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Cover
This issue deals primarily with the restoration of Packards. Anker Hansen, who saw the light at the cathedral in Roskilde during the 1990 NPOC meet, tells the story in text and pictures of the extensive restoration work on his 1951 300 Sedan.
Another car in significantly worse shape is Harald M. Nissen-Lie's 1508 Convertible Sedan. He is aided by a closed donor car that had to give up most body parts except those specific to the convertible. Harald writes a first article to be continued with a follow-up.
Edgar Dyrli's 1941 Convertible Coupe is presented in a report from Norsk Motorveteran.
Page 3
Packard Reflections
By Sture Idner
For many years I have read about the Hershey market in the United States and many friends have told stories about it. Everybody has described it as something immensely large. If you can't find it at Hershey, it doesn't exist! Finally I decided to go there myself and see all the wonders with my own eyes.
One day in October the moment had finally arrived. I had done nothing to plan the trip except to order air tickets and talk to Ole Böök. But he had planned (years) in advance by making reservations at a hotel just kilometers away from the market. He also came and picked me up at Newark Liberty and offered lodging at his house in North Bergen. On our way there, we stopped in at a small engine rebuilding shop, where the owners had just finished the restoration of a Packard V-8 marine engine for and under the direction of Ole. The engine was red and the finish was fantastic. It looked absolutely new. At Hershey time the engine was hauled to the Packard Proving Grounds in Utica as a donation by Ole. (See also # 122 of the NPOC Bulletin.)
The trip to Hershey was taken in Ole's deliciously yellow Packard Executive Hardtop. About 300 kilometers in each direction, most comfortable and naturally without any problems. Advances may have been made in automotive technology over the past 50 years, but the Executive offered room, comfort, a soft and quiet ride as well as plenty of power, not easily replicated in a new car.
At Hershey, Ole had made arrangements for a vendor space to park the car, which was a blessing by which we avoided long lines and having to park miles away. At last we were there! The first impression was utter confusion. Where to find what is interesting, and how to schedule the visit?
The Hershey Fall Meet is actually four events in one:
1) The market for new and old parts, which was huge and difficult to grasp. Since I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I soon gave up on rummaging around among small vendors with unsorted, rusty parts. Ole on the other hand could feel the scent of unique Packard parts in all the mess. I found it more interesting to look at what the large vendors with NOS and NORS parts had to offer. I also collected a bunch of catalogs and business cards that could prove useful in the future.
2) The Car Corral with hundreds of vehicles for sale was superb. In the beginning I was almost mesmerized by all the fantastic cars. A Lagonda V-12 with a tulipwood body was utterly irresistible. The urge was strong, but luckily the bank account was slim and inaccessible. A Packard 180 limo from 1940 was for sale for $140,000 - in pristine condition but still an unrealistic price. One could have spent several days at this market alone, talking to sellers and prospective buyers/onlookers, or just enjoying.
3) The Kruse Auction, with some 300 cars, most in good to perfect condition. The auction was split over three evenings and the cars were on display during the preceding day. I had never attended an auction like this. It was therefore a new experience to hear the drone of the auctioneers - not quiet for a second. The cars were bought in one after the other and quickly disposed of. After three or four cars I began to understand the bidding system and that's when it became really exciting. The price level varied quite a bit, but generally I thought prices were relatively fair taking the cars' condition into account. But some cars had unrealistic reserves and remained unsold. There were two Duesenberg J 1930 and a 1938 Packard 1608 V-12 Brunn All Weather Cabriolet by the podium. All in perfect condition, of course. One Duesenberg sold for $960,000. The other remained unsold, as did the Packard. The latter received a high bid of $147,500. A total of 11 Packards were offered, but only three actually sold.
4) The car show and judging took place during the last day. An unbelievable gathering of over 1,000 cars, all in as-new condition or close to it. It was soon became evident that it was impossible to look at everything. One has to concentrate on the more interesting vintages. But after a few hours you still get blasé and just walk past cars that at home one would run for several blocks just to catch a glimpse of.
All this could be seen without paying so much as a dollar in admission. Parking fees were levied, however, but that didn't affect me. In conclusion: the Hershey visit was a fantastic experience and an event like nothing I have ever be subjected to in Sweden. The order and organization was exemplary, but the average age of visitors was surprisingly high. It is true that Hershey's emphasis is on older cars - before the muscle car era. But one has to fear for the coming generation in this older part of the hobby that is so interesting for us Packard owners. In any event, if you haven't been to Hershey, I warmly recommend a visit. And those of you who have been there, you know what it's all about.
Page 4
Beauties in Norway.
Odd Moen obviously likes red Packards from 1929. Above his 633 Touring and below his newly restored 640 Roadster.
Page 5
Invitation to the 36th NPOC meet
in the town of Askersund, Sweden June 29 - July 1. Detailed information and registration form is in the mail.
