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

Acquiring a 47 DC8 Touring Sedan and want to create an Ike staff car which would have been a 41. Searching images, I get confused over the correct grill for a 41. Looks a little more ornate than the 47 larger ribbed design. Which grill would be correct for a 41 and are there any other obvious exterior differences between the two model years? I'm not trying to fool anyone, but if a museum or collector picks this up in the future, I want it to be as close a representation as possible.
Thanks in advance.

Prewar Clippers had many more bars in the grill with a narrow spacing between them and postwars had fewer bars with a wide spacing to match the side grill spacing. Side whiskers that curved around the fender to fill the space between the side grill and wheel opening were typically found on the more senior models but were available on all.

41 Clippers had a completely different dash. Speedo and instruments were in more of a horizontal or rectangular plastic layout along with the Clock in a similar looking rectangle on the glovebox lid. 42 and postwar Clippers had a large round speedometer with the instruments in a more compact straight line to the left of the speedo. Clock was also round in a symmetrical layout on the glovebox lid. Prewar Clipper ashtrays were on the top of the dash, postwar was centered in a housing below the radio under the dash.

Postwar instruments had a smaller less blocky font on the speedo and clock and there was a different Packard Clipper nameplate on the top of the dash. The prewar blocky chrome piece with small lettering was replaced by a piece written all in script with the emblem in between Packard and Clipper. .

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I notice in both pictures neither car has the bumper ends added on?
I do like the finer grill on the prewar cars better.

Since the Clipper was a mid 41 car not 100% sure when the whiskers were introduced but from what I can tell the whiskers were usually on 42 and later senior models and were a dealer option so could be added to the lower end or maybe earlier cars that did not have them.

I am just the opposite on the prewar grill looks. I always thought the prewar mix of thin and fat grill bars were kind of a mismatch and much prefer the uniform postwar styling.

G'day signsup,
to PackardInfo and I invite you to include your '47 Touring in the Packard Owner's Registry.

Picking the car up in Michigan first week in October, then I will have access to all the numbers and will register the car at that time.

signsup.

Here's our current front end.

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Unless the entire front clip has been changed, with the wide grill spacing and the bumper extensions I would say that is a 21st series 46-47 model. If it is a 21st series the numbers on the patent plate located under the hood and screwed onto the cowl sort of in front of the driver will start 16xx-xxxx for a 46 or 21xx-xxxx for a 47. Prewar cars would have a 14xx-xxxx for 41 or 15xx-xxxx for 42.

The numbers we have found so far are:

Body Number: 2112-22185
Vehicle Number: 2112-22635
Date of Delivery: 9-3-47

I don't think we ever questioned that this was a 47, just inquring how much work it would take to make it look, vusually like a 41 or 42 US Army staff car, or if we just will end up keep it a 47 and painting it OD green and representing it as a "tribute" car.