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Well, that 1941 180 Lebaron is an obvious copy of a "factory" 1941 Cadillac (60S).

Bryan

I thought the intent of the Clippers was to jump ahead of the 60 Special styling . Seems to me the LeBarons were the last gasp of selling "custom" cars to the remains of the carriage trade

Best

John Harley

Hi

The $3,545 semi-custom '41 180 LeBaron Sport Brougham certainly drew inspiration from the '38-'40 Cadillac 60 Specials for its body architecture and design details. The major difference was Cadillac knew enough to tool it up for volume production, to sell at a premium price, approximately $400-$500 more than the standard Fisher bodied Series 60's while taking advantage of standard Series 60 mechanicals.

The high-profile 60 Special immediately accounted for 40% of all Cadillacs sold in those '38-'40 models years and more importantly served as the design basis for the GM Torpedo C-Body, shared from Pontiac Torpedo Eight through Cadillac Series 62. the success of those models took the industry by storm for 1940 and drove Packard to hastily create the '41 Clipper.

The LeBaron Sport Brougham was exactly the type of ultra-luxury sedan that should have been introduced by Packard for 1939 Super Eight as a production model in the $2,300-$2,600 price range, just a step up from the $2,100-$2,300 60 Special. As wonderful as the Sport Brougham is, it represents another of the missed opportunities of their late pre-war years.

Steve

Hydraulic windows? Device mounted on engine side of cowl wall, switches on top center of instrument panel, and switches on doors, tells the story, right? Beautiful Packard.

(o{}o)

Yep. Switches, and the up-down twin solenoid on the cowl wall. The pump and tank full of brake fluid was mounted under the car.

THE REASON i asked about Doc/s 200 is cause of this:

http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/cto/4601546855.html

John
Yes the Clippers advanced and jumped the 60S, so it was a bit too late for what LeBaron did, a copy. Still, it is a spectacular looking car, just instantly dated and a copy.

I am in the process of trying to purchase both a 1942 180 and a 1946 Clipper. They are like night and day, separated by a war.

Bryan

I'm living that difference. I sold a very well running 1950 Eight when I bought a 1941 160 sedan. Both cars were out of estates in Westchester County and both suffer from the work of previous owners. The 160 has had a very hard life and is needier than I wish it to be.

I just spent much of my vacation time this week packing the shift mechanism with washers so I can drive it without grinding gears or locking the shift arm. I appear to be successful. However I did some wondering about the twisted minds of men while underneath the car wrestling with the splashers and such.

Good luck with the 180, I hope that has been taken care of

Regards

John Harley

This is a nice car
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Packard-Caribbean-CALIFORNIA-CAR-NO-EXPENSE-SPARED-RESTORATION-1955-packard-caribbean-convertible-/390905848760?forcerrptr=true&hash=item5b03cde3b8&item=390905848760&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

I didn't realize the executive used a 2 barrel carburetor

Looks like it has a dual action fuel pump, and the brake fluid reservoir on the firewall. It looks like it had factory seatbelts too.

The hotrodders will buy this car for the tail lights and throw the rest away.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Packard-Executive-Base-1956-packard-executive-base-5-8-l-/221518441457?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3393872bf1&item=221518441457&pt=US_Cars_Trucks