Re: 1955 Carribean hardtop

Posted by BH On 2011/10/19 9:48:02

Yes, it's not terribly difficult to add a few pieces of trim and squirt a couple more colors on the lower body. However, trim upgrades were commonly executed by dealers back then (and not only on Packards), but done with a lot more craftsmanship than the peel-n-stick schlock that so many dealers slap on vehicles these days.

I once had a '55 Patrician with '56 side trim added to the rear of the rear door louvres, but not below the trunk. Also, that car had been painted in a single color by the factory, Emerald Green (Code C), but was later repainted in a '56 two-tone, Shannon Green over Norwegian Forest. I concluded that at least the trim work was done by a dealer because all fasteners were of OE type, but the mounting holes were drilled rather than punched. I had planned to return the car to original colors and trim, but sold it before I got very far with any work; sadly, the subsequent owner has done nothing with the car.

Getting back to '55 Caribbean "hardtops", the Lyons car DID have the Caribbean hood, with scoops. However, it is the absence of paint/trim codes on the Lyons car that suggests a production deviation. For all we know, the factory may have supplied this car in special paint/trim at the request of a dealer or owner.

The production records that we've seen, here, for bona fide special builds on some 1956 models have provided a little insight in that regard, and I'm just extending that experience backward as a possibility

However, in the absence of any irrefutable evidence, my position is that 1955 Caribbean hardtop conversions - involving more than just some additional exterior trim and a little paint work - were likely done by dealers.