Last week a friend here in Tucson got a build sheet on his 1956 Clipper (5622) from the Studebaker Museum people. He was quite pleased. No joy for us 1955 owners however as no reported records survive for 55's I'm told.

Re: DOT's or DMV's, it's best to write a letter and begin a dialogue. Be mindful that many government entities charge fees for doing this sort of research.

Damn Troy.....nicely done stitches.

SMS was spot on with trim 84 on my '55.

Tucson's monsoon rains have arrived. And over the last several days tall thunderheads have developed each afternoon along the southern horizon. These magnificent clouds bring our valley necessary rain water. I often spy the clouds during the day, watching as they work their way north from Sonora and the waters of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez). I so enjoy the smells that the desert creosote bushes release after such rains. It cleanses our desert if you ask me. The monsoon also brings us southern Arizonans brief periods of relief from the stifling heat.

So given the above, I thought it prudent to take the 400 out early this morning and put some miles on her before the rains arrived. This 400 always impresses me. She is so pleasing to drive and people frequently honk and waive as all have experienced as well.

On this morning's journey, the 400 took me over to the Fort Lowell Park area of north-central Tucson. This area of Tucson is immediately south of the Rillito River, which for many generations was a farming area before our urban nature changed the landscape. As seen in the attached images, Fort Lowell was a prominent US Army outpost that protected Tucson during the wars with the nomadic Apache bands that inhabited the region.

The long row house, in which the 400 is parked, is said to have been the quarters for the commanding officers serving at the fort. Today, the quarters are an actual residence. In 1958, Pima County erected awnings to try and protect some of the adobe remains, but as seen, time advances and portions of the fort are returning from whence they came.

Also take note of the San Pedro Chapel. This building, though small, and not as prominent and beautiful as that of the San Xavier del Bac Mission near Tucson, is still used for certain religious celebrations.

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Bitter sweet goodbyes...... may Ms. Hattie's memories always bring a smile to you and yours!

This past week I received an email from a fellow that indicated that he believed his grandparents once owned my 1955 400 in the 1960's. Chris B., from Glendale Arizona contacted me, after he had undertaken a family origin search using the internet. Chris' personal search yielded the for sale ad that I have pending on Hemmings.com. Within my ad, I wrote, "I have a copy of an Arizona registration card (obtained from AZ MVD) that places the car in the ownership of L.D. and/or Mildred Henry in Buckeye from November of 1963. Attempts to learn more about the car's prior history have been unsuccessful thus far."

After trading emails, Chris and I spoke on the telephone, and I'm happy to report that I've learned a bit more about the 400's history. Chris is presently (62) years old, and his recollection is that the car was mono-toned or black in color. That piece information made me smile, because my 400's trim code is H-84 (to those familiar with 1955 Packard color schemes, H- represented "Grey Pearl", a dark gray color that can appear black to the eye). Further, during my restoration process, I uncovered the dark grey coloration just above the 400's original primer coat and below the single stage turquoise that the owner before me had used to repaint the car.

Chris also recalls riding to a Methodist church on Sundays with his grandparents in Liberty, Arizona, when he was a young adolescent of approximately ten years of age. Sitting on the bumpers and watching the car "bounce" upwards when he and his contemporaries jumped off the bumper corners was a fond memory for him. He also keenly remembered the sound of the torsion level motor engaging from underneath the car as it re-leveled itself.

Chris' grandparents settled in the west valley of Phoenix (near present day Glendale) where they farmed land. LD Henry left his home in Oklahoma because of the 'dust bowl', and sought work in California to pick oranges during the depression. While traveling back to Oklahoma to see his family, he found opportunity and purchased and/or homesteaded land west of Phoenix. Chris said that if the land owner put in irrigation channels onto the parcels, government programs of the day put wells into the ground at no cost to the owner. With the acquired acreage, LD produced alfalfa, much cotton and raised his family. LD Henry was also civically very active in the area and he was the 1965 Master of the Acacia Masonic lodge in Avondale.

Chris indicated that the Packard remained with LD and his wife, Mildred, through the time of their deaths in 1978. From there, the Packard was sold by LD's surviving brother to an unknown person. Chris lamented that he was a poor college student at that time and he wasn't in a position to purchase the car. We discussed my fortune of finding near pristine remnants of the seat upholstery and he indicated that his grandparents had heavy plastic in place on the seats.

Before our conversation, Chris had already spoken to his mother who is (88) years old and the only remaining child of LD and Mildred Henry. His mother indicated that LD purchased the car from their family doctor that worked in the Avondale and Buckeye Arizona areas back in the day. She however today cannot recall what that doctor's name could have been and the trail goes cold for nearly (20) years.

Then in 1996, the owner immediately before me located the Packard in a field on a parcel of land near Tonopah Arizona. He purchased, and undertook a very limited restoration. The car's condition however, given the MVD document search I did, showed that the 400 was in very poor shape. When I learned of the car in 1998, and eventually made my purchase in June 1999, I trailered her back to my home in Tucson. Much has happened between 1999 and today, yet I continue to try and fill in the blanks about the Packard's history.

As I write this piece, I wonder if Chris' mother used that same doctor to attend his and his siblings' births. Maybe a doctor's name will be on a birth certificate as the attending physician?

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BUMP

I enjoyed reading the post. Much appreciated for sharing such a interesting history.

All,

I came upon this Mr. Clean product (via YouTube) while trying to find a method to remove those ugly scuff marks typically found on my modern autos sill plates. I was suspicious but there is really something about these pads. Whatever material they are made from, the pad just lifted scuffs marks off with the slightest effort and pressure. I simply wet the pad with water, sprayed simple green sparingly on the sill plate and my daily driver sills and seat surrounds are new looking again.

With success on my Silverado and the bride's Suburban, , I also tried same on the Packard seat surround too. Bright white once again I'm happy to write.

Just passing along my experience in case others should wish to try.

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Much appreciated Ross. I always enjoy your insight.

Joel......replacing those bezels is not something I choose not to do again while the dash is in the car. I suspect 56 bezels, and the 55 variety I have experience with are the same. When my instrument cluster was removed, I found that the bezels were held gingerly in place by 'tabs' that are actually apart of the bezels themselves. These tabs needed to be slightly compressed in order for the bezel to be removed. These tabs are not flexible and they break quite easily. To put the bezel back in, I had to use a small screwdriver to spread, flare or open the tab ever so slightly. When done correctly, the tabs hold the bezels in place over the mesh. Pressure fitted as you suggest. I wonder how they accomplished this in the factory?Further, All of this is joyfully experienced while on your back, brake pedal in your neck and working in a dark confined space.

If there is a next time for me, the whole dash will get removed.