The 54 Caribbean grille is the same as any senior Packard for 1953 and 1954. The Clipper Grilles are the same also except without the two trim pieces ("teeth") on the center bar which can easily be added. So any good grille you find from any model 53 or 54 would work.

A cheap and easy filter for your cooling system is a nylon stocking in the upper radiator hose. I buy the cheapest ankle highs and cut them down to about 6" long. Just push the toe into the radiator and fold the open end over the inlet. The upper hose will hold it in place. The cheap ones are thin enough that they don't impede the water flow noticeably and yet fine enough to catch any debris big enough to clog your radiator. It is also easy to change at regular intervals.

Do not dump it into the sewer or on the ground. This stuff is poisonous. If you dump it on the ground, the sweet smell and taste will attract dogs and cats and they will lick it up.

Attached is a picture of the type puller that you need. The "dog-bone" is designed to be hit with a hammer.

Many years ago I was struggling to get the rear hubs off a Packard. I had the proper puller and I was beating on it with a hammer but no progress. I contacted an old time mechanic and he observed, "You need a bigger hammer!". Since then I have used a 6 pound sledge for this purpose and never had a problem.

Some tips: Loosen the large axle nut until it is flush with the axle end while you are beating on it. This will protect the threads on the axle and keep the drum from flying off and damaging your toes. Wear safety glasses. My puller has a little notch where a splinter of metal was knocked off.

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Packard did not try to use unique parts for many of their applications. For instance, the brakes are all standard Bendix set up and the parts are mostly available at any auto parts store. Wheel bearings are plentiful. There are also half a dozen dealers who specialize in Packard parts so you will be able to find anything you need.

As far as an engine rebuild, take it apart and check it first. Packard blocks were pretty hard material and you may be surprised that it is still within specs. Rings and rod bearings are common. Even the crankshaft is not hard to come by (although I would not look forward to paying to ship one, those things are heavy!). The hydraulic lifters are unique to Packard but new ones are available.

I suspect that you will find that the most expensive part of getting this car presentable will be redoing the interior. I restored a 53 Cavalier 20 years ago that looked much worse than this. I was able to find a company that made me a set of perfect fitting seat covers from patterns they had in their files. Not in the original cloth pattern but at a very reasonable price.

The big chrome grill looks pretty good and will probably polish up adequately for a driver. Try using a brass wire brush on a dremel tool and you may be amazed at what shines up. There was a chrome shortage in 1953 due to the Korean war so some of the plating was not very thick. The good news is that many trim items like tail fins, tail lights and door handles span several years.

The 53 Cavalier that I restored was bought new by my wife's father so having a family connection is nice. I had owned pre-war Packards but was never very interested in the post-war cars. However, after restoring and driving one, I can attest that they are very nice cars and easy to drive. I like the idea of going to a car show and having a unique car among the dozen '57 Chevys.

I have looked for a higher pressure cap than a 7 lb in the past without success. Does anyone know of a currently available cap?

Check out the wild bumper guard on the 52 Mayfair

Usually with a quick visual inspection, you can see if the differential seal is in place

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1942 Brochure with 11 loose plates*, 9x12", showing the 160 and 180 models. The plates are offset prints of factory photos.
Each plate has two sides, the front has a picture of the car's exterior and the rear has a picture of the interior.
These come in a hard cover folder with a small (4x11) 10 page insert describing the features of the 1942 cars and Packard build quality. The cover is wrapped in plastic but has some damage along the lower edge.

The plates picture the following models:
160 Convertible Coupe
160 5 Passenger Touring Sedan
160 8 Passenger Touring Sedan
160 Clipper Touring Sedan
160 Clipper Club Sedan
180 Clipper Touring Sedan
180 Clipper Club Sedan
180 8 Passenger Touring Sedan
180 Touring Sedan
180 Formal Sedan
180 Limousine

*Note that his set is missing one plate that would have originally been included. The missing plate is for the Model 180 Convertible Victoria.

$60 plus $5 shipping via media mail.

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The front fenders on all 51-54 models are all the same except for the trim mounting holes. The holes are easily patched and you have a fender to make a template for new holes if you need it.
On my last project, I had rust holes, badly patched, on both front fenders of a 54 Convertible. I was planning to graft pieces from another fender but I found a very decent pair of 53 fenders so just replaced the whole fender. As a bonus the 53 fenders were not undercoated. I paid $100 for the pair. I had the 53 fenders stored in my garage for four years before I needed them but they saved me a lot of time and trouble eventually.
So start looking now and maybe you'll come across a good deal somewhere.

I had a larger problem with the badly repaired rear fenders since I needed the two door version. Not only are these models rare but any car that had decent rear fenders was too good to part out. I eventually fabricated my own fender patches out of sheet metal. It was a time consuming but ultimately satisfying task. The hardest part was getting the wheel opening the correct shape/size to accept a fender skirt. This may be a good option for you if your rust out is confined to the area from the wheel back as this part is a pretty simple shape. You may be able to tell what you need to do by looking at the inside of the fender behind the repair to see how extensive it is.