Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Thanks for that pic. That is certainly a good looking factory style 56 trunk liner. O D I liked the lic plate n frame on your earlier post also. As I recall on the 55 Clipper Custom the "coarse checker pattern material" was attached to the wheel tubs and up the inner quarter panel sheet metal up to and above the seam and trim clip studs as I recall and there were no panels in those areas. I am exploring an easier more modern approach however.

O_D, Did they also cover the antennas as in your car? That original car looks like it might have the end of the motor showing. I'm kind of surprised they went to the effort to cover the hinge sides. To my thinking yours without looks every bit as good so a lot of effort for little gain.

Glad you liked the license plate frame, I can't recall which club sold these, I bought a pair perhaps 40 years ago and have one on the rear of each car. They are die-cast in white metal, enclosing what may be a better picture of it. Don't know if they are still available.

A couple of years ago Dan Kanter gave out these (2nd photo) repros of a Packard accessory frame to those of us who attended a local regional meeting - very generous of Dan and though I'm not enamored of jazzing up a car with lots of accessories, I did like this one. The "RP" stands for Ridgefield Park, one of the two DMV offices in Bergen County that year. In that era, the letters denoted the county in which the registration was done. For a number of years NJ did not issue a new plate annually but just issued the aluminum tag to override the year embossed on the original license plate which as I recall was dated 1954.

I digress - I know and apologize. But another nice little finishing touch if you're so inclined is to obtain the correct state motor vehicle inspection sticker for the windshield and these are available for all (almost all?) states and years. I don't have a stock photo of mine but I'll take one later in the day and add it here. The "12" is the month due for re-inspection.

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i have some 1955 ca metal tag plates,, they were on the gp la salle,plates,,no 1956 tag,,plates

od,,,i think that cars would look great in my garage,,,,,

nice looking car

Well I spoke to my local upholstery guy and he was kind enough to give me a few min and some info. (Neighborhood shop not the national advertiser here in cntrl l i). He said it is common practice to use the more modern trunk felt even on 50s vehicles with or without full side panels and on the trunk floor they will either cut n bind the edges if it is to sit unglued or to just cut and spray glue down with un bound edges.
These are the samples from a vendor and far right second from bottom would have been the closest to what was there orig. the samples for the seat upholstery have a close match to the insert panels star demask but the border panels on my car are dark green not the lighter gr on the sample. I gave them my int code. They may have a closer match but i will not be persuing this. My front seat is in very good cond orig. he said to do just the rear seat is not appropriate as it will not match looking too new against the front and to do the frt and rear with me supplying the material will be in the 2 to 3 k range. I will just keep the cover blankets on and let the next caretaker decide on any changes. I also have a rool of the green embossed material for the lower dor panels and b pillar and package ray covering if anyone needs it. P m me

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The front seat is in such good shape due to the seat cover that was on it and i did not find out this was a dealer installed iten untill i read through the info on this site. I thought it was a home done cover as was common practice by homemakers on furniture and such. Rembering back when i removed id it was certainly more than a diy endeavor as it was clear plastic over the inset panels and opaque dk gr over the outer panels and was attached with an excess of hog rings in places that would have required the seat to be removed and flipped upside down. Hard to tell how mush fading occured on the star inset panels and if the samples are the orig actual color.

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Samples for the trunk and seats

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Just adding a couple 'before and after' trunk pictures of my '55 400 to help give others ideas of the possibilities. The last picture was taken when I purchased the car, in what seems today to be like another galaxy very far away from here.

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Kevin - a very well-done and attractive trunk job, my congratulations. My only comment is that of those 55/56 trunks I've seen that I believe to be unmolested, the spare tire well is painted with the upper body color, not black.