Henney Packard questions

[Casey Lockhart]

Just got a 1954 Henney and lookin for someone that knows these cars

[Steve Lichtman]

I've got a '53 Henney, I know a little about them. What do you want to know? Ask here, as there are other folks who know a lot about them, too.

[Keith Snyder]

Brady Smith has a 1954 Senior Henney-Packard Landaulet and George Hamlin is a Packard expert while Tom McPherson wrote the book on Henney and its products. Any one of the three would be able and probably willing to render any assistance required.

[Casey Lockhart]

What Im looking for at the moment is 1 are there any tricks to opening the hood or is the one on mine just that stuck? 2 where would any data plates be besides the one one the driver side door pillar? 3 what do the different numbers mean on the Packard plate because thats the only one I have found so far. The only numbers on my plate are 5413 and a big space 2053 those two sets of numbers are in the vehicle number space.

[Casey Lockhart]

oh yeah its a combo if that makes any difference.

[Keith Snyder]

Interesting-looking vehicle. Congratulations on the purchase. This car, according to McPherson's Henney book, is a Model 5491 and, being a Senior model, is mounted on a Packard Series 5413 commercial chassis. It had a suggested retail price when new of $7,325 and would have been one of 205 Senior professional cars built by The Henney Motor Company in 1954 - their last year of production. The car deserves to be properly restored and would be a welcome and most apprecaited sight at a PCS meet. There are people that would be more than happy to help you in getting this car restored and back to "as new" condition. Please keep us all informed as to your progress.

[Casey Lockhart]

Interesting-looking vehicle. Congratulations on the purchase. This car, according to McPherson's Henney book, is a Model 5491 and, being a Senior model, is mounted on a Packard Series 5413 commercial chassis. It had a suggested retail price when new of $7,325 and would have been one of 205 Senior professional cars built by The Henney Motor Company in 1954 - their last year of production. The car deserves to be properly restored and would be a welcome and most apprecaited sight at a PCS meet. There are people that would be more than happy to help you in getting this car restored and back to "as new" condition. Please keep us all informed as to your progress.

The plan is to restore it back to 100% original and definitely take it to the pcs events

[Jim Tighe]

Casey, here is a little info. 5413 is the Packard designation for a 1954 long wheelbase commercial chassis vehicle. ( the smaller Clipper-based commercial was a 5433. ) The specific number designation for a long combo was 5491, so maybe that number will pop up someplace. I don't know about the other number on the plate, 2053, but would guess is has to do with the build sequence, so maybe it is the 53rd such chassis? Starting in 1924, Packard used a series, rather than a model yr., to identify its cars. The 1953's were the 26th Series, for example. Since no one else was doing this, in 1954 Packard simply used the model year, and called those cars the 54th Series. I don't know where the Henney data plates are located. To open the hood, reach under the top grill section, where a long release handle is located. Pull it to the left and lift. Been awhile, but I think that is correct. There is no inside release.

The engine is the one-year-only 359 cid, so many internal parts are excusive to that motor, which is also in the Patrician, Pacific, and the 2 convertible models, and the long Henney-built sedans and limos. The chassis is a Henney, not a Packard, product and will also have components different from those on Packard-built cars.

Others on here can tell you lots more, but I hope this helps at least a bit. Looks as tho you have quite a project there. Good luck with it.

[Casey Lockhart]

Ill have to check again for a handle to get the hood open, all I was able to find was a little lever but it diddnt do much! Ill have to check the 5491 and see what I can come up with.

[Keith Snyder]

Contact Brady Smith in Flint, Michigan. As I said, he's got a beautiful 1954 Henney-Packard landaulet that has been undergoing a complete restoration and is, I understand, nearing completion. He would be able to give advice, direction and assistance and he's a really great guy. He owns the Plumb-Smith Funeral Home in Flint.

[Casey Lockhart]

Contact Brady Smith in Flint, Michigan. As I said, he's got a beautiful 1954 Henney-Packard landaulet that has been undergoing a complete restoration and is, I understand, nearing completion. He would be able to give advice, direction and assistance and he's a really great guy. He owns the Plumb-Smith Funeral Home in Flint.
Will do. thanks!

