Hey, Anyone know why my car's picture does not pop up on my posts?

Thanks,
Dennis

Yes, it does. Engines in the 200,000 series are 288 engines, and in the 400,000 series are 327's. Did the research. Not sure when it was swapped. The car did have an aftermarket temp gauge installed by the last owner, with a new sending unit. The original gauge sending unit is hanging on the firewall, and when I connected it, the old gauge did not function. Perhaps, the previous owner, while tooling around the Jersey shore with the grandkids, overheated the engine. as the old gauge was not functioning. In the stack of receipts I got from him there was one from the restoration shop stating, 'Engine removed, painted and installed...' for $4,500! So, I am thinking that this is when it was 'changed'. Not sure, but that's a lot of dough to simply remove, repaint and replace.

As I said, the car is gorgeous, and I will decide in the future whether to enjoy it as is, or look for an early '48 327 block.

Dennis

Thanks for the info. It is a bit disheartening that the engine is not the one that came with the car, but I love it none-the-less. I am thing that in the near to distant future, I may be on the hunt for an early 48 327 block, leaving the 288 head on it which was a common upgrade.

I appreciate your help.

Dennis

Will include the info I have in the registry, as suggested. In the interim, here is what I took from the firewall and engine.

-Car has the early serial tag, without color or trim sections, but DELIVERED BY...CITY...DATE. The stamped serial number is, as I said 2279-2653, and it matches the Briggs number on the tag on the passenger side exactly.

-The theft proof number is 728532

- Motor number is G256203CE

- Head number is 389721 288

Apparent original options are the spare tire external inflator under the trunk lid; fog lights; underseat and under dash heater; back up light, vacuum antenna (it's missing but control knob is there), power top and windows of course; and the car has the push buttons with words on them and a light bar on top to illuminate them.

Dennis

Recently purchased a beautiful '48 Packard Super Eight Victoria. It had been sitting in a garage for 6 or more years after the last owner passed. I bought it from his wife, and got her running. The previous owner restored the car in 2000, with new top, interior, and Cavalier Maroon paint. Plus various mechanical things such as the radiator, brake lines, harness, top and window cylinders, etc. The list goes on.

I called the owner before him, who said he purchased the car in the late 80's from Andy Rosen, near Philly. I contacted Andy and he recalled he car when he purchased it in 1980 from a Don Rook, an avid Packard and Chrysler 300 collector.

It seems that the car has a 288 motor in her. I thought maybe it was just the heads, but the block is in the 200,000 series. It is a G motor and it is painted Packard Green. I have pics of the car from years back, and it does show a dealer added back-up light. The light is gone, but the switch is still on the R-9 trans...so I believe the trans to be original. This is a very early car, with slide vent controls...#2653 ...or the 653 Super 8 conv built. It has an early glove box door with no lock, much like the Custom 8 door, before they made them different. (according to Stuart from Kanter).

After speaking to Andy Rosen, he mentioned that when he got the car from Don Rook in 1980, it was Brown, and all original and untouched. He took it to the Nationals, and a very knowledgeable older Packard enthusiast came up to him and said, "You have an unusual car here. it's a very early car with many Deluxe Eight features. Such as the hubcaps, trim, etc. It is one of the first convertibles Packard built and released that year..." Andy Rosen recalls that it had the 288 motor in it at the time. I looked up Don Rok on Google, and he passed away, but was known for his authentic and unusual cars, at one time owning 49 Packards.

The car has 95k miles on it and the motor appears to have never been rebuilt. is it possible that this motor cam in this car?????

Thanks,
Dennis

I've had old cars before and have had chrome replated. Always shopped around, and looked for good quality and a good price. I am trying to purchase a 48 Victoria Super 8 and the chrome all needs to be redone. I need to have a rough idea what it would cost me to re-do the chrome on the car. mainly the bumpers, grill and external chrome, etc. A rough total would give me a etter bargaining chip for this potential purchase, and also let me know what I am getting into.

Thanks,
Dennis

Yes, I am keeping my eyes open for a convertible from 48 to 50. If you would like to email me at dendecina@yahoo.com and send me the perticulars on your car or cars if they are for sale I would like to hear about them.

Thanks,
Dennis

Thanks again to you all...you guys are the best. A good friend of mine from the Antique Automobile Club of Brooklyn, Joe Lipton once told me. "When you finally buy a Packard, and you drive into a car show, you are driving class...you are like a celebrity..."

It seems to me that real Packard enthusiasts, like yourselves, are the epitomy of "CLASS".

Many thanks again, and I look forward to the day I own a Packard Convertible.

Dennis Decina

Thanks for all of your help and info. Being a Corvette guy for many years, and an NCRS member, and dealing with Corvette Forum, has helped me to learn to rely on the experts in these forums.

I am learing a great deal about Packards, and the lack of real serial number is a big concern to me, as oneday, I could be selling this car to get another Packard, and potential buyers who are packard experts would have their doubts, as I, a novice for this make, have.

The car is a 22nd series judging from the engine number from what I was told. It does have a spear running down the middle of the body as the 23rd series does, along with the 22nd series lower body molding. Perhaps someone, a dealer maybe, added it back in the day.

As far as the Brigs body tag goes, he did not send me a picture of that, but I asked him to locate the small metal tag on the firewall, and read me the number. It came up as the engine number.

RIght now we are in a dispute over the deposit, and although I realize a 'deposit is a deposit' I am not moving forward due to a real issue, not because I am just getting cold feet or a different car. Disappointed I am not getting this car, but documenting a real car is quite important to me.

Thanks for all of your expert advice and help.

Dennis
(Lakecreature)

That's the issue. The Brigs tag on the firewall has the engine number stamped on it! So, without a valid serial number on either plate, the original vin number cannot be determined. Now the seller is holding onto my $1,000 deposit and refuses to return it. It's not like I got cold feet, but found a real problem that he refuses to recognize. I sent him the money via PayPal, and I'm trying to have them help me get it back. It's too bad as the car looked gorgeous and I was ready to pick it up via carrier.