Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hi

Its a bit more deteriorated now. Here's my Packard compatriot Russ Shaner 'luxuriating' in it behind the Music Hall on one of the last days of the Centennial.

Steve

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If Fred Kanter is willing to resurrect that other car, this might be in his wheelhouse as well.

BUT, OD,
It's a 56 Caribbean and the convertible one!

I congratulate the new owner. I like the V8 Packards, and hope to see this one back on the road.

Congratulations is not the first word to come to mind.
I would focus more on assisting in the search for a 2dr hardtop/400 donor car.

Agree with the flackmaster, really the new owner needs only find another car to affix the only piece of this one worthwhile - the data plate. Ta da! Restored!

Actually- the 56 is in better shape for restoration than my 55 was at the time I brought it back from Dayton. It is still assembled which gives you the opportunity to remove and document the salvageable parts. The stainless is still on the car and the chrome may afford salvageable cores.
I agree that whoever opts to restore the car should already have or be looking for a solid 400 hardtop to replace the front clip, quarters, trunk, floors and perhaps the doors but those parts are interchangeable .
It will be a big job and hopefully the frame is not destroyed ....but it can be done .
The big issue as I see it is whether it will be cost prohibitive. The ads for the car made much ado about the serial number and that the restored car would be worth $300,000, but I have been watching the sales since I acquired my car in 2010 and have not seen any prices approaching that figure. Most recent auction results and Hagerty Guide have shown a general decline in the prices paid compared to figures from before the market crash. There seems to be some rebound but I have not seen a sale approaching $200,000. I am sure someone will correct me if I am mistaken.

The restoration of a car should not be dependent on the potential sale price, but it should at least be a consideration. Too many projects get started and abandoned due to the cost of parts and labor.
Even with an experienced restorer capable of doing the mechanical, body and paint work personally, the cost of parts to restore the mechanicals, trim and upholstery will be expensive. The number of hours required to do the required work will be huge.
Paying a professional shop to do the work will clearly put the final cost well above what is being paid for completed cars currently on the market( i.e. The 56 currently on eBau for $129k or best offer)
I do hope that someone has the skill, time. and the money to get the car back to showroom condition but the V-8 Carribeans may not be the best investment opportunity for many years.
Just my opinion .

Other than the VN tag, the only significant parts on 1001 most likely to find their way to a reconstruction using a 400 body would be the front windshield bow and frame, front seat frame, and the folding top mechanism. If not the engine, then at least the intake manifold, bat wing and Rochesters.

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And it wouldn't hurt to grab the section of floor where the front seats are mounted to use for dimensions and a pattern. The 5697-99 seat frame mounts are in a different location than the standard seat. The reinforcement plates spot welded under the floor are spaced and sized differently than the 400.

Will also want, the hood, trunk, rear antenna & trim, interior for pattern, inner wheel well and bracing for top mechanism, vent windows, the "top" bezel off the dash., I'm sure there maybe some other items.

I see the starter bezel was changed out at sometime. I would have to see more pictures to see what else was done to this car.

Now this would be an interesting project blog! I would rather see this being restored than the other cars I see on the popular TV car restoration/hot rod shows, but I like the V8 Packards.

So would a bath of acetone/transmission fluid seem appropriate for this car?😀😄😉🤔

OD, did you get the theft proof numbers off the car, and where there any surprises where the number fell in your data base?

The hood is thoroughly perforated with rust, as is nearly all the external sheet metal and the upper portion of the cowl, the trunk lid skin might be saved, trunk floor is GONE. Wheel wells are badly rotted, nearly absent in places. There is a question if the frame can be salvaged, currently the frame side rails are only about 3 inches from ground level.

The car is heading for a restoration shop this week for an initial assessment of what is salvageable and what the plan going forward might be, I'll try to keep informed about it and keep you informed.

We couldn't get the hood open far enough (hinges rusted) to see the theft-proof number, I had hoped one of my underhood pictures would capture it, but no such look. However I've been promised the number soon, but given the almost totally random nature of the 55/56 numbers I doubt it will reveal anything. I'm also very interested in the Utica engine and transmission numbers.