Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I am sure that many of you have looked at your Packard(s) and wondered how many are still around (or registered, on the road, etc)? Has anyone recently sought to do what the mid-1950's Packard ad did, saying that a majority of Packards produced since 1899 were still on the road? In my case, there were 3,224 1956 Packard 400 hardtops produced, and my bet would be that maybe only a hundred or so may still be running around on the world's roads. Perhaps another 100 or so "parts cars" languishing somewhere.

Given that at least 85% of the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtops and convertibles ever produced seem to be floating around, are there any estimates made for our Packards? Perhaps the NSA could do a data search of state registrations just to see how often they show up.

There is only one 1951 Patrician left in my driveway, ergo - it is rare. LOL

I don't recall where I read/heard this...and like ALL statistics, it might be completely made up...but after 30-50 years or so, only 1% of any particular vehicles/models/makes are on the road.

I think the percentages are higher than that, personally...but as time goes on and rust, wrecks, parking them in the barn/shed/garage/back 40 takes its inevitable toll...

This way please to another idea of an attrition rate and even a little study based on a percentage of original production.

There are roster keepers for the various years and series. I believe that Stu Blond is the roster keeper for the 55-56 V-8 cars and notes the "current" disposition of each in the roster.

For what it's worth, I have/had 2 1956 400s. One was completely stripped and last year got chopped up and went to the big scrapper in the sky. The other is still here in my backyard waiting to give up it's last good parts to my Panther project in 2014. Then it will also go to the big scrapper in the sky.

My rule of thumb is that one needs at least two complete parts cars in order to properly restore one car of the same kind/make/model. This ratio might vary a little bit, but without parts cars, many restored cars would never see the road again.

Craig

As the story goes, my 56 400 Esquire hardtop was fairly complete when the restoration was started in Virginia in1968-9. At that time, it was mostly unused, sitting in a barn minus a trunk lid and with a couple of broken windows. More "put away and forgotten", it eventually ended up in an estate where no one knew what to do with it or what it was worth. Almost accidentally discovered, it took parts from two 56s (a wrecked 400 and a Patrician) and possibly a 55 cousin to make it whole. Luckily, all my big numbered parts are matching the car, but the parts cars live on in it. This fellow kept and drove it for another 44 years, and during that time he came across and bought some more 55-56s, including a few Clippers. It's a good thing that car archeologists cannot carbon date or trace where everything came from. But having looked at the PI roster for a coupe of months, counting all the varieties of 1956 Packards and Clippers shown, I still think we're in the hundreds of the twenty-eight thousand that came out of the Connor Avenue plant in that short production year. The more expensive cars might have survived better because a Caribbean might catch the eye of a preserver more than a Clipper Deluxe sedan. My hat is off to anyone who keeps a 55-56 alive, in spite of the odds and difficulties involved. The reward comes in the form of appreciative comments and thumbs up when I drive it. The reality is that it gets harder and harder To Ask The Man Who Owns One because they're fewer and farther between.

It is interesting to note that about the same number of cars is listed here in 1955 and again in 56. 55 production was what--three times 56 numbers?

I always figured that the Packard club listed no more than 50% of the available cars in any category, but who knows? No profound reasoning; just considered how many turn up on Ebay and elsewhere that are not accounted for.

I also imagine that the numbers vary in inverse proportion to the value range of the car in question...

I also imagine that the numbers vary in inverse proportion to the value range of the car in question...

The most extreme example would be the survival rate for 56 Caribbean convertibles, at least 36%; yet the overall survival rate for 56 Packards and Clippers is, based on PAC directory, only about 1.5% which at best you might double for those cars not in the hands of members.

THAT 57 CHEVY STAT IS COMPLETELY MISLEADING, SINCE NEARLY ANY PART ON A 57 CHEVY HAS BEEN REPRODUCED BY ANY NUMBER OF VENDORS. GIVE ME A BLANK FLOOR SPACE IN A GARAGE AND AN OPEN ENDED CHECK BOOK AND IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS I WILL DRIVE A REGISTERED 57 CHEVY OUT THE DOOR.

Al, you're so right. It reminds me of the comment I've heard a few times about the 1934 LeBaron 1106 coupes and roadsters or the 1108 phaetons; paraphrasing it a bit, "only 4 built, 9 remaining".