Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

There must have been some red/black seat combinations that were available also; there were several NOS ones for a '56 Executive hardtop split front bench on eBay just last week, and there's an original red/black seat bottom and back set on Detroit Criagslist right now. I'll be calling OAI to find what they can do and will let all know.

OK so I called OAI and they said there was a possibility they have it, but need either a sample to match it to or a number from a Detroit or Deleo book, which is something that was issued to upholstery shops each year and showed a sample of what was used in each car for that year. I'll call my local upholstery shop to see if they have one.

Quote:

Sorry, but not for your model. Red vinyl with black cloth inserts (trim set 56) was available only for the Clipper Custom Constellation and Executive hardtop, bot NOT Clipper Custom and Packard Executive sedans - according to the showroom album and parts book.

Looking further, I did find a cataloging error in the edition of the parts book that's available here. It shows the rear seat cushion (bottom) cover P/N 6482497 for 5667-5672A models, which includes the red/black trim, but that model application should be 5667-5677A - just as it is for the corresponding rear seat back cover P/N 6482497. BTW, both the front and rear seat frames, back and bottom, are different between sedans and hardtops.

Of course, it's your car and you can do anything you want - within your local upholstery shop's skill set and the materials and colors available.

However, it's been my observation that - with a few exceptions - bone-stock, authentically-restored vehicles tend to command higher values than personalized cars.

I once read of an Exec hardtop with Norweigen Forest and Dover White two-tone with an all-green all-leather interior, that was built by the factory, with a few other deviations, at the persistent request of the buyer, but know that it had a full complement of correspondence supporting that equipment.

That would explain the fact that both the NOS ones on eBay and the one on CL were from hardtops. I'm trying to locate an upholstery shop with a "Detroit" or "Deleo" book in order to get the correct fabric #s for OAI, as they told me they can check inventory using that information in the absence of original samples.