The summer cruising season is upon us, now that the weather is warming up and now that the Motor City Packards club held its annual Tech Session on May 17 at the Ann Arbor home of Leo and Jennie Shedden.
This event is a chance for Packard owners to troubleshoot issues for their cars, share Packard memories, and enjoy a delicious potluck meal hosted in one of the garages at the Sheddens’ property.
More than 35 people came to the event to hear expert mechanic Bob Ferrand discuss details surrounding Packards and Packard engines he has restored during his career.
Ferrand also played an early 1950s video produced by Packard about the 25,000-mile non-stop durability testing of the automaker’s first V8 engine. The testing took eight days on the high-speed oval at the Packard Proving Grounds near Utica, Michigan, and the test car only stopped long enough to refuel, do quick maintenance, change tires, and switch drivers.
Despite a chill in the air and the threat of rain, MCP members brought six Packards to the event:
- 1937 115 (Junior) 6-cyl owned by Leo and Jennie Shedden
- 1938 Twelve Touring Cabriolet by Brunn owned by Roy Margenau
- 1939 120 Touring sedan owned by Judy and Mike Hatcher
- 1947 Clipper owned by Leo and Jennie Shedden
- 1947 Super Clipper owned by Leo and Jennie Shedden
- 1949 Deluxe Eight owned by Paul Gallagher
