John/Packard53 -

Let me say, for the benefit of all, that you had also copied me on your "Letter to the Editor", and I found nothing harsh or ranting about it. I see no reason why your letter couldn't have been published - except, perhaps, that some people don't want to admit that they were in the wrong. (And I've seen some real nasty stuff get published in the local papers.)

After the self-serving alternate "Letter to the Editor" that PAC wrote for you (clearly hoping you would sign-off and shut-up), I can understand how you might not trust anyone to write the story for you. While some people don't like seeing their dirty laundry aired in public, that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't tried to sweep things under the rug or, better still, if they hadn't pushed the envelope too far to begin with.

I had been steadily losing interest in that club for over a decade, and given the club's refusal to print your fully-reasonable "Letter to the Editor", I decided to let my PAC membership lapse for good last year - even though I consider myself a mere, dues-paying subscriber. In view of situations like this, I don't know why anyone would allow themselves to be interviewed by anyone from such a club for any article.

Of course, if you simply wanted to get an article published, you could do it right here and get a lot better exposure. I know it has taken a lot of work on your part to write that article, but I bet it will be a much more complete and accurate view of Brad's life and involvement with Packards as aboth dealer and enthusiast. Yet, I suspect that PAC and the Blonds will come off looking awfully bad if you simply tell the whole truth - even without one iota of ranting.

Thanks John,

I think more people will find those pix in the site's well-organized Gallery of "Packard Pictures" than in the Forum thread. Anyone who is fond of Packard's postwar efforts and the 1951-54 styling will certainly appreciate them.

Those are some gorgeous pix and very much in keeping with the image that Packard needed to project. I believe the Pan American won top award at the LA Show the year.

BH

Yes, those PanAm pix would be very appropriate for the "Show and Concept Cars" category. They were gorgeous cars.

BigKev -

I will try to do that, but even if we get thawed out enough here so I can get back into my offsite storage, nearly all of the trim pieces specific to the '55 models that I used to have in my personal stash of parts were sold off some time ago. Most anything left over from the sale of my '55 Patrician went on eBay.

Perhaps this summer, I can get some detail shots on actual vehicles to corroborate the statements and develop a reference article.

I take it composing an article with pix is like attaching image files in Forum posts, which then appear inlne, but is there a way to place the pix with the related text?

Hey, John, the more the merrier.

I was thinking the "Show and Concept Cars" category was created more for prototype cars (busting them out of the "Factory Photos" section), but mebbe those auto show pix of yours fit in there. If so, I think Big Kev should move the one with the T-L show chasis to that category. OR do we need a category for "Factory Car Shows" - to keep 'em separate from hobby events?

Elsewhere, you have a pic from a show in a hotel setting. Would that be the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco?

Having seen incorrect ornamentation being used on the 1955-56 cars, I am compelled to respond as matter of public to all Senior V8 owners.

The "PACKARD" hood letters on 1955 Four Hundred and Patrician models were chrome-plated, but not factory-installed on Caribbean. These same hood letters were also used on 1957-58 Packardbakers, but the plating on a set I purchased from a Studebaker vendor left a lot to be desired.

The grille ornamentation uses a chrome-plated vee over a gold-plated circle; the grille crest, used for 1955 only, is done in a gold finish, with red paint for the field of the shield. The castings for the circle and vee used for 1955 are NOT the same as what was used on 1956 models.

The script plates on the front fenders of the Senior cars for both 1955-56, aft of the wheel opening (and ahead of the front door opening), were gold-plated: using "The Four Hundred" for 5587 and 5687 models and "The Patrician" for 5582 and 5682 models. The 1953-54 Caribbeans used chrome-plated script plates, but the same casting was gold-plated for 1955-56.

The "Packard" script plates on the rear fenders of all 1955-56 Seniors models were gold-plated EXCEPT for the 1956 Executive, which recycled the script plates from 1954 models - same casting but chrome-plated.

For 1955 Senior cars, the vees used on the roof pillars were chrome-plated (like the grille ornamentation), but the vees on the taillights were gold-plated. They were not used on 1956 models.

As for the trunk, I believe both the "400" and the traditional "Packard" script were gold-plated, but don't want to rely on my fuzzy memory for this particular area without confirmation from someone else.

1955 Caribbean was devoid of script plates on the trunk. Patricians were the only 1955 Senior models to have script plates installed by the factory above the trunk handle/ornament, and they were chrome-plated. The "Packard" script plate as used on the 1955 Patrician trunk was recycled for use on the 1956 Executive. The rest of the 1956 Seniors cars used gold-plated script plates located above the circle-vee ornamentation, which followed the same plating scheme as the on the grille.

I know of no source that will corroborate all this, but my statements are based on personal observation of unmolested original cars (though from years ago) and "extrapolations" from the parts book listings.

Dave -

I did not attend, but get the impression that PAC's 206 National was more of a celebration of the Proving Grounds and the end of Packard's Detroit operations than the V8 cars themselves.

Rightfully so, as any Packard enthusiast can appreciate the Proving Grounds, but you also need to see it in action - and can thanks to factory films "The Way Ahead" (1940) and "The Watchdogs" (1954) and "The Safe Road Ahead" (1956) that have been circulating on VHS and DVD.

When I first became interested in Packards (thanks to finding my dad's old Executive hardtop rusting away in a field back in 1976), people told me to look to a fella who was regarded as the "Packard Expert" around these parts. First thing the guy told me was that they didn't make any real Packards after WWII; I didn't waste much more time with him. If he was trying to get me interested in prewar cars, he failed miserably. I never had much patience for anyone else of that or similar mind set.

I have no doubt that some sentiments have shifted as more people became interested in cars of the '50s (and there was $$$ to be made). Still, there are some hard-liners who just have it in for the postwar cars - especially anything made under the Nance regime.

There are great things to be found in every model that Packard made, and they put out some very interesting cars in those last years in Detroit. Although I didn't own a running V8 until 1987 (a '56 Patrician), I found it highly competent out on the interstate as well as around town. Of course, the V8 cars were not without their fair share of teething pains - like any vehicle out there with a lot of new technology.

Yet, I have to come clean and admit that some people might call me a snob 'cuz I don't consider the '57-'58 cars to be Packard - except in name/title only. Those cars were well-equipped Studebakers trimmed up to resemble a Packard - though less so for 1958. Personally, I would have rather seen the '57 clays (featured elsewhere on this site) make it into production.

Thanks for the heads-up, Dave. I have purposely let my membership in that club lapse, but I'll try to remember to pick up a copy of that one, if I make it to Fall Hershey.

However, after reading a Letter to the Editor in the last issue that I received (#124) regarding article on product development at Packard during the 1950s (from Issue #122), where James Pearsall's opening paragraph stated:

Quote:

...I can only imagine how an article on 1955-56 cars is gonna be received by the prewar snobs in that club.

A regional get-together of PV8C members sounds like a good idea. It's about a 3-1/2 hour drive to Perrysburg for me. Weather permitting and barring any health crises with my folks, I should be there Saturday.

Of course, I'm sure some of us will get together again for a day at Warren in July.

Those events shouldn't detract from any plans for a PV8C National meet.

S. Murphy -

My specialty is the V8 models, but I believe the power windows on earlier Series were hydraulically-operated and that a single pump, mounted on the firewall, powered both the side window and the convertible top mechanisms.

If you go to the Home page and do a search on:

1954 service manual

...you will find the complete 1951-1954 Packard manual available for downloading, which should be of some help in identifying your missing part.

Check back periodically as I have a feeling you will see parts manuals here in the not-too-distant future.

Hope this helps.