I've always heard the slang name of choice (definitely not Packard's chosen name) as being "bottle openers" rather than "portholes" fwiw.
Ken

If your tank is not too far gone, a local shop may be able to recondition it for about the price of the fuel cell. My local radiator shop also does fuel tanks. Call around and get price quotes. I defer to the expertise of others on the sender unit.

I know the feeling. I don't have enough garages. The Packard gets the garage. General transportation gets stuck out in the weather. Maybe you should check into one of these steel or aluminum pipe frame and canvas or vinyl fabric "garages" or "carports" they sell at some of the bigger auto part stores if the neighbors wouldn't complain and zoning permits. They aren't as good as garages but they are better than nothing.
Ken

Very nice chrome! Wish mine were that good. Nice looking car too!
Ken

FWIW "defense chrome" was also a problem for 1952 Packards.
Ken

Actually it has "teeth" or grooves or whatever you call them on the center grille piece when it is not supposed to. Cavaliers and Patricians had those but Clippers did not. Otherwise looks very nice. I like the center grille piece on the 53's and 54's better than on the 51's and 52's as it seems a direct repetition of the upper grille but to each his own. What I don't like is the 53 "defense chrome".
Ken

Afraid I do not have any personal experience with long-distance shipping either (mine was towed from Brunswick Georgia to Grayson, Georgia by a local wrecker firm) but I do note that ebay motors has a tab on their automotive listings listing several shippers and price quotes, so you might want to check them out. I believe the same people who sold you the '51 hearse are now selling a '52 hearse so you might want to login to ebay motors and go to that listing and see what shippers ebay motors would recommend from their locale to your locale. Maybe someone with more experience with shipping will chime in.
Ken

Great looking car!
Wish mine looked that good!
Ken

Another not exactly original alternative might be Autocraft seat covers from J.C. Whitney. EZBoy, mentioned by BigKev, is Autocraft's retail branch. Last time I looked, Autocraft didn't say how far they would go back on their J. C. Whitney seat covers. I know they made seat covers for my 53 Clipper in the 70's so they might still do Packards through J.C. Whitney as well. They're doing Packards through EZBoy anyway. Colors and designs are more limited with J. C. Whitney than with EZBoy but prices are also less. Autocraft through J.C. Whitney also sells extra materials for door panels, etc. Might be worth a shot.
J. C. Whitney
Ken

Chester,
I concur that 53 Clipper Deluxes are neat cars. But I am slightly biased!
Ken