Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Does anyone know if the 1948 custom club sedan trunk lid and a 1948-49 22nd series club sedan (standard, Deluxe) will physically interchange?

The trunk lid on my custom club has a badly rusted edge all the way around, and I'm thinking it would be more financially efficient to replace the lid completely with an acceptable donor and drill new holes for the Custom trim, over trying to repair the original lid since I do not yet do my own sheet metal work.

I believe they use the same lid. If I am understanding your question you want to know if a 2255 Custom Club lid is the same as the 2275 Deluxe Club or 2295 Standard Club lid. If so, then according to the parts manual the same part 396652 lid is used for all club sedan models in both the 22nd and 23rd series.

Attach file:

---

  (26.86 KB)

The trim is different, only on the Custom Eight does the trim follow all the way around the perimeter from one side to the other, both 22nd and 23rd Series. One of the easy visual clues to tell a 23rd Series Super Deluxe from a Custom.

I believe that the extra length of the Custom is all forward of the cowl so the deck lids should be the same

Sounds like there is agreement that the lids will interchange between the various club sedan models. The trick will be to find a decent lid off a parts car. Since club sedans appear to be a very desirable model, even parts cars seem to be worthy of restoration so that may be easier said than done unless you already have one lined up. After that, the next obstacle will be to remove and reinstall the retainers for the stainless trim to the new lid.

The belt molding on a 48 appears to be the same shape as that on the earlier Clipper so if it is attached like that on the Clipper models, the trim retaining and support piece under the stainless is riveted to the lid and the rivets will need to be ground off to free the pieces. The way the stainless molding is attached to the support piece means you may be in for an interesting project getting it off without damage to the stainless. I know I used words not suited for proper company on mine and they were only 18" per side. If the lid has rusted edges, being as the retainer is ordinary steel it may also be in very poor condition as was the piece on one side of my 47.

When I reattached mine, using ordinary rivets like those removed was not feasible due to not having proper tools to compress and set the rivets and the narrow space where the rivets go. A tool is available that will work but is expensive to buy for just a few rivets. Pop rivets will not work without doing some cutting, trimming and maybe grinding on them because the weatherstrip cements over the set end of the rivet so nothing can protrude in that area. Reversing them so they protrude on the side where the stainless goes is a problem because the stainless has a recessed center that takes up most of that space. I was able to use short length low profile binding screws instead of rivets. The diameter of the female side of the binding screw is the same as the rivet and head is about as thick. By threading the screw part in from the inside of the trunk the flat surface of the screw head was no thicker than the old rivet and the rubber trunk lid weatherstrip can be cemented back in place without issue.

Thanks for the assistance everyone, I appreciate the help!