Yes, I'm in LOVE again....

05-01-2010, 10:29 AM

Moonbeam-Express

Please save me, I'm smitten by this one of a kind gem, project, addiction! Found in classifieds of tincantourist.com

quote:
THIS IS A 1947 PACKARD MOTOR HOME FEATURED IN THE JANUARY 1950 POPULAR MECHANICS . IT NOW HAS A 48 288 ENGINE FROM A GOOD RUNNING CAR WITH OD NEEDS HOOK UP.IT HAS MOST ALL THE ORIGINAL PARTS INCLUDED.SEATS,SINK,CABNETS,AND FOLDING BED SEAT. COPPER WATER TANK.BUT IS IN NEED OF A FULL RESTORATION.ALLUMINUM BODY IS VERY NICE. WOOD CAN BE SAVED WITHOUT REPLACING IT.IT HAD A CANVAS TOP OVER IT.I THINK THIS WAS BUILT BY A BOAT BUILDER IT HAS BRASS SCREWS AND PORT HOLES.IF YOU LIKE HAVING THE ONLY ONE THIS IS FOR YOU.PHONE 734 461 9260 AND PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH YOUR # AND I WILL CALL BACK.OR EMAIL FOR MORE PIC'S I MOVED IT ON A TANDEM TRAILER VERY EASILY.HEALTH FORCES SALE.THIS IS A REALY PRO BUILT NICE VEH NOT JUNK IT IS A MUST SEE . IT COULD BE DONE BY A GOOD HOBBIEST.CAN YOU SEE TOWING YOUR CAR TO A SHOW ON THE BACK OF THIS ? I WOULD CONSIDER A PANHEAD OR KNUCKLEHEAD HARLEY BASKET OR ENGINE AND TRANS . VINTAGE CAR FOR PART OR FULL TRADE EMAIL WHAT YOU HAVE THANKS

Formerly: 1997 Barth Monarch
Now: 2000 BlueBird Wanderlodge 43' LXi Millennium Edition DD Series 60 500HP 3 stage Jake, Overbuilt bike lift with R1200GS BMW, followed by 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited,
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

05-01-2010, 11:33 AM

olroy

Jeez! I wish I was 20 years younger. I loved my Barth, I loved my Packards, & I loved some other old, unheard-of, quixotic machinery & boats I owned over the years. This would be the culmination.

"It had a canvas top over it." Looks like a strip-planked wooden roof that was canvased a la wooden boat decks.

The shape could be a prototype for the Corvair-powered Ultra-Van that came out in 1968 or 1969. At first I thought that was what it is, but it's even more exotic than that coach was.

05-01-2010, 11:49 AM

bill h

I have a neighbor with a bad toupée who would be a perfect fit for this coach.

However the neighborhood beauty committee would go into apoplexy if he put that in his driveway.

But, wait! It gets better.

Check out the front view.

Clickie Linkie

05-01-2010, 12:42 PM

DougZ

That may not look like much, but properly restored that could easily be a $100,000 coach. If someone had a late 40's Packard basket case for parts they could bring this thing back to life.

05-01-2010, 01:13 PM

Moonbeam-Express

I joked with my wife that if I bought it we would have to travel in reverse to get any kind of mileage! I think the guy that built it was a dyslexic aeronautical engineer

05-01-2010, 01:34 PM

Moonbeam-Express

http://books.google.com/books

This is the link to the article so it can be read. I looked at some of the other inventions of 1950 and it makes for a great read.

05-01-2010, 08:35 PM

Kris & Tina Jones

Are you sure that wood can be replaced? How would one deal with the starboard front? I know that the vintage boat enthusiasts have lots of tricks up their sleves,..I just don't know any. I don't doubt ya, I just don't realy know much about wood repair. This would definitely draw a crowd at the Woodward Dream Cruise. Hey Patch, I know you had some Chris Crafts, have ya ever had to do any wood repair?

05-01-2010, 08:48 PM

Patch1st

Kris, Yes I've done my share of wood repairs... I am NOT a carpenter but I did have a very excellent coach in my brother who owned Downings Woodmill at 11 and Harper in St. Clair Shores at that time... He would advise, coach and make me all the parts I needed as custom woodworking was his forte and he was marvelous at it... But looking at that coach I'd say it would be alot easier to repair a roof that will be protected by canvas then any type of repairs on the hull of wood boat...

05-01-2010, 08:59 PM

Dick Dubbs

You folks are kidding; right? That's got to be the ugliest piece of machinery ever to be displayed on this site. What is this a variation of "the Emperor's Clothes" ?

05-01-2010, 11:07 PM

carlflack

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...........

05-01-2010, 11:34 PM

Moonbeam-Express

It's like the Elephant Man, its so ugly it's charming!

05-02-2010, 12:17 AM

Danny Z

Some of you have seen my Onan Genny manual cover, but for the newer folks, here's a sister ship to the one being dicussed.

05-02-2010, 11:28 AM

Moonbeam-Express

The owner sent me about 50 detailed pictures. The thing is ROUGH! I offered him $5000, half of what he's asking. We'll see if he bites. Who knows what this thing is wort, who cares. It would need to be a labor of love.

05-02-2010, 12:14 PM

DougZ

Corey and Cheri, I hope you get this coach. If you do, and you keep the Packard drive train, I have plenty of links for parts. I know of two post war Packard engines available too.

05-02-2010, 01:25 PM

bill h

quote:
Originally posted by noble97monarch:
I joked with my wife that if I bought it we would have to travel in reverse to get any kind of mileage! I think the guy that built it was a dyslexic aeronautical engineer

I dunno..........the first example of automotive streamlining was Ray Harrouns's Marmon Wasp, and it gained speed and mileage by streamlining the rear only.

It was actually done to eliminate drafting in racing by reducing the low pressure behind, but they were pleasantly surprised to get the speed and mileage improvement. Particularly the mileage, as it reduced pit stops for fuel, and allowed a lighter fuel load to be carried between tire pit stops.

The slope back design of the Packard conversion follows the profile of some buses of the day, like the Flxible Airway and Clipper. This shape gave the buses better mileage, too. Perhaps a busnut like Shadowman can come up with the percentage improvement.

I don't think the bus lines were concerned about drafting.