[Brady D Smith]

This was the 53rd Senior Car built by The Henney Motor Co. in the 1954 model year out of a total of 205 sold. (They actually manufactured 230 but destroyed 25 that hadn't sold when they closed up.) Get us a photo of the Henney Build Plate and we can tell you more.

[Casey Lockhart]

This was the 53rd Senior Car built by The Henney Motor Co. in the 1954 model year out of a total of 205 sold. (They actually manufactured 230 but destroyed 25 that hadn't sold when they closed up.)Cool! I was just going to try and find you! Its funny you popped up at the rite time! Do you know the best place for finding pics or anything useful for these cars? Its pretty much a 100% car which is nice.

[Casey Lockhart]

This was the 53rd Senior Car built by The Henney Motor Co. in the 1954 model year out of a total of 205 sold. (They actually manufactured 230 but destroyed 25 that hadn't sold when they closed up.) Get us a photo of the Henney Build Plate and we can tell you more.

Where would the Henney build plate be located?

[Jim Tighe]

The dismantled '54 Henneys ( the big Kimes Packard history with the commercial cars chapter written by Geo. Hamlin says there were 30 of them ) were chassis that had not yet received bodies. The owner, Mr. Feldman, was in the process of shutting the place down and elected to dismatle these chassis rather than complete the cars. He wanted to send the assembled chassis to Packard, but Packard insisted that the chassis be taken apart and the Packard parts sent back to Detroit, which took a lot of time and effort to do. Unlike Cad, which supplied the coachbuilders with a complete running chassis, Packard sent Henney a "kit" of parts and Henney assembled the chassis as well as the bodies at Freeport. It was a really sad end to what had been a great company. Two years later, Packard itself would expire under similar circumstances.

[Keith Snyder]

An excellent source for information and photographs of this as well as all Henney products is McPherson's book - The Henney Motor Company: The Complete History. It is available at a special price through the PCS at Amazon.com. (http://astore.amazon.com/frieoftheprof-20) This book has all the Henney models and prices listed as well as the different Model numbers and production statistics. Almost everything you would ever want to know about the cars and the company.

[Casey Lockhart]

An excellent source for information and photographs of this as well as all Henney products is McPherson's book - The Henney Motor Company: The Complete History. It is available at a special price through the PCS at Amazon.com. This book has all the Henney models and prices listed as well as the different Model numbers and production statistics. Almost everything you would ever want to know about the cars and the company. I was looking at that earlier debating buying it or not! I guess I will buy it.

[Casey Lockhart]

What do the #s mean?

[Paul Steinberg]

Here is a direct link to the Henny Book on Amazon... (http://astore.amazon.com/frieoftheprof-20/detail/1583882332/189-4250846-9448127) thanks Paul

[Casey Lockhart]

I finally got the hood open! The handle is missing but was able to get it open. That is one big piece of cast iron thats under the hood!!

[Jim Tighe]

Casey, have you not had any experience with straight-8 Packards? The big hunk of iron is a 359 c.i.d. flathead ( the valves are down in the block, not in the head ) with a 9-main bearing crank. If the top of the hunk is sort of copper colored, the engine still has its orig. Edmonds high compression ( 8.7 to 1 ) aluminum head. If the top looks like the rest of the block, a cast iron head from a 288 or 327 cid engine has replaced the orig. head. There were probs with warping of the alum. head, and the higher compression could also cause hard starting, esp when both weather and motor were hot. The 6 volt positive ground elec. system was also a drawback. A really powerful battery, such as an Optima might be in order here. The 359 is a bored and stroked 327, which is why some of the innards, such as pistons, won't interchange. Production of this engine was quite low, as '54 was a terrible year for Packard sales. Depending on the condition of the engine, a swap for a nice 327 could be done. If the tranny is an Ultramatic, that beast calls for a specialist. I hope yer car has the manual tranny. These very heavy Henneys also developed a reputation for breaking rear axles, tho I am not sure just how common that prob was. Gas mileage was not good, even on the lighter pass. cars. I am not trying to be a nay-sayer here; just telling you a little of what I have learned about these cars over the decades. The build quality of all the '54's was excellent, but over 50 years a lot of deterioration can take place. The doghouse and front compartment is a Briggs product, with double wall construction. Very strong, but rust-prone. Not sure if the Henney sheet metal is also double steel. The brakes don't interchange with stock Packards, either, I seem to recall. Does yer car have 16" wheels? If I have goofed somewhere here, am sure some1 else can correct it. Hope this big car works out well for you.

