Solved: Risch Swiss-Packard

bentleybob · October 29, 2011, 08:20:36 PM

Ah, yes, pre war, when cars did not all look alike, and it was easy to see at a glance what it was....So could I please have the make, type, coachbuilder and some background on this one for a point please?

bentleybob · November 10, 2011, 05:48:17 AM

Move to experts, who will no doubt deal swiftly with this.

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 10:06:47 AM

and up...

pnegyesi · November 16, 2011, 10:38:09 AM

British coachwork?

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 10:59:48 AM

no, not this one

João · November 16, 2011, 11:11:07 AM

Graber bodied Packard ?

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 12:23:07 PM

Certainly in the right ball park: yes, but neither name is quite there.

woodinsight · November 16, 2011, 12:47:12 PM

Egli-bodied Chrysler?

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 02:28:54 PM

Getting further away, actually

Wendax · November 16, 2011, 02:56:27 PM

Gangloff body?

João · November 16, 2011, 03:27:10 PM

It's a 901 from 1932?

woodinsight · November 16, 2011, 03:43:19 PM

Swiss body, American chassis?

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 03:51:05 PM

Not Gangloff, without knowing what the car exactly is, it might be difficult to grasp how the body came together. Please bear my earlier answers in mind...

bentleybob · November 16, 2011, 04:08:26 PM

Re:"Swiss body, American chassis?" Yes, and up to a point...

pnegyesi · November 17, 2011, 01:22:14 AM

Is it a Buick assembled in CH?

bentleybob · November 17, 2011, 04:26:02 AM

Right direction, wrong make

pnegyesi · November 17, 2011, 05:01:05 AM

Is it a Dodge assembled by Saurer?

bentleybob · November 17, 2011, 07:32:58 AM

The make was already mentioned, but not the story behind it.

Wendax · November 17, 2011, 07:48:01 AM

It is a 1934 "Swiss Packard" by Werner Risch from Zürich.

Werner Risch was Packard's general importer in Switzerland for many years. To meet local demand and Swiss anti-depression legislation, Risch also modified and mounted Packard Automobiles from 1934-39 under the label "Swiss Packard". He used and partly modified the Packard chassis, engine, steering and gearbox, and completed the car by using local craftsmen.

João · November 17, 2011, 08:06:33 AM

Interesting!

bentleybob · November 17, 2011, 02:29:09 PM

Yep, Wendax is right, that is the story. The cars had lots of adaptions for the the Swiss roads (brakes, steering, cooling etc). On the radiator they also were labeled as such. Packard cooperated, though a regular US chassis always remained available.
Though there are indications that Graber often supplied (parts of) the body, they were not labled as such, probably because Risch was a tough negotiator and wanted to guard his specific indentity, but also because Graber wanted to be able to supply Packard chassis with bodies of his own design.

News:

Solved: Risch Swiss-Packard