard officials.

Not all changes for Packard in 1940 applied to the cars themselves; a significant management change occurred, too. Alvan Macauley who began working for Packard in 1910, after being recruited by Packard to be its general manager and then ascended the corporate ladder to become the president of the company announced during the spring of ’39, at the age of 67, his desire to resign from the presidency and assume the chairmanship of Packard. Thus, 1940 marked the first full model-year for Packard Motor Company under Macauley’s replacement as president, Max Gilman. Gilman had served as Vice President of sales for Packard-New York when Macauley took note of go-getter style and began assigning him to additional duties. Later, Gilman became a key figure in the One-Twenty program which was so important to Packard’s survival in the 1930s.

Packard Motor Company got what they needed from the 1940 model year. It became their second best year to date in terms of production with output amounting to 98,020 cars. Cars were just part of Packard production; they also had contracts to build engines for aircraft (including 9,000 for Rolls Royce) as well as marine engines for the U.S. Navy. The future for the company and its 1,938 domestic and 90 Canadian dealers looked rosy. No one could foresee that Packard’s biography would be complete within 20 years.

The best selling Packards for 1940 were the so-called junior cars which accounted for more than 92 percent of total production. One of those popular cars was the car seen here – a One-Ten Business Coupe. This Laguna Maroon Packard is owned by Nelson Bates of Longview, Texas. Nelson believes this car to have been originally owned by his uncle, who worked for the Packard dealership – Pringle Motor Service of Clarksburg, West Virginia – where it was sold new. When the current owner bought the car it had an aftermarket grille of the type sold by J.C. Whitney & Company; his uncle bought such a grille for his car. The selling dealer, aftermarket grille, color, and the fact the car is an early production Business Coupe (built November 1939) are the only clues supporting Nelson’s belief. His last memory of his uncle’s car was as a child when the family used it for a picnic on August 6, 1945; he clearly recalls hearing the broadcast on the family’s portable radio telling of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.

Nelson is quick to give credit for the beautiful body-off restoration; R&R Restoration, a local shop specializing in vintage automobile restoration, performed body and paintwork; Nelson’s nephew, James, restored the woodgrain finish of the dash. He also notes the assistance of his brother, Warren, who has an extensive knowledge of Packards.

Nelson’s 1940 Packard One-Ten Business Coupe was a relatively rare car when new and is even more so today. This is certainly one of the finest examples in existence and is an atypical choice for a Packard restoration project. Many 1940 junior-series cars have served as parts cars for the prestigious and rare One-Sixty, One-Eighty, and Darrin-built Packards. Nelson’s sentimental attachment to his uncle’s One-Ten helped save this car from a similar fate, and we get to appreciate an example of the cars that helped keep Packard Motor Company in business during the difficult economic years preceding World War II.

Even though the One-Ten was the lowest priced model in the lineup, it retained the expression of high class for which Packard was known.

SPECIFICATIONS

1940 PACKARD 160 CONVERTIBLE MODEL 1803

GENERAL DATA

BODY STYLE: 2 DR. CONVERTIBLE

PASSENGER CAPACITY: 4

BASE PRICE: $1,797 (AS OF 7/1/40)

WHEELBASE: 127”

WEIGHT: 3,825 LBS.

ENGINE

TYPE: STRAIGHT-EIGHT; IRON BLOCK AND HEAD

BORE & STROKE: 3 ½ x 4 5/8 inches

DISPLACEMENT: 356 CI

COMPRESSION RATIO: 6.45:1 STANDARD, 6.85:1 OPTIONAL

HORSEPOWER: 160 @ 3,500 RPM

TAXABLE HORSEPOWER:

TORQUE: 292 ft.-lb. @ 1,800 RPM

HP/CID: 0.449

INDUCTION SYSTEM: STROMBERG AAV-26 DOWNDRAFT

IGNITION SYSTEM: 6-VOLT, AUTOLITE MAX-4041 STARTER, AUTOLITE GEA-4802-A GENERATOR, AUTOLITE CE-4639 COIL

EXHAUST: SINGLE 2 ½ INCH

MAIN BEARINGS: 9

TRANSMISSION

TYPE: 3-SPD. WITH OVERDRIVE

CLUTCH: SINGLE DRY PLATE, 9 SPRINGS

DIFFERENTIAL

TYPE: SEMI-FLOATING, HYPOID

RATIO: 4.36:1

BRAKES

TYPE: INTERNAL EXPANDING, HYDRAULIC

EFFECTIVE AREA: 196 SQ. IN.

DRUM SIZE: 12 IN.

TIRES

SIZE: 16 X 7.00 IN.

