The most recent price guide, for whatever they're worth, lists a 1954 Caribbean in #1 condition at $138,700. The companion 1954 convertible is listed at $51,200 in similar condition.

I think the possibilities have all been mentioned. Mine had the same symptoms a while back and I replaced the entire assembly with an NOS one, but these units are often easily repairable. There are TWO springs, check for both and I'm enclosing a picture of the smaller one that returns the handle to the horizontal position. Also if the ratchet teeth on the bar are OK but the edge of the pawl is bad, consider just adding some weld to the pawl and reshaping with a file.

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The "tank" in the fender is the vacuum reserve for the power brakes, working in conjunction with the vacuum check valve at the manifold vacuum take-off.

Frequently the electric power antennas fail to operate because the spooled cable breaks, but since your motor apparently just clicks but doesn't turn I'd suspect the motor may be frozen. Take it apart and check it out.

Making those changes, which may or may not be that simple, surely won't do anything to enhance the value of the car and will probably detract from it. I'm with Randy, get another car or another wife.

Yes of course, the car was originally positive ground. And its possible someone did an incomplete job of converting it to negative ground, God only knows why. There is a simple check you can do, which while not totally definitive, would tell you if a thorough conversion was done. Connect the battery, positive ground. Don't turn on the key or start the engine. Turn on the headlights and see which way the ammeter defects, if it deflects toward discharge the car is most probably still positive ground. If it deflects towards charge, the car was most certainly converted. If it deflects towards discharge, then I'd polarize the generator before starting the car, just to be safe.

My 34 Eight came with a similar cylinder head on it when I bought it, and I replaced it with the correct one in part because it was incorrect, made an awkward fit for the upper radiator hose, but mostly to get away from those damn 10mm spark plugs! I doubt you'll ever notice the slight increase in power which might result from the higher compression, assuming it and a correct replacement head have both been milled the same amount, or not milled at all.

Packard covered the subject of shutter vs head thermostats in a paragraph in the 37/38 shop manual which perhaps you should read. In essence it says that to get the best hot water heater (remember, the hot air heaters were still offered thru 1939) results, use a 160 cylinder head thermostat along with a 150 shutter thermostat, but only with the 150 shutter stat. (The 37 Super Eights used a 160 shutter stat, the inference is that it is not recommended for use with a cylinder head stat).

As to the window channels, I'll take a look at those on my 34 (original car) and if I see anything worthy of comment, I'll pass it along.

Sorry, no help on the window problem, but I notice from the upper radiator hose that you've got a 1935 or newer cylinder head on the car.

You're not going to find too many people on this site with familiarity with the Detroit Lubricator updraft carburetor. I suggest you call Daytona Parts (premier carburetor rebuild shop) down in Florida, in my experience they're always willing to spend a few minutes helping old car folks.

Last time I checked NAPA still offers the Dyneto regulator for the 33-34 Packards and at least until a year ago you could still buy the earlier regulator/cutout new from them. And of course there are folks that rebuild that type of control unit so on a vintage vehicle like yours where authenticity is important, I'd explore those two avenues before I'd cobble together some awkward and unsightly solution which really isn't necessary.

The answers are all in the parts book but at the moment I'm a bit too lazy to look it up. But if memory serves, all the 356 engines thru 1950 had the carburetor heat shield in addition to the fuel pump shield. The Standard and Super Eights had the fuel pump shield but no carburetor shield. For those years where the 356-equipped cars came with only a single-action fuel pump (those equipped with electric wiper motors) I believe they still had the fuel pump shield.