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

I've got a mascot question. I was under the impression that the Cormorant mascot I have on my bathtubs was introduced with the 22nd Series. And yet, I see several Clippers sporting them. I thought the only hood ornament shared between the Clippers and the Bathtubs was the stylized Goddess. So... are all the Cormorants on the Clippers an after-sale add-on by the Clipper owners?

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The cormorant hood ornament you pictured is only correct for 1948-1950 Packards. The 1951 Packards did use the same cormorant, but with a different base. In 1952, the ornament was re-designed with folded wings and was re-designed again for 1953 and 1954 as a one-piece casting with much less pronounced wings.

If you see a 21st series Clipper with your hood ornament, it is incorrect and was probably added by a later owner who just wanted to dress up his car. This was common in the 1950's. Many people apparently liked the look. J.C. Whitney even used to sell an imitation Packard Cormorant hood ornament with plastic wings. I once had a Packard that somebody had put one of these on the hood. It had green plastic wings. Personally, I thought it looked terrible.

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Actually the 1953-1954 cormorant was two-piece with the body incorporated into the base and the wings as a single separate piece. Before that, the base and body were separate and not only were the wings individual but there was also a wedge inside to keep them in place.

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That was what I surmised looking at the accessory brochures and seeing the filing date on the patent application (05/14/1947). Thanks for responding.

I ran across this picture of an imitation Packard cormorant from the 1950's. I believe that J.C. Whitney sold these. This is what someone had stuck on the 1949 Super 8 Club Sedan that I owned many years ago. It too had the green plastic wings. At least it matched the paint of the car. I later bought a correct hood ornament from a vendor in the Hershey flea market. This one went into the trash. Anyway, the wings were broken. Over the years, I have met a number of swap meet sellers who insisted that their J.C. Whitney bird was an actual Packard factory accessory. And they think you are trying to rip them off when you tell them otherwise.

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I've seen two of the JC Whitney jobs in the ghetto. The Cormorant and the Atlas. I've never seen any of those other ones they catalogued. That was years ago. I'm sure there are a few bolted onto PT Cruisers.

There are a lot of the Clippers with the pre-war Pelican surfing on the hood. That's ghetto.

It's a good thing I never saw one of those Whitney jobs at flea market marked as Packard, because I would immediately go into a Cheech and Chong routine accusing him of stealing it. "Heeeey Maaan, you stole that off my brother's Cheby maan. What the hell is a Packard Holmes?. I thought that was a calculator."

Dave's not here . . . .

Just for you Tim. Wings come in 5 assorted colors. And... for that extra touch of understated elegance... they light up! With free shipping no less.

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Tim, racism and racial profiling is totally inappropriate for this forum. Take it elsewhere.

Ghetto is the new universal term for anything unrefined, vulgar, sophomoric, childish, or whatever. For example, Park Avenue has come to symbolize a ghetto for vulgar billionaires. If you put Buick wheels on a Packard that's ghetto. Putting crate engines in Packards is ghetto.

It's just ghetto.