TYPE: 4-PLY

CAPACITIES

COOLING SYSTEM: 20 QTS.

GASOLINE TANK: 21 GALS.

ENGINE OIL: 7 QTS.

Making a transmission bearing

On the way home from the National Packard meet in Galena, Ill. this July we experienced  a vibration not unlike a u-joint feel when going over 53 MPH.  It would have been too easy to replace a u-joint but I checked them anyway.  No such luck.
We just drove home a little slower then had Russell Chandler, local guru/President of the ArkLaTex Packard Club /Certified Master Packard Mechanic make a diagnoses, his was a transmission bearing.  Remove the transmission with a little help from friend Carl Wimberly and sure enough, the from main bearing was worn.  Of course all you have to do is go to the bearing shop and pick one up, right? No, the company that made it had gone out of business 35 years ago.  Called around the country, could not locate one. Of course all the Packard book had was Packard bearing numbers and our local Packard dealer is out of business so the next thing to do is check with the human computer. Called  Mr. Warren Bates, he had the bearing numbers from Hyatt, that didn't help much however it was educational as all conversations with him are. He stated that the rollers were the same size in diameter as a Model T rear axle bearing rollers and the same type. Mr. Ed Messenger, a local machinist and old car collector said we could make one.  Nothing to it, right?  Not quite.  First we had to disassemble the old bearing by drilling the ends of the standoffs that kept the bearing together, this was done using a dividing head set up on a mill.  After the disassembling process, we had to find the rollers.   A new Model T bearing was located from another friend in Oklahoma City.  After receiving the new bearing Ed had to go through the same process to disassemble it, then chuck the rollers one at a time in his lathe and with a handy-dandy tool post cutter, cut three small rollers from each Model T roller.  In time he had all eleven.  Then with a nice piece of steel he made new standoffs, cleaned all the parts and reassembled all to make a new bearing.  After installing in the transmission, a check ride pronounced it fine.  So how difficult was it really?  Not bad, several days calling around the country looking for a bearing, approximately $ 25,000 worth of equipment, 60 years experience, one long weekend.  However, it was fun, educational and worth it.  I have been to a Packard Club meeting and participated in a wedding party, I have several club outing yet and a tour before the old car is put away for the winter, what a great hobby.

locating and drilling standoffs

setting up in dividing head to locate pins, (360 degrees divided by 11)

Model T bearing disassembled, roller cut, new standoff

cutting rollers

new bearing assembled

old pins, extra parts

finsihed bearing

transmission parts

transmission parts

 

disassembled bearing

The Faded Rose by David Stewart

“Faded Rose” as we call her was discovered in Tyler, Texas by Alex McCommas
in 2006.  She had been in a dirt floor garage since l960 in a state of some
disassembly, several parts missing and had been abused for some time previous
to 1960.  Alex turned her over to David Stewart, restorer, and Nelson Bates, a
Packard owner, researcher and general expert.  We undertook the project to
bring “The Faded Rose” back to her former glory.

With considerable work and great expense, we have succeeded.  “Faded Rose”
is a 1927 Packard that started life as a four-door sedan but was converted to
winch truck service during the East Texas Oil Boom of the 1930’s.  “Faded Rose”
was displayed at the Texas Packard Meet in April 2008 and won multiple awards.

The Last Days of Packard

As Seen by a Former Packard Dealer

(Published in Cars & Parts, Dec. 2006)

