Packard 180
Encyclopedia
The Packard 180 was introduced for the 1940 model year (18th series) by the Packard
Motor Car Company to replace the discontinued V-12
as their top-of-the-line luxury model. Correct name of the model was Custom Super Eight One-Eighty. The car was derived from the Packard Super Eight One-Sixty
with which it shared the complete running gear including the in-line eight-cylinder
, 356 CID engine that developed 160 horsepower
. It was advertised as the most powerful eight-cylinder engine offered by any automobile manufacturer in 1940. (By contrast, the Cadillac
346 cubic inch V-8 developed 150 hp).
Packards of all series (110, 120, 160, 180) shared similar body styling in 1940 (which some later said led to a "cheapening" of the once-exclusive luxury marque), using the same bodies with hoods and front fenders of different length to meet their respective chassis. So, 160 and 180 got identical bodies. However, the 180's featured finer interior detailing wit the best fabrics, leather and carpeting available. Packard used a special woolen ceiling in these cars only which was sewn longitudinally. Packard built partition in its Limousines in a way that there was no hint of it when the partition glass was louvered, allowing the owner to use the car by himself as a sedan (thus the designation "Sedan Limousine" by Packard).
There were minor styling changes in the 1941 and 1942 models (19th and 20th series). In 1941, Packard made air conditioning an (although very expensive) option. It was developed by the Henney Motor Company with whom Packard had a long lasting business connection. It was the first time that A/C was available on a stock automobile.
Henney's main business was building ambulances
, formal hearses
and flower cars
, plus special body work. Thus, many Packard Custom and Super Eights were bodied similarly until 1954.
The final 180s rolled off the Packard assembly line in February, 1942, as World War II brought a halt to civilian automobile production. There have been rumors that machinery was transferred to the Soviet Union
, and production continued until 1959 as the ZIS-110
. However, according in James Ward's The Fall of Packard, page 46, he found no supporting evidence in the Packard archives of such a transfer. Also, the ZIS-110
shares no sheet metal with any Packard, despite the fact that its external decor elements were intentionally designed to heavily resemble pre-war Packards, favoured by Stalin.
They also were the first car to have power window
s.
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
Motor Car Company to replace the discontinued V-12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
as their top-of-the-line luxury model. Correct name of the model was Custom Super Eight One-Eighty. The car was derived from the Packard Super Eight One-Sixty
Packard Super Eight
Packard Super Eight was the name given to the larger of the two eight cylinder luxury automobiles produced by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. It shared frames and some body types with the top model Packard Twelve...
with which it shared the complete running gear including the in-line eight-cylinder
Straight-8
The straight-eight engine or inline-eight engine is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine with all eight cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
, 356 CID engine that developed 160 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
. It was advertised as the most powerful eight-cylinder engine offered by any automobile manufacturer in 1940. (By contrast, the Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
346 cubic inch V-8 developed 150 hp).
Packards of all series (110, 120, 160, 180) shared similar body styling in 1940 (which some later said led to a "cheapening" of the once-exclusive luxury marque), using the same bodies with hoods and front fenders of different length to meet their respective chassis. So, 160 and 180 got identical bodies. However, the 180's featured finer interior detailing wit the best fabrics, leather and carpeting available. Packard used a special woolen ceiling in these cars only which was sewn longitudinally. Packard built partition in its Limousines in a way that there was no hint of it when the partition glass was louvered, allowing the owner to use the car by himself as a sedan (thus the designation "Sedan Limousine" by Packard).
There were minor styling changes in the 1941 and 1942 models (19th and 20th series). In 1941, Packard made air conditioning an (although very expensive) option. It was developed by the Henney Motor Company with whom Packard had a long lasting business connection. It was the first time that A/C was available on a stock automobile.
Henney's main business was building ambulances
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, formal hearses
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
and flower cars
Flower car
A flower car is a type of vehicle used in the funeral industry, used to carry flowers for the burial service, or sometimes to carry the coffin under a bed of flowers. Built on the same commercial chassis as a hearse, the flower car has half-height rear bodywork on the rear similar to a pickup truck...
, plus special body work. Thus, many Packard Custom and Super Eights were bodied similarly until 1954.
The final 180s rolled off the Packard assembly line in February, 1942, as World War II brought a halt to civilian automobile production. There have been rumors that machinery was transferred to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and production continued until 1959 as the ZIS-110
ZIS-110
ZIS-110 was a limousine from ZIL introduced in 1946. The 110 was developed from the reverse engineering of a 1942 Packard Super Eight during 1944. The first 5 prototypes were completed by August 1945. It was powered by a 6 litre, 8 cylinder engine producing and giving a top speed of over...
. However, according in James Ward's The Fall of Packard, page 46, he found no supporting evidence in the Packard archives of such a transfer. Also, the ZIS-110
ZIS-110
ZIS-110 was a limousine from ZIL introduced in 1946. The 110 was developed from the reverse engineering of a 1942 Packard Super Eight during 1944. The first 5 prototypes were completed by August 1945. It was powered by a 6 litre, 8 cylinder engine producing and giving a top speed of over...
shares no sheet metal with any Packard, despite the fact that its external decor elements were intentionally designed to heavily resemble pre-war Packards, favoured by Stalin.
They also were the first car to have power window
Power window
Power windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s.