Re: 1956 Clipper Deluxe

Posted by Brian Wilson On 2020/4/13 1:41:54

Dave

Sure. Next time it's in the air I'll take another look. The numbers at the front are very hard to read. Almost like someone tried to grind them off.

This business of stamping new numbers on frames or engines is popular with the registration authorities here. They made me stamp new VIN numbers on the frames of two of my motorcycles because the originals were indistinct under the powder coating on the steering head, then they made me remove the originals even though in their opinion they were illegible!

Do you know if these engines were painted before or after the Utica numbers were stamped? The new number on this engine is highly visible but quite messy. Looks like it was done as an afterthought. The others are so indistinct that they may have been ground, then painted over to make them disappear.

I think I spotted the location you described on the rear of the block, but no sign of numbers there. A number there would not be accepted by our registration authorities. The whole block has been repainted red, presumably when the car was restored. There may be a number under the paint there, though. When I get the chance, I'll look again and let you know.

Can you hazard a guess when my car was built? Must also have been quite late in 1956. I believe it was registered here around October that year, so would have left the US at least two months before. Do you know when the last Clippers were manufactured?

I have not seen any other 1956 Packards here. There were apparently three Clippers imported that year. I know that one was scrapped after being cut down to a utility (pickup). No Caribbeans a far as I know. Am wondering whether Packard was told to stamp the engine number somewhere visible? If so, it didn't help.

Cheers

Brian