Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Forum Ambassador
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Check the motor number stamped on a smoothed pad above the starter motor. The 54 Caribbean would have the one year only 359 engine with the aluminum head which starts with the letter M. The second digit would be a 6 for the 359.. Any other year engine starts with a different letter and while the other engines would bolt in and be perfectly serviceable, in 54 nothing but the 359 would be correct in that car.
![]() On the paint colors, is that U and L an actual code or just stand for upper and lower? As I recall, in 54 models unless it has been damaged or fallen off the paint and trim codes are found written or printed on a paper label on one side of the glove drawer or sometimes in the back. Packard would often do special colors and combos if a customer wanted to pay for it and styling approved but usually there was a special code designation or even nothing written in the paint code location. Any chance the light brown or mocha color is actually a very dirty and possibly oxidized Matador Maroon? Here is a list of the standard 54 colors and codes. A couple of more colors and combinations were added around midway in production. ![]()
Posted on: 8/16 20:09
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Howard
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Home away from home
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Would ballpark 15-20k value for nice interior, non running but turns over, needs exterior work, negligible rust.
Posted on: 8/16 20:35
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1955 400 | Registry | Project Blog
1955 Clipper Deluxe | Registry | Project Blog 1955 Clipper Super Panama | Registry |
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Home away from home
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Quote:
These Caribbeans were not really fully built by or at Packard. They were done by Mitchell-Bentley Corp. FOR Packard. M-B had certain limitations and practices. So. In order to keep guessing to a minimum, the absolute best thing to do is to take and post photos. The more, the better. Be sure to take pics of the serial plate in the driver's door jamb. Brown is certainly not a color for the original top fabric. Again, let's see photos. And take clear photos of any labels on the right-hand side of the pull-out glove box drawer.
Posted on: 8/16 20:47
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Forum Ambassador
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G'day Atltee,
![]() If you purchase this '54 Caribbean I invite you to include it in PackardInfo's Packard Vehicle Registry.
Posted on: 8/16 21:38
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Mal
/o[]o\ ==== ![]() Bowral, Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia "Out of chaos comes order" - Nietzsche. 1938 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD 1941 One-Twenty Club Coupe - SOLD 1948 Super Eight Limo, chassis RHD - SOLD 1950 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD What's this? ![]() Put your Packard in the Packard Vehicle Registry! Here's how! Any questions - PM or email me at ozstatman@gmail.com |
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Home away from home
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I say buy it, spend ridiculous amounts of time, money, and energy on it, and have an amazing car! One day I hope a 53 Caribbean will come my way!
Posted on: 8/16 21:49
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Just popping in
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All,
Thanks for the information. Very helpful. I will gather some photos I have taken. Atltee.
Posted on: Yesterday 13:59
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Home away from home
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Atltee
In response to a couple of your original questions. Packard used many parts on all models, and while I didn't check, I don't think you'll have an issue finding a grill. You can use the "Factory Parts List" on the left, or the Parts Book in the "Literature Archive" also on the left, to find the part number of your grill, or nearly any part, and see what other cars it was used on. Value is always hard. I have a '53 Cavalier, and even though I do virtually all the work to it myself, I would have a hard time getting the money I've invested into it for parts and materials back out again. Especially in Canada where the Packard Brand is not as well known and revered as it is in the USA. The Hagerty valuation tool currently lists the following for a 54 Caribbean. $29,400 Fair Condition $61,400 Good Condition $87,400 Excellent Condition $95,400 Concours Condition Probably your original investment is less of a financial concern than what you plan to do with the car, but of course the better the deal the more resources you have for restoration work. Post some pictures when you get a chance! I love the 53 and 54 Caribbeans, they are gorgeous cars! I'm a little partial to the 53, primarily because of the fully cut-out rear wheel housing, and I prefer the single colour paint of the 53. If I had the space, the time and the money, this is a car I would have a great time doing a frame-off restoration. If you do decide to buy and restore this 54 Caribbean, I would suggest keeping it as original as possible. I think, for the most part, Packard enthusiasts appreciate a car that doesn't have modifications................they don't make the car "better." I must admit I've become a bit of a factory original freak with my Cavalier, which is just a driver, not a show car. Little by little I change screws, hose clamps and nearly whatever I can see that isn't factory correct.
Posted on: Today 10:18
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Re: Barn Find 1954 Caribbean
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Home away from home
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Yes there are very few non-factory modifications that won't hurt value. Not that everything has to be concours quality but it should be repaired in a comparable way to when it was new ish.
Main counterexample I can think of is the Olds oil pump + Tbird fuel pump on the V8 cars. Two that don't change value too much are a non numbers matching but correct drivetrain and an alternator charging system. That's about it.
Posted on: Today 11:59
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1955 400 | Registry | Project Blog
1955 Clipper Deluxe | Registry | Project Blog 1955 Clipper Super Panama | Registry |
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