Re: unusual '56 Color "Flamingo"
Posted by BH On 2010/2/10 14:40:50
All:
Sorry to be so late in joining this thread.
I've known about the Packard's offering of Flamingo paint for decades; somewhere along the line I even picked up a Trade Letter on it. More about that later.
Many car-spotters have mistaken badly-oxidized Scottish Heather (Code "K") for Flamingo.
I think it was in 1996 that I went to look at a non-running Exec hardtop that was for sale - thinking of buying it as a donor to help restore my dad's old Exec. I was surprised to find it was a Flamingo car, though a bit faded. I could have sworn the VN tag was stamped as such, but maybe my memory is fuzzyon that. Sorry, no pix. While I didn't buy that car (couldn't bring myself to cut up such a rare example), I learned only recently that it had been sold, but the new owner had planned to restore it to its former glory.
I've only been online since 1999, and the topic of Flamingo paint did come up back at the old ClassicCar site. Years later, at the AACA Packard DF, Joel (packards1) did provide a pic of some bolts and a VN tag that he alleged came from a car that was painted in Flamingo, but the paint code area of the tag was left blank. After years of updates, some reckless housecleaning, and some pissed-off participants, a lot of information has since been lost from that site - looks like that pic is gone. Fortunately, I had right-clicked and save a copy of the Joel's pic, and have attached it (below).
The color on those bolts doesn't quite match my recollection of the color on the OH car, but (again) it was a bit faded. Yet, Chuck's post that a blank paint code area on the VN tag indicated a non-standard paint color makes me wonder if Joel's car might have been some other one-off color, since Flamingo did have its own unique code.
Though I found a "Flamingo" color added mid-year, with chip, for Studebaker in 1963, it is a much lighter shade. The Ditzler paint chip set for 1957 Lincoln at autocolorlibrary.com also offer a Flamingo color, but still a bit lighter than my recollection, but closer than the '63 Stude chip. (BTW, Howard, a friend across town has an original, unopened, quart of that Dodge LaFemme pink.)
Now for the stuff I've been promising.
Flamingo (Code "O") was added mid-year in the 56th Series run - announced in Trade Letter 56-1004, Dealer 2 (Supplement 2). Trade Letters were bulletins sent to Dealers and/or Zones, regarding Sales-related topics, often involving production changes. While I only have marginal photocopies of Trade Letters 55-1001 and 56-1001, which I used to compose the 1955 and 1956 build code charts, I do have an original copy of the Flamingo Letter and will try to scan a copy for BigKev to put up the site this weekend. No chip was provided, however, and I've never seen one in any of the supplier chip sets for 1956 Packard.
Meanwhile, suffice it to say that Flamingo was offered for all models EXCEPT Caribbean, but only available with the certain Interior Trim Sets. That letter also cites some variations in cloth materials used due to some supply issues, but independently of the selection of Flamingo paint schemes. You'll have to wait for the Letter to be uploaded for full details.
The Letter further advises that Flamingo (Code "O") was not available as a solid tone, but only as part of a two-tone, and only with Dover White (Code "M"). That was, however, a reversible combination. Personally, I think an Exec with Flamingo roof and side stripe over a Dover White body would a look a little less wild, but nearly as good as any standard three-tone Carib.
However, there was no mention of not stamping the paint on the VN tag in this Letter.
Attach file:
(36.61 KB)
Sorry to be so late in joining this thread.
I've known about the Packard's offering of Flamingo paint for decades; somewhere along the line I even picked up a Trade Letter on it. More about that later.
Many car-spotters have mistaken badly-oxidized Scottish Heather (Code "K") for Flamingo.
I think it was in 1996 that I went to look at a non-running Exec hardtop that was for sale - thinking of buying it as a donor to help restore my dad's old Exec. I was surprised to find it was a Flamingo car, though a bit faded. I could have sworn the VN tag was stamped as such, but maybe my memory is fuzzyon that. Sorry, no pix. While I didn't buy that car (couldn't bring myself to cut up such a rare example), I learned only recently that it had been sold, but the new owner had planned to restore it to its former glory.
I've only been online since 1999, and the topic of Flamingo paint did come up back at the old ClassicCar site. Years later, at the AACA Packard DF, Joel (packards1) did provide a pic of some bolts and a VN tag that he alleged came from a car that was painted in Flamingo, but the paint code area of the tag was left blank. After years of updates, some reckless housecleaning, and some pissed-off participants, a lot of information has since been lost from that site - looks like that pic is gone. Fortunately, I had right-clicked and save a copy of the Joel's pic, and have attached it (below).
The color on those bolts doesn't quite match my recollection of the color on the OH car, but (again) it was a bit faded. Yet, Chuck's post that a blank paint code area on the VN tag indicated a non-standard paint color makes me wonder if Joel's car might have been some other one-off color, since Flamingo did have its own unique code.
Though I found a "Flamingo" color added mid-year, with chip, for Studebaker in 1963, it is a much lighter shade. The Ditzler paint chip set for 1957 Lincoln at autocolorlibrary.com also offer a Flamingo color, but still a bit lighter than my recollection, but closer than the '63 Stude chip. (BTW, Howard, a friend across town has an original, unopened, quart of that Dodge LaFemme pink.)
Now for the stuff I've been promising.
Flamingo (Code "O") was added mid-year in the 56th Series run - announced in Trade Letter 56-1004, Dealer 2 (Supplement 2). Trade Letters were bulletins sent to Dealers and/or Zones, regarding Sales-related topics, often involving production changes. While I only have marginal photocopies of Trade Letters 55-1001 and 56-1001, which I used to compose the 1955 and 1956 build code charts, I do have an original copy of the Flamingo Letter and will try to scan a copy for BigKev to put up the site this weekend. No chip was provided, however, and I've never seen one in any of the supplier chip sets for 1956 Packard.
Meanwhile, suffice it to say that Flamingo was offered for all models EXCEPT Caribbean, but only available with the certain Interior Trim Sets. That letter also cites some variations in cloth materials used due to some supply issues, but independently of the selection of Flamingo paint schemes. You'll have to wait for the Letter to be uploaded for full details.
The Letter further advises that Flamingo (Code "O") was not available as a solid tone, but only as part of a two-tone, and only with Dover White (Code "M"). That was, however, a reversible combination. Personally, I think an Exec with Flamingo roof and side stripe over a Dover White body would a look a little less wild, but nearly as good as any standard three-tone Carib.
However, there was no mention of not stamping the paint on the VN tag in this Letter.
Attach file:
(36.61 KB)
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