Gadzooks!!

To paraphrase the old cigarette slogan: "That is the Street Rod that dares to be known by bad taste alone"

Odd how they call replacement of the powertrain "an upgrade". For most of the rods I see, they're stuffed with used Chevy parts plastered with lots of chrome, all depressingly uninteresting.

But I have to remind myself, rods aren't about the car, they're about the owner. They are a 'vehicle' (pun intended) for the owner to be thought of as COOL.

Guess you can tell I'm not big on rods. Dislike seeing the original identity and context of the car obliterated for trivial purposes.

Steve

Hi

Interesting picture, thanks for posting it.

ECAnthony points out an important detail, something that would become a headache for dealers. While delighted to have a new Packard convertible to lure prospects into the showroom, their bread and butter Clippers suddenly became last year's models.

Those who considered spending significant money for a new Packard quickly realized their money would be spent for an out-of-date car if they bought a new Clipper so held off for the complete 22nd series introduction. The demand for the last of the Clippers slackened, causing price discounting in the fading seller's market. Dealers would face this situation again and again in the coming years.

Just a guess, but I'd wager some dealers had leftover high end Clippers languishing on their lots in early '48 with deeply discounted prices.

Steve

Hi
Nice old interesting pictures, glad the gentleman shared them with you and you with us.

The Studebaker is a 1937 Dictator Six with the optional sidemount which is missing from the mounting. I'm guessing that T.J Richards body company stretched the body, adding the middle door. That company had a business relationship with Studebaker, bodied many of their cars exported to your country.

The Plymouth is a 1935 Deluxe PJ 7 passenger sedan with a 128" wheelbase versus the standard 113" wheelbase of the regular 5 passenger models. Only 350 were built in this form with another 77 units as a 5 passenger Traveler sedan variation with a built-in trunk.

This model was intended for the export, livery and taxi markets. Appears as if this car was used for it's intended purpose. Probably covered a half-million miles with regular engine rebuilds and replacements until it was completely worn out.

Steve

Hi Owen

Great tour pictures, you're forgiven for missing the high holy days of Hershey!

That MG would be an SA or WA model:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_SA

They were big cars, CCCA recognizes them.
Good looking Alfa Romeo, maybe a Pinin Farina cabriolet body?
That '33 Chrysler looks like a Imperial Eight CQ model, though it's hard to tell from the photo angle.

Steve

Hi

Even without hard number to verify my opinion, I'll still go out on the limb. Yes, for a car of such relatively low production, the survival rate seems to be unusually high.

This is a good thing in my view. Fortunately, owners over the years have been reluctant to junk these cars, knowing they are among the "last Packards" whatever their pedigree.

When new, measured as a percentage of competitive models, and the overall market totals, these cars were just a handful of sand on a big beach!

The good survival rate somewhat guarantees that ocassionally, in the sea of popular collector cars at shows, a real rarity in the '57 Clipper will show to relieve the monotony!

Steve

Hi Scottie

The serial no. 57L-3209 would make it the 2609th '57 Clipper built of the overall total of 4809 units. This would include Country Sedans as well, built about two/thirds of the way through the production run. This number is equivalent to the VIN on cars now, what would be used to title and/or register the car.

Of the body no. 57LY-1782: 57L designates Packard Clipper, Y identifies it as a Y body sedan, the 4" extension of the base W body used on most Studebakers except President Classic, to be mounted on the 120.5" wheelbase chassis. The 1782 tells us it was the 1782th Y body built for use as part of the Clipper production run.

Practice at South Bend was to build the bodies needed, store some in body banks in primer. When orders or just stock production demanded one, go get the next one available to send down the line. Therefore, there is no correlation between the serial and body numbers. This method can turn out low serial number cars with much later body no. tags. The body no. is only significant to the manufacturer, not used for registration purposes.

Of the number on the radiator tag, I don't know if it is a manufacture I.D. or the Studebaker part no. Someone on the SDC Forum under the Technical column could answer that better.

Hope you can find it a good home.

Steve

Hi

1) Get it running well enough for short local trips, then

2) BRAKES! Rebuild whether they look good or not, especially replacing all the lines! It will save the sheet metal and trim and most importantly your hide while you....

3) Mount Safe Tires, then....

4) Drive the car to find out what you have mechanically and correct as many of those problems as pop-up. Do so enough to truly see what major mechanical work it needs to operate well for touring before you then...

5) Dive into the body/paint/trim work to make it beautiful. Unless the car is a weathered wreak, it can be made acceptable to drive with a clean up, some cheap interior rework, etc...

6) Endure the comments of those who only want to see beautifully restored cars.....knowing you have a car worth investing further resources in......knowing the car will be worth that investment in long term satisfaction.

Steve

Hi Scott

While it surely needs a complete restoration, please don't be in a hurry to part it out. Speaking from a region of the country where all of those not restored have been ruined by rust, that solid car should be of interest to someone wanting to restore one. If the small amount to rust you describe is the extent of it, that's just about a miracle!

On the hatred of old cars by politician: that goes for the general public at large, unless the car is beautifully restored. Most people can't differentiate between an unrestored fifty year old survivor of a defunct make and a worn out junk whatever, each is just an eyesore to them. Oddly enough, they're glad to see the old car when it's restored, though they would careless preclude that possibility by destroying the very cars they enjoy when restored.

Glad you were able to save this Clipper, hope you can find it an owner who will restore it.

Steve

Hi Scott

Glad to hear another Clipper Town Sedan has found an appreciative owner. As you probably know, these are controversial cars among Packard owners. For various views, see the posting "Are '57-'58 Packards real Packards?"

In my view, they're as real a '57 Packard as we'll ever have, an historic fact of life and worthy of restoration and preservation.

On the restoration parts availability, it should be easier than Detroit Packards. The main thing you have to keep in mind is the car is completely a '57 Studebaker. As was suggested, join the Studebaker Driver's Club as well for parts and mechanical advice resources. In fact there is more interest in and acceptance of these cars in the SDC than in most Packard club (sorry to say, but it seems to be true).

On such parts as the windshield, you'll find they are interchangable with all 1955 1/2 through 1958 Studebaker sedans and wagon bodied cars, Hawks excluded. The '57 Town Sedan and '58 Packard sedan are built on the Studebaker Y-body with the 120.5" wb chassis, shared with the President Classic. This body differs from the W-bodied sedans on 116.5 wb in the rear door, which are 4 inches longer and have vent windows.
Consulting a body parts catalog will show you how they are differ, but it is mostly all trim, on the major units, where holes were punched for the trim. The modifications to create the character lines on the rear fenders are stamped overlays welded to the standard Studebaker quarter panels. This area is particularly rust-prone in most parts of the country. Even those part are/were available NOS from SASCO.

Mechancially, the car is the same as '57 President with the Golden Hawk supercharged 289 ci V-8 and heavy duty automatic. The engine is the standard Studebaker V8 found in all their V8 cars from 1951-1964 in various displacements. It is a good rugged unit with fine parts availability.

Hope all this helps, post a picture or two of the car when you have a chance. If I can help, contact me through this website, I'll be glad to render whatever help I can or point you in the right direction

Steve

Hi Mrpushbutton

Thanks for the pictures too.

Darn, I missed seeing that handsome '32 Phaeton and the '33 Sedan.

But that's Hershey, large enough so some interesting cars get missed no matter how much one walks and looks.

Saw that stunning '34 Twelve club coupe in the parking lot of the Cocoa Diner on Thrusday morning, later in the Dayton museum tent, what a sweetheart!

Steve