Could also be something as simple as the rubber hoses deteriorating which happened on my '72 Mercedes when it sat for a couple years in indoor storage with extremes of temperature, even though it was started and driven outside periodically. Although it has disk brakes, the principal and basic functionality is the same. Trying to bleed it but getting nothing through, completely removing one of the hoses, I couldn't even force 100lb air pressure through it and, as you described, the fluid was black. All the lines flushed clean and new hoses and cylinders, pressure-bled with DOT3 synthetic, it stops better than new. It was a little work but only a minor expense for the sake of safety.

Wouldn't the '51 and '52 250 Mayfair and convertible also have the same hardtop door as the '53 and '54 hardtops and convertibles? they also had the squared corners, unlike the rounded corners of the sedans.

I didn't think that Steele would necessarily be interested now but I had hoped that if he had the pattern, I might be able to talk him into it in the future as I want several sets myself. Through the years I've spoken with staff there who seem interested in patterns even if a production isn't planned for the immediate future!

Are these the air scoop gaskets? If so, have you thought of sending them to Steele first for measurements for possibly reproducing them? I tried to buy an NOS pair recently on eBay but for some unknown reason the seller has me blocked and attempts to reach them were also blocked. I don't know if it's the same seller but it was odd because I had bought one item from them in the past in a completely professional manner and no problems, then several years later inquired about another item and was blocked! It made no sense and I can't even reach them to ask why.

That would be fun and thank you for the invitation! When I'm in Terrebonne (north of it actually, in an unincorporated part of Jefferson County) I don't usually have transportation but perhaps I can borrow a car from a neighbor if time permits. I am generally there only briefly and with pre-set goals of work to be done. Oddly, I am a car collector who hates driving!

As for the Caribbean trunk, you are right. I believe it was shorted both to accommodate the top and to make room for the spare. Rather than extending out the bumper as was generally done, doing it this way gave a good, clean, finished look rather than looking added on as an afterthought. This was also the reason that the rear fenders were apparently lengthened although until I saw the lead in the photo, I didn't know that they were as I have never owned one. I am looking for a very rough 1954 convertible body but have steering away from the Caribbean as it's too scarce to not try to save and restore.

That's cool and a page I hadn't seen before! Somewhere I have an old car magazine from the '60s that compares 1966 Cadillac, Lincoln and Imperial side by side but so many times even before there was an Internet I've met people with either a Packard or an Imperial and more times than not they also own the other. The Imperial had the same high quality (at least in the era of mine) that people respect and that Packard also had. There is no comparing an Imperial to a Cadillac even though I also own the latter. The Cadillac of the '60s were very light weight and went in more for gadgets than anything else.

Someone can yell at me if I'm wrong but I doubt the graft had anything to do with the senior rear portion of the fender since it clearly isn't one. The tail light bulges are totally different than any other Packard of the era so were clearly added to the Clipper fender. The seam must have simply been a lengthening of the rear fender to accommodate the rear spare, grafting in a spacer panel to give a built-in recessed look to the spare rather than making it look like an aftermarket piece that they often were. I understand that the trunk lid was also shortened or moved forward for the same reason.

Yes, these things seem to have worked wonders!

Although an old post that I'm sure must have been resolved by now (no followup was posted), I've always used 8.20 X 15 tires (Allstate Guardsman) on my 1954 Patrician and have never had trouble installing or removing them. I don't recall which shocks are installed but they were from a local auto parts store. Even my 1953 Patrician with L78 X 15 tires had no real trouble getting them on or off although they did drag a bit during the process so they were not a loose fit. It might make a difference if lifting the entire rear end vs lifting only one side but I don't recall any problem either way.

As far as tire size is concerned, I seem to recall reading years ago that the standard size for the 1954 Patrician was 8.00 X 15 as stated above but that 8.20 X 15 was optional. I am not sure now after all these decades where I read that but perhaps in was in the specification section of the Service Counsellor.

On tire pressure, I've always put in 30lbs front and 32lbs rear, or even both 32lbs. I don't know where 20lbs or 22lbs came from that someone mentioned (and I didn't double check the specifications) but I know that with so little pressure they would look quite flat and would ride very mushy. Perhaps the original tires were stiffer to work with lower pressure.

As far as I know, the cormorant ornament was standard on the 1953 Patrician so I suspect that someone changed it to the Clipper ornament. You could get the cormorant on a Clipper as an accessory but I don't think it worked the other way around!

For the person who asked about a 1951 cormorant, I have one with the base in my Oregon workshop so PM me if you still need it. It would need restoration.