Page 6
Since last
New webmaster
Michael Nancke, new member of the Danish work group, has assumed the task of webmaster of NPOC's home page. Go visit: www.npoc.nu
Denmark
New Danish work group
Michel Bohnsen announces the following change in the Danish work group: Allan Møller and Michael Nanke replace Jens Nielsen and Jørgen Petersen.
Finland
Former member Kai-Lauri Bremer is back in NPOC. He has acquired a 1927 343 Club Coupe from USA. The car will be moved to a restoration shop north of Helsinki during April.
Leena Söderblom has applied for membership. She has acquired a 1956 5670 Executive Sedan form USA. The car is white and blue just like the Finnish flag and will arrive during spring. With assistance from NPOC among other, Martti Kiikka has prepared his 1938 1601 Convertible Coupe for the Peking to Paris endurance run to be staged this coming summer. Final preparation included beefed up suspension and modified gearing. The car will be shipped to Rotterdam before the end of April. Follow the rally that starts May 27 on www.pekingparis.com.
Norway
Tore Zahl in Mo i Rana is a new member with a 1953 300 in good original condition.
Ketil Raaum in Bøverbru has come back as member. His stable: 1953 400 sedan, 1954 5431 Convertible Coupe, 2 1955 400s, 1956 400, 1956 Caribbean Convertible and 1958 58L Hawk Sport Hard Top.
Page 7
Beach of Dreams
Text and Illustration: John Hempel
This picture comes courtesy of the archives of my alma mater, William & MaryCollege. The college, in Williamsburg, (Virginia) is near the York River. The approximately 12mile "Colonial Parkway" between Williamsburg and Yorktown (where George Washington defeated General Cornwallis in October 1781 to effectively end the Revolutionary War and start the United States), runs through protected land beside the York and at some places you can find sandy beaches. Any of these spots are referred to as YorktownBeach. The photo was taken at one of these Yorktown Beaches.
From left we see what appears most likely a '35 Chevrolet and then, barely visible behind that fellow, something with elements of '36 Ford. Next, the Silver Streak is clearly visible on a '35 Pontiac. Then, that smart coupe trying to escape the shutter is without question a '37 Lincoln Zephyr V-12 (no coupes in '36, and the front fenders had a different contour in '38), one of just 5199 coupes produced in '37!
Next, on the right, is of course a Model A Ford - the radiator says '30/'31. And then - wow, drumroll! Of course it's an Eleventh Series 1934 Standard Eight, and it's an open model too, with top down, (is it also a Dietrich, just like JP Åhlén/Harald & Alices Jonssons/Anders Läcks?). With a total production of just 8960 in all series, '34 Packard Standard Eights are about as rare as '37 Zephyr coupes. And then last - not bad either - a lovely '39 Ford Deluxe that almost everyone agrees was a lovely design. And look closely too - it's a woody!! How cool!
The whitewalls on the Zephyr and Chevy together with the presence of a '39 Ford point to the picture having been taken between fall 1938 - fall 1941. Guys would not likely have been lounging on a beach after WWII broke out, and by the time whitewalls became generally available again after the war, around 1947, it's doubtful anyone would have put whitewalls on what would by then have been old luxury cars.
To dream a bit, wouldn't it be fantastic to have a four car garage with that Model A for running into town on errands, the Zephyr for business trips, the woody for camping trips, and the Packard for excursions, formal events and of course the beach! Wow!
Page 8-11
A history about a Packard
Text and photography: Anker Hansen
An impressive row of some 25 Packards got me inter-ested in this make of car. It was during the 1990 NPOC meet that these cars were parked at the cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. In May-June 1995 I was told that a 1951 Packard was for sale in the outskirts of Copenhagen. It was a restoration object and imported with several other old cars from California. After a careful consideration and promises of help, I bought the car.
A complete restoration was started and every little part, screw and bolt was removed and attached to pieces of cardboard or placed in jars and boxes. Since the Packard had not been driven since 1975, everything had to be dismantled and taken care of. The goal was to get the car ready for the opening of the Store-bælt bridge in 1998. That goal was later revised to coincide with the 2000 opening of the Øresund bridge. But the first appearance was made 2005 on an NPOC excursion to the museum of Viking ships, located very close to the Roskilde cathedral, where I first discovered Packard.
Page 10-11
Cars for sale
1938 1605 Super Eight Limousine. Maintained, not restored.
1955 Clipper Super Panama. Total restoration almost completed.
Page 12-13
A ten-year restoration project
1937 Packard 1508, 12 Cylinder, Convertible Sedan, 1083
By Harald M. Nissen-Lie sen.
PREAMBLE
After a very successful restoration project from 1991 until summer 1995 of my 1930 Packard 733 Limousine by John Wallentin, only to years lapsed until it was time for me to have more fun.
Rune Aschim gave me some litterature adding to what I already had acquired over the years. By 1997 I had concluded that the most attractive non-custom car produced by Packard would have to be a Twelve Convertible, perhaps the 1937 which I think is the most distinguished.
