Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

For a '53 Caribbean, were the wheel wells painted? If so, black?

Of course they were painted. I'm about 99.9% sure they were black regardless of body color.

Preponderance of opinion is that they were black. When I was restoring my '53 Caribbean and removed the undercoating from the fender well, the paint underneath was body color. May have been a special request.

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If by "wheel wells" you mean under the front fenders this was usually body color without any question for Caribbeans. There are numerous photos of 1953 Caribbeans on the internet and on this site showing factory original cars with body color on the inside of the front wheel housings.

I also have them on the assembly line with body color. Mitchell-Bentley did paint firewalls (below the cowl flange) flat or satin black, but not inside the front fender wheel housings.

As far as undercoating... that's a whole different matter. Of course if undercoating was ordered (and this was usually a dealer-installed or aftermarket item...and best left alone rather than scraped off-as is proclivity today)... it would be black, of course.