Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

A local friend called me today and wants me to look at a 49 or 50 Packard for a possible purchase. I'm very familiar with the prewar models, and the 51-54 models, but not the 48-50 models. The Eight is the Junior version I think, but tend to get confused as to the Super, Custom, Deluxe etc. I'll be getting the motor number and theft proof number for the files here, but any suggestions as to any problem areas to look for? I'll be posting photos and findings later next week.

the top of the line was a custom super 8, 356 engine. to add to the confusion.

By the 23d series there was Eight--Deluxe Eight-- Super (Note, NOT Super Eight) --Super Deluxe--Custom-- in order of increasing magnitude. And as usual during that era it takes a program to tell them apart.

Check the bottom of the cowl posts, and the inner rockers. Front floors are subject to the normal rubber mat disease. Open the rear door and see if mud has gotten stuck in the inner fender braces and rotted through into the lower rear door jam. Bottom of the spare tire well, and rearmost body mounts pretty well tell it all.

Post some pictures, we all enjoy these adventures.

One place that seems to be an issue with that type body is the juncture where the rear of trunk floor and the small curved panel at the bottom of the trunk lid meet. The floor has a short drop down section which is spot welded to a flange on the bottom of the curved panel.

On your 51 the space is open to air and is sort of a trough. On the older body the space is much narrower and appears to have originally had some kind of sealer to partially fill the cavity. If that sealer cracked or is missing, when water runs down inside the trunk via old hard or worn out trunk lid gaskets it collects in that apace. On my 47 almost the entire width of the panel between the tail lights has rust thru problems. A poster asked about the same area a few days ago on his new 22 or 23 series find as did someone else a while back.