I had heard of the dealer-built "Esquire" editions, but also saw one, in person, at the Centennial Meet in Warren - a two-door hardtop coupe. IIRC, the conversion was rooted in plans by the dealer to make a Caribben heardtop, but when the factory did so for 1956, the dealer came up with the "Esquire" name and even had script plates made to go where the "Caribbean" script would have been.

However, I had not heard that Esquire conversions were made on anything other than a Four Hundred body.

Notice that the subject sedan shows no such evidence of a script plate on the upper front fender. This car is currently listed for sale on eBay, but pix of the interior look like a much more recent type of cloth fabric on the seats. I'd be very reluctant to bid on that car as a collector's item.

I bet Eric will do an even better job with his Pat. The reversible seat cushions might be out of the question, but I'm confident that one could accomplish a treatment on the Patrcian seat that was similar to the all-leather side of the Caribbean cushions.

Meanwhile, I have to agree about the sedan not carrying the tritone scheme very well; light/bright colors make the door window frames stand out like a sore thumb. Darker colors play them down.

Perhaps some of you have heard of the '56 Patrician purchased new by band leader (and marketing force behind the kitchen blender), Fred Waring. He had Carib side trim applied and had the car painted in two-tone - black with some shade of blue/green (perhps Eire Green? )in the area bounded by the Carib side trim. I had opportunity to see this car several years ago, as it had survived in the hands of a private collector in Ohio, but my memories of it car are a bit fuzzy now. I cannot recall whether the roof was left black or also painted blue/green - similar in effect to the two-tone paint schemes on the Executives.

While I prefer '55-'56 Carib convertibles and hardtops in a tritone scheme, I think the two-tone lends itself to the Carib side trim - as evidenced by the attached illustration from a'55 Carib ad. Not sure if I'd like it with top up - which was only available in white.

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These cars are not really much of a mystery, they have been written of and photographed in at least two older issues of The Packard Cormorant, a PAC publication. In general they had Caribbean hoods and a similar paint scheme to the Caribbean, and were done on Patricians, though other sedans might also have been converted. They were produced without factory sanction by a Packard dealer, DuBois Motors of Arlington, VA and carried "Esquire" script. In an old interview with one of the principals, he first thought they build "just a few" but in a later interview he recalls the number might have been about 25 or so (as I recall, I haven't read the articles in years). If you want the specific issued of TPC that these articles appeared in, email me for them.

hello john

this is bob buckler, funston ga-just checking in with you-wondering if you have found the problem--my email is sbabb@alltel.net---=229-941-2598

thks--bob

I don't know, maybe someone could Photoshop this in some different colors to give us an idea what might look best. I'm actually thinking of doing the white/blue/dark gray color scheme. BUT, one solid color will be a lot easier to paint, and easier on my pocket book!

I wonder if the "Carribbean sports sedan" would look better in a solid color (like Black) than the tri-tone Carribbean island colors?


WWDTD?


(what would Dick Teague do?)

Could you check the level of fuel in the carb bowl after it conks to see if there is indeed a fuel delivery problem?
One thing I learned about fuel pumps is that they can warp under heat and lose prime, even with a new diaphragm. If you take apart the two halves of the pump you may see that the areas around the threaded (and thru) holes are distorted (raised upward) from over-torquing by previous mechanics/owners. You can heat up the housings and bend them back into relative flatness then flat-file the mating surfaces to the point where the two halves are reasonably flat to each other, when you hold the two halves together without the diaphragm and sight through them you can't see a lot of light coming through. Assemble the pump again, keeping in mind you don't want to over torque the fasteners, just draw them up evenly in a cross-torquing pattern. I have fixed "conkers" that way. Having a glass bowl/ceramic element fuel filter near the carb is a good indicator of whether there is fuel making it that far at a given moment.

Most if not all of you on here know I plan on building a 4 door Caribbean, but I'm not sure how many know that this was done by dealers in the past. The only thing is with the ones I've seen, is that they didn't go as far as I plan to, ie, removing the "Patrician" script, and replacing it with "Caribbean" script in the appropriate locations on the car. (along with other numerous mods that I have in store for the old girl) My question here is, does anyone have any pics of these cars? It is my understanding that 25-30 Patricians were modified by either the factory or the dealer to include Caribbean side trim and the hood.

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Oh, you're from Canada, eh?, Ya, thaaat's a lot of dollors, eh?.

Really though, it would be a hard book to borrow from the library, as it is 828 pages long, much important text to read through. Perhaps your period of borrowing it will convince you to buy it.

Thank you MrPushbutton, I shall try and get the Kimes book on interlibrary loan - I am a renowned cheapskate and have my reputation to consider.

Interestingly the book is going for $44 Canadian on amazon.ca, so if ILL fails me I shall just swallow the financial pain and buy it!

You guys are gonna hate me. The tank is new, so i know there aren't any issues there. As for the condensor, we have used three different condensers on it, so i am quite positive thats not it. That was my first inclination, check the points and condensor. This is why i said ive never had this issue. I have tried everything I could think of. I even played with the climatic control, but that didnt help it either. i'm stumped.