Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Mr. Haber was a S-P employee, the info is on S-P letterhead or other document dated in 1957. All the V8 era numbers are well-established and there really has never been any mystery about them at all. With some exceptions production by specific model was also published by Packard for the 51-54 models though in some cases you'll still find totals for a particular chassis without breakdown by body type on that chassis. That situation is somewhat similar back thru the 21st, 22nd and 23rd series. Prewar is a whole different kettle of fish and you usually have to rely on highest known vehicle numbers from a very large database to begin to estimate production by specific body type within a particular chassis though there are again exceptions - for example the number of 1941 LeBaron Sport Broughams is known because, IIRC, the order for them was recorded in the corporate board meeting minutes. The tables in the Dawes book were supposedly drawn from S-P documents and I've not ever taken note than any of them were questioned or incorrect.

Jusr rambling on in a general way, the size of the hoard of original Packard documents in private hands is unknown by I suspect it's quite extensive; for example the documents that were revealed on this site not so long ago on the fuel injection experiments for the 1956 models came from a private collection of documents. If you mingle enough with older timers in the hobby you begin to know who has what type of documents. We can hope that as these folks begin to consider what to do with their collections, they decide to donate them to places like the Warren Museum or the Proving Grounds (assuming we all support them enough to guarantee their healthy survival).

OD,

I agree, I hope documents do keep coming out in the open.

When I 1st attended Packard events, my 55 was "one of those gd V8's". So the old timers viewed them as used cars, and the downfall of the company. It is much better now.

I have been the Packard club 30 years, and PI about the same. I do not ever remember hearing about the 1957 documents. Are they available some where, or just in collectors hands? Could I get them from the studebaker national museum? I would be curious to know what else he had.

When I hear that documents like this exist, it gives me hope that the 55 production tickets are out there somewhere!

When I 1st attended Packard events, my 55 was "one of those gd V8's". So the old timers viewed them as used cars,

I bought my first Packard in 1958 and had two others before I joined PAC in 1963 when I bought the 34 that I still have. I don't know if I ever told this story here before but your quote above brings it to mind. About the same time I also joined a local region of the VMCCA; the membership requirement was a car 50 years old, or a bona fide CCCA Classic. The vast majority of the then-VMCCA members were into the very earliest of brass cars and likewise thought mine more of a used car. Their comments to me ran a bit like "We know you have a qualifying car but if you don't light your headlights with a match, you really don't have an old car."

The Haber document was just part of someone's collection of old Packard documents that was shared. As I recall the source was someone else who occasionally corresponds on this site, in fact it may even be in some old thread on this site.

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In the early 70s I was finally done with school, service and was living out here where I had a job & could finally buy my own Packard. The first of many cars bought, sold & traded back and forth came from a guy some on the forum probably knew who was very much of that thinking.

We became good friends and I learned he had bought and sold Packards & Packard stuff since his college days. While he'd pick up the V8s, they had to be dirt cheap and were definitely not a priority with him. He also had a parts collection that had come from lots of old dealer stock. Some large and small stashes he had picked up a little at a time as he heard about them.

The really sad thing was he was not particularly interested in V8 parts. Many times he told of his trips somewhere to pick up a purchase. Usually it was pack it yourself stuff and while he was boxing them up would throw anything for sure he knew was V8 in a pile. If there was room in his pickup he took what would fit, otherwise they were left for scrap. Makes me cringe just thinking about it.

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Me too!!!!!

Howard, your story reminds me of the article in the latest The Packard Cormorant about the late Joe Clayton. He was different from your guy in that he was a V-8 collector. It gives me shivers to think of all the good Packards that went to the crusher in those days simply because parts were not readily available and they were considered to be just old used cars with little or no value.

(o{}o)

Here is a pic of the engine number--I think. It is the same as the car number on the door jam--are they supposed to be the same?

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I can't see your photos because I'm not a google member but others will be able to and will surely answer your question. In 55-6, if the engine was original to the car the engine number will be the same as the number on the door post. If the engine has a different number than the car then it was swapped at some point in the car's life. A not that uncommon occurrence as Packard parts and service became harder to come by. V8's that wound up in junk yards generally had a good engine bolted to a non functioning transmission. A tired engine swap for a good one was probably cheaper and easier than finding parts to rebuild one.