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

what is stamped on the door code in black ink on your 53 Caribbean? I may be wrong but I thought only the 1954's had the color code on the glove compartment

The Valencia Orange car seen in many articles was repainted back in 1955 the owner said

The only two colors other than the four advertised colors we have truly verified was a white example (in PA) and two black examples (one in NB, one in AL), both with correct color codes indicated on the door plate

oops, NB should have read NE for Nebraska, I have received three reports of red cars but interesting enough all have blank or missing door plates and interiors that do not seem likely to correspond with a red car. I am not saying that they did not produce any red cars but none have been truly verified. This also applies to medium blues, dark blues, yellows (non sahara sand) , light greens etc... also Packard dealer announcements usually mention new colors being introduced and dropped and no Caribbean color changes are mentioned in all the material that i have read. The Carnation and Amythest color scheme was announced for 1954 for the pacific. The special emblems were also inventoried for sapre parts.

A gentleman who worked for Packard (Bob Aller? I recall) who bought a new 53 Caribbean (his dealer/factory documentation is now being sold on CD's) told me at a national show I attended that you could special order a color on the 53 Caribbeans as long it was one that packard offered as a standard color AND as long as it would match an existing Caribbean interior color scheme. He also said that mitchell bentley's paint work was not up to par with Packard's and that they had to repaint quite a few caribbeans under warranty and many folks made color changes early in the game. he also mentioned that his own personal car underwent an early color change