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

When I pull the front seat out on my 48 to install a release handle, I discovered some interesting items. I. What might be an original Packard key fob with the missing trunk key. 2 A Packard Club membership card from the former owner. 3 Two (2) clear floor mats. 4. A "Please do not touch" card from the Packard Club, and a pen flashlight. - You never know what you will find under a seat. May post pictures -

Interesting what one will find under seats......in my '48 Station Sedan I found several coins from the '50's, pennies from 1954 that were still shiny new! Years ago I found a 1935 1/2 dollar coin in the door of a 1931 Ford I was restoring. Newspapers are another find from old cars in years past.
Merry Christmas to you all!!

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I found a Detroit Free Press newspaper dated 1947 under the carpet of a 1947 Custom Super Clipper. It must have been left there by a worker when the car was being assembled. Not exactly under the seat but close.

Of course several reasons for coinage under the seat, at least one of which was the custom of my era. When a friend first showed you his new (or used) car, you took some coins from you pocket and tossed them into the car. Do people still do this?

Under the seat of my 34 when I bought it was the jack and a nearly full set of tools in the tool roll (minus the engine crank), a hotel receipt from the White Mountains of NH from 1935, a receipt from the RCA Store in Manhattan for the installation of a radio, also from 1935, and a WW II gas ration card.

I found under seat coins, etc. too, but I also found a period quarter on the passenger side frame rail behind the leaf spring support(shackle) when I was installing the new exhaust.
I couldn't figure out how it got in there nor why it never fell off? The frame rail is flat/level.
I can only guess someone put it in there thinking some day someone will wonder how it got there or the owner kept it there for an emergency phone call in the days of pay phones. But that's a bit risky/poor choice place at best. I don't know of any traditions for this. But I wasn't expecting the manifold casting to be dated on day of my birth five years before I was born either.

Not found under the seat; but how about finding something from the factory, from underneath the trunk mat in a 1955 Packard?

I found this hard stock paper union flyer underneath my 400's trunk mat years ago while I was restoring her. I think it would be interesting to have been a 'fly on the wall', and listened to those worker conversations from that era.

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Wonder if the unity slate won and given S-P's financial condition did they get everything the flyer is asking for. I seem to recall reading something about Nance taking or wanting a strike at the Stude plant but don't remember the timeframe.

I found a few pennies, some light bulbs, bullets and a rusted rifle clip under the seats when we pulled them out. Would've been nice to find any keys!

That union flyer is interesting. My grandfather walked the picket lines when they unionized GM in the '30's, he worked at Buick.

Although my car is a 1948, I found a factory logo tin of Mazda replacement bulbs with an assortment that includes an earlier style non-sealed beam headlight bulb.

It was under the right side of the front seat, maybe transferred from a previous car by one of the owners.

I never heard of the change thing on a new car, however, for many years I associated some level of sexual adventure to be a part of consummating ownership.
Bernie

Although my car is a 1948, I found a factory logo tin of Mazda replacement bulb

Were you perhaps thinking there was a relationship between Mazda bulbs and the car manufacturer of the same name? No relationship that I'm aware of, Mazda (the light bulb manufacturer) was a US company with roots way back in time and a prime supplier to the US car industry for many decades. You'll see their name in the notes at the bottom of this 1934 auto light bulb chart.

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