Don may just be me, but your car is quite lovely as it sits, something about a survivor that stands above one that is restored.

"Also i was never able to find a zell dealership in Washington so I was wondering about that"

Wasn't Zell in Baltimore MD? I has been years, but a young fellow that stayed at our little motel said Zell was his grandfather.

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Mine in teenage years (59-60) (Dad's) was a 23rd series, originally all rubber flooring in poor shape replaced by black carpet, but always my interest to watch and learn.

Double row of stitching on binding, the binding was placed upside down on top of carpet, a row of stitching to hold, folded around the edge of the carpet and stitched a second time.

Old memory from teenage years, way too long ago.

A friend and I put carpet in the front of his 57 Chevy (leftover household carpet), it wasn't too difficult.

Having watched a shop put carpet in my car around that time, I think auto carpet was in a roll about 3 feet wide.

We laid the sheet of carpet in my friend's car, had to cut a horizontal (side to side) cut in the carpet around the transmission hump where the floor began to slope upwards. We made a vertical (front to back cut) between the horizontal cut and the top edge of the carpet. Those 2 cuts allowed the carpet to bent up the slope and fold correctly.

At the upholstery shop when my car was done, they used a heavy sewing machine to sew a vinyl material around the edges of the carpet. Being kids we didn't have a sewing machine, so we used strips of an iron on clothing patch to cover the rough edges of the carpet. Been a long time but it looked pretty good.

Our carpet used was heavy, you really want a rather lightweight carpet. When the auto shop did my car, they actually used small nails hidden in the carpet and nailed into the metal floor of the car to keep a few spots tucked tightly.

Very much agree

I (we) were young once too, sure wish I still had some of the energy that is now gone.

Dad's 23rd series Packard became mine in 1960, maybe in 61 traded it on a Triumph TR3 which lasted a short time, before it was traded for a cute girl and a 55 Packard 400. We later added a nice 55 Clipper before purchasing our first "new" car in 1964.

Long dry spell, our 48 was purchased in 2003 and the 40 in 2012. Time, energy, money, (lack of) they mostly collect dust, but I get to show them off and talk to guests that visit our tiny motel.

No photos, but in high school days, 60 some years ago it was interesting to wander such junkyards, good as a museum.

Dad had a 23rd series that I drove, I can remember purchasing radio, heater, and the electric clutch option and adding to his car that I drove. At that time there were 2 different yards in Savannah that had Packards and some other interesting older cars.

23rd series mid-49 began the oval taillights and the chrome on the side moved from the bottom to a point higher on the side although I thought I remembered it going the full length of the side. The wiper knob moved from the dash to the steering column, rear window was a bit more squared off across the bottom.

I grew up with dad's 49/50 coupe/2 door sedan, his was the more basic model with the 288.

Beautiful car.

Welcome, beautiful car, wish mine looked nearly as nice. I grew up with dad's 23rd series and drove it in high school days. One of my favorite styles.

Thought for the day:

Is it that we really don't care about styling or is there simply no choice available? I can choose a sedan, SUV, van, or truck, outside of that difference most brands are pretty much the same style.

Why SUV's, well if you are old, tall, or larger it is bigger inside than the sedan.

Our family "car" is a 4-door pickup. I may not need a pickup that often, yet it is the closest thing to the cars of old, I'm not packed in like a sardine. It just doesn't fit well at the doctor's office which is our frequent destination these days.

Daughter has one of those nice "little" sedans. Easier for the wife to enter, but I have to plan the attack to get my head in the door and lean the seat back to fit.