Well, unique would be one word to describe it...

https://limaohio.craigslist.org/cto/5423795023.html

bkazmer has really asked the most important question!

Both are well-built and reliable cars, and neither has an obvious investment advantage over the other, so it really comes down to what you'd like to drive. The 22nd Series has less to go wrong with it, but you will also be stuck with shifting your own gears and steering & braking under your own power -- not sure of your age, but for those of us who are getting up there, it's something to keep in mind. On the other hand, the Clipper DeLuxe could offer you the options of having or installing Ultramatic, power steering, and Easamatic power brakes, but if you end up having transmission or brake booster trouble, you might have a challenge finding a skilled mechanic who can fix those vintage transmissions and those pesky Treadle-Vacs.

I would lean towards the 2262, just because the Super Deluxe is a nice package with a little bit more of that traditional regal Packard bearing. Plus, an original 15,000 mile car is almost always a delight. But you really can't go wrong either way!

1937 Packard 120 touring sedan in Battle Creek MI. Looks mostly original and in need of some chroming and other freshening. $13,500
https://centralmich.craigslist.org/cto/5392481245.html

Here's a 1951 Patrician in Saginaw MI -- at least the listed VIN seems to match the Patrician model designator anyway. Price seems a little steep for a basket case ("pay me cash and bring your own boxes, and help me clean out my garage!"), plus any old car located in Michigan has to be carefully inspected for tinworm. The photos only show what appears to be a damaged left front fender, and no photos of the rockers or rear quarters. Yet, the original carpets seem to be in decent shape, so it's possible that the car was stored and/or pampered for a good part of its life. Looks like a pretty green color too.
https://saginaw.craigslist.org/cto/5409847049.html

All we can do is speculate at this point, but one reason might be cost-cutting. The Light Eight was carried over into the Tenth Series, but was given a conventional grille shell and scuttle. I don't remember offhand if it was just the bodies that carried over, or if the chassis was continued as well, just with the front end ensemble change. Fewer die changes in the stamping plant reduces costs for time and labor and die maintenance. It maybe could have been justified if the volumes were there, but they just weren't. And the scooped grille itself may have been difficult to chrome plate and to finish.

It could also have been a quality issue. Maybe the stampings and die castings were notoriously difficult to produce, and Packard decided to save money and go with the tried and true.

Another possibility is the prestige factor. Some people may have thought the Light Eight was the most modern and stylish of the Ninth Series, but others may have seen its unique appearance as immediately telegraphing to your neighbors that you bought the cheapest, bargain Packard and not a regular "real" Packard.

And it may have been a marketing issue. Maybe they received feedback from their clientele that the Light Eight didn't look as substantial and imposing as the other Packards.

It's possible there could be some discussion of this topic in the PMCC's board minutes, but I don't remember seeing that particular research. I do know that many years ago, The Packard Cormorant magazine of The Packard Club (PAC) had a feature on how the Light Eight bodies were continued as a more conventional looking 1933 Packard Eight 1001.

You know, I have never, ever heard of a 1955 or 1956 Cadillac owner wanting to convert their car to a three-on-the-tree, yet it seems like a panacea in the Packard world. I wonder why that is? Does it boil down to a damning indictment of the Twin Ultramatic? Or are there other facets to the story?

Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don't think that Tim is being at all fair to the state of Michigan, and I certainly don't want his impressions -- such as they are, dripping with unnecessary hyperbole -- to deter you from making your dream trip.

There is only one Packard Proving Grounds, and only one Henry Ford Museum. Only one National Automotive History Collection, and only one birthplace of the Model T Ford. Only one Meadow Brook Hall, Fair Lane, and Edsel & Eleanor Ford House. There are literally hundreds of historic sites in our area that tell the story of the automobile and the industry that it spawned, and it's all in only one place.

So if you really want to experience the sense of place and a wealth of one-of-a-kind artifacts, you have to come and experience them in Michigan.

So, by all means, pack up the Corvette or whatever your vehicle of choice, and come on up. We have a great car culture here, and we know how to show hospitality to both old friends and to new friends that we haven't met yet.

Feel free to send me a PM if you'd like some suggestions for planning your trip!

That Patrician parts car in New Jersey looks like it may have been a factory A/C car originally. Seems like there's a piece of ductwork on the firewall in the engine compartment, and that lower pulley on the engine looks like it could be the A/C version. Anyone else agree?

Is that an "AIR CONDITIONED" nameplate next to the "One-Eighty" script?