Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

a packard with a chevy engine is virtually worthless. it saddens me to go to car shows and cruise nights and see all this old iron with cranked out, cookie cutter chevys with chrome valve covers.

i myself do not appreciate cutting up good, origanal iron like oldgold is doing, but i still support him. his craftsmanship and metalworking abilities are admirable. The fact that he is keeping the engine and drivetrain origanal is truly awsome.

To each his own, it's your money and you can do with it what you wish. But how much this hobby has changed since I first entered it many years back is suprising and in a way depressing. Of course back then we were buying cars of the 30s, many of them bona-fide Classics, and cars of the 50s were plentiful and cheap, our everyday cars. But we viewed ourselves less as owners and more as caretakers of a piece of automotive history when it came to our vintage cars. With perhaps the exception of whitewall tires, authenticity was the byword and restoration was the exception. It was the joy of preservation and driving them and experiencing what it was like to drive in prior decades that was the thrill -- now all to often it's overrestoration for bragging rights and the only miles the car sees is off and on the trailer. And how it saddens (and maddens) me to see a lovely presentable Packard 12 or other similar wonderful car given IFS, tilt steering column, Chevy engines, Turbohydomatic, power steering, etc. and them call them all "upgrades" and thinking it increases the value. Why not just drop the Packard bodyshell over an Accura and be done with it. Oh well, I guess I'm just an old dinosaur.

HEY GUYS!! I'm back!
Sorry it's been awhile, work has been crazy. Work has stalled on the Packard for time being. I roughed out some body work and primered it then put in a temporary plexi windshield so I could enjoy driving her for now. Over the winter I'll finish th body and lay some paint, interior and so on. Oh and PACKPRINCE, I'm not going to stoop to your level of immature insults but I'll go head to head with you any day and walk away smilin while your cryin!

Enjoy the photos!

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started making some all steel cruiser skirts also.

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I would also like to say that I purely enjoy customs and I did'nt choose the car, it chose me. This car was destined to be pro-streeted or crushed by the PO because he could not sell it. I am keeping this a period 50's Kustom piece with original drivetrain, suspension, interior and so on. It is nothing more then what the likes of Winfield or Barris or the other great icons would have done at the time. My build is done with my vision, heart and soul. What others of today seem to do (no names mentioned here) is create a 2008 vehicle wearing an old overcoat. No offense, but just about anyone can yank a beautiful period drivetrain for the sake of saying their car is a "hotrod". What people like PACKPRINCE do is merely no more than doing it for the sake of making a living. No heart, no soul - only bragging rights. My car is built to enjoy and that I do. I smile as much driving it as those whom smile at it. I will park next to a 100 point resto anyday and still feel nothing but pride. It's much better than the shame of lifting the hood on my trailer queen and saying "see my nice shiny small block chevy and late model suspension"

Just my 2 cents!

I couldn't have said it better myself!!

OldGold: Thanks for posting the pictures. Even though you have chopped the top, it looks like it came from the factory. Nice workmanship.

John F. Shireman