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This car is challenging me. Seller says 127" Wheelbase (Custom), data-tag only shows an engine number for a Super Eight. Trying to get confirmation on the actual engine number as of this writing. What I am trying to figure out is what is this car? Super Eight or Custom. What do you see about this car. According to the Standard Catalog, Super Eight/Deluxe shared the eggcrate grill with Custom. The datatag only shows the engine number, which is correct for 1949 Super Eight, H401013.

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Only a handful of Custom Eight concts were made in the 23rd series.The super deluxe looks exactly like the Custom but the Custom 8 had stainless trim that went all the way around the edge of the trunk and it came standard with Ultramatic.The fact that this care doesn't have the trim or Ultramatic and it has a super 8 engine number leads me to believe its a super deluxe.

Confirmed. The Custom Eights have chrome molding below the windows that extends completely down the rear fenders and around the trunk lid.


[picture source: www.auctionsamerica.com]

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Looks to be a Super Deluxe Eight Victoria Convertible Coupe. It is clearly a 23rd Series car, which would make the 127" wheelbase correct for a Super. It is missing the belt molding around the deck lid which would easily identify it as a Custom. And since the engine number crosses correctly to a Super, it all seems to make sense. The VIN plate would tell all...is it missing?

Looks like a 2379 - Super Deluxe Convertible. For the 23rd series Packard took the chassis, sheet metal and most of the exterior trim from a Custom, stuck a 327 in it and called it a 'Super Deluxe'.

Not too shabby... 4 correct answers within 4 minutes of each other.

I agree with everyone. What about that interior?

Interior looks correct-leather and brocade.Those wire wheels look totally out of place on that car.What are they asking for it?

Not speaking to this car in particular, but it shows the reasons for doing good "due diligence" when considering a 23rd series Custom 8 convertible. The availability of cloisonne hubcaps and repro blank VN plates is more temptation than some folks can withstand in pursuit of bigger dollars. One thing those devious folks seem to fail on is the wrap-around SS trim on the trunk lid.

An oft-quoted number for 23rd series Custom 8 convertible victorias is 60 as 1949 23rd series cars, and 85 and 1950 23rd series cars. Just for comparison the same source quotes 671 Super DeLuxe convertible victorias as 1949 models and 614 as 1950. Ther 22nd series Custom 8 victoria is given as 1103 and 1948 models and 215 and 1949 22nd series. The 23rd series Custom 8 victorias are far rarer than any of the Caribbeans and the Custom 8s and Custom Super Clippers are (IMO) the finest postwar luxury Packards built, nothing after them really matched them.

I thought the Custom dashboard had a chrome continuation of the horizontal radio speaker bars across the glovebox. This one doesn't.