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Hello! I am a new Packard fan. I found a "barn find" which has a neat story behind it, and I'll share that later. Through lots of research I was able to identify the car as a 1952 Packard Patrician. I don't see a lot of posts or pictures of them around the internet. I'm wondering why. Are they unpopular? Rare? Or am I missing something? I'm interested to hear what anyone has to say about it. Thanks!

Just my two cents but one reason you don't see a lot of photos all over the internet is because it is not a Ford or Chevy and Packards of that era were not the most sought after car. There are quite a few photos in our photo archive if you want to look at a few.

By the time the early 50s offerings came along Cadillac had pretty much taken over the luxury end because of some decisions Packard had made in earlier times. A lot of people thought those decisions had cheapened the brand and started looking and buying luxury cars elsewhere. Management was old school and conservative, styling was considered stodgy in comparison to new offerings from GM and to top it all, Packard was fairly expensive. Feature wise they were often compared to other cars which were in a lower price range but were similarly and in some cases better equipped. Add to that dealers were reluctant to wheel and deal so all in all sales were not spectacular.

As far as collector car status goes, for a lot of years the cars were ignored but as the "desirable" Packard models become more expensive and in shorter supply they are starting to become popular. The Patrician was Packards finest offering in a 6 passenger sedan and a very decent car but the 52 was virtually a copy of the 51. Adding a grill emblem and removing the Packard letters from the hood was the main difference and in those days not keeping up with the competition with a major facelift or a new style every year or two didn't bring people into the showroom.

Properly taken care of it is a reliable car but like all cars, if mistreated can be unforgiving. The Ultramatic was of Packards own design and manufacture -- quite an accomplishment for a small independent and a feat not matched by the others. It was a fine transmission for the day but was not a racing transmission. The acceleration is described as leisurely which hurt it in the eyes of those who drove other cars. Although the Ultramatic was the ultimate in smoothness which Packard was quite proud of in advertisements when they said their cars would not jar the occupants, the Hydramatic would in all probability beat it to the next corner by a substantial amount and not have too many passengers complaining about an overly rough ride along the way. Today it is probably the most expensive item to work on and there are not many who are willing and more importantly, qualified to work on them.

Hey 'Grampa's car',

Welcome to Packard Info! Great site and lots of knowledgeable folks who can help you with your 'barn find'. Howard's assessment of Packard as a company is accurate. Before they fell 'behind the times' though, it's worthy of note that they were considered one of the finest, most prestigious car manufacturers in the world. As you read the posts on P.I. and familiarize yourself with the brand, you'll get a sense of how many loyal and avid Packard fans are still out there; world-wide. Says something about a car that ceased production over 60 years ago. Anyway, good luck with your project and look forward to hearing the story on the provenance of your Patrician. Chris Goodfellow.

Yes, Howard's assessment of the competitive landscape for Packard is very fair. And diplomatic!

The fact that relatively few of the 1950s Packards have survived has given them a rarity value. They still attract attention on the road and are great conversation starters. They did not follow the US trend towards "moonshot" styling which began in the 1950s, but did not take hold elsewhere. Perhaps they could not afford it, or still had a semblance of taste in styling.

To my eyes, my 1941 120 Club Coupe and the prewar Clippers were some of the most attractive cars available then. Packard had not lost their magic touch with styling at that point. The early 1950s Patrician styling has also aged well, and perhaps appeals more today than when it was new.

You don't say much about the condition or accessories of your "barn find" Patrician. Certainly worth saving if it can be done. Pretty much everything you might need to restore it to good health is available, and there is a wealth of good advice on this site to help with the tricky bits. Maybe post a few pics (if you're smarter than me)? Do your sums on the economics of a restoration, keeping as much original as possible. If it doesn't make sense, perhaps pass it on to someone here with an advanced case of "Packarditis" and time on their hands.

Cheers

Brian

G'day Grandpa'sCar,
to PackardInfo.

I invite you to include your '52 Patrician in the Packard Owner's Registry.

Thanks everyone for your responses! Now that I have a tiny audience, I'll divulge the story behind the car.

My grandpa was a car guy. He was always "wheeling and dealing". He owned many, many different cars in his lifetime. I never knew about the Packard until recently. He left it behind when he sold his farm to his nephew in the 60's, presumably because a garage roof had fallen on the car and caved in its roof. He never went back for it, and while the farm was sold to another family, the car has remained in the shed there for over 50 years. Now, the farm is in a shambles, but the owner says I can have the car if I can get it out. While the car has great sentimental value to me, it is most likely not restorable. We are still going to bring it home and see what we can do with it. I was very close to my grandpa, so to just be in possession of this car means a lot to me.

I'll post more when we get the car home.

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Hope the pic is turned round. Even here "down under" it's difficult to view as it was.

Edit - it worked!

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Here's an update on "Grandpa's Car"....

It wasn't Grandpa's car after all!!! It belonged to his nephew, my cousin. How it ended up there is a long story and I'll spare you the details.

That said, I no longer have any personal attachment to this car, so I am offering it up for parts. The floor is totally gone, and the roof is caved in, front bumper is cracked, but there are probably a lot of salvageable pieces. All of the back window glass is good, some chrome pieces, emblems, dash parts, etc.

I will post in the "for sale" section, too.

It was a fun adventure while it lasted!

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Looks like shaded glass?

Was 52 the 1st year for shaded/tinted glass?