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Hope I didn't just get in over my head. I just won a coupe on Ebay from Mesa, AZ. I've been in the Army for 18 years and have used working on cars as destressor. However, I've never worked on anything manufactured before 1965.

I'm from South Bend, Indiana orginally and was leaning towards Studebakers when the Packard bug bit me. The more I studied, the more I liked and, of course, all of the articles in Hemmings Motor Classics just piqued my interest more.

So any thoughts on my purchase? I'm going through the forums reading about awakening dead engines, etc.

I need to figure out how to add pictures.

Thanks.

Darrin

Darrin,

Welcome to the website. Take a look at my project blog (link below) as it covers the ongoing restoration of my '54 Clipper Deluxe. Lots of pictures and narrative that should help answer many of the questions you have.

G'day Darrin,
to PackardInfo and congratulations on your Packard purchase. There is some advice in this FAQ which could help in adding pic's.

And I invite you to include your '54 Clipper Coupe in the Packard Owner's Registry here, together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Welcome Darrin! Looks like a great project. I live in the phoenix metro area, not to far from Mesa. Let me know if you come out to pick up the car, if I can, I'll try to come meet up and see the car.

There are many - many resources here as well as people who really know the ins and outs of this family (51 - 54) Packard.

Best of luck,
Jim

Pictures attached.

I literally won it on Ebay less than 12 hours ago.

From the ad, it looks like it was in California and last plated/registered in 1973.

It's not running but the engine turns by hand. It has the Ultramatic tranny and Easematic brakes. Front floor pans and rockers are rusted through. Trunk and rear pans are good.

I will write more when it arrives in El Paso.

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Looks like a Super Clipper based upon the 3-gauge dash cluster.

Well I received her in El Paso on Saturday. Extremely solid and complete. Almost every piece of trim that I thought was missing was in the trunk.

Front floorboards are bad as well as the bottom of the front seat that attaches to the floorboard. The right side seems worse off rust-wise than the left with the right rocker panel very rusted. However, the underlying frame as well as even the cross bracing is extremely solid.

The car came with a California Ownership Certificate with the engine or ID number stating M315644 and body type as SDCL5465. However, the engine in the car has number on the head "455139" as well as "312 54" and "327". The firewall has a plate with "5465-2650". The interior metal on the dash and door frames looks to be Galahad Green. The exterior has been repainted but I'm guessing was orginally light green (Orchard or Bellevue?) on the bottom and Gallahad on top.

It has the 1954 clipper full wheel covers (any suggestions on how to repaint them?).

It has the easematic brakes and Ultramatic transmission.

The rear emblem says "Super Clipper".

My initial forensics show the car to have been plated through at least 1978. It was titled in 1973 to Steve G. of Pasadena, CA and was later sold, but not title transferred, to Gabe of Yuma, AZ. From there it was acquired by Arizona Wholesale Classics who sold it to me. The odometer reads "00374" and, guessing from the wear of the brake and accelerator, is likely 100,374 and not 200,374.

The interior is a dark green similar to the galahad hued paint with a solid vinyl upper and what appears to be a woven vinyl with offset interlinked, squished "o's" or octagons? (Any idea what type of fabric?) Front seat needs to be redone.

I've pulled the front seat and the carpeting, which looks almost like grey felt, and found green carpeting underneath that appears to be green fine loop.

Anyplace else I should look to better identify exactly what I have? Is there a standard location for build sheets, etc?

Thanks.

"5465" is a Clipper Super Club Sedan, as seen here:packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/model ... l.php?modelnum=5465&ButtonLookup=Go

The number on the head, "455139" is the casting number of the head, and "3-12-54" is the date, and "327" is of course the size, 327cid. "M315644" should be a 327 5 main engine with mechanical lifters.

Eric gave you the specs and that would be the optional larger engine for the super.

Build sheets, when found, have been reported in many places. 54 production seemed to favor around the glove box. Look and feel carefully around or on top of the metal enclosure surrounding the glove box. It is most likely just a narrow strip of paper in pretty sad shape taped on. A square label type has been reported glued to the drawer itself--although that one was not really a build sheet but does have the numbers. Other locations some have reported finding one are under the rear seat, or slid in a crevice between the quarter panel and inside fender structure, or stuck between the vent tube and gas filler near top of gas tank.

The fabric on some models was called nylon matelasse--although from the tear in drivers seat, that looks to be a seat cover over the original striped upholstery. The lower end cars used ordinary fabrics with the nylon reserved for the more costly. It was a popular custom of the day to buy a car, put on a dealer supplied accessory or buy an aftermarket set of seat covers. There are several suppliers who deal in the older fabrics so you might get lucky.

Suggest you download the 54 fact bookpackardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SalesFactBook54.pdf as there is a wealth of info in it. The body section gives the rundown on upholstery. Of course, most of the other manuals are here as well.

How funny is that? Someone 1,000 miles away can spot seat covers that I missed when the car is in my garage.

Sure enough, there are seat covers which appear to have taken the majority of the damage. Very nice seat covers with at least three layers: base, padding, top. There appears to only be one spot where the seat cover has worn out to the point where the original fabric is damaged.

Should I try to save the seat covers?

I'll post pix once they're fully removed.