Stuart Blond provided this interesting insight into the genesis of the Packard V-8:

"Packard's management authorized production of the V-8 engine in March of 1953. Serious discussions were taking place before then, however. Robert J. Neal quoted the minutes of the Operating Committee meeting of January 2, 1951 in his book, Master Motor Builders: "A preliminary cost study of the V-8 engine for use in the 26th Series [1953] has been completed by the Manufacturing Division, and Mr. Reifel reported that it indicated a tool cost of approximately $13 million with a slight increase in piece cost." "By January of 1952," Neal wrote, "the committee had approved spending $1.2 million for the development of the necessary machine tools to set up a modern new engine production facility. By the end of 1953, $3 million had been spent on design, tooling and prototype production of a new V-8 engine, and the company was contemplating further outlay of some $14 million before complete production facilities would be in place. Necessary funds to complete this process were not committed until 1954... There is ample evidence that the engine was designed and prototypes built by early 1953."

Gear Head Tuesday: Late to the Party - The Packard V-8
https://56packardman.com/2018/08/28/gear-head-tuesday-late-to-the-party-the-packard-v-8/

Another blogger has this post about Packards:
https://disaffectedmusings.com/2018/08/28/tuesday-notes/

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Super! Thank you very much for this!

Steve - I don't know that the 2 Packard-badged trucks were actually produced on 19 August, 1958. It is my understanding that the last Packard-badged cars were produced that day. I don't know how many or which models. I have it in the back of my head that the 2 trucks were built after that, but I don't have the proof. This is an inquiry I will make with the museum.

The last Packard-badged car was built by Studebaker on 19 August 1958:

https://56packardman.com/2018/08/21/gear-head-tuesday-the-bitter-end-of-packard

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Indeed! That 1956 Naples Orange never looked better!

Steve - Both Gene and I tried to reply by e-mail to your comment about the bumpers that you left on the blog. Your e-mail server rejected our messages.

Here is what Gene wrote regarding the bumper: "Without looking at examples of both years side by side, it is hard to tell the difference between the 2 in photos of the '30 and '31. Looking at the 733 on the Packard Club site, you see different bumper styles for both the senior and junior cars. One with less curve and one with more curve at the ends. Not sure what this means, but it would not surprise me if one could order the car with Senior bumpers or get them added at the dealership.

If the part number is stamped on the inside of the bumper, the next time I take them off, I'll see if it's there to satisfy my curiosity."

Gear Head Tuesday:
https://56packardman.com/2018/08/07/gear-head-tuesday-1930-packard-7-33/

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Re-blogged the post at Reincarnation here:
https://56packardman.com/2018/07/31/gear-head-tuesday-custom-packard-boat-tail-speedster/

Looking at the images of the Huiskamp conversion and the images of the other '56 Packard ambulance, I suspect they are both Huiskamp conversions. This would explain why the photo of the ambulance at the hospital I got from George Hamlin would have identified it as being Dutch. Perhaps D'Iteren didn't do the ambulance conversion.