1951 Packard 250 find - what do you think it's worth?

Posted by GMan On 2009/4/12 22:06:41

Hello everybody. This is my first post. I came across a 1951 Packard 250 2-door hardtop at an antique car dealer (mostly parts cars actually). I am not real familiar with Pckards. I am considering buying the car as my first middle aged crisis project car. I am wondering what ballpark price you think it is worth if I describe it to you.

It has a 327 straight eight and auto trans (ultramatic?). The motor looks like it is all there to include the air cleaner (oil bath type?). No battery. I would guess the motor turns over but did not try. Four flat tires. Most trim is there. Drivers glass is broke and BB gun type spider cracks in front windshield. Passenger and rear glass good. Interior is all there but needs total resto. Seats feel like the frames and springs are decent to retain and recover. Radio delete plate - that surprised me as I would have thought radio would be standard in a Packard.

The rust is what concerns me. Body looks good overall until you start to look closer. Both rockers have rust through and you could break them off by hand. Rust through on lower fenders all around. The underside of the doors are rusted through. The roof, hood, and trunk lid are solid. The front floor pans have rust through - not sure about the rear because I didn't want to pull up the carpet which would have torn up in my hands. The trunk has rust through in at least one 6" x 6" area over a frame rail. All rubber would need to be replaced and severe pitting on much of the stainless. The grill is all there which is maybe the most appealing part of the car to me along wiht being a 2 door hardtop. Overall the rust is probably in all the normal places but more than I hoped to tackle.

The doors open and close as they should. The hood opens and closes ok. The trunk has not lock cylinder anymore. The owner does not have an ignition or door keys. All hubcaps in place but with faded centers.

I offered him $1,000 and a few hundred more to tow it to my house about 80 miles away but he wants $2,800. The car has been sitting in a field for I don't know how long. It has NC plates and registration stickers from 1979. I'm tempted to up my offer but I'm not sure. I think it's a fairly rare but maybe a not so popular model but I love the grill and it being a hardtop. Your thoughts on what it's worth? Can you get Packard sheet metal, especially rockers?

He also has a 52 four door in similar shape sitting next to it.

Thanks in advance.

Gary