I just noticed I messed up the video a bit, by starting it about 5 minutes in. You have to go to the red line at the bottom, left click and push it back to start from the beginning.

It's Team Thunderbolt vs Team Fireball in a race to the end of the driveway in 2 cars that last ran during the Nixon administration. Hilarity ensues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOBBU6h8BFU&t=312s

When I worked in body shops years ago we would scribe around the hinge to mark its position, this made it easy to put back. Usually it was not necessary to mark them since the hinge already left a mark in the paint.

My guess is that it is a police flying squad patrol car equpped with armor plate, bulletproof windshield, grille guard and other features for running down bank robbers, bandits and bootleggers.

In those days car buyers wanted the latest thing. Any car that was a carry over from the previous year would see sales drop no matter how good it was. This is why GM went to a 3 year, then a 2 year model cycle with heavy face lifts in the years in between.

By 1955 the Hudson body was 7 years old, Nash was 4 years old, Packard was 5 years old. Studebaker was only 3 years old but was an avante garde design that never clicked with the public (except for the Loewy coupe).

All the independents saw sales fall in the fifties, partly because of obsolescent styling and partly because of the forceful sales tactics used by Ford and GM in their battle for top selling car.

If they had listened to Mason and gotten together in 1949 it might have been possible to have all new bodies by 1955. To compete with GM Ford and Chrysler as full line car companies they would have needed at least 3 different body shells or some variation. There are ways to stretch a body for higher priced models by replacing part of the body, in other words sharing some parts but not all.

On the good side Studebaker had an excellent small V8 and Packard had a big one under development. Studebaker also developed a good automatic trans in cooperation with Borg Warner while Packard had the Ultramatic, both state of the art for the times. Nash had expertise in unit body construction and heating and air conditioning systems while Hudson was known for handling and performance.

Packard did develop 320, 352 and 374 cu in V8s for Nash, Hudson, Studebaker and Packard while the Studebaker V8 was made in sizes from 224 to 289 cu in for smaller cars.

I don't see the possible 55s as being versions of existing cars, but all new. If they had started planning earlier it might have been possible.

I already described a possible Packard V12 based on the Studebaker V8 that would have been similar in size, displacement, horsepower and cost to Cadillac, Chrysler, and Lincoln V8 and could have been developed quickly with a small expense for tooling but that is another story. If they had taken that route it would have saved Packard 2 years and $5 million that they could have used elsewhere.

Did you try to get a fuel pump from your local NAPA store? Such parts are usually available through normal channels if they can find a good part number.

If you really hate the straight eight have you considered buying a 1955 or 56 Packard? They not only come with a V8 they have 12V electrical systems making it a cinch to add air conditioning. I dare say you could sell your 53 and buy a 55 or 56, for a lot less money and time than hacking up your 53. And have a better car.

There are specialists in vintage carburetors who can help you.
Does your car have a supercharger? The carbs are different.

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/

"I want reliability and AC" Contact Vintage Air or your favorite air conditioning supplier. They can advise you on adding AC. As for reliability what kind of shape is your engine in? How is your compression, your oil pressure? If the engine checks out good follow the manufacturer's schedule of oil changes, tuneups etc. If the engine is worn, rebuild it. Your Packard straight eight is a simple engine and all parts are available. You should be able to rebuild it, and have a brand new engine, for the same cost or less as hodge podging a second hand junkyard engine.

The Ford six is ancient! First made in 1965, last one made in 1996. That means the newest one is old enough to vote, and the oldest was built just 11 years after the last Packard straight eight. It would be a shame to gut a good Packard for an engine swap, double shame to do so for an obsolete engine and one not as good as the Packard straight eight.

'Bentley discouraged even radio in their 1952-55 R-Type Continentals. Too bad Packard didn't produce something rivaling these, instead of the Olds Fiesta-, Buick Skylark-, Cadillac Eldorado-aping Caribbean; '

You could have ordered a club coupe with the big engine and overdrive transmission. Not up to the Bentley in terms of fine leather upholstery etc but a light weight (for a Packard) hot performing car.

"I love everything my 48 Custom Club sedan offers, but though I haven't gotten it driveable yet, I already know it lacks some more modern features that can make touring a little easier and dare I say it, pleasurable. Power brakes, power steering, power windows, A/T, air conditioning."

Wait till you get your car on the road. Check all front end parts for wear, fill up the shock absorbers with hydraulic jack fluid fit bias ply tires pumped up to 32PSI and get a front end alignment done. I know people who have done this on cars of the forties and fifties, and it took away all desire for power steering, for a fraction of the cost. Your car will steer and drive easily as long as it is moving. Only when at a dead stop is the steering hard. And then the secret is to get it moving, even slightly, and the steering will turn easily.

If you want power brakes a remote booster can be added.

Air conditioning, there are companies like Vintage Air that offer air conditioning for your car. A modern system much better and more efficient than they had in the fifties, made to look at home in older cars.

Power windows, if your windows are too hard to operate suggest you remove the door panels and lubricate the mechanism. It would be possible to convert to power windows but more trouble than it is worth.

In all cases, suggest you get the car on the road and try it out. You will probably find that driving a Packard is not such a hardship as you imagine. Or at least, that you can bear up under the strain of hand cranking your windows if the alternative will cost thousands of $$$$ bucks.