News to me as well. I think Dick Teague would have disapproved.

You know, the down-swept rear quarters just amplify how high the beltline is at the door and cowl, something no army of Mexican body men could alter for any reasonable price. If you were going to cobble up a Carribbean (or 400) I would rather see a "what-if" that was at least drawn by Teague, a 400 convertible. None of the Carribbean things like the upsweep chrome at the rear, hood scoops, dual quads, just a 400 with a top that goes down. The rendering Dick brought to a MCP meeting was done in blue (stock deep blue for '56) and looked magnificent.

"Concept" implies that the factory did it or authorized it. Neither is true. The covering behind the rear seats is obviously modified from a 1964 T-Bird roadster repop kit. It is modified with higher pods. The windshield appears to be made out of the rear window from the sedan. The seats appear to be old VW bug units re-upholstered. And the plastic universal-fit console is one you could buy at Pep Boys or Costco, with a gold vinyl covering added. The steering wheel is quite obviously 1955-56 Chevy. The stick-on gold vinyl 3M lettering saying "EXP ONE" below the "PACKARD" logos on the rear quarters was not even invented in the 1950s. And Packard never used gold PAINT everywhere as this car does. Real Packard cars- even production ones- had real gold plating or at least anodizing.

I inspected this car VERY up close at an auction in Scottsdale, Arizona and it is NOT a factory piece. It is not a concept. It is not a Caribbean. It has a regular sedan serial number. It IS a home-built garage custom made from a chopped and sectioned Patrician sedan.

Of course, the auction house may have some original 1950s papers from Packard?