By David W. Temple 

Photographs courtesy of Wendell Hawkins

  The 1955 model year was a very good one for the automobile industry with record
production of nearly eight-million units. On that basis alone, opening a new car
dealership for 1955 would seem to have been nothing other than a money making
opportunity. However, things were not so rosy for the independents. Packard, for
one, did not get much benefit out of the overall record production of automobiles.
Opening a new Packard dealership at that time from the perspective of today could
easily be judged to have been a way to lose money in a hurry. Wendell Hawkins
opened his Packard dealership in late 1954 and was profitable from the start.
Unfortunately, his contribution to Packard sales was not nearly enough to save the
company from extinction. His experiences as a dealer during the last days of Packard
(before the “Packardbaker” era) are interesting and he was willing to share his
memories of those times for readers of Cars & Parts.
  Wendell Hawkins Packard, Inc. was located at the corner of Milam and Hadley in
Houston, Texas. Prior to Mr. Hawkins’ sales agreement with Packard, the building
(which had been built in the early 1920s) served as the Earl North Buick Company.
Gene Meador had just retired his Packard dealership (located several blocks away
from Milam and Hadley) which paved the way for Hawkins to step in as Houston’s
Packard dealer. From the beginning, Wendell had the full support of Packard Motor
Car Company with 24 sheet posters covering all of Houston and frequent, full-page
newspaper advertisements which were scheduled by Packard’s ad agency, D’Arcy.
When he asked Packard to display their one-of-a-kind show car, the Predictor, in his
showroom he got it. That support along with Wendell’s experience as president of a
Houston advertising agency handling several major accounts undoubtedly provided
the means to keep the dealership in the black. He was later offered a Studebaker-
Packard dealership which he quickly turned down in favor of selling other makes
such as Chrysler, Volvo, Rolls Royce, and Jaguar. The short, but rewarding time
Wendell had with Packard revealed to him what was wrong with the company and why
it failed.
  During our interview, Mr. Hawkins first wanted to help end the myth that Packard’s
problems started with their down-market 120 series of the thirties. He said, “The
greatest myth of why Packard failed was building lower priced cars in the thirties.
That did not hurt their prestige, but rather it saved them.” The main reason Packard
failed according to Wendell was that “mostly wealthy, old men” were in charge of
many Packard dealerships during the ‘40s through ‘50s and “they were not
aggressive enough.” One example of what he meant was dealer Gene Meador who
paid cash for his cars and would never discount them. The cars sat on the showroom
floor until a customer came along who was willing and able to pay full price. He also
mentioned that the Dallas-Ft. Worth dealerships had low sales. The Dallas zone
office had such difficulty they called Wendell to ask him if he would buy their cars at
dealer cost which he did. Many of the cars had sat so long valves had become stuck
and/or had other problems associated with sitting inactive for long period. Wendell
said Packard “took care of those issues.”
  Wendell noted a major failure of Packard Motor Car Company was in not offering a
V-8 as early as 1951. “The public preferred the short stroke V-8s and Packard could
have produced a V-8 in 1951, but they got complacent. A V-8 would have meant
everything to Packard’s survival. The long stroke straight-eight was a good, smooth,
dependable engine, but it did not provide the quick acceleration of the Kettering V-
8,” said Wendell. Of course Packard got around to offering their first V-8 for the 1955
model year. That was not the only new feature on Packards that year. Their cars also
got new styling and a revolutionary torsion bar suspension. The new ‘55s had their
problems though. Warranty work was “slightly above average for the first four or five
months” at Wendell’s dealership. Afterwards, warranty work was at a “very low level”
through the end of 1956 production. However, the quality control problems with the
early ‘55s “cost Packard dearly”, said Hawkins. (He noted that “Packard was very
generous when it came to paying for required warranty repairs.”) Wendell does not
know why Packard gave up their Grand Boulevard plant for the smaller plant at
Connersville Avenue. Chrysler bought Briggs who had built bodies for Chrysler and
Packard forcing the latter to build its own bodies. Unfortunately, Packard “got the
worst employees from Briggs which hurt the quality of an otherwise innovative
product.” Also hurting Packard was their choice to build their own transmission.
Wendell explained that, “Their Ultra-Matic was a great transmission; it had a direct-
drive lockup unlike Buick’s Dynaflow. No other independents in the industry built their
own transmission, but instead purchased them from Borg-Warner, Ford, or GM.  The
cost of constructing a transmission plant was very expensive for Packard.”
  Two other problems faced by Packard Motor Car Company were the high cost of
steel and canceled military contracts. Packard did not need the volume of steel the
big three consumed; therefore they could not get the same quantity discount their
competitors received. The cancellation of military contracts by the U. S. Government
hurt Packard’s profits, too. During World War 2, Packard built 55,000 Rolls-Royce
Merlin aircraft engines (while Rolls-Royce assembled much less).
  Not everything was wrong with Packard. Their torsion bar suspension was well liked
due to the exceptional ride quality it provided. Wendell noted that with proper tire
inflation and periodic adjustments the torsion bar suspension “provided a fantastic
ride.” Packard’s V-8 impressed a lot of enthusiasts. For 1956, Packards received a
horsepower boost and a stronger crankshaft. Packard had planned to increase its
displacement to an incredible 500 cubic inches for 1957. Hawkins also noted,
“Packard had the most modern proving ground in the business.” He got the chance
to see it first hand when he visited Packard’s Grand Boulevard facilities and met with
company president, James Nance.
  When Nance took over the presidency of Packard he set out to modernize the
company, but he “made many mistakes” according to Wendell. One of those was
purchasing Studebaker through a “gentleman’s agreement ... There was no
accounting review. What Packard later found was that Studebaker was in a sea of
red ink; the company was in very serious trouble. George Mason as president of
American Motors had planned to join the company with Packard, Studebaker, and
Hudson, but when he died the plan was dropped.” Packard enthusiasts must wonder
about what might have been had Mason lived to follow through on his plans.
  During the last days of Packard, “dealers were the last to know anything” about
Packard’s financial condition. “Everything was presented as rosy,” said Hawkins.
Wendell learned of Packard’s demise through a telegram from the president of Curtis-
Wright. That telegram indicated Packard would continue. Wendell said he got more
information about what was happening at Packard through the Wall Street Journal. At
the end of production, Hawkins had about 40 new Packards in stock. Packard offered
to repurchase the cars or pay a rebate of the difference between dealer cost and
factory cost. Wendell elected to keep the cars and sell them at dealer cost; he sold
all of them within three weeks. His lease agreement was for ten years with options.
Had it not been for the new Edsel which debuted for the 1958 model year, Hawkins
would have been obligated to continue paying the rent. Fortunately for Wendell, an
Edsel dealer wanted the building which released him from the contract.
  While Wendell’s dealership was in business he helped support a few interesting
experiments involving Packard products. A private company tried to sell the city of
Houston on the idea of a monorail system. They built a prototype which was tested
with a variety of engines, but those did not give the desired results. An official with
the new company called Wendell about the project. He sold two Packard V-8s to
them which worked well in the experimental monorail. Packard engines were not
enough to overcome political opposition to the program, though. In 1956, Humble Oil
was developing Golden Esso gasoline for higher compression engines. Wendell was
contacted about testing the gasoline in a Packard since their cars had the highest
compression in the industry at 10.0:1, so he loaned one to them. Furthermore, the
last Packard tested by Road & Track and Mel Martin with the Houston Post was his
personal demonstrator, a 1956 Four-Hundred, which averaged 122.46mph on three-
way run near the Addicks Dam just west of Houston.
  Packard faded away forever when Studebaker-Packard shareholders approved
dropping the Packard name from the corporate title in April 1962, but Wendell
Hawkins’ relationship with the marque has not faded at all. Thanks to him and other
collectors, Packard cars will continue to grace the roads and car shows across not
only this country, but all over the world. He remains active in The Packard Club
(ArkLaTex Packard Club regional chapter) and was honored for his contributions to
Packard during the festivities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the marque at

