I have a frame that is supposed to go on top of the battery, but I can't find the rods that are supposed to screw the frame/battery down. Like you say, to make this work you have to use a hard-to-get battery group.

After a while I decided, screw it, and bought a high-output battery and used a heavy duty strap to hold it in place. In my humble opinion, it is a lot better to have a great battery in your car than one that is period correct -- especially if you intend to drive your car.

After all, who really cares one iota about a battery hold down anyway as long as whatever you have really works!

Those young ladies look like they are having a lot more fun on top of that DAF than any driver would have behind the wheel! With its blistering 2-cylinder 34 horsepower engine, I'm surprised it didn't bring more world recognition to those DAFfy Dutch!!!

Great looking car. I really like the color combination and those outstanding wire wheels.

"Cool for you hipster business"???

Hmmm ... I wonder what would happen if I installed a supercharger on my 352 cid V8, ditched the carburetor for fuel injection, installed a Clay Smith racing cam, pulled out the Twin Ultramatic and replaced it with 5-speed manual, and changed out the rear end?

Ooops! I know what would happen! I would be turning my stock Clipper into a street rod!

I don't think I'd be welcome in this site after that!

Welcome!

There are a few things that I would strongly advise a new antique car owner to do:

1. Join Packard Automobile Classics (aka the Packard Car Club). Seehttp://www.packardclub.org/

2. Join regional Packard Clubs, such as Blue Ridge Packards, and any local Packard clubs. Also consider joining the Antique Automobile Club of America, seehttp://www.aaca.org/

3. Join AAA and acquire Premier membership. It costs $131 a year, but with it you get up to 200 miles of free towing. Believe me, this will more than pay for itself!

4. Keep you cell phone fully charged whenever and wherever you go with you car.

You have a great car. Go forth and enjoy it!

Craig

Dwight:

That was a great article you wrote in the latest Cormorant. I think you know more about post-war Packards than practically anyone around. I plan to use your article on the Torsion-Level to get my Clipper back to where it belongs. Thank you!

The starter switch bezel on the dashboard of my '55 Clipper broke off and an examination quickly revealed that it was pot metal. This particular piece is partially held in place under spring pressure, so if any piece needed to be made of tempered steel, it is this one.

Pot metal really represents cost-cutting at its worst. It's not long-lasting, it's subject to weak spots, and finding decent replacements is difficult. There is no way to repair broken pot metal as far as I can tell and I think trying to seal it is a waste of time.

This is an area in which 3-D printing has a good chance of remaking pot metal parts into stainless steel. I honestly have no idea where I am going to find another starter switch bezel when this one finally breaks.

PackDaddy:

I own a 1955 Constellation. My car was restored during the 1980s in Minnesota and I bought it in June 2012. The carpet in my is heavy-duty short-napped black. There is no diamond pattern in it. The guy who did the restoration was more concerned about function than authenticity. He used a heavier duty solid black cloth and vinyl for the seating, rather than the non-durable pattern with silver stars. That cloth apparently wears out in a matter of months!

If you are trying to restore your Clipper to concours expectations, then you can go ahead and search for the exact carpeting the Packard put in the car in 1955. If you plan to use your car as a driver on tours and for fun, I would recommend a strong, good quality auto carpet. Unless the folks riding with you are totally anal, no one will be able to tell the difference and you will be a lot happier in the long run.

HH:

I think you are absolutely right about the "AC." The car looks OK, though the interior came from God only knows where. The seller shouldn't stop at just the invisible air conditioner; I think he should pull out all the stops and mention even more invisible items like ... cruise control, and 18-speaker Bose stereo system, an 8-inch dash-mounted GPS screen, and back-up sensors. Oh yeah, and let's don't forget the front and side airbags (made by Takata) ...