Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Unfortunately, the two photos I posted are the only two in the Society's collection. However, when time permits, I may do some research via mircrofiche of the "Valdosta Daily Times" to see what might be there. John Williams' wife, Natalie gave me many photos--some of which I will post later but there are none of that very special 1955 Patrician.

Hello:

If you want to see what the 1955 25000 mile car looked like, then take a look below. Some photos are from Packard achives and the upclose ones are courtesy of Carl Altz - a PMCC test track driver. Note the photo he took of the pheasant in the grille.

Also, that 1955 TL display chassis is now at the Packard Proving Grounds and ready for restoration. I saw it there yesterday when some of us were giving a tour to some Packardites from out of town (Calif & Chicago)

If you want to see it for yourself then plan on attending the PAC National Meet beginning June 23, 2013

--Roger--

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Is that a tow bar on the front? or some kind of tri-pod?

Hello BigKev:

No, not a towbar, but a hood hold-down strap.

And the post mortem of the Pheasant shows us something else very interesting! Note the grille screen behind the chrome eggcrate! This is early 1955--not 1956! Obviously, pre-production cars may have been designed to have this screen?

Not sure I understand your comments. The test run was done in late October 1954 with a pre-production 1955 so I don't understand your emphasis or surprise that it wasn't a 1956. Perhaps I'm misinformed but I thought all 55s and 56s had a screen behind the grille casting - though they did differ in style depending on year and model. For example, the very earliest of 56 Caribbeans were chrome-finish before they switched to gold anodized.

Roger,

Thank you for posting thoses pictures! They are great!

The 1st picture is after the pheasant because you can see the tape on the windshield and that one wiper is now missing! So they had duct tape back the too?

The 2nd one shows us that it did have an interior, since we can see the door panels. You can also see the radio antenna on the trunk. You can see a hand on the interior, I guess the driver was exiting, and another one was entering on the driver side. The guy by the gas pump looks like he is operating a fork lift, I guess to change all tires at once? Was this gas pump across from the timing tower, or where?

The 3rd photo. Who are the men standing next to the car, Jessie Vincent, and who? Looks like it is after the run, since the are enjoying a cool one. It also looks like the tape is gone, and the wiper blade is back. There is also something on the front strap.

The 4th photo clearly shows the wiper blade, and a screen behind the grill. It also looks like evidence on another kind of hood ornament was on the hood at one time based on the outline. Was a stap used because there was it was easier to open the hood without sticking your hand in the grill, for speed purposes? Also interesting to see all the extra lights for the road.

The last photo showers the windshield taped, and the wiper blade gone. A lot of attention to this car by these men. Very determined looks on their faces.

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I don't think 55s had a screen. One of the several features that to my mind always made them look unfinished. Personally, I think the 56 was so much more refined with the screen, eyebrows and full length side trim.

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personally i don't like the bigger eyebrows of 56, i find it to be too much, but i also tend to like the simplicity of the clippers vs the senior cars. i don't think my grill would look that great with a mesh behind it.

i also prefer the vertical slates on the 55 vs the horizontal on 56 clipper.

and looking at the pic of the tape....i mean how many guys does it really take. LOL....they all really were determined weren't they.

since the TL display is at the proving grounds, i suppose that makes my future plans of finding a donor car to make a repro a moot point. guess the cats outa the bag now. ah well.

also look to the far left under the headlight...there is no mesh there. i think this may have just been for the run personally. to maybe help with bugs and stuff maybe.

great photos, enjoyable posting going on here.

Hank

Well, you have learned something today. I took great care to go out and look at my 55 Four-Hundred and 56 Patrician to make sure I was right. 1955 senior cars (nor Clippers, for that matter) have grille screens, I can assure you. That is why I was so surprised to see this in the photo on a pre-production 1955 model. It could be that the factory thought that a grille screen behind the eggcrate casting might help in keeping away bugs and loose matter during the test run. Unfortunately, the screen couldn't keep pheasants away!