Bill:

Knowledge may be good, but ignorance is bliss!

Well, I contacted a 3-D printing company in Tysons Corner, VA regarding my seat panel. I was told that due to the size of the panel, he would charge about $400 for the 3-D scanning alone. To get the panels actually 3-D printed in plastic, I would pay about $4,000!

I could do a hell of a lot on that car for four grand! I wonder how much he would charge to 3-D print a hubcap!

As I mentioned before, here is the driver's side panel showing the crack on the top and one of my ideas to repair it.

The blue pipe shown in the photos is flexible 1/2-inch PVC tubing. Although pliable is easy to cut, this tubing is very strong and I believe it would withstand the pressure applied by the steel seat anchoring tab.

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I don't know for sure how the seat panel was made, but I do know that after 62 years, the plastic is going to need some reinforcing if I am to use this panel in the future.

If I recall correctly, the 1955 senior Packards like the 400 and Patrician did not have these plastic panels. Also, the power seat control in the 1956 Clipper is different from the one in the 1955.

I am going to post some photos of the panels after I get home from work.

Wow, the maroon/tan and black '53 Clippers are steal for that money! Especially the maroon/tan. These both look like you could jump in them, turn the key and drive down the road. Both of those would be great starter Packards for someone interested in collecting.

Esquireman:

I do not believe a senior '55 would work on that seat, but if you have a driver's side panel, I would definitely be interested. The panel color is "citron" or yellow. The paint color does not make any difference since I can just repaint it. One note -- my car has a power seat.

I agree that Packard must not have given much thought to the interaction between the seat and the seat panel. I supposed they might have had some more important things to consider ... like saving the company.

Owen and Howard:

Thank you both very much for your helpful input. I am definitely going to follow up on each of your ideas. You guys are two reasons why this is the best website on the Internet! (At least as far as us Packard folks are concerned!)

I have not tried fiber glass yet, though I have some at home. I did have one idea: I cut a piece of 1/2-inch flexible PVC pipe about 7 inches long. It fits perfectly in the area inside the top of the panel. I cut a fairly thin rectangular hole in the middle of the pipe where the panel would rest on the metal tab.

Using a generous amount of JB Weld, I think the PVC would bond to the old panel plastic and I could fill in the cracks on the top of the panel with resin.

I wanted to find someone with a 3-D printer who could make a mold for the panel, but I haven't had any luck so far. I believe 3-D printing could revolutionize part replacement for older antique cars.

For more than a year now I have been scouring the Internet in search of what must be the most elusive part for a 1955 Clipper -- a left side seat panel for an electric seat. I have seen 1 right-side panel for sale on eBay, but that is the only one I have ever seen.

Sixty-two years ago when it was built, the seat panel for the Clipper was probably viewed as little more than window dressing; so I don't think Packard put a lot of thought into how the panel rested atop a roughly 1-inch-by 1/8-inch steel tab jutting up from the center of the seat. This post is stationary; so every time someone sits into the driver's seat, the seat and panel drop down. This means that the plastic panel is continually being pushed down onto the post.

After 62 years, the seat panel plastic is dry and brittle. It has been repaired many times and I just don't know how much more it can be repaired. I would appreciate any and all advice for carrying this out.

Craig

In re: 1955 Clipper Constellation. There is no doubt that painting a car yourself is cheaper than having it professionally painted. I asked a shop that specializes in the maintenance and restoration of antique cars about doing a re-spray of the yellow on my Constellation. I was told that his shop generally does not do re-sprays; but it would cost about $3,500 for mine. These guys are perfectionists, so I know the job would be done correctly.

That guy selling his Constellation gave me a great idea! Maybe I should just go over to Trak Auto, buy a bunch of cans of auto paint and many rolls of masking tape, and DO THE JOB MYSELF!!! After all, what could go wrong?