Hello Tim

I'm not surprised. You obviously know more about this than I do.

I think the painted radiator shell actually looks better and have seen quite a few others like this. Was wondering if it was a factory option?

Yes, the wheels do look out of place and I guess this car is too early for chrome wires even as an option. I have chrome wires on my 1956 Clipper, which it never came with. But they suit the car and I like the way it looks with them. Bit of bling!

This car obviously passed muster at Pebble Beach some time ago. Maybe the judges were not up on these things? We Australians would describe many of the cars which appear there as over restored. Some Australian-restored cars have been successful there too, but they were highly authentic. No Packards to my knowledge.

Cheers

Brian

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While in California, I took a run down to the Blackhawk Museum which has a fabulous collection of meticulously restored cars. Amongst them is this 1933 Packard 1004 which looks to have the limo body. Badge on the side says it's a previous Pebble Beach winner. Not surprising, given the condition. Don't really care for the colour scheme, but guess it's original.

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Yes, well said.

I bought my 1941 120 Club Coupe with open eyes. Somebody else had put a lot of work into it - possibly spent more than it was worth. I paid what I thought was a fair price, knowing that if anything its value is falling.

Nevertheless, I enjoy tinkering with it and it seems to evoke positive feelings in a lot of people who see it on the road. To me, it oozes class unlike any modern car. Maybe that's just me. When I get too old and feeble to enjoy it, I'll sell it. Hopefully, to somebody who will enjoy it like I do. I'll most likely take a bath on the price I sell it for. I don't really care, because I will have had my fun. Who can put a price on that?

Shortly after I got the Coupe, my wife announced that there was no way she would drive it - being left hand drive and manual shift, and no power steering.

My response was to buy a 1956 Clipper in right hand drive with automatic shift. Also a lovely car to drive but - predictably - a futile move. Again I like that car a lot, enjoy driving it and it seems to give pleasure to people who see it out on the road. I have no illusions about its future value. Heck, it's not worth much now and probably even less in the future.

We're fortunate to be able to enjoy such things. The bureaucrats haven't managed to banish us from the roads yet, but they will keep trying. Some regard us as antisocial and hastening the demise of our planet by polluting the air. Rubbish.

Brian

The answer of course is yes prices of older cars are falling, even as restoration costs are heading skywards. Not good trends, but there are good reasons for it.

It's basically demographics. The people who like (and can drive) the older cars are in retirement and/or becoming a bit old to park a car without power steering. Many younger people (and some not so young) cannot drive a car with a manual shift, and for that reason will not buy one. One of the pleasures of owning older cars comes from the sense of accomplishment in dealing with these things. Some of the attraction is just plain nostalgia.

We can't do much about falling values, but it does influence which cars are worth restoring. Fewer as time goes on, is the bottom line.

I know my interest in Packards is not shared by most of my family, so perhaps it's a selfish thing. So what, it's my money. But I do worry what happens to these cars when we're no longer around. If nobody else understands or appreciates them, they're just as likely to end up on the junk heap or being sold for far less than we think they are worth.

This phenomenon is not confined to Packards. It applies to older road cars in general, and antique race cars too (unless it's a Ferrari and for sale in the US!). Every club for owners of older cars worries as we do about how to keep the passion alive and attract younger blood. The answer is, you can't - at least not in the long run.

So what to do? Enjoy the cars while we can. Don't try to fool ourselves that they are an investment. And recognise that not everybody feels the same way about them. Did I say it's a selfish interest? Yes, a little bit but so what we've earned it. The positive is that more people can afford to buy and enjoy a nice old car if they wish.

Brian

Hello.

Looks like you have a job ahead of you with the 1956 Executive Touring Sedan.

Worth the effort, though. I have a 1956 Clipper Deluxe with TL suspension, auto etc. It's right hand drive from new, and a lovely car to drive. I was intrigued by the wheels on yours. Sort of thing often fitted to trailers here. Easy enough because the hubs on these cars are 5-bolt by 5" diameter - same as many Fords (and trailers!). I have a set of Packard wire wheels waiting to be fitted to mine. These have had the centres modified, because the senior cars (which they were made for) have 4 1/2" diameter centres. I think the wheels currently on mine are also from a Ford, but they work with the standard covers. Not sure how. I have a spare hood mascot, which I guess is the same as yours. Little bit of pitting, but quite presentable. Don't think I have the Clipper script, but will check.

It's very encouraging the the TL seemed to work when you powered it up. There's usually a switch under the dash on the left hand side to turn it on or off. Obviously needs to be off if you jack the car up or leave it for a while with the battery connected. Mine has a manual radio antenna, locally sourced AM radio etc. and electric wiper conversion following replacement of the oil pump (and loss of the vacuum function). Also has a 4-barrel inlet manifold, Edelbrock 4-barrel carby and dual exhaust. Drives extremely well.

Let me know if you're interested in the hood ornament. I'll check whether I have spare "Clipper" script.

Cheers

Brian

Thanks

Yes, we may well get there. Is that the same Spruce Goose which was at Long Beach for many years?

Cheers

Brian

Yes Glacier is definitely on our list. I lived in the US for quite a few years and have seen most of it from a car - or in the case of Montana - from a horse! I've heard lots of good reports about some of the roads up there, including Going to the Sun, so we're hoping to get up that way to try them. In two minds about Yosemite. Have been there before, but tussled with the crowds in summer which put a bit of a damper on it. Fabulous place. Not sure I want to brave the crowds again.

There are so many great places to visit in the US - and I've seen a lot of them - but feel like I haven't done the northwestern states justice. Have spent time there, but missed a lot of the good things - some of which I don't even know about, hence my question on this forum.

If you call the GT40 a production model, it also had Flow-through Ventilation via eyeball vents at the end of the dash, vents in the seats and an outlet at the rear of the roof (but no opening windows). Didn't make any difference much below 200mph. I have an aircon fitted to mine, to make it drivable in normal conditions!

Cheers Brian

It was Ford, and was used to describe the fresh air ventilation system on a number of its UK models (most notably the Cortina). This was early 1960s. From what I recall, there was nothing particularly special about it, but in standard form these cars needed all the help they could get.

It's the sort of term which might well have been used elsewhere or by others. I don't know if it was actually registered or copyrighted by Ford. The "system" probably wasn't patentable.

Cheers Brian

Thanks guys for all the helpful ideas - as usual!

I'll do a bit more digging on these and make sure to hit some along the way.

I've been to Pebble Beach several times - and taken my race cars to Laguna Seca - so probably won't go there on this trip. Most likely also won't make it to the east coast this time - lived in NY for many years. The run up the west coast from San Francisco sounds good, and some interesting things to see up that way.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions.

Cheers Brian