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Recently purchased a beautiful '48 Packard Super Eight Victoria. It had been sitting in a garage for 6 or more years after the last owner passed. I bought it from his wife, and got her running. The previous owner restored the car in 2000, with new top, interior, and Cavalier Maroon paint. Plus various mechanical things such as the radiator, brake lines, harness, top and window cylinders, etc. The list goes on.

I called the owner before him, who said he purchased the car in the late 80's from Andy Rosen, near Philly. I contacted Andy and he recalled he car when he purchased it in 1980 from a Don Rook, an avid Packard and Chrysler 300 collector.

It seems that the car has a 288 motor in her. I thought maybe it was just the heads, but the block is in the 200,000 series. It is a G motor and it is painted Packard Green. I have pics of the car from years back, and it does show a dealer added back-up light. The light is gone, but the switch is still on the R-9 trans...so I believe the trans to be original. This is a very early car, with slide vent controls...#2653 ...or the 653 Super 8 conv built. It has an early glove box door with no lock, much like the Custom 8 door, before they made them different. (according to Stuart from Kanter).

After speaking to Andy Rosen, he mentioned that when he got the car from Don Rook in 1980, it was Brown, and all original and untouched. He took it to the Nationals, and a very knowledgeable older Packard enthusiast came up to him and said, "You have an unusual car here. it's a very early car with many Deluxe Eight features. Such as the hubcaps, trim, etc. It is one of the first convertibles Packard built and released that year..." Andy Rosen recalls that it had the 288 motor in it at the time. I looked up Don Rok on Google, and he passed away, but was known for his authentic and unusual cars, at one time owning 49 Packards.

The car has 95k miles on it and the motor appears to have never been rebuilt. is it possible that this motor cam in this car?????

Thanks,
Dennis

Can you provide the body dash (theft-proof) number and the vehicle number? The very first 22nd series Super 8 Victoria was 718494 with the first large production campaign apparently ending at about 729XXX.

G'day Dennis,

Like in this previous thread, where you passed on the car concerned, I invite you to include this '48 Super 8 Victoria in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo.[/quote]

Will include the info I have in the registry, as suggested. In the interim, here is what I took from the firewall and engine.

-Car has the early serial tag, without color or trim sections, but DELIVERED BY...CITY...DATE. The stamped serial number is, as I said 2279-2653, and it matches the Briggs number on the tag on the passenger side exactly.

-The theft proof number is 728532

- Motor number is G256203CE

- Head number is 389721 288

Apparent original options are the spare tire external inflator under the trunk lid; fog lights; underseat and under dash heater; back up light, vacuum antenna (it's missing but control knob is there), power top and windows of course; and the car has the push buttons with words on them and a light bar on top to illuminate them.

Dennis

Many thanks for the numbers. It's a bit unusual that the Briggs# and VN match, also interesting. I've also forwarded your numbers to Robert Neal, author of the book on the 48-50 Packards as I know he has a continuing interest and is still maintaining a database of vehicles - he estimates the production date of your car to around August 1947, and the replacement 288 engine to late 1948.

Thanks for the info. It is a bit disheartening that the engine is not the one that came with the car, but I love it none-the-less. I am thing that in the near to distant future, I may be on the hunt for an early 48 327 block, leaving the 288 head on it which was a common upgrade.

I appreciate your help.

Dennis

Dennis, for including your '48 Super Eight Victoria Convertible Coupe in the Registry, looks great!

Dennis, My 22nd series super 8 victoria is a 1949 model and the engine number is G420443CE. It is possible someone replaced the head on your engine with one off of a 288 engine.

The engine number identifies it as a 288.

Yes, it does. Engines in the 200,000 series are 288 engines, and in the 400,000 series are 327's. Did the research. Not sure when it was swapped. The car did have an aftermarket temp gauge installed by the last owner, with a new sending unit. The original gauge sending unit is hanging on the firewall, and when I connected it, the old gauge did not function. Perhaps, the previous owner, while tooling around the Jersey shore with the grandkids, overheated the engine. as the old gauge was not functioning. In the stack of receipts I got from him there was one from the restoration shop stating, 'Engine removed, painted and installed...' for $4,500! So, I am thinking that this is when it was 'changed'. Not sure, but that's a lot of dough to simply remove, repaint and replace.

As I said, the car is gorgeous, and I will decide in the future whether to enjoy it as is, or look for an early '48 327 block.

Dennis