Hemmings Classic Car – October 2019

providedaserviceandwasalsoagood

profit forthecardealer.

Packardofferedits“American

Auster”tonneaushieldandPackard

custom-made“J.H.”frontshieldwind

deflectors(windwings).Bythemid-

1920s, thetonneauwindshield,although

still attachedtothebackofthefront

seat, couldbeextendedclosertothe

passengersintherear,and“when

extendedbymeansofthepatented

folding arms(workingonthelazytron

idea) givescompleteprotection.”

Packarddidn’texplainwhatthe

“lazytron”ideawas.Whennotinuse,the

wholeunitcouldbefoldeddownagainst

thebackofthefrontseat.Itwasstated

thatit“takesupaboutasmuchroomasa

robe.”Therobethattheyreferredtowasa

heavyaccessoryblanketthatwasdraped

overtherailboltedtothetopoftheback

ofthefrontseat.Robeswerenecessaryto

useforwarmthinthaterawhenheaters

forcars—frontorrear—hadyettofinda

wideacceptanceanduse.

Whatwasnotnotedintheaccessory

materialwasthat,ifitwasaseven-

passengertouringcarequippedwitha

tonneauwindshieldandtheextraseats

By 1932,severaltypesoftonneauwind­

shieldswereoffered.Thistypedidnothave

a solid one­piece center section.

Tonneauwindshieldsfoldedflatoutofthewayagainstthebackofthefrontseatwherethey

weremounted;differenttypeswereusedforfive­orseven­passenger cars.

were needed to accommodate extra

passengers, the windshield, when folded

down, would be somewhat problematic

to loosen and get out of the way, then

back into place. But this was the way

cars were then, and a little extra effort

for comfort had to be accommodated.

The tonneau windshield continued

to be reasonably popular and was still

seen as an accessory as long as the

touring car body was still being offered

by manufacturers in their sales catalogs.

By 1937, the touring car’s popularity was

nearly over. Car buyers who wanted an

open four-door body style were buying

convertible sedans. The convenience of

roll-up windows in the doors just made

more sense and became more popular

with all brands of automobiles. The era of

fitting steel rods into the top of the door

74 Hemmings classic car october 2019