Warren, Ohio, in 1999.

SELLING THE 1955-56 CARIBBEAN

  Dealers had difficulty in obtaining the new, very upscale Caribbeans. The Los
Angeles dealer, Earl C. Anthony, received ten convertibles for 1956, which was likely
the most for any dealer. Wendell Hawkins dealership received five convertibles for
‘56, but he actually sold more than that. For example, the Marshall, Texas, dealer
could not sell the one he received which can be explained in part by the model’s high
price (more than that of a Cadillac Eldorado). He contacted Wendell about swapping
for a Clipper Sedan which he did. Wendell said that Houston was a great market for
the Caribbean as well as the other senior level (Patrician and Four-Hundred)
Packards.
  Production of the Caribbean was limited since the model was intended to bring
more sales to the senior level cars. James Nance had instructed dealers to try to
sway potential Caribbean buyers to the Patrician. The reason was simple. Packard
lost money on the Caribbean even at the price of $5,995 (for the ‘56 convertible).
  Demand for the Caribbean exceeded production, so one dealer found a solution to
meet the demand he had for the cars; it was the Esquire. Harry DuBois, Inc. in
Arlington, Virginia, got inspiration for his idea from James Nance who told dealers at
the end of Caribbean production in May of 1955, to try to salvage unfilled Caribbean
orders with Four-Hundreds fitted with rear dual aerials. DuBois went further than that
by adding not only the suggested dual aerials, but also altering the side trim on the
two-door hardtop to resemble a Caribbean and installing the Caribbean hood.
Esquire script replaced the Four-Hundred scripts. The practice was later expanded to
the four-door Patrician and was continued into 1956. Customers later wanted other
extras such as an Autronic Eye which was an accessory often found on Cadillacs.
DuBois did basically whatever the customer wanted. At least one 1956 Esquire
survives today.

 

Two Classics, One Car (740 Packard Roadster)

Two Classics, One Car

Click on the above link

East Texas Radio Days Exhibit & Artwalk 7-28-11 Part Deux

ArtWalk at the Gregg County Historical Museum featuring the museum's East Texas Radio Days Exhibit with the Ark-La-Tex Packard Club, Regions Bank, KZQX FM 100.3, Tom Perryman from The Ranch KKUS FM 104.1, and Decorating, Etc. - Fredonia Street, Downtown Longview July 28, 2011 The East Texas Radio Days Exhibit is sponsored in part by the City of Longview's Cultural Activities Advisory Commission.

These photos were taken by Gregg County Historical Museum.