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This is a little backwards as the car is now DONE. Set the toe in at 7:30 this evening and went down to river for a swim. I'll put up some before photos later on.

This was (is?) a 51 200 4 door that I had picked clean and was just ready to send to the crusher when an idea struck.

This is an all-Packard street rod, and excepting hardware type items, is made of nothing but 46-58 parts that were sitting around the property. This is my reaction against street rods that are built from kits. All of the major exterior body panels used to be part of that 51 body. The grill shell was made from a pattern I took from Jane English's 34.

The engine is a 51 288 bored .040 over, ported and relieved and balanced. I used a 288 because they rev higher, and you can not even give them away. No other hi perf mods as I wanted a gentle back roads cruiser. It also has Ultramatic, Treadlevac and 6 volts. I do enjoy being contrary. The car is 1500 lbs lighter than stock so moves out just fine.

Packard info friends are welcome for a ride in Gettysburg!

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Ross, looks pretty nifty - and I'll bet my saying that will surprise some folks. Put me on the list for a ride at Gettysburg!

Imagination, innovation. ingenuity and invention = Scrapula!

Quote:Dave,

First non-correct colour wheels, now this! What next!

Ross, most cool.

(o{I}o)

Congratulations Ross on a very appealing project. There are many of us with bits and pieces of Packards, not good enough to restore in themselves but worthy of saving. You have made a really neat roadster from A PARTING OUT car. I have a 633 in bits which I remember as a complete car in 1967. The founder of the Packard Club in Australia, Gwen and Eric Macrae had this 633 convertible sedan as a registered going vehicle. The only "apparent" trouble was that it had a seven passenger Humber "coachbuilt" body. The "Idiot" who purchased the car and discarded the body really did everyone a disservice. I have the remains of the 633 and what do you do with it? Your re-incarnation is great. I love the use and placement of the Packard instruments. Well Done Ross. Peter Toet

Well done. It is so creative, even down to the gear shift.

magnificent! you've truly displayed the origins of hot rodding! Way to stay packard. I can't wait to see the before and during pics.

Great Job! Hard to believe a staid old 51 could turn into that. Curious what the tail lights from or is that one of the hardware items and what did you call it when registering at motor vehicle.

With any luck it will make a magazine or two and in a few years the forum will be getting questions about the one off Packard made for a big shot that was restored and seen at some big show.

Thanks for all the kind words; it was really a fun challenge, and I learned a lot. The taillights are reproduction 37 Chevy as they had a nice look and set me back less than $40 in stainless steel. The taillight stanchions are just prebent electrical conduit from Home Depot. $3 the pair. Ok, I lied a little bit. Its not all Packard--the front coil springs are Studebaker Lark as the original springs were way too stiff and tall.

Maryland very conveniently let me register it as a Street Rod as I told them the body was heavily modified, but the chassis was basicly stock. So it is registered under the original serial number 2462-something, but now carries the body style description RD for roadster. Thankyou DMV!

Keeping it "all Packard" had an additional benefit: Material costs including all the parts to rebuild the engine, trans, rear, also paint, tires etc came to less than $4500. But don't ask about the time!

You are a craftsman! Beautiful custom. Might there be a little Rodder DNA in every purist? I think with enough spare parts there might be....