Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I have an issue of 'Collectable Automobile' dating back to 1984 in which the Request was a featured article with many pictures. You call them and see if the have a copy for sale.

Alk

The Request was also featured in the Winter 1976 issue of PAC's The Packard Cormorant ; past issues are only available back to 1978 but if you send a PM with your mailing address I'll photocopy the article and mail to you.

Al and Owen -

Thank you. I'll follow up on both suggestions.


bernardi

Bernardi, your photocopies of The Cormorant article are in the post. Contains some good observations and details on the construction features and the "refurbishment" back in 1975. The car was built in October 1954 and many of the components that appear to be stock 1955 items were not. Tail lights for example were hand-made, shimmed, glued, etc. And much more. The car was apparently sold "out of Packard" in 1957 and quickly went "underground" with rumors abounding that it had been scrapped. Larry Dopps of Oregon found it decaying away in a field in Oregon in 1974.

Owen -

Thank you. I'll look forward to the mail - probably after Christmas, tho.

Bernardi

Owen -

Santa arrived early this year. The Cormorant article was in todays mail. It is a gold mine of information.

Thank you very much. I'll keep you informed of my progress.

Bernardi

Bernardi, I appreciate the thank-you, it's a bit disturbing how often you mail stuff to people and never get a thank you or hear anything back. You give me incentive to continue to do so. The really old issues of The Cormorant and The Packard Cormorant are really terrific sources of information, though occasionally one must temper it with information subsequently uncovered.

One of the observations we made when we saw the Request at Gettysburg in July was the interior upholstery pattern was more like a 1956 style than 1955. It was postulated that the interior was "updated" for the car to make a second round of dealer exhibits in 1956.

Pat Green - Why wouldn't it be feasible? If the cross members between the fenders must be modified or the radiator moved, it might be beyond my means.

My point was that it seemed--relatively--simple; it was merely a question of cost.

Merry Christmas!

Pat Green -

You're right - it is a matter of cost. That which I can do myself is low cost. That which I cannot do is inevitably more than I want (or can) pay. I'm really a tight-wad.

It was estimated that it was about a $20,000 expenditure to convert the original 400 to the Request. With the exception of paint, I'll do it for less than $5,000 or it won't be done.

Incidentally, $20,000 in 1954-55 dollars would be the equivalent of something north of $100,000 today.

Owen -

It was a pleasure to show my appreciation for your help.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night.

Bernardi

Quote:

Reyman (Bernardi), am I too late to the party? Snippets from the article "When the world had a brighter tomorrow".



source: February 1955 issue of Popular Mechanics, republished on scottsantoro

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