I shared my desires with John Wallentin who agreed. There was no such car in NPOC, nor in Europe for that matter, so it was determined that the U.S. of A. would be the only possible source. I saw a couple of ads for cars like this, but the prices were formidable. Only 40 of this model were made.
After some studying I concluded that there were only nine cars in the U.S. that were theoretically possible. I was about to write to these nine people, but John Wallentin came back from Hershey and said he had talked to someone who might be interested in selling his restoration project. The car was located in northern Michigan and owned by a physician, who had come down with heart problems and was ready to sell. A deal was struck and the car and its parts car came to Norway by Christmas 1997 in a 40 foot container and was dispatched directly to Larvik where John Wallentin has his shop at the time. We agreed that the car would be restored over a ten-year period, which says more about the other work John has been emtrusted than the extra work on my car.
Over these ten years the cars have been completely disassembled and a lot of woodwork has been done by Kåre Finstad and John Wallentin. This was one of the last cars Kåre Finstad worked on before he was consumed by his illness.
At the time of writing there is hope that the car will be finished sometime during 2007 and "NPOC's most fantastic Packard" will com e out of John Wallentin's restoration shop in Sandefjord.
Nesøya in February 2007
Picture Captions
– Two years after the arrival of my 1937 I could still only dream of what my car would look like: "Would it be painted red, or blue, or perhaps black? (This is me with Mr. Miller's 1936 1408 Convertible Sedan in Warren 1999.)
– The wreck of the convertible upon arrival; at Christmas 1997. The parts car was more intact.
Selected data for the car
Wheelbase: 144 inches, i.e. about 3.66 meters
Total length: 232.5 inches, which translates to 5.91 meters
Total weight: 5,690 lbs, or about 2.6 tons
The engine develops 180 hp at 3,200 RPM
The engine's displacement is 473 cu. in., equivalent to about 7.8 liters
P.S. A follow-up article will be published in a later issue of the Bulletin
Page 14-17
1941 Packard Convertible Coupe
Text and photography: Jostein Kvithaug
To buy a veteran car is often hazardous. An object where you see only the condition of the body can hide many technical defects difficult to discover.
Edgar Dyrli from Norway has always had his eye on Packard con- vertible coupes. An ad for a 1941 for sale in Sweden prompted Edgar to contact the seller in Stockholm. A photo, a description and an acceptable price got Edgar on the road to Stockholm with trailer in tow.
The car in the photo was, however, not much like the real thing. "This is not the car you offered me," said Edgar and walked towards the door. "Give me a bid," shouted the seller and to Edgar's surprise he accepted Edgar's shameful offer.
In 1997 Edgar started the renovation. Very soon he discovered that everything that had been don to the car had to be redone. Thanks to NPOC member Johan Schmidt and his stock of spare parts, the engine and transmission could be saved. A trip to Hershey resulted in a large number of parts and membership in Nordic Packard Owners Club gave him information about the car model and help in finding difficult parts.
It only took two years from a hopeless object to the registration in June 1999, something of a record, even for Edgar. This is a real touring car and Edgar and his wife Oddbjørg have used it on many trips, both in Norway and Sweden.
Courtesy of Norsk Motorveteran 2-2007 through Knut Samuelsen.
Page 18-19
The first impression
Translation of an article by Jim Richardson in Classic Cars #9, June 2005.
Page 20
How to find impossible small parts that you need during your renovation
Text: Jens Nielsen
This is information where to find small parts in the Nordic countries which are not available in regular auto supply stores.
Page 21
Knut Samuelsen's visit to Florida
Text: Knut Samuelsen
Photography: Steinar Hovden, Knut Samuelsen
To extend the summer 2006, Ragnhild and I spent the month of November in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Being a long-time reader of PAC's Cormorant News Bulletin, I had learned about the Packard meet in Sarasota hosted by Thomas Kaiser.
My friend Steinar and I assembled with 20-30 like-minded people and 15-20 Packards at Mr. Kaiser's place. The Packards represented the period between the early thirties and the late fifties. It was good to notice that all cars arrived on their own wheels and seemed to be used to tours and old car meets. We experienced a comfortable and informal atmosphere, similar to what we feel when attending NPOC meets.
Back cover
Donate you car - Help Kids in Need - Free Towing
Text: Hans Schmidtz Photography Ole Böök
It's not as bad as you may think. Leena Söderblom hasn't acted on the message of the billboard in the background. Her newly acquired 1956 5670 Executive Sedan is seen here on its way to the port of departure for transportation to Finland. The Söderblom family, previously involved solely with cars from the 1930s, has now gone V-8.
Dag Söderblom: Due to nature's toll, I have now decided not to pursue restoration of the club's only car classified "O3" (wreck stored outdoors). Among the few parts left can be mentioned the inside rear view mirror, which is now for sale. The car will be stricken from the club roster.
If we know Dag right, having given up on restoring his 115C, he will now immerse himself in Leena's Executive and help her make the car a reliable driver.
Start side Bullitin
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