Packard Forum Index » General

The "glob" has no significance that I'm aware of, perhaps just a stray glob of body dumdum. I looked at several dozen photos of 55/56 theft-proof numbers - none have the glob.

Just a few references,

Maybe, the glob by ones weren't sent back east, just to Texas.

Attach file:

---

  (49.90 KB)


  (146.59 KB)


  (53.72 KB)

Well, since we all love the obscure: beneath the gobs (plural, as there is also one on the driver's side) are holes that I believe were used to align the two stampings before spot welding. They filled the holes to not have all the rainwater concentrated in one spot.

Thanks Ross, that is interesting.

Does dumdum harden after time, or what is this body filler, early Bondo?

So the hole would have used to hold the pieces into the welding gig, like the one pictured in this thread?
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... act&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=20

Excuse me for jumping in; I don't know if what was used was dumdum or not though it's the logical choice of material as sealing places like that was it's intended purpose. And yes, after a half-century or more it can get pretty hard.

PS - though the photos I had didn't show the "glob" on other 55/56 cars I went out and looked at my 5699 and sure enough, globs on both sides! Thanks Ross for the explanation.

To bolster the evidence, here is a shot of Best Other pass. side. Drivers side obscured by gauges.

Attach file:

---

  (67.50 KB)

Now scientifically proven: VIN hunting and gold seeking have -> something in common.



source: eBay; item number: 172037497165
Click to enlarge!

Attach file:

---

  (50.08 KB)

Reading through the thread here is very interesting but I still have a few questions on the 55-56 Packards and Clippers. Seeing the assembly line photo of the first body shells coming down the line with empty space between the triangles is this for certain the Detroit assembly line. If so it would seem the numbers were embossed after the firewall stamping procedure or is this a pic of South Bend ? It was stated earlier that South Bend cars had blank TP? How many cars were built there? Did they have the triangles and no digits or completely blank? Excluding the blank TP cars < > , all the 55-56 cars have TP starting with a C or D?

Haven't we been thru this privately and in considerable detail several times? There are 3 known 55 cars with no theft-proof numbers, all have VERY LOW vehicle numbers, lower than XXXX-1037 and one them XXXX-1001; the logical assumption is this just a result of the chaos involved in Packard suddenly relearning body manufacture. Yours aside there are 4 known 55 cars with a 2XXXXX theft proof number, they are all senior cars; myself and others who have studied this consider these numbers to be a manufacturing abberation. The numbers were stamped when the individual cowl stamping was produced and placed into "work in progress" inventory pending later use. South Bend cars are Studebaker products and Studebaker did not use body serial or theft-proof numbers. Yes, all the other 55/56 cars have theft-proof with either a C or D prefix. The C prefix covered primarily the 1953/54 run; lowest known 1955 car is C91168. Highest known is D59097 which happens to be a 1955 car though generally the higher numbers are 1956 cars. 1955-56 are the only years where theft-proof numbers are not neatly sequenced with year of production. For example a very early 55 Patrician, 5582-1012 built for export to the Swedish air force has a theft-proof higher than all but one other known car (D57801).

Thank you sir for spending your time and effort in compiling the data. Excuse me if I bother you for the information again but it has been many months since our pm and I was unsure if any new additions had come to light. I have no access to your articles and I needed to get info here so as to convey accurate data for a possible upcoming auction.
I want to also say part of the charm of car guys talking old cars is kicking around the uniqueness of special options, features and cutting edge (for the time) advancements. Did any other auto manufacturer include id numbers etched or stamped into body steel as far back as 1929? I think it wasn't until the seventies or eighties that hidden vin and body panel numbers were used to combat theft.
Part of the fun at cruise ins and shows would be discussing with those who remember or educating some who are younger about an in house designed and built automatic with the first locking torque converter or the "new" auto leveling suspension. To be able to point to an embossed number under the hood and tell the story of Packards "thief proof" numbering system going back to 1929 and be able to state the fact that only a hand full of cars slipped through blank and six had an anomaly of having a two instead of a C or a D is one more topic of conversation. To be able to say " one of six" in 1955 or one of one 5562 is topic for conversation and is just stating the facts as they are known now. If someone has a copy of the articals can you pm to make arrangements to mail me a copy? Thanks