[Casey Lockhart]

I know flatheads pretty much like the back of my hand so Im good there! The engine is orange but looks original so I still have inspect it but it does have the aluminum corrosion that you see on most aluminum engines that have sat but once again Ill have to inspect it. As for the internal parts being hard to find they can be made so no use ruining the car by putting a different L8 in it. I do however appreciate all the info you gave because it is useful. And yes the car has 16" wheels on it. Is there anything I need to know about the wheels because I am missing one on the front and the spare. Once again thank you for all your info I will use it well.

[Jim Tighe]

Casey, talk to one of the other "men who own one", a couple of whom have been mentioned in this thread, about the wheels. There is a famous Pro Car story out there involving Mr. Hamlin and his very similar '53 Henney that has something to do with needing a wheel or brake drum or such in a very big hurry. Because of the larger wheels, the brake drums that fit other '54 Packards won't work here. As far as I know, though, everything is interchangeable on the big Henneys' wheels/brakes from '51 to '54. You certainly have picked an interesting car to tackle. Many years ago I had a Henney, a '47 Clipper 7-passenger sedan. Of all the far-too-many vehicles I have owned over the past 5 decades, that is the one I would most like to have back. They really "don't make 'em like that anymore."

[Casey Lockhart]

Hey I found out that it will be a while before I can buy the Henney book, so I was wondering if anyone new what all the numbers off the henney plate I posted mean? I would appreciate any info. Thank you in advance!

[Jim Tighe]

Hi, Casey. Here's my best shot at the numbers:

Engine number is sequential, but I can't decode it. This would - I think - be a Packard number, since P. blt the motor, but then maybe H. had a system of its own in this regard?? See if you can find an engine number cast into the block.

Serial # says your car is the 53rd long w.b. '54 model built.

Body #. I don't know how Henney numbered the bodies. Could this be the 20,903rd Henney body placed on Packard chassis since the 1935 intro. of the Packard commercial chassis??? Sounds like a wild guess, huh? Ending in a 3, it ties in with the other such numbers, but???

Model number, 5491, is the lwb combo.

Factory order number. Maybe the 42nd order rec'd for a '54 lwb model??

Mound number would, I think, refer to the rear compartment floor/casket-carrying part of the car. Don't know why it is blank.

Leveldraulic number would be filled in if the car had the optional leveling mechanism Henney offered.

George Hamlin could prob answer all this off the top of his head, but he doesn't seem to be on this site. Maybe that Brady fellow in Mich. could do better with this, also.

As I mentioned earlier, you sure have picked an interesting vehicle to tie into. If I am still around then, give me a ride when it's driveable, ok? Oh yes, which tranny does it have? Thanks. Jim

[Casey Lockhart]

Oh yea forgot to tell you that it does have a manual tranny so should be good there! Did Henney ever put the name of the funeral home or who ever it that it went to like my 60 combo that I have says Bass funeral home?

[Jim Tighe]

I do not know about f.h. i.d.'s on the Henney cars. But someone on here just might. I should add, too, that I have been away from these cars for many years, so there may be a lot of info out there that I have never heard or read about. So, if there are knowledgeable Henney and Packard folks following this '54 combo saga, please chime in. Oh, glad to hear about the manual tranny. Does it have overdrive? Forgot to ask that earlier.

[Casey Lockhart]

I do not know about f.h. i.d.'s on the Henney cars. But someone on here just might. I should add, too, that I have been away from these cars for many years, so there may be a lot of info out there that I have never heard or read about. So, if there are knowledgeable Henney and Packard folks following this '54 combo saga, please chime in. Oh, glad to hear about the manual tranny. Does it have overdrive? Forgot to ask that earlier. You know I havent checked if there is an overdrive or not.

[John ED Renstrom]

as far as i know S&S was the only co that put the buyers dme on the id plate

[Casey Lockhart]

as far as i know S&S was the only co that put the buyers dme on the id plate Bummer! Do you know if there is a way to track down what funeral home it came from?