Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

They show only a two fabrics for my 1956 Clipper Custom too when it has at least three.

Some of the early literature was printed before new car introduction so like sales brochure illustrations, info might not have been all that accurate or up to date.

Am curious which one only had 2 cloth combos listed. In the 56 Cloth and Upholstery book I count 3 cloth-combo and 3 all leather for the Custom sedan and 6 cloth-combo for the Constellation. As the author of that Packard article said, any other stock combination was also most likely available in a Clipper by special order but it would be nice to have that stated in a bulletin.

I seem to remember someone posting a factory sales change or availability bulletin regarding the Flamingo Pink paint being introduced. Don't recollect if that was after Customs turned into Executives or not but there might have also been another upholstery combo made available to go with that bright pink color.

Yes, there are quite a few combinations but the photos showed only two different fabric types while my Clipper Custom has three.

Here’s the trim 41 sample from the book along with a photo of my panel there three different fabrics are clearly visible.

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I think the trim codes with the swatches in the upholstery book are primarily for the seats since that is what most would want to see. Door panels must be treated differently as the parts book lists an entire section of bulk side wall -- trim coded or color coordinated -- vinyl or imitation leather as Packard called it. Several of those vinyl selections are differentiated as to early and late or first and second type patterns.

In the Clipper panel you show, the bottom piece is one of those -- a square textured vinyl material which I don't believe was used on seats. In the senior models that same area was covered by a large ribbed stainless piece.

I agree, it looks like the trim codes refer only to the seats. At the very least, all the cars I believe have bolster color vinyl in countless places, whereas the seats themselves were basically all leather except as so described, though even in that regard there are exceptions, such as the top of the rear seatback in my 400 being white vinyl, whereas the lower portion of the front seat bottom is white leather. Of course, the lower of the rear seat bottom is something else entirely, some thin white vinyl.

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No, it's some kind of synthetic fabric, not vinyl. I'll check tomorrow if the seats use the same three fabrics but they do also have white or light grey embossed vinyl as I recall.

It appears that my 1956 has two fabrics along with pressed vinyl on the seat fronts and the black diamond fabric and more pressed vinyl on the seal backs.

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