BigKev's idea is a good one. Do you have the stainless trim for the door panels? It would probably be helpful if you could identify the trim/pattern needed for your model, e.g., Standard Eight, Deluxe Eight, Super Eight or Super Deluxe Eight. Since Packard dropped the Custom Club Sedan with the 23rd Series, it can't be that.


Edit: bkazmer beat me to it.

That sign is the home office of General Insurance Company of America. The home office was in Seattle. So...

Edit: I see Roger found it while I was posting.

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The only problem now is that there is a discrepancy that will probably cause some confusion:

If I enter a number for a 22nd series 1948 model I will get ...xxxth out of 5320 vehicles...

If I enter a number for a 22nd series 1949 model I will get ...xxxth out of 8134 vehicles...

For the sake of consistency and simplicity in coding, I'd be inclined to use the total production number for the series rather than trying to calculate the start/end numbers for the year. That would give the 8134 number for both the above examples.

It looks good to me. Since the only difference in the year change within the 22nd or within the 23rd series models is the data plate, I think the statement on the model sequence makes sense.

PS I sent you a correction on the 2362 body production numbers.

I'll put together an Excel spreadsheet and get it to you. No later than tomorrow.

I input the VN of my other Custom, the 1949 22nd series and got the following:
Notes: * 8937 is outside the valid production sequence number of 2001 - 4989
This car is not re-numbered and carries the VN of 2252-9-8937. I think the problem here is that it's being assumed that Packard started over with the sequential numbering mid series with the change of the model year. They didn't. Just to drive future Packard owners nuts, they simply continued numbering. So... for a 1948 22nd series Custom sedan the highest sequential number is 7320 based on a production number of 5320 and for a 1949 22nd series Custom Sedan the highest sequential number is 10,134 based on an ADDITIONAL production number of 2814. Those numbers are based on Robert Neal's book and could be subject to change as O_D's post indicates.

Very nicely done!

Here's what I get when I input the SN from my "1950" Custom Eight Touring Sedan. The notation that the number is outside the production sequence number is correct but the number is valid. The car is a factory re-numbered 1949 that didn't sell. According to Robert Neal's book, the highest reported number for re-numbered 1949 23rd Series Customs was 5524. The original number on my car, from the build slip (when it was to be sold as a 1949 model) was 2697.

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The orientation of the plunger shouldn't affect the vacuum. As long as the ball is present and located above the plunger, it should be pulled up in the shaft and block the vacuum intake when the engine is running.

Well, you can't mess with the theft-proof number so... maybe.

The gold cars were painted gold initially and not re-painted. The code was 'R' for special request. Unless your car was a factory renumbered '49 model, the -5- indicates it was built as a 1950 model and couldn't be a gold drive-away Packard. The serial number on the factory renumbered 1949 models would have been much higher than yours. So... to answer your question... it's very unlikely.