Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

There is a nice Caribbean that was just listed on eBay that purports to be a one owner car with 50,000 miles. The photos might be something to be preserved for future reference and discussion.
The engine compartment does not feature the original Dual quads and batwing and the hoses and clamps,have been replaced with incorrect pieces but the wiring and other features look correct. The interior looks original but the top has been replaced.
The shots,of the trunk show one feature that I have not seen before- a metal support behind the spare tire connected to the floor and lip of the deck lid opening. I am guessing that this was a dealer or owner addition to stabilize the spare but I may be wrong. The trunk carpeting also appears to be an afterthought.
Nice car overall. I hope someone buys it and enjoys it .

The shots,of the trunk show one feature that I have not seen before- a metal support behind the spare tire connected to the floor and lip of the deck lid opening. I am guessing that this was a dealer or owner addition to stabilize the spare but I may be wrong.

That support was a standard part of the convertible body structure, not a later addition; for 1956 the support was moved a couple of inches forward. It's also always interesting on the 55/56 convertibles to look at the hand-forming and welding on the trunk structure where they cut and shortened the 400 trunk structure - one sees considerable variation in the quality of that work. I have a couple of other photos of that which I'll attach if I can find them quickly.

The fender-mounted rear view mirrors are not Packard accessory mirrors.

A pretty well-preserved survivor car! It will be interesting to see what it finally changes hands for.

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That trunk support was put on later built 55 Caribbeans. The early ones did not have it. I do not know when (car number) they started welding it in.

This car has new carpet, the driver side arm rest top was replaced. Compare to passenger side.

The driver side door is that Bondo, or just the paint?

Question, The sun visor color, white and middle color or bottom color? Was it different on 55 and 56? Are the 56 hardtop and convertible sun visor colors the same? I have seen 55 green cars with the middle color, but this one is the bottom color.

I wonder when it lost its dual carbs.

That trunk support was put on later built 55 Caribbeans. The early ones did not have i

Thanks, I wasn't aware that it was a running change.

Mine is #109 (5588-1109) and I do believe that I have that brace, so they probably made the decision to add it within the first hundred cars.

I agree, there's something about visors that don't look spot-on, but I'm not close enough to my car to check right now. Is that boot correct also? White with the contrasting piping?

What is the strap on the top of the rear seat?

Owen- I thank you for your observation on the support for the spare tire. I did not see it on the cars I photographed at Hershey and honestly did not look for it on other cars at Warren or at the museum in Dayton....or on the Hughes car.
I can say with certainty that there was never such a brace on my car....and it also did not have the hood support.
My serial number is 55881036 so perhaps we can try to determine when the hood and trunk braces were added from the folks on the forum.
I will pull my photos of the sun visors that were on the car to address the color scheme issue.
RJR

OK. But what is the trunk support supposed to be supporting??? Was there one on the left side too??? If no support on the LEFT side but only on the rite side then not likely to have any structural support for the body due to convertible body weakness. Maybe some difference in the spare tire well, possible deeper or more shallow for some reason and thus the support???