That Lincoln/Packard is really in your face. But if you like that one, get a load of this thing that ran in Hemmings:

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/11/28/mitsubishis-re-model-a-pays-homage-to-the-brands-first-automobile/

You might want to check your carburetor carefully. If you have a Rochester 4-barrel like the one on my car, they can spring leaks around the seal after a few years.

I really doubt that someone would chose to syphon gas from a 62-year-old Packard since these cars stick out like sore thumbs in a parking lot full of Toyotas and Hondas! And unless the gas thieves know anything about our cars, they probably would be unclear as to what kind of fuel is actually in these cars!

I find the title of your subject intriguing. Unfortunately, ethanol in gasoline shows no signs of disappearing anytime soon.

A couple of things to remember about the Torsion-Level:

1. If you are going to change a rear tire or your car is going up on a rack, be sure to turn off the T-L.

2. When you will inevitably have your car towed on a flatbed, before your car is raised, sit on the bumper to engage the T-L. When it goes back up, get off and turn off the T-L. The back end will be higher than it should be, but this will enable the car to move up onto the tow truck bed without scraping the exhaust pipes and/or bumper.

Packards/Clippers of these years tend to ride a bit lower in the back, so all of you know what I am talking about!

Is the 1941 Clipper worth $100,000? Only to anyone willing to pay that amount for it! There should be a hell of a lot of room for negotiating there, wouldn't you say?

As far as the "bitsa" is concerned, people have been customizing cars for as long as they have been built. At some point in the 1920s, the original owner may have decided to tweek the car to make it look better (in his opinion). I don't think using the Chrysler headlights are any worse than those Woodlite headlights.

I don't know ... I like the car anyway.

I don't use a lead substitute in my Clipper, but I have used Star-Tron since I bought it in 2012. I have also added about an ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil of late. A friend with a '29 Packard 8 uses it, so I figure it's got to be OK.

I will use gas without ethanol only when it is convenient. I sure won't drive 20 miles out of my way for it. I think the main problem with modern gasoline is the lower octane ratings. Premium gas used to be 97 octane, now it's 93.

If you really want to get an earful (or in this case, an eyeful!), take a look at some of the older feeds regarding ethanol in Hemmings Motor News! Landlords throwing old ladies and children out of their homes to freeze in the snow would get more sympathy from this crowd than the suppliers of ethanol!

I can't say what you can expect when you're restoring a 1955 Clipper, but I can tell you what to expect from a Clipper in good condition.

I bought my 1955 Clipper Custom Constellation in June 2012. since I bought it I have put about 12,000 miles on it. It has a 352 cid V-8 with a Rochester 4-bbl carburetor, and true dual exhaust. It also has Packard's Twin Ultramatic transmission and full torsion-bar suspension with electric self-leveling.

The Clipper is not a muscle car, but it does have plenty of power and handles freeways with no sweat. It has power steering and power brakes, which work pretty well. I do not like the tiny, vacuum operated windshield wipers which speed up when you decelerate and slow down when you accelerate! Outside of switching to an electric system, I just had to get used to them.

The Torsion Level suspension system makes for a very good ride with comfort and good road feel. You have to keep it properly lubricated for it to work well, but that would likely be a given anyway. The self-leveler can be problematic due primarily to its wiring system, but it is fun to see it in operation.

Overall, I am very happy with my Clipper. Since it was restored in the 1980s, I have had to take care of problems that arise as restorations get older. I have rebuilt the transmission and generator, installed a new leveler motor and wiring, replaced the front bushings and motor mounts, serviced the brakes and carburetor, and changed the shocks and tires. Next month I am having the yellow re-sprayed and next year I am going to replace all of the rubber around the inside windows.

This sounds like a lot, but I don't think it is excessive considering the age of the car and its 30-year-old restoration.

Wow! That car is really cool. It seems a little strange to have armor-plating on an open phaeton, don't you think? I bet this car brings in a good price.

BDC:

This car fascinates me. It is interesting that the original owner swapped the original straight-8 for a V-8. I suppose that swapping the older V-8 for a Chevy 454 has a certain logic to it ...

If you were starting a business as a chauffeur service for weddings, I think this particular car just might fit the bill to a "T." With the modern engine and running gear, along with modern available disk brakes, you could drive this car anywhere at normal traffic speeds. Also, since it has an alternator, adding an air-conditioner would be easy.

Like it or not, this is a fine looking car. It may not be original -- thank in part to the original owner! -- but it is undoubtedly more elegant and classier than a stretch Hummer 2 or Ford Excursion!

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The '38 may be a few weeks away from headlining at Pebble Beach ...

What the seller calls a 1940 Packard seems to me to be an incidental designation. With the possible exception of the radiator frame on the front, practically everything else visible was cobbled together from other brands.

It looks like it was somebody's project that literally ran out of gas! The engine is an older Chevrolet, but the tires and wheels look fairly new. Perusing this forum you see examples of Packards turned into hot rods, customized Packards, woebegone barn finds, and gorgeous trailer queens.

This 1940(?) is a real head-scratcher.

Fifty bucks for that '39 120???!!!!