Packard Forum Index » Shows and Events

I attended this show today. HUGE! There were even a couple of Packards! The 55 Clipper was in the for sale corral. The rest of the cars were in the "Blue Ribbon" section and blocked off with rope so I couldn't get any interior pics. That was a bummer, but happy to see Packards at a car show! Also met a wonderful couple with a beautiful '49 (in the pics) that were a pleasure to talk to. They introduced me to the Wisconsin Packard Club. Looking forward to talking with them again!

Attach file:

---

  (219.84 KB)


  (158.16 KB)


  (145.90 KB)


  (116.04 KB)


  (238.35 KB)


  (237.44 KB)


  (192.62 KB)


  (172.47 KB)


  (197.13 KB)


  (221.40 KB)


  (174.94 KB)


  (175.68 KB)


  (224.19 KB)


  (183.40 KB)


  (188.24 KB)


  (242.16 KB)


  (259.58 KB)


  (233.02 KB)


  (227.79 KB)


  (227.57 KB)


  (232.23 KB)

Thanks for sharing!

A sun-drenched event, as the photos reveal. Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

The 1956 Four Hundred is very pretty, but it must handle a little strange (especially at higher speeds) with those Thunderbird-looking outrigger wire wheels (with Packard caps installed). The stance of this car would have to be several inches off from factory specs due to the wrong wire wheels. And on these cars, caster, camber, turning clearance, and other front geometry is very, very critical and can result in things like front end shimmy, ripped tires, oddly worn tires, screwy-acting or broken power steering... and more...and worse.

This is what happens when magazines and auctions continue to persist-often defiantly- in reference to postwar Packard wire wheels as "Kelsey-Hayes" (one of these references is on prominently eBay right now) instead of Motor Wheels... which is what they are. And people think... "magazine or auction company said it... gotta be accurate. I'll go buy myself some Kelsey-Hayes wires and put them on my postwar Packard!"

The original Packard postwar wire wheels never used outrigger spokes positioned on the edge of the rim. And they never used Kelsey-Hayes wires... they used wire spoke wheels made by Motor Wheel Corporation...and the spokes should be inset from the edge of the rim.

I've had this argument with "experts" and Leeedy is correct.
I've had people swear they saw an ad that showed Packard using K-H wheels. Even my regular wheels have Motor Wheel's emblem stamped into them.

Attach file:

---

  (179.70 KB)

The '56 is owned by an advanced collector & he purchased the car a couple of years ago as you see it.
The black & white Clipper for sale was on a local CL last year for about 6 months & I should have gone to look at it but I knew better :( It sold for 5-6K.
The seller fixed a good number of things including the TL & DTV (dreaded treadle vac) and had 17K on the sign, realistically a good 12 thousand car, rock solid from CA.

All the stock steel wheels on my '54 are stamped "Motor Wheel Corp"

The principal effect of using those negative offset wheels is a change in scrub radius. For example, a front wheel drive car will have a scrub radius that offsets the inherent toe in of the driveline. So the car in question will require a modified toe setting.

I don't like wire wheels on Packards after 1936. I don't like chrome wire wheels at all because they look ghetto. I remember when Turnquist started ghettoizing his cars. His 840 roadster looked great with painted wheels. What was a really tasteful car turned into a circus wagon. He did the same thing to his 443 which was over the top to begin with, but in a good way. Who wants to drive around in something that looks like bridge card fraud?

I think the hubcaps on the 55-56 Packards are tops. I assume that was a Dick Teague job and I always liked them.

As well, I wonder if that 840 phaeton was John Cavalero's car. It went underground after he died.