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

As I understand it (and perhaps this is a bit overly simplistic with my limited knowledge of that era of Packard) your car isn't exactly a 1949 renumbered as a 1950 but rather that Packard went by series with the 23rd lasting a year and a half. It was due to federal law that they had to have a model year so those after a certain date were numbered as, and called, 1950 models. Since they had not been numbered as 1949, they couldn't have been REnumbered!

Don, the only difference between a 1949 23rd series and a 1950 23rd series is the data plate. The 1950 data plate has a '-5-' between the model and serial numbers. I have the build sheet for the car and it shows it was originally numbered as a 1949. The Briggs body tag also shows a serial number that is consistent with the build sheet. The factory stamped data plate shows a very much higher serial number and the '-5-'. It is definitely a factory renumbered 1949 model.

Packard renumbered many unsold 23rd series 1949 models as 1950 models. The late author, Robert J. Neal, agreed that my car was a renumbered model.