1915 Packard Model 3-38

The Packard Motor Car Company exclusively used a four-cylinder engine from 1903 until 1912, and it formed the foundation upon which the company established its reputation as a luxury car maker. The Packard six-cylinder model replaced the four in 1913.

The Packard Four
Packard's first four-cylinder equipped model was the Model K of 1903. It was the company's first model to have its engine installed in front of the passenger compartment, its first to use a four-speed transmission, and the first to have a radiator with a grille. It had a generous wheelbase size of 92 inches, and with an astronomical price tag of $7,300, just 34 examples were produced in 1903.

By 1906, the wheelbase had grown to 106 inches, and a touring sedan, brougham, and limousine body styles joined the existing runabout. The previous Surrey body style was dropped from the catalog list.

Two wheelbase sizes were offered for the first time in 1906, with the runabout using the shorter and sportier 108-inch wheelbase and the longer 119-inch wheelbase reserved for the touring sedan, landaulet, limousine, and Victoria. This year also marked the first use of the hexagon-shaped hubcap, which had the center painted black until 1913 when it was changed to red and remained so until the company's demise.

Up through 1906, Packard models were designated by letters; going forward, the model names represented engine horsepower. Packard's Model Thirty was built from 1907 through 1912, and was joined in 1909 by a lower-priced, shorter, and less powerful Model Eighteen which also remained in production through 1912.

The Packard Six
Packard's first generation of six-cylinder engines were introduced in 1912 and offered through 1915 when it was replaced the following year by the Twin Six. Packard re-introduced the L-head engine to its lineup in 1921, was joined by the Single Eight in 1924, and built through 1928. Packard's final six-cylinder model arrived in 1937, known as the Fifteenth Series Six Model 115-C, and was a lower-priced companion to the One-Twenty. The six-cylinder option remained part of the catalog through 1947.

When Packard introduced its six-cylinder model in 1912 it was officially called the 'Six Series 1-48,' with the 525 cubic-inch T-head-equipped models marketed as the 'Six-48', '1248,' '48,' and Dominant Six. Models fitted with the 415 cubic-inch L-head engine that used a different valve configuration were known as the '38' or '1-38.' This engine produced 50/60 horsepower, or 38 ALAM horsepower (thus the model's nomenclature).

The 1-38, introduced in December 1912, had an L-head design, a 415 cubic-inch displacement, seven main bearings, and cylinders cast in pairs. It was the company's first car to have left-hand drive and an electric start which was provided by a Delco starter-generator of the type developed by engineer Charles Kettering. Another unique feature of the 1-38 was its control unit that was attached to the steering column. It was the work of chief engineer Jesse Vincent, who would later be responsible for Packard's Twin Six and Liberty aircraft engine. The control unit had switches for ignition, lights, and horn, a mixture control for the carburetor, and an ignition lock.

The six-cylinder engine in the 1-38 was cast in three blocks of two. The 2-38 was cast in two blocks of three, plus added a pressure-fed lubrication to 35 points, and a hot water jacket intake manifold. Brake drums increased to 17 inches, spare tires were now located at the rear, and spiral bevel gears were adopted. The headlights had a dimmer switch, the wheelbase measured 140 inches, and the gas pedal was repositioned to the right of the brake pedal.

The Packard 3-38 produced 65 horsepower at 1,720 RPM, an increase of 5 horsepower over the 2-38. The lighting was now all-electric (including headlights, auxiliary headlights, side lamps, taillamps, speedometer and clock lamps), and all of the wiring (including that in the body and chassis) was enclosed in flexible metal conduit for weather and wear protection. A limousine with cab sides was a new body style.

In June 1914 a Series 3-38 completed 26 laps at the Indianapolis Speedway in one hour at an average speed of 62.4 mph and doing the last two laps at more than 67 mph.

The 1915 Packard Series 3-38
Packard's model lineup for 1915 was the '38' and '48', the former resting on a 140-inch wheelbase and the latter on a 144-inch wheelbase platform. The L-head six-cylinder engine that powered the '38' displaced 415 cubic inches, had seven main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, a float-feed carburetor, and produced 65 horsepower at 1,720. It was paired with a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a dry disc clutch and spiral bevel gears. 17-inch mechanical drums on the rear wheels provided the stopping power.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2024