Gusha, having some old scotch and talking about Packard cars is fine any time of day!

Ross, brilliant observation about the Noller photo! Setting my Packard bias aside I must agree about the fumbling that started to run rampant by senior management post-war. Would Mercedes allow a John Deere dealership on the same property? I think not. Again, kudos for a wonderful and in my mind entertaining essay!

Hate to sound pretentious but that tank looks way past the point of no return, may want to purchase a new tank!

Been watching this topic unfold and just want to relate my experience. I have had a gasoline expansion issue ever since I purchased my 52 200 sedan. At various times I've experienced the same volume of gas residue on my quarter panel as Mr. Vestman. A few years back I purchase brand new gas caps from a reputable vendor and although it provided a better result the new cap did not eliminate the issue. I've never viewed it as a safety issue unless your smoking and leaning over the filler tube at the same time. Come to think of it my dad had plenty of cars from the 50's and 60's that reeked of gas fumes from time to time. I concur with Ross's comments in an earlier post on this subject. I don't believe it is the problem it's being made out to be! Been running the car since 2005.

Oz,
I believe the compass is a non-digital, non satellite, analog GPS that is mid 50's appropriate! Does anyone know how to use a compass anymore? Where are the buttons?

I'm an early riser and traditionally tune in to the TV news first thing in the morning but got side tracked shortly before the holidays. On Comcast channel 206 (Baltimore market) at 5:00 AM Eastern time, THISTV has a showing of the old 50's classic "Highway Patrol" with Broderick Crawford. There is usually a 5:30 showing too but some days they will move straight to a movie. It is a fantastic glimpse into the Southern California of the middle and late 50's and old car fans are treated to the cars of the day. I've spotted two Packards. One looked like a 55 Clipper Constellation that was parked and the other looked like a 55 Packard 4 door that was cruising down the highway at speed. The Highway Patrol of the show uses lots of 55 Buick Centurys and you will see some Oldsmobiles too. In the late 50's episodes you are treated to the MOPARS.

The show is typical 50's shlock but entertaining and I love it! Sometimes you can spot actors that became famous years later making their bones in this venue. Lots of great location shots that I'm sure are unrecognizable now. Maybe Leeedy can add some historical background and flavor to the locations used in the show?

Don't understand why anyone would still want to use non-detergent oil??

Drove out to the Fredrick Maryland swap meet last May from Havre De Grace Md in my 55 Clipper Custom Constellation with no problems. I-95 south to the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) over to I-70 West and drove the car like I would drive a modern car and it didn't even breath hard. The Torsion Level ride gets better the faster you go. Once I hit I-70 West I was averaging about 70 mph. On the way home got caught in a Friday afternoon beltway madhouse and had no overheating problems. My car is not a "hanger queen" I drive it year round when the roads are clean and it is the equal of any modern cars I drive keeping in mind it is 40's and 50's technology. I'm not talking about handling because it's not a BMW but just driving the way the car was designed to be driven. Everbody will have thier own ideas on this but in my opinion we should not get too hung up on the idea that these cars are fragile just because they are old. Of course this is assuming you are driving a car that is mechanically sound and safe and not a safety wired rust bucket. When the car was new people bought the horsepower and our V-8 Packards have a lot more horsepower than many current day products so highway speed is easy! Just do it!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the Packard folks out there that enjoy "PackardInfo" as much as I do! Thank You "Big Kev" for all of your effort and sacrifice!

IMO, I still think Packard missed the boat by not being more competive in the late 40's by not bringing out a modern OHV V-block. This is not to imply that a V-block could have saved Packard by itself but running the straight 8 till the mid 50's and still declaring itself as a luxury builder is to me a bit mystifying. I think the money they wasted on the Ultra-Matic could have been put into engine development; if they could produce Merlins under license and tweak them to make them better they could have had a modern V-8 by at least 49 if not earlier. An auto trans could have been procured the same way the other independents did. I have to agree on the interiors, they could have done better. Again, Packard probably would have gone away anyway but I will never understand what senior management was thinking in the immediate post-war years. These mis-steps paved the way for an earlier demise. Of course, IMO only.