Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

From time to time the Motto-bodied Packard that Jean Trevoux raced in the 53 and 54 Carrerra has been mentioned here. It was a slick and fascinating machine that may still exist, but no one seems to know where it is. Many years ago a dear friend challenged me to build a copy of it and this project has moved in fits and starts for about 15 years. Well, the project is on the front burner now and the gas is turned all the way up--I want to drive it to Detroit for the National this year.

I have aimed for a near, not exact replica as I intend to tour with it. Photos suggest that Msr. Trevoux did the same as it can be seen with bumpers and a bench seat at one time, and bumperless and with racing buckets at another.

The body is a very heavily sliced and diced 51 200 4 door sedan: wheelbase reduced to 112, rear quarters moved forward an additional 5 inches, and the complete body sectioned 4 3/4 inches. I boxed the frame side rails for additional torsional and bending strength--the door gaps don't change as the car is lifted. The entire undercarriage is machinery grey--very easy on the eyes.

Drive train is a 51 288 turned into a 327, and bored .04 over. It is ported and relieved and sports a 359's intake with 4 bbl, a late 53 head, and 54 327 distributor. The exhaust is 2 1/4 straight through to a "Hush Thrush" mounted back where the spare tire well used to be. Rear axle is a 54 senior 3.23 and the tranny is a modified Gear Start. It has senior brakes all around and the steering gear from a PS car for a slightly faster ratio though I did not include the assist. It is a bit difficult to fit everything into the engine compartment with the 4 3/4 inch height loss.

Thought you guys might enjoy.

Attach file:

---

  (120.44 KB)


  (97.32 KB)


  (104.07 KB)


  (133.62 KB)


  (131.93 KB)


  (124.98 KB)

Sounds great Ross! Any pic's?

Wow - what an engine! Is the shiny thing over the exhaust manifold a heat shield? If it is, it is the most beautiful one I've ever seen. I wonder how well it works.

for the pic's Ross and, as David said, Wow!

Ross,

Looks great! Look forward to seeing it in Detroit.

Ross, beautiful work. Thanks for sharing.

(o{}o)

Just gorgeous! And a tip of the hat for craftsmanship.

Attach file:

---

  (4.03 KB)

Is that a Packard crest on the front hood of the original? It looks like a 56 hood crest, but they were not around in 53, so what is on the hood?

Ross,
So did you cut down the windshield too?

I believe the hood crest was standard 52-54 issue, just mounted higher. The heat shield is fabricated from leftover reynolds wrap from an expired 55 Patty. I don't know if it will help anything really, but it makes me smile whenever I walk past the car.

I did not chop the top at all--when I scaled photos to get the basic dimensions the glass height seems stock. The Motto roof appears to have a lot less crown but I'm not capable of duplicating that! I am going to rely on using a darker color on the roof to minimize that aesthetic problem. I did use the 53-56 sedan rear window that they seemed to use.

Attach file:

---

  (102.26 KB)


  (79.74 KB)

WOW........looking forward to this completed. Please keep us updated!