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

Fred, Are you suggesting that the lamps on mine aren't the Packard accessory lamps? I also have a 1947 Custom which has identical lamps as mine with the word "Packard" impressed along the top of the housing. The car has been derelict since the early 70's at least and the lights are very rusty. Also because mine and the parts car have the correct switch I am almost certain these lights were dealer installed in Winnipeg Manitoba at or very shortly after purchase.

PackardV8 The badge is a Ontario Motor League badge from 1940's

I like the badge bar. Is that original Packard accessory or aftermarket???? Very nice accessory either way.


Accssory. Notice the bottom right item in this 1946 dealer acc section. Lights are on the left but not too distinct.

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It's not a badge bar, it's a grille guard. An original accessory

The rear over ride bar looks like this. Seems to me back in the 50's we called them Van Auken bars? Anyone else remember that?
Can you see the cat under the car looking back at the camera?

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Are they two separate units front & back or do the ends slide in that center piece depending on width needed?

I'm quite sure I'm wrong about the originality of your lights. I had inmind the modern Unity lights with the flat ornament attached with 2 rivets. Lokking at the illusatration of the Packard Accessory display, in the lower left are two similar lamps. I believe this is not a photo, but what I call an "artists misconception".

YOur lights with the word Packard stamped into the top of the housing are the same construction and style of the backup lamps.

I will check, and I think the bullet back lamps with the oval nmetag were last used on the 42 non-Clippers. Everyone has something to learn on the forum.

Fred Kanter
Kanter Auto Products
Boonton NJ

Re: Van Auken Bars/Clipper 47

There was a brand and specific construction type called Van Auken Guards. The had a bulbous knob on the top of each guard and a tubular horizontal bar which attached near the top of the guard and terminatd at the bumper ends, They were an aftermarket accessory and made Buicks of the early 50's even uglier, a feat I thought impossible.

The ones on your car are original Packard Accessory, I've never seen this style on any other car, but I've been wrong before.

Fred. Thanks for clearing up the Van Auken question. I assumed they were proprietary brand not generic but like Zerox and Aspirin we kids called them all "van aukens".

The fog lamps are definitely not the Unity version. I went out to the garage today to check to see if the foglights had any other marking besides the one word "PACKARD" and they don't (unless maybe somewhere not easily seen without disassembly)the same thought crossed my mind concerning the back-up lamp. Only the one word PACKARD in the same style and size as the fogs so likely of the same manufacturer. I have a photo of my car taken circa 1955 with the foglights so I am fairly sure they are the official accessory lamps. An aside to that serveral years ago I bought a back up lamp made by the "Northeast Electric Co." in the original box. The lamp was marked "PMC" on the top in the same manner as my '47 lamps with no other markings anywhere. I sold it to a person who wanted it for his 1941 Packard. Perhaps they were also the makers of the 1947 accessory lamps?
One curious thing which you might know the answer to is that the car came with two of the black rubber Packard script floor mats which I know you sell as reproductions. I thought they were a Packard accessory also until I noticed that they are marked "Made in Israel". They obviously didn't come with the car when purchased in 1947 since the modern state of Israel didn't come into being until May 1948. Pictures in the '48 and 51 Accessory books show a slightly different mat without the Packard script so I am wondering when these mats were available since they must be reproduction or a later factory accessory. Are yours made in Israel also?

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HH56 (Howard), They are entirely different sizes so front and back are not interchangeable although there is some adjustment available side to side.

Lamps- As I recall at the base of the lamp near the mounting bolt should be a small triangular logo with CM Hall stamped in it.

Floor Mats- We had them made in Israel in the late 70's, a copy of the 55-56 accessory mats which were made ihn many colors. We made them in black only