A friend told me to look at ebay and type in '42 Henney Packard 4x4 ambulance. Says axles are same as MH. I know it isn't a ford, but MH affectionados should look. It's pretty cheap still and very cool, and an Arizona truck. Truckdog or Josh needs this...

 

I first saw this thing over on the Power Wagon forum, it got a lot of conversation there. I think the axles are PW, not M-H. It's a beast. Stu




Packard 4294 Henney Packard | eBay

 

I think it was put together post-military service. Just mho.

 

Owen - the origin of the axles still has be puzzled. I'm wondering if they might really be IHC, maybe an L/R/S 140. You know IHCs pretty well, what do you think? It's hard to tell whether the bolt pattern is military 5 x 6 7/8" or civilian 5 x 8" as would be right for the IHC 140 series. I think the Dualmatic hubs could have been added on either. Axles look to be Eatons. Stu

 

That's a cool truck. Would love to know more.

 

There are 4 different 1942 Packards:

110 = L-Head 6 / 120 = L-Head 8 (282 cid) / 160 & 180 = L-Head 8 (359 cid w/9 main bearings).

This is a 120 (Packard Commercial Body number is 2001-A). It's a Henney ambulance/hearse conversion. ebay ad has more pics/info.

Henney Body Company was located in Freeport IL .. Building is extant, it's one city block in size.

I'd suggest contacting George L. Hamlin (lives in MD, all I have is his snail mail info), member of Packard Automobile Classics & Studebaker Drivers Club for info. George knows Henney.

 

Thanks Bill

 

Not IHC of that era. The Eatons IHC used did not have a removable from cover. Also, the outer housings near the spindles were bolted on, not a solid tube. The reason I say it was put together is the way the front end is hacked. Being a builder of fine cars I doubt that Packard or Henney would have done it that way, though it was war time. Secondly, where I cant be sure about Ike, Patton preferred a modified jeep. Also, Patton liked the heat of the battle, so even if the ebay seller is correct about Patton having one, I doubt it would have bright trim for field service.Thirdly, though Packard-Henney ambulances were used on military bases, especially stateside, it doesn't seem logical that in 1942 when the military was moving to standardize their fleet in the various weight classes that it would commission the building of some one off vehicles, especially when that base was covered by the 4x4 Dodges (army, army air corp) and IHC ( Navy, USMC)

 

Patton's neck was broken when his 1938 Cadillac V8 Limo rammed a 6X6 that turned in front of it.

In Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Patton' he said that the '38 Cadillac was not badly damaged, but in reality...it was!

Everything but the left front fender was destroyed, the heavy 341 cid flathead V8 engine was knocked off its mounts.

 

Read that book not too long ago. But, the Cadillac was hardly a field car. Some more of my nonsense; if that ambulance was commissioned, it should have a data plate regarding the conversion, I would think.

 

Packard data plate located on top of left cowl panel, visible when hood is opened.

Don't know where the Henney plate is located.

This car could have been sent to USN airbase in Alaska, where 4WD would have been needed.

USN used Packard-Henney ambulances/hearses thru 1954. Henney folded after 1954, as Packard was no longer supplying commercial chassis.

 

That is fantastic!!

Early iron...
4x4...
Packard....
.....Priceless!

Bobby

 

Seller claims that top brass rode in Packard-Henney's, but this is not correct.

While the brass rode in Packard & Packard Clipper (1942) sedans, they were not modified by Henney as they only made professional cars (hearse/ambulance) thru 1942.

After WWII ended, Henney made limo's and 7 passenger sedans for Packard in 1946/47, ditto 1953/54.

Seller also claims Packard serial number is A2278, not so. Serial number is 2001A2278. 2001A is a Packard 120 Commercial Chassis.

Source: The Henney Motor Company-A Complete History / by Thomas A. McPherson / Iconograpix / ISBN-13: 978-1-58388-233-7

When one is a Packard "nut" .. one will have every book on the topic.

 

not to argue the point Number Dummy, but what I was getting at was if it was a factory 4wd conversion, I would expect some sort of data plate for that. Just going along with my original statement that the 4wd was added later, perhaps by an outdoor enthusiast?

You are a Packard fan? You would have appreciated my father's cousin's 1938 Darron Sunset. When the 19 40 or41 Packards came out the original owner had a 41 front clip put on. The cowl was 3/4" cast aluminum.

 

Serial number begins with 2001A which is a 1942 Packard 120 commercial chassis. Packard had an exclusive contract with Henney to perform all their conversions.

Howard "Dutch" Darrin created the first Packard-Darrin in 1939. I've never seen or heard of a Darrin-Sunset.

Darrin also styled the 1941 Packard Clipper, 1947 Kaiser & Frazer, 1951 Kaiser, 1954 Kaiser-Darrin.

When the Kaiser-Darrin failed to sell, Darrin acquired most of the leftovers, then opened a dealership on Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood, where he installed Cadillac, Oldsmobile & Lincoln OHV V8's, then sold 'em to whoever.