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

For comparison, here are some photos of the 1951 200 Club Sedan I owned back in the early 1990's. Note the hubcaps. It was a base model with the plainest interior and rubber floor mats. The car was purchased from the estate sale of the original owner, a retired schoolteacher from New Haven, Connecticut who had purchased it new from the New Haven Packard dealership. Original paperwork from the dealership was included with the sale.
The invoice showed that she had traded in a 1938 Six Coupe for the 200. I later sold this car and the new owner had it completely restored, though he dressed it up a bit with a toothy grille from a Model 300 and 1956 Clipper full wheel covers. My understanding of the differences between the base model 200 and the Deluxe 200 in 1951 is that the Deluxe had a fancier interior with carpeting and pleated seat upholstery. Externally, the two models were indistinguishable. But for 1952, Packard further distinguished the Deluxe 200 from the base model by adding the toothy senior grille. I once had a friend in the former Eastern Packard Club who owned a very nice and very original 1952 200 Deluxe that had the senior grille with the teeth. As in 1951, the base 200 did not have the grille teeth.

I agree that the car in the original photo is a 1951 200 Club Sedan, given the position of the center pillar and the apparent lack of rear vent windows that the sedan would have been equipped with.

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  51_200ClubSedan_1.jpg (267.22 KB)


  51_200ClubSedan2.jpg (196.08 KB)


  51_200ClubSedan_3.jpg (158.05 KB)

Here are some scans of 1951 Packard sales literature I have in my collection. The first two are scans detailing the 200 and 200 Deluxe models, showing the differences in the interiors. Note the distinctive seat pleats and checkerboard patterned door panels in the 200 Deluxe. If wint53 has any interior photos of his grandfather's car, we could identify it as a base 200 or Deluxe.

Also attached is a page from the 1951 accessory catalog. It appears that the car has the factory accessory trim rings and pelican. I'm thinking that the bumper guard is an aftermarket accessory as the one on the car does not appear in the Packard accessory catalog. These were a popular period accessory and were available from a number of manufacturers.

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  1951PackardSalesBrochure_200Club Sedan.jpg (257.02 KB)


  1951PackardSalesBrochure_200TouringSedan.jpg (251.81 KB)


  51PackardAccessoryCatalog_pg11.jpg (142.96 KB)

It is the base model as it does not have the stainless strip along the top of the doors.

I didn't know that any had a strip at the tops of the doors and the artist concepts from the brochure, while it shows them, doesn't necessarily mean they were there! Of course, Ross has seen many more of this model than I have so I'll defer to his expertise.

Ross, you are absolutely correct. The 200 Deluxe models did have a stainless-steel moulding along the top of the door frame that the base models did not have. I never knew this. Below are pictures of a 1951 200 Deluxe Club sedan that is now for sale in Nebraska. While badly deteriorated, you can still see the distinctive checkerboard pattern on the interior door panels which identify it as a Deluxe and the exterior pictures show the mouldings. My 1951 200 was a base model and did not have these mouldings. So, I think this solves the mystery. The car in the original photo is a base model 1951 200 Club Sedan.

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  robvanvleet_51Packard_1.jpg (132.39 KB)


  robvanvleet_51Packard_2.jpg (117.29 KB)


  robvanvleet_51Packard_3.jpg (125.87 KB)