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NYC 1948 lwb taxi will be next on my list. I think it will buff out. Any suggestions or encouragement welcome. Yes it is that rusty.

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I'd like to see a thread started on its restoration. John

I look forward to watching you project.

You mentioned it is that rusty. Do you have to find another LWB car to fix the rust?

How much different is the taxi than other LWB cars.
Were they a Henny built car?

It's "Henney" with a second E and I had always thought that the postwar long wheelbase cars prior to 1953 were Henney but something I read here on another posting said otherwise. Whichever it was, the taxis would have been the same and likely not all were long wheelbase models either.

Packard's 22nd and 23rd series lwb car bodies were built by Briggs, Henney's facilities were fully committed to their new line of professional funeral vehicles. LWB body production returned back to Henney when LWB models returned to Packard for the 1953 model year.

Fuller details in Bob Neal's book on the 1948-1950 Packards, and in McPherson's many articles in The Professional Car on Packard LWB cars.

Thanks for the input. I have found out that there is little information on the lwb taxicabs. Basically the lwb taxi is a 7 passenger sedan with a 6 cylinder engine with a special taxi interior and accessories such as roof light , luggage rack, power rear glass, pimp lights on roof, steel frame around all door glass. Any information would be helpful with this project.
Thanks for your interest. Packardtaximan

Here are some in NYC service, two in Los Angeles - one I thought was a movie prop but appears to be a real one. The funny looking taxi is a Parmalee/Checker a company that was building taxis with instantly recognizable bodies. It later morphed by acquisition into Checker.

Packard was creamed by Desoto taxis thanks to the later's trouble free fluid drive. The 1941 model already is suffering from the common pre-1951 malady sagging springs. Rough NYC service has taken it's toll in short order. That unit is not far from the junk yard.

As well, apparently not all of the Clippers had the special fender mounted hood release. Obviously the service garages were unhappy with the status quo.

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It would be really neat to watch that come back to life..can't be many of them rolling around.

Yeah, I'd like to see a picture of the look on your wife's face when this showed up in her driveway....

Seriously, your commitment to obscure Packard history is commendable.

Good, glad to see the sole surviving 22nd Series NYC Taxi will be restored. I'm sure its an ambitious project by the looks, though there should be enough good sheet metal that can be had from parts cars to facilitate the process.

Please start a project blog and keep us apprised of your progress. If a solid 141" wheelbase body should turn up, you'll be the first